Why start a company in the middle of a pandemic?

At the time COVID-19 hit, I had been a guide with a NYC-based outdoor adventure company, Discover Outdoors, for almost three years. I started out as a client a decade earlier, and as my passion for adventure in the outdoors became an increasingly important part of my life, I began guiding on weekends. It was a “passion project.” I didn’t know then how much I would learn and how attached I would become to the team of guides with whom I worked. I got a chance to guide with interesting, passionate, knowledgeable, unique people. Their experiences inspired me. Their expertise motivated me. I wanted more. So when the opportunity presented itself in 2019, I made a complete career change and came to work for the company full time, running the Northeast part of the business.

Then, COVID-19 hit. I got laid off. Discover Outdoors shut down operations. It felt like a monumental loss. I was hoping that someone or something would come along and provide a solution for the company to continue. But then I realized, all the pieces that I cared so much about – the community of guides, the outdoor adventures, the people that want to experience these trips with us – they were all still there. And if I wanted for our work to continue, the answer was not waiting for something to happen – the answer was to make it happen. Of course, it could only work if the people that I worked with were still on board. They are the ones that created the unforgettable experiences and community that drew me in to begin with. I let the team know that I was planning to start a new business to run Northeast day and multi-day outdoors trips, departing from New York City. I was met with overwhelming, heart-warming support and encouragement. If the team was on board, it was time to get to work!

So here we are! To continue doing what we love, we are putting ourselves outside of our comfort zone, at a time when everything has been turned upside down. And once it’s safe to do so, I hope you will join us! Whether it’s learning about the natural world from a Master Naturalist, exploring a new high peak in the Catskills, doing a nature meditation, or challenging yourself on a long-distance hike, I hope you let us guide you on an adventure that challenges you, excites you, and opens you up to a whole new world!

Be well, be safe, and see you soon!

Jana Paremoud
Founder, Senior Guide
Adventure Untamed