See.Think.Do with Alex Rose

Clubhouse piano parties, removing the guardrails and going through Y Combinator with Alex Rose: Co- Founder of endurance sport and adventure marketplace Let's Do This

SEE. 

Hey Alex.  Whereabouts are you right now?

Right now I’m back in the village I grew up in Gloucestershire, Shipton Moyne. I’m enjoying being able to run, walk, and cycle in the countryside whilst I’m unable to be in the office in London.

What (if anything) is getting you excited right now? 

I’m still finding things to be excited about during lockdown. Days beer deliveries. Competitive lockdown cooking with my family. Winter cycling. Snow days. Sea shanties.

Tell us about your journey with Let’s Do This? Where did the idea come from and when did you take that first big / small step?

It started from a related but quite different idea that my co-founder (Sam) and I had. We were both really passionate about fitness and running, cycling etc. and wanted to start a new event series with the ambition of becoming the next Ironman or Tough Mudder. After about 3 months we changed our plans completely and started building an online platform to help people find and book all the amazing experiences that were already out there. Which is the journey we’re still on today.

To be honest the first step was quite a big one, or at least felt like quite a big one at the time. We only had vague outlines of a plan when I quit my job as a management consultant to pursue it, and we both moved back in with our parents in Gloucestershire to cut costs to a minimum whilst we were getting started. Although we didn’t necessarily know exactly where the business was going, I knew that I didn’t want to be a management consultant and there was enough that was exciting about the opportunity, and working with Sam, to take the first step.

I think taking the plunge and committing to it fully was such an important step for me. There would have been a million reasons to stop when things got tough or the way forward didn’t seem clear (which has happened countless times) if I hadn’t made it my full-time focus. Sometimes you need to take the guardrails away to really give yourself a chance of succeeding, it forces you to take accountability.

What’s been your highlight to date?

This is such a tough question! The truth is that I think it gets better the whole time. The team we have now is so fantastic that there’s no doubt we’re doing our best work now. But if I had to point to one period in the company’s life that was most transformative it would have to be the 12 weeks when we took part in YCombinator, the accelerator in Silicon Valley. We were a different company after that.

THINK. 

What have you learnt in the last 12 months, that you could apply to your next challenge/goal? 

I think the last 12 months have made me realise how many things we take for granted. Particularly things that we know we want to do at some point, but never get around to doing. Catching up with that friend you haven’t seen for ages, climbing that mountain, visiting that place. I’ve also learned how important doing new things, and meeting new people is, particularly in terms of learning and fuelling creativity. At its worst, it’s the sense of stagnation that has occurred during lockdown that I’ve found most difficult to deal with.

Let’s Do This’s tag line is “Inspiring Epic Experiences” what’s been inspiring you recently?

I’m most inspired by people who are trying to create something new, start companies, change their corner of the world. Right now I’m inspired by what you guys are doing at Days Brewing. I’m inspired by friends Xander and Angus at Mojo