Meet Natasha Teasley of Two Sisters Adventure Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Teasley.

Hi Natasha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have been working as an outdoor leader for nearly 30 years. I grew up in Durham and always appreciated our green space in this part of the state. We live in a major metro area, but many natural areas exist to explore. A lot of people miss that about the Triangle. Through my years as an outdoor leader, I have seen and experienced how frequently the outdoors feels less welcoming than it should. Here we are surrounded by all of this beautiful nature, and there are people constantly feeling like they aren’t safe for so many reasons, their body doesn’t fit in, or they are just being turned off because there aren’t people saying “welcome” who look like them. I have always been bothered by that. After years of being a part of that system, I finally got the courage in 2021 to start my own business to do things differently. I have all of my notes of what we have been doing wrong for all these years, and I am trying to take a different approach to make more people feel welcome in the outdoors. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I try every day to listen with my ears and heart wide open.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and no. I was immediately stunned by how much and how many people stated that this was something they needed. Our community has been so excited and energized about what we are doing. Some so many people recognize the barriers for others and want to be a part of making the outdoors more welcoming. We have a loyal client base who are passionate about our mission. That is great because our ultimate goal is to have trips with people from all walks of life. We want to be outdoors with seasoned adventurers, people who have never been comfortable in these spaces before, and everyone in between. It takes time and lots of trust-building to get the less experienced adventurers out with us, which is our greatest obstacle. I make a point to be constantly aware of my privileges and to be honest and meet everyone where they are. This takes time, and I will keep showing up and holding the space.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Two Sisters Adventure Company is the manifestation of years of dreaming of doing things differently. Years of wanting to see more diversity in the outdoors. Our main focus is running canoe, kayak, and standup paddleboard trips and classes here in the Triangle. We also run 5 weeks of summer camp programming for youth. The mission of creating safe and welcoming spaces in the outdoors directs everything we do. We are committed to putting the guest experience at the front of everything. We intentionally keep our trip and class sizes small so every single guest can get personalized attention while with us. We make a point to be on location early enough to be set up so we can help any worried guest work through their concerns. We have worked to get a variety of equipment sizes so that we can welcome more body shapes and sizes than other guide services. I am available for email, text, or calls to discuss any concerns before our trips. We make ourselves available to chat during and after each trip so that everyone knows they are welcome and seen. I make every effort to follow up with our guests when appropriate to ensure they can find ways to continue feeling welcome in the outdoors.

I grew up poor and have lived much of my life on a lower wage scale. I know that paying to join a guided trip can be a barrier for so many people. I am most proud of our Share the Adventure scholarship fund. This fund is available for any of our trips or classes (or summer camps). All someone needs to do is email and ask, and we will help them afford the trip or class they want to join. We fund this through our profit sharing but also have received gifts to the fund from community members who recognize the importance of sharing the adventure. I am also incredibly proud of the GALS (Girls on outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science) program. This is a STEM-based grant-funded program for female high school students. GALS is a 2-week camping and backpacking trip free for the students who attend; we supply all the equipment and clothing the students need. Several years ago, a group of Duke Ph.D. students created the program to get more women from underserved and underrepresented populations involved in STEM and the outdoors. I am so deeply honored to have been trusted by the founders of this program to take leadership and carry this program into the future.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My mom, sister, and I spent the day at the beach. We had spent the whole morning collecting shells and shark teeth. We collected some beautiful shells and teeth. At some point, a seagull showed up around where we had been hanging out. Watching it, we realized it had a broken wing and couldn’t fly. We spent a couple of hours using our beach blanket to get our hands on the seagull carefully. There was lots of falling in the sand and laughing. Once we collected the bird and wrapped it up in our beach blanket, we took off to find a wildlife rescue to help us. After we got the seagull to a rehab place, we realized we hadn’t collected our bucket of shells from the beach. We returned to where we had been, and the tide had come in. Our bucket was still there but lying on its side and empty, aside from some ocean water and sand that had washed in when our shells had washed away.

Pricing:

• Guided Trips $30-$50
• Self Guided Trips/Deliveries starting at $30
• Classes $40-$50
• Summer Camps $325
• Scholarships available for all trips, classes, and camps

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twosistersadventure.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twosistersadventurecompany/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoSistersAdventureCo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@twosistersadventure7830
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/two-sisters-adventure-company-durham

Image Credits
All pictures by Natasha Teasley