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Adventure Pro Podcast

Adventure Pro Podcast

Written by: Tom Shooter
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Interviews, stories and inspiration from amazing people that have made adventure their business. Careers Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • 24 Tom Smith - Adventure Pro Podcast
    Feb 24 2026

    Today's podcast guest is Tom Smith, an adventure medic who's turned his love of the outdoors into a career that spans mountain fences, film sets, ski patrols and remote expeditions. Through his story we'll explore the moments that shape a path, the unexpected turns that force us to rethink "what's possible," and the quiet lessons that come from daring to stay curious.

    Tune in to hear a calm, candid conversation that invites you to reflect on your own journey—without spilling the secrets just yet. 🌲✨

    I hope you enjoy this conversation with Tom as much as I did and if you did, please leave a review and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to get the next one. If you'd prefer to watch the interview, you can find it on our Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@adventurepropodcast/

    In this episode we discuss:

    • How Tom's rural Welsh upbringing and early jobs shaped his "never sit still" mindset

    • The life‑changing bout of septic peritonitis and how it redirected his path into film and medicine

    • Building a career on the front line: rope rigging for a Vogue shoot, stunt‑register medics, and founding Remote Horizon

    • Key resources for aspiring outdoor professionals – Aldo Kane's book, RedMed courses, and Shackleton's South

    • Tom's vision for the adventure industry: less ego, more humility, and a return to genuine wanderlust

    If you'd like to find out more about Tom and get in touch you can do so here:

    Remote Horizon: https://www.instagram.com/remote_horizon_ltd/?hl=en

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-smith-adventurefilm/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomandrewsmith/?hl=en

    Here are links to the resources mentioned in the conversation:

    • Tom Smith Showreel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlxRxy4W2oo

    • RedMed - https://redmed.education/

    • Lessons from the Edge, Aldo Kane - https://amzn.to/46kHTNl

    • South, Ernest Shackleton - https://amzn.to/4c64twR



    About the Adventure Pro Podcast

    The Adventure Pro Podcast is a collection of wide-ranging interviews, stories and inspiration from amazing people that have made adventure their business. It's where adventure, outdoors and travel professionals come together to learn, share and encourage others to carve their own path in life.

    I'll be interviewing guides, photographers, designers, instructors, content creators, YouTubers, sponsored athletes, film makers, shop owners and many others that have made a career, business or side hustle from the outdoors and adventure. If you or someone you know would like to be featured, please email adventurepropodcast@gmail.com and make sure you SUBSCRIBE to get the next one.

    If you'd like to support the podcast you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/adventurepropod

    You can also find the podcast here:

    https://www.instagram.com/adventurepropod

    https://www.facebook.com/adventurepropod

    https://twitter.com/adventurepropod

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Ben Keen on balancing personal adventure with professional responsibilities, hiring freelance staff, and running a thriving adventure business.
    Feb 8 2026

    Today we're joined by Ben Keen – the intrepid founder of The Adventure Element, a 13‑year‑old company that runs Duke of Edinburgh school expeditions and large‑scale multi‑activity challenge events for charities and corporates. Ben's also fresh from an epic solo bike‑tour of Vietnam – nearly 1,000 miles of gravel, rain‑soaked mountain passes, all of which we discuss in this episode.

    I hope you enjoy this conversation with Ben as much as I did and if you did, please leave a review and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to get the next one. If you'd prefer to watch the interview, you can find it on our Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@adventurepropodcast/

    In this episode we discuss:

    • What his business Adventure Element actually does

    • The challenges and benefits of having two very different products in a business

    • The single biggest piece of advice Ben would give his younger self

    • Ben's call to action for the wider outdoor industry
    • Several valuable resources for outdoor entrepreneurs

    • The importance of a tight‑knit, high‑performing team
    • Some practical ways of closing the pay gap for freelance staff

    • How Ben cycled nearly 1000 miles across Vietnam solo and dealt with weather challenges.

    • The simple, low‑cost way he shipped his bike in a cardboard box and got it re‑boxed in Hanoi.

    If you'd like to find out more about Ben and get in touch you can do so here:

    WEBSITE: https://www.theadventureelement.co.uk/

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-keen-4b72a829a/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_adventure_element/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theadventureelement/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjOtaYQttpa_tr-2pmkpIKw

    Here are links to the resources mentioned in the conversation:

    • High Performance Podcast - https://www.thehighperformancepodcast.com/

    About the Adventure Pro Podcast

    The Adventure Pro Podcast is a collection of wide-ranging interviews, stories and inspiration from amazing people that have made adventure their business. It's where adventure, outdoors and travel professionals come together to learn, share and encourage others to carve their own path in life.

    I'll be interviewing guides, photographers, designers, instructors, content creators, YouTubers, sponsored athletes, film makers, shop owners and many others that have made a career, business or side hustle from the outdoors and adventure. If you or someone you know would like to be featured, please email adventurepropodcast@gmail.com and make sure you SUBSCRIBE to get the next one.

    If you'd like to support the podcast you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/adventurepropod

    You can also find the podcast here:

    https://www.instagram.com/adventurepropod

    https://www.facebook.com/adventurepropod

    https://twitter.com/adventurepropod

    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
  • 21 Alex Mortimer on outdoor instructor training, feeling the weight of adventurous activities and starting with the end in mind.
    Jun 23 2024

    Today's podcast guest is Alex Mortimer, an outdoor instructor and Compliance Director at Land & Wave, a hugely successful adventure business based in Dorset. We chat about how he got started, careers advice that counted, outdoor instructor training courses and how to balance homelife with a love of all things adventure.

    I hope you enjoy this conversation with Alex as much as I did and if you did, please leave a review and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to get the next one. If you'd prefer to watch the interview, you can find it on our Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@adventurepropodcast/

    In this episode we discuss:

    - How to get started as an outdoor instructor

    - When to listen and when to ignore careers advice

    - The pros and cons of outdoor instructor training schemes

    - Promoting inclusion and diversity in the adventure industry

    - Starting with the end in mind

    - Feeling and living the weight of adventurous activities

    If you'd like to find out more about Alex and get in touch you can do so here:

    WEBSITE: https://landandwave.co.uk/

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mortimer-307b25b4/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landandwave/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.mortimer3

    Here are links to the resources mentioned in the conversation:

    • Land & Wave Instructor Training: https://landandwave.co.uk/OutdoorInstructorTraining

    • Beach Lifeguard Qualifications: https://www.rlss.org.uk/national-vocational-beach-lifeguard-qualification

    • Raleigh International: https://raleighinternational.org/

    • Duchy College: https://duchy.ac.uk/



    About the Adventure Pro Podcast

    The Adventure Pro Podcast is a collection of wide-ranging interviews, stories and inspiration from amazing people that have made adventure their business. It's where adventure, outdoors and travel professionals come together to learn, share and encourage others to carve their own path in life.

    I'll be interviewing guides, photographers, designers, instructors, content creators, YouTubers, sponsored athletes, film makers, shop owners and many others that have made a career, business or side hustle from the outdoors and adventure. If you or someone you know would like to be featured, please email adventurepropodcast@gmail.com and make sure you SUBSCRIBE to get the next one.

    If you'd like to support the podcast you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/adventurepropod

    You can also find the podcast here:

    https://www.instagram.com/adventurepropod

    https://www.facebook.com/adventurepropod

    https://twitter.com/adventurepropod

    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
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