Leading with Noble Purpose

Chapter 6Dare to Be Different

Whenever you find yourself on the side of majority, it is time to pause and reflect

—Mark Twain

For many people, the Toronto-based travel company, G Adventures is the go-to team for experiencing the world. G (as they refer to themselves) offers more than 1,000 small-group experiences, safaris, and expeditions on all seven continents, to more than 100,000 travelers a year. From African safaris and Asian cultural treks to Italian family vacations and Eastern exotic expeditions, G creates adventures that are meaningful and memorable. They've won multiple awards. National Geographic Adventures named them as the best “Do It All Outfitter” on Earth. They're among the Top 100 Employers and 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada. Founder Bruce Poon Tip has been named an Ernst & Young EY Entrepreneur of the Year—twice.

Of course, it wasn't always this way. Poon Tip started the company after returning from a backpacking tour of Asia in 1990. He was driven to share with others his passion and vision about experiencing adventures in an authentic and sustainable manner. He didn't have any funding, but that didn't stop him. He maxed out two personal credit cards, and G Adventures was born. What started off as a one-man show has grown to become the world's largest adventure travel company with over 1,350 employees.

When I first met Bruce in 2008, G Adventures was on the rise. By the time we started working together in 2011, G Adventures was a global force that had ...