A hand holding a white music player with a circular compass design on it, displaying the directions N, E, S, W. The hand and device are shown in dark green against a white background.

Building a brand with a mountain to climb?
Lost the trail of what you set out to build?
Seeking clarity outside of the noise?
Need an experienced guide while you change direction?

Handwritten text saying 'you nailed it! Take a hike!'
Two hikers walking on a grassy trail on a hilltop with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Hike it Out is a guided 1-to-1 hike, offering an outside perspective we so often need and a simple path to follow.

It’s for founders and creatives who have built something, but have lost direction, seeking someone who will listen to them in the noise. 

Once you’ve Hiked it Out, you’ll walk away knowing exactly what to do.

Blackboard drawing with the words 'HACK LOVE' written in capital letters, with each letter filled with a sketch of a different type of wood or wood grain pattern.
Handwritten sign with the message "A NONE WITH COMPLETUBE & EXPEERENCE" in black text on a white background.
Outline of two hands clasped in a handshake, drawn with green lines.
Handwritten text reads 'I've walked in your shoes'
A man with dark hair and tattoos sits on a log in a lush green forest, holding a notebook, with camping gear nearby.

I’m Jeff, based in Keswick, Lake District. For the last 20 years I've worked as a creative director and brand strategist. From working in-house, running teams, building brands for others, creating my own brands and everything in between – it’s given me a high level of experience when it comes to understanding the challenges you face, and how to navigate your way through them.

Note: This is not personal therapy.
It’s 1-to-1 brand consultancy + clarity solving experience.

Book your FREE Scout it Out call!
Handwritten text on black background reading 'OUTCOMES'.
Person walking two dogs on a grassy trail in an open field with a cloudy sky overhead.

Step away from the to-do lists, demands of other voices and expectations, and reconnect with what you actually think and feel that matters to your brand.

A person with short hair wearing a blue shirt standing outdoors and looking up at a sky filled with fluffy clouds.

You’ll walk away with a clear direction on what to do now and next, and a bespoke guide that helps you return to clarity when the noise inevitably picks up again.

Two men standing on a grassy hill overlooking mountains and a lake, one with a backpack and the other holding a jacket behind their back, with cloudy sky above.

Spend a day outside, away from the screen and the usual demands of your work load – walking, talking, thinking and giving yourself some space.

Handwritten text reading "FIELD REPORTS" on black background

  • “Jeff is a phenomenal listener. He doesn’t just listen to what you’re saying, he hears what you’re not saying. And this felt like such a rare experience in these modern times. There’s also just something about the physical space of those hills that really opened up my mind. I started the hike feeling scattered and left with clarity.”

    – Andy J. Pizza – Founder, Creative Pep-talk podcast and New York Times Best Selling Author.

  • I went into my Hike It Out with Jeff feeling like I’d been walking around in a bit of a dream cloud with my business, thinking about all the possibilities while burying my head in the sand about what I actually needed to do next. Getting out from behind a screen and just walking and talking completely changed the way I was thinking. Jeff asked thoughtful questions, challenged me in the right places and gave me the space to hear what I already knew underneath all the noise. I came away clear on what I wanted to do and genuinely excited about doing it. A week later, I’m already building it and getting ready to launch. It feels like six months of thinking happened in one hike.st Item

    – Meg Holloway, Founder of The Joy Project, ADHD Coach and Solopreneur

  • "One of the pitfalls of building a purpose led brand is it’s easy to lose sight of how your project shows up to your audience. My Hike it Out session with Jeff was really valuable, getting me out of my own head and giving me much needed clarity on which aspects of our project would resonate with others. The session left me energised and focused on the steps I needed to take. Not only that, it was a really nice hike in an epic spot… thanks Jeff!"

    – Andrew Groves, Founder, Miscellaneous Adventures

  • “With Jeff’s clear sightedness, I was able to get to the core of what I was trying to communicate about my work and my business, while keeping my outdoor lifestyle and inspiration at the heart of everything I do. Jeff ensured this by really listening to my preferences. He’s great at seeing things you might have overlooked, even if you feel you know your work and your style well already.”List Item

    – Ruth Allen. Geologist, therapist, author and artist.

  • "I've loved working with Jeff. He brings a unique blend of sound design and strategic insight rooted in a deep, lived knowledge of the outdoor lifestyle sector. He asks great questions that helped us gain clarity about who we are and introduced processes for getting where we want to go."

    – Mark Musgrave, Founder, The Level Collective

  • "Working with Jeff gave me exactly what I needed: clarity. I reached out to him feeling unsure about how to take my side project, Auxiliary, forward. He helped me cut through the noise and build a clear structure for my marketing and promotion. I left our sessions with real direction instead of a to-do list of guesses. I highly recommend him to anyone who knows their product but is stuck on how to get it out into the world."

    – Anthony Oram, Founder, Auxiliary

Field Report: Hike it Out with Meg Holloway by I'd Rather be Outside

Seeking the clear path ahead.

Read on Substack

A shifting identity is your purpose maturing. by I'd Rather be Outside

Hike it Out: Walking with Andrew Groves

Read on Substack
Text reading 'Gretel Co.' in dark letters on a black background.

I work closely with outdoor, lifestyle and purpose driven brands, from indy start ups and solopreneurs, to the well established teams and founder lead companies.

