Jakob Laggner
Treks and Tracks
Santa Cruz, CA US
"A lot of times people will feel like, 'I really want to do this but I can't because I don't have the money.' And that can be very valid. At the same time, there are ways to plan. I've literally put spreadsheets together for a dream."
Career Roadmap
Jakob's work combines: Action Sports, Environment & Nature, and Being Physically Active
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I got a job in a call center and hated it. I realized that being bored out of my mind doing something I hate is not growing up. I started bringing my laptop to work to pass the time and over time I ended up building a business plan for Treks and Tracks. Eventually, I decided to pursue that further until it worked out.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Sustainability Studies
The Evergreen State College
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
When he was 18, he was really getting "the itch" for nature.
2.
Recruited his brother and a friend to go backpacking in the winter in Washington; "we did everything wrong."
3.
On that first trip, he says, "We got really, really wet, really, really cold, really, really tired, but something woke up in us."
4.
Started traveling the world; says they weren't just going through the motions of an adventure, they were doing what it took to survive along the way.
5.
Got nervous about not having a "real job" so he conformed, got a job that he hated for a while.
6.
Made a mock-up business called "Treks and Tracks" on the side for fun; suddenly, people were signing up for his hikes.
7.
Was caught off-guard by first sign-ups, had to hand those clients off to another friend, but now he knew people were interested.
8.
Says guiding is his new passion; says it's taught him that some fears are valid, but most can be overcome through planning.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
You need to grow up and get a real job.
How I responded:
I got a job in a call center and hated it. I realized that being bored out of my mind doing something I hate is not growing up. I started bringing my laptop to work to pass the time and over time I ended up building a business plan for Treks and Tracks. Eventually, I decided to pursue that further until it worked out.