Ep 1070: Zeb Smith _ Outdoor Business Success
Adventure Sports Podcast
Curt Linville
4.6 • 579 Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2025
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Adventure Business: Zeb Smith on Helping Outfitters and Guides Thrive – Overcoming Post-COVID Challenges, Rising Costs, Permits, Seasonality, Talent Retention, and Turning Outdoor Passion into Sustainable Success as a Consultant. In this episode of the Adventure Sports Podcast, Curt Linville speaks with Zeb Smith, a consultant specializing in helping adventure outfitters and guides succeed in the outdoor industry. They discuss the challenges faced by small businesses in this sector, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, including rising costs. Zeb shares his journey from CPA to consultant, the significance of permits, the seasonality of revenue, and strategies for retaining talent in a transient workforce. The conversation emphasizes the need for aspiring outfitters to gather information and seek support to turn their passion into a sustainable business.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Adventure Sports Business
03:02 Zeb Smith's Journey and Consulting Approach
06:02 The Importance of Business in Adventure Sports
08:58 Transitioning from Hobby to Business
12:08 Advice for Aspiring Outfitters
15:04 Navigating Permits and Regulations
18:00 Seasonality Challenges in Adventure Sports
21:04 Retaining Talent in a Seasonal Industry
24:03 Leadership and Employee Engagement
26:06 Impact of the Pandemic on the Outdoor Industry
30:51 Setting Goals and Vision for Business
33:54 Career Paths in Outdoor Leadership
36:36 Passion vs. Profit in Outdoor Business
38:25 Navigating Economic Challenges
45:48 Empowering Employees for Sustainable Growth
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So I split off and at 26 years old decided to start a local bookkeeping tax practice and |
| 0:09.0 | just hang my own shingles. |
| 0:12.0 | So I picked up a couple of local outfitters, a rafting outfitter as well as an ATV outfitter |
| 0:18.0 | and I always wanted to, you know, know alongside other different businesses I just wanted to be |
| 0:23.3 | able to help them grow profit generate more wealth for themselves their owners as well as like |
| 0:29.3 | generate additional income for employees and you know just get outside of the the grind that |
| 0:34.3 | small businesses have. Episode 170, |
| 0:39.2 | Zeb Smith on making the business behind the outdoor adventure successful. |
| 0:45.3 | You're listening to the Adventure Sports podcast. |
| 0:48.1 | We talk with adventurers from around the globe |
| 0:49.9 | to bring you the inspiration and motivation you need to get started in the outdoors |
| 0:53.8 | or to keep you moving if you're already there. |
| 0:56.3 | Now here's your host, Kurt Linville. |
| 0:58.9 | Hi friends, welcome to the Adventure Sports Podcast. |
| 1:01.9 | Thanks for joining in today. |
| 1:03.6 | I have to give some explanation about today's program because this is probably different than anything that we've done in the past. |
| 1:11.6 | And after 10 years and over a thousand episodes, you might be saying what on earth? What could be different? |
| 1:16.6 | Today we're going to lean into not just adventure sports, but a little bit more into the |
| 1:23.6 | backstory behind the business of adventure. We're talking about outfitting. We're talking about |
| 1:31.8 | guiding. We're talking about how to make a business work if you've ever wanted to be an |
| 1:36.8 | outfitter or a guide. Today's show is going to be a lot about that. I have Zeb Smith with us today, |
| 1:43.2 | and Zeb is a consultant who consults with |
... |
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