The vision was never to create a ‘brand’. As much as that’s what it becomes and starts taking shape as, it was never about that. I always wanted to honour a passion, a boyhood dream and spirit that broke free from the shackles of corporate culture and the empty ‘dream’ the matrix and the system sells everyone at some point in their life. I got out early, but when I look back, I could and should have done it even sooner – as they say however, everything is divinely timed and happens just the way it should. Life really does happen for you, and not to you and it all worked out just exactly how it was meant to.
I never want to be booked up every single week. This work is done from mine and my dogs souls, and thus it takes it out of us all as a team. So when a group is done, I take the opportunity and make the decision for them and I to really unwind and recharge. Not even speaking to or seeing a soul sometimes too. It is imperative as the average trip is intensely social and demanding. Not to mention what it takes out of my dogs physically. I have always made no bones about the fact that they are the stars of the show, and this will always remain the case. At the end of the day, the people aspect is usually the most challenging and difficult part of my work. But you can’t have it all smooth sailing. We’ve had our fair share of difficult individuals and demanding situations we’ve had to navigate. Egos, deceit, and even being done in, it’s all been part of the journey, but they’ve been experiences and lessons nonetheless, albeit ones I don’t want to repeat again in a hurry. One thing I did slowly learn though as I gained experience was that the money you say no to is often more valuable and tastes sweeter than the money you actually make… when you truly understand and grasp this maxim, it makes so much sense. Due to these aforementioned challenges, I try my best to get a handle and vet any new enquiry I receive before jumping at the notion of it, merely for the income.
A notion that has been swirling around my headspace of late is that it’s almost like if we grow way too much, and way too quickly the whole sort of appeal and enchantment might be lost forever, so it’s a balancing act of growing, making ends meet and carving a life in this crazy yet beautiful world, but in a sense, not selling out.
The challenge of hunting these magical mountains is precisely the appeal, it isn’t supposed to be easy, it isn’t walking around maize fields all day long and shooting your bag limit almost as a bygone conclusion and guarantee, this is a HUNT, it is hunting in its purest form with man and dog revisiting that time old partnership. All mixed together with a swirl of the non-hunting related curations we have poured ourselves into perfecting over the years.
Always chasing the horizon.