Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel

In this episode of How I Built This, Guy Raz interviews Tom Hale, the founder and CEO of Backroads, an active travel company. Hale recounts his journey from a dissatisfying job in environmental planning to launching Backroads after a middle-of-the-night epiphany. He describes the initial challenges, including a near-catastrophic van accident, recovering stolen bikes, and the evolution of the company from camping trips to hotel-based tours. Hale discusses expanding the business internationally, the importance of customer feedback, and the impact of major events like 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis. He also touches on how Backroads navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and his views on the changing landscape of travel due to social media and technology. Hale emphasizes the role of hard work and embracing the "grind" in building a successful business.