When I launched Timpanogos Hiking Co. in 2022 I knew I wanted it to be more than just a business.
I wanted it to inspire people to get outdoors, reconnect with what matters. I wanted to be a force for good in the community. And I wanted to address the mental health epidemic head on with a simple but salient call to action: escape the noise.
It's been a roller coaster since then. We had our grand opening last May. We hired some amazing people. We reignited the Timp Badge tradition and were featured on the front page of the local news. We renovated our store. We launched our ambassador program. We started recording our new podcast, Escape the Noise, last month. In just over a year and a half we shipped packages to over 7,500 customers in all 50 states.
It's been incredible watching the business come to life and flourish.
But those are the highlights, the triumphs. Starting a small business, especially with no financial backing, is not easy. Startup expenses are steep. Loans are nearly impossible in the first two years. Grants are few and far between. I have a newfound respect and admiration for people that take the leap and persist in a small business dream because everything in the first couple of years seems stacked against you.
We've gotten as creative as possible to begin to establish ourselves as an outdoor brand. I've worked side hustles. I've dipped into my personal retirement and savings. We've run lean and tried to learn quickly. Incredibly, as a business we have no debt. And we continue to grow. This March we doubled revenue from the previous year.
But growth is hard.
In life and in business.
Our vision is often far ahead of our budget. There are so many things we want to do! We believe Timpanogos has the potential to be a major outdoor brand.
But right now we could really use your help. We're at a crucial threshold.
I'll give an example. Last year we reignited the Timp Badge tradition. It was awesome. It was the first time badges were given to those who summited Mount Timpanogos in over 50 years!
It was so successful last year that we decided to expand it to nine other peaks for 2024! Great, right? Well, yes and no. We do the badges for free. We see it as a crucial part of our mission to inspire people to get outdoors and enjoy all the mountains have to offer. But the cost to stock up on all ten badges turned out to be a few thousand dollars. We didn't have that money in our budget so I finally decided to put it on a personal credit card.
We have a blueprint for success. We just need some fuel.
Some businesses start with big money. We don't have that. But we do have a story and a purpose. We have a small seed that we're trying to grow. We believe in it.
If you do too, take a look at our tiered rewards! Any amount you can give helps!
https://lnkd.in/ggibKBHt
Thank you for your support!
Hey everyone! We've got big plans (including adding nine peaks to our Summit Badge giveaway for 2024!).
But we need your support. Click through to read more.
https://lnkd.in/g9wet-vX