Globe-trotting with a RUN!
If you thought follow your heart is a fictional phrase, think again!
The Active Holiday Company is a name that is very befitting to its offerings which combine the sport of running and the thrill of travelling. This super-niche company has given the concept of running a whole new meaning!
My conversation with the Founder, Gauri Jayaram gave me an insight into her determination and never-say-die spirit at overcoming every single hurdle to do what she loves to do best — Running!
From selling her car (a Honda city) and replacing it with a bicycle and from giving up an extremely well-paying job, to crafting her own destiny, Gauri is the epitome of woman empowerment. Today, Gauri makes other enthusiasts run with her around the world! She is living a life that you and I would envy. Not only has she followed her heart she is enjoying it and has moved from one success to another.
The Active Holiday Company is an organization which gives any athlete and travelling enthusiast an adrenalin rush. It is one of the most exciting concepts of enjoying running and travelling.
Let’s run through her inspiring journey till date…
Did you always have the travel / running bug? What triggered it?
I set foot out of college and landed a job in the travel business and honestly, I never had to look back. This year, I will be completing three thrilling decades (30 years) in the travel business. Born in a Fauji (Army background) household, I was introduced to sports at a very early age. I played squash with my brother-in- law and when he started to get busy, I was left with no one to play with. That led me to a quest for a sport that needed no opponent or partner. Moreover, my work required me to travel a lot; running seemed like the best option as it’s an anytime-anywhere sport.
I was in my mid-30s when I took up running. In 2013 when I quit my job as the Regional Director of the world’s largest coach-touring company, I decided to marry my love of running with my love for travel and that’s how Active Holiday Company was born.
Do you hail from a family of sports people or are you the first of your kind in your family tree.
Army kids are exposed to some level of sports due to the easy access to facilities so I was brought up in an atmosphere where everyone around me was actively involved in some sport.
After having been in a plush job, were you ready to face whatever lay ahead if you took the plunge?
I am generally impulsive but I didn’t really think too deeply about the future or a lifestyle change when I decided to quit my job. I was ready to downsize and live a simpler life because I wanted to pursue my innate passion which took precedence over monetary earnings. I had reached the glass ceiling and the learning had stopped in a role that I had held for more than 8 years. Being an entrepreneur is challenging and demanding but it has also been a rewarding one for me personally.
Did this big career shift stir up stereophonic reactions at home or were they supportive?
I have always been the master of my own career decisions and I have always had the moral support of my family as well. Of course, there were major lifestyle changes that my children had to adjust with once the money-tap of a comfortable salary stopped but everyone can cope with their circumstances.
Were you aware of the implications, if any, of becoming a Tour Operator?
I had worked with a tour operator for over 8 years so the work was not new to me but running your own business is something that can never be compared to working for someone, particularly in India where being a small to medium company is not easy.
Take us through the initial steps please?
Well, I just set up a private limited company, invested some funds from my savings and set the wheel rolling with a website.
BIG BEN Beckons!
The first ever tour you got associated with was the 2013 London marathon. What was the experience like?
Yes. Our first trip was the London Marathon in 2013. There were only 10 clients which we mustered with great difficulty. We ran this sized-group for over 3 years and lost money year after year and for that reason it became harder to execute BUT we got great reviews and that motivated us!
How many tours have you organized till date?
“I really would have to count them!”
Did the covid phase impact your business?
Of course, it did. Travel per se, and mass events were severely hit during the covid pandemic and our business relies heavily on the both. We went through tough times for over 2 years. There was no clarity on how long this would go on. It was not easy to navigate the team, advise clients and even our suppliers and partners were equally affected. While travel has rebooted, we are still far from normalcy as the industry is facing a huge shortage of people even now.
Did realization dawn later that what you had set out to achieve was extremely niche?
Not at all. I am an optimist and I was sure that there was a huge number of people who loved to travel the active way though it didn’t happen for a very long time.
What was the biggest challenge when you set out to establish this very niche concept?
People just didn’t understand what we were doing. They would think we are an activity supplier. They didn’t get the ethos of our core offering. We wanted to be true to the brand but you also need clients to survive and it was very difficult to find people who understood what we did and wanted what we offered.
Did you face resistance? If yes, did it daunt you or were you determined to go ahead irrespective of any and everything?
It was frustrating and lonely as well because as a business head you are steering the ship alone. Every decision impacts the venture. Luckily, I have always had very supportive friends and family who have always encouraged me, in particular my best friend Geeta Amin, who later became the co-founder, totally believed my business initiatives. My husband, Uday Jayaram, lets me works 24/7 and ensures I don’t worry about the kids or home. They have been two great pillars of strength.
Have your daughters accompanied you on any of your wonderful tours?
Absolutely! I always made sure that my daughters get every opportunity to travel and they have been with me on several trips but it’s not for the lark of it. They have helped me execute and also worked as interns at Active Holiday Company even as young teenagers, right from age 13.
How often has this kept you away from home (in the past)?
About 80 to 100 days in a year. I have stayed away for 5–6 weeks at a stretch and there have been times when I have only to literally change my bags and say goodbye to my folks again.
You are very passionate about what you are doing — have you at any point of time missed being with growing-up / teenage kids?
I would be lying if I say I haven’t. I have missed out on many a special moment with my kids but I think it is only as much as any man with a job of this nature would — no more, no less. I think women are asked this question because we are women; men who travel a lot are rarely asked how they balance home & work or family & work.
Do you set goals of organizing a fixed number of tours across a time-period?
We have internal goals set each year for the company. Some years we achieve them and some years we don’t. That’s how business is.
What do you feel at the end of each successful tour?
To me a successful tour is all about ‘happy clients.’ It makes me happy that in some ways we help people realise their dreams. But in our business one rarely has the luxury to soak it all in. One successful tour ending is only the starting point of the next one.
Could a middle-class person afford such a tour?
We have different price-points for different tours and people from all walks of life join our trips.
Which has been the most overwhelming tour till date and why?
It was probably our first Malnad Ultra (one of the most enthralling and challenging running events) where we handled hundreds of clients in a very remote part of Chickmangalur. It was so remote that the standard of the service providers was just what you see is what you get; especially the standard of accommodation. We were Tour Operators for the race and so we were responsible for services but everyone else in the chain was a weak link. No one from our team slept for 3 days and there were a lot of learnings from that trip.
Has being on-the-fun-run made you richer as a human being?
Being an entrepreneur means a new challenge every day. Travel is also very service & people oriented. So, living outside the comfort zone constantly has certainly enriched me. It’s very niche — the kind of crowd that enrols, their reactions, experiences etc. Over time we have become known for active travelling so people who are interested in running, cycling, hiking are the ones who travel with us. I find that most people who engage in sports / outdoors make great travellers because they truly know how to embrace an adventure — which is what travel is all about.
So how does the entire operation work? You did mention a lot of community interaction takes place as well.
Our operations are just like the operations for any other travel company. The only difference is the range of experiences we offer. However, in terms of the work that goes on behind the scenes — finding the right accommodation, focusing on customer service etc., we operate like other travel companies.
You have and continue to decline sponsorships. Why?
As a member of the running community, we are aware of people who are doing good work to support runners who really need help. That help can be in the form of finding shoes or enabling travel to run races. We have often acted as a catalyst to help economically- weak runners. Unfortunately, with crowdfunding I feel people from all strata of life have started asking for sponsorships