Book your FREE Scout it Out call!
Black and white logo of millcan with a stylized globe and the brand name underneath.
Logo with mountain peaks, a tree, and a zigzag path above the text 'Miscellaneous Adventures'
Black and white logo of berghaus with a stylized 'b' symbol and the brand name in lowercase letters.
A black mountain-shaped logo with the words 'ATOM PACKS' in white, stylized letters inside.
Black background with the word 'Auxiliary' in large, gray text centered in the image.
Black logo with a pinecone in the center surrounded by the text 'The Level CollectivE' in a circular arrangement.
Text written in white chalk on a black chalkboard reads: "How we can work together".
Two people with backpacks hiking up a rocky trail on a mountain slope with greenery and a clear blue sky.

Clarity Reset Hike
£1,500

Suitable for founders and creatives who want direction and a clarity reset to move forward on their own path.

Initial 1 hour discovery call 
– to orientate around what’s unclear.

1 day hike in the Lake District, UK.
– to find clarity as we walk and talk. In the morning we unpack what’s blocking you and in the afternoon we map out where you’re going.

Bespoke Guide
– A strategic guide that directs your way forward that you can return to again and again.

1 hour follow up call
– to set you off on your path with total clarity and action. 

Let's Take a Hike

Note: The cost does not include accommodation or transport to or from Keswick, Lake District. Check out the FAQ’s below for details of how to get here and where you can stay in the local area.

Three people sit on a wooden dock by a foggy lake, with trees in the background, facing the water.

Going the Distance
£10,000

For founders entering a new phase of their brand and navigating a bigger journey; repositioning, launching a new product category, shifting audience or making important decisions about what comes next.

Designed for those who want experienced outside perspective and guidance along the way.

Initial 1 hour discovery call
– Establish where you are, where you want to go and the scope of the journey ahead.

1 day hike in the Lake District, UK.
– A day outside to walk, talk and find clarity. In the morning we unpack what’s blocking you. In the afternoon we map out where you’re going.

Positioning Clarity Map
– A guide to orientate yourself and your team around the direction ahead.

Strategic Roadmap
– Actionable checkpoints to keep you aligned and moving in the right direction.

x6 1-to-1 Summit Calls
– To review decisions, maintain direction and offer experienced perspective as you move forward.

Summit Hike in the Lake District, UK.
– Finish the journey together outside, reflecting on the distance travelled and mapping what comes next.

Limited availability throughout the year.

Let's Take a Hike

Note: The cost does not include accommodation or transport to or from Keswick, Lake District. Check out the FAQ’s below for details of how to get here and where you can stay in the local area.

A line drawing of a hiker at the top of a mountain, with the phrase "I'd Rather be Outside." in green text.

This is my newsletter – a voyage of self discovery to talk openly about defining a creative life and career. It will feature storytelling, frameworks, illustrations, musings, poems, thoughts (and everything in between) on a weekly and monthly basis.

Handwritten text saying 'The Outsiders' in white on a black background.
A person standing on a rock ledge overlooking a river in a valley, reading a book, with mountains in the background.

In 2014 I authored a book that changed everything for me; The Outsiders. I was immersed in an emerging new culture – one that redefined an entire generation of outdoor audience and flipped the industry on the head. This book was the beginning of my journey working with brands and the outdoors underpinned by creativity.

Book titled "The New Outsiders: A Creative Life Outdoors" featuring a person standing in a snow-covered forest with tall trees and sunlight shining through.
Text reading 'THE NEW OUTSIDERS' written in a handwritten style.

5 years later, in 2019, I wrote a follow up book which took a deeper look at the brands and creatives in the culture who championed purpose and responsibility as the driver of their brands.

  • My studio (and meeting point for the hike) is on Braithwaite Farm, just outside Keswick in the Lake District. The hike itself will take place in the surrounding area.

    The pre and post call and summit calls will take place over Google Meets.

  • The priority is being able to talk, think and walk at the same time – it’s not a peak bagging exercise. 

    All of the pre-planned and considered routes will allow us to walk and talk, while experiencing the best of the Lake District in the Keswick area with plenty of pauses along the way.

    Distances: 6km–10km
    Duration: 4 hour total walking. 
    Elevation: 100m–350m

    We will discuss in more detail your fitness and expectations from the walk itself. 

  • Start: 9am
    End: 4pm

    Meet and greet – 9am
    – Braithwaite studio. 
    – Check over kit and essentials for hike.

    Travel to start point – 9.15am
    – I will transport you to and from the start and end of the hike back to the studio in Braithwaite.

    Start by naming the issues – 9.30am
    – We start the day by naming the issue to talk through the morning session

    Start hike – 9.45am 

    Reflection break / Coffee stop – 10:45am
    – A opportunity to pause and contemplate, and name whats come up

    Resume hike – 11.30am

    Lunch stop / Reflection point – 1pm
    – here we move from understanding the problems to strategically answering the issue.

    Resume hike – 1.30pm 

    Strategy Reflection – 2.30pm
    – discuss strategic opportunities

    Resume Hike – 3pm 

    Clarity Summary / End of hike – 3.30pm – 4pm
    – here we will go back through the key points of the day and map out an initial roadmap / answers to your questions / issues. 

  • Braithwaite
    – 3 min walk from my studio

    Royal Oak Hotel

    Lanefoot Farm campsite

    The Willows
    – This is on the farm where my studio is based (5 second walk to my door).

    Airbnb
    – There are lots of options in the village centre.

    Keswick
    – 2 Miles / 10 mins by car or 35 min walk to my studio

    Booking.com

    Airbnb

  • No. This is not a personal therapy session. I am not a trained therapist and unable to deal with personal mental health issues. For personal therapy issues please visit https://www.mind.org.uk/ to seek the appropriate help.