Dez Bartelt is a world traveler and environmentalist who runs an adventure vacation company for women. Dez in currently traveling around the world and in 2010 she will be traveling around the world in an environmentally- friendly expiation vehicle for her world environmental adventure project. Dez's interview was conducted in a remote location in Patagonia.
Pictures on Diva Maverick Mavens courtesy of Dez Bartelt.
When did you begin traveling?
Dz Bartelt
Fifteen years old. I backpacked around the US. No, Mom did not know. They thought I was at a summer camp. I was climbing all around the US.
Do you think you got your spirit of adventure from your parents?
Dez Bartelt
My mom yes.
How?
Dez Bartelt
Well that's hard. She was not a climber or anything like that. However. When she wanted to do or see something she did it. She told me to do what I wanted to do as long as I was safe.
How has this philosophy helped you with your present day business?
Dez Bartelt
The thing is I hope people let go of all the issues that hold them back. They have to know there is more to life then work. People want to explore but they tend to hold back. I try and help them understand nothing should stop them for life.
Tell me if you could encourage a woman who did not have this kind of support, what advice would you give her?
Dez Bartlet
Well lets see. Life will not stop for them. If they don’t live it. It will pass them by. They can go back to the 9 to 5 job but if they take some time to explore their inner adventure. The 9 to 5 will be like a cake walk so will the day to day with the kids and husbands.The 1st step in the support is to sit down and say what I have wanted to do. Surf, ski, travel to a different country. Then start to research. There so many vacation packages on the world wide web now a days for women to take an adventure. They don’t have to go with someone like me but they need to do the research. Traveling with a company like "Best of Both Adventures" will make their trip so much easier and less stressful. We have a group of women and they bond and that make a life time trip.
I read that you do white-water rafting, sea kayaking, ice climbing, and skiing, as well as teaching wilderness survival techniques. Tell me about these hobbies?
Dez Bartelt
Well, I would not call them hobbies. Most of them I did as a pro.
Tell me about being a pro?
Dez Bartelt
It takes lots of hard work. As a woman in the world of extreme sports it’s not easy. However it is fun and life changing.
What has been your biggest challenges in business and with being a pro in these extreme sports?
Dez Bartelt
In the past when I was sponsor. It was making sure the sponsors had the same beliefs and ideals as I do. I would not work with companies that did not work to help the environment. I would not work with companies that did not support women. Now days, I guess it is the same. I was lucky there were very few women pro climbers so I could be a little strong in my beliefs. Funny story. Last week. I went to buy a new pair of climbing paints. It was in a north face store. I happen to have a dress on. Not looking like a climber I guess. When I asked the sales guy if they had some alpine paints. He asked for whom. When I said me. He started to chuckle. That was always very hard for me in the past and also in business. I pointed out that he may want to look in his North Face books as he might come across a picture of me in them.
What advice can you give for a woman running into this kind of chauvinism?
Dez Bartelt
Just as long as she knows who she is. she can do anything. Chauvinism is insecurity.
Good now tell me how you started Best of Both Adventures for Women and why?
Dez Bartelt
I had a co-ed adventure company before hand. But I found the women on the trips held back. I found that Insecurity frustrating as heck. I went home and told my husband that I was changing directions. I’m going with only women's trips. Women need their time. They need to feel the support of other women. They need to feel strong and I wanted to help with that. "Best of Both" means best of both worlds. You can be a mom, a wife, etc. and be adventuress as well.
How have you overcome insecurities to open several successful adventure travel companies? How did you fund your business ventures and travels?
Dez Bartelt
The one thing in life for me is there is no such thing as "NO". When I put my mind on a project-- look out. As for money to fund my companies, I have said this so many times and I will keep saying it: Do what you love and want to do. You don’t have to have bucket loads of money to start. You just have to know and to work hard. You have to live it. In time all the hard work will pay off. I have never taken a loan to start any of my company’s. I started my first one with $500 and lots of hard work. I would not say what I’m worth today but I could stop working if I wanted to. However, to this day I still work every day. I spend as much time as I can with all my trips and I give most of it to charity and the environment but getting back to money. Today there is so much funding out there for women who want to start their own company. They just need to research and they need to work hard.
Speak to me about passion... I hear so many women willing to settle back and live a lack luster existence of day to ordinariness.
Dez Bartelt
That's a good one. You can not make someone have passion. You can help light a fire but if they don't keep it going then the flame will burn out. I don't even know what it means to live a lack luster existence. My husband asked me if I wanted to take time off--not work so hard, retire let other people run the companies. I asked him why. What would I do? Sure a little time is fine. But god. I’m on this earth to live it. If we don’t have passion to try new things be adventurous then why are we here. I’m not trying to change the world. I just want to enjoy all that it has to offer and that includes work. Even if you have a 9 to 5 five days a week job. Don't keep the job unless you’re going to give your best.
Tell us about your company? Give me some parting advice for women entrepreneurs and anything else you wanted to include and the contact info you want used in the article?
Dez Bartelt
First, don’t do "it" unless you love it. Never take "No" as an answer just take a new direction. Be patient. Don’t do it just for the money never do "it" just for the money. Do "it" for yourself. Money is just the icing. Keep it small and let it grow slowly. Don’t forget to take "me" time. Go outside and look around. Enjoy the sites. It will not be easy but nothing ever should be. What fun would it be if it was? When it’s easy you tend to sit back but when it’s hard you get in there and work. As for my parting words on what's new with me. I’m starting a new project. The 1st stage is. I will be traveling around the world starting in March for one year. I will be going to just about every country. I will be writing about the travel obstacles women face and how to get past them. In the second phase of the project beginning in 2010, I’m developing a world environmental adventure project. I will be traveling by a complexly sustainable expiation vehicle. It will be made of completely recycled martial and it will run off its self. It is a one million dollar vehicle and about a three million dollar project. I will be traveling to show the world that you can have fun with extreme adventures but you can also do it by helping the environment at the same time. We will be stopping in all the countries and the main cities showing off the new technology and what each country has to offer. The proceeds will help women start new projects.
Dez Bartelt
Contact info. www.bestofbothadventures.com. 787-823-0610. dez (at) bestofbothadventures.com.
Angelia Miller is the founder of Diva Maverick Mavens www.divamaverickmavens.com a new bread of feisty, non-conformist adventure loving adrenaline-high entrepreneur. The tag line is: Empowering Women by Interviewing Empowered Women...Inspiring "You" to Take ACTION! Casting exceptional dynamic talent for fresh content is the mission of Diva Maverick Mavens. The interview is in the original transcript form with minimal editing to preserve the integrity of the content.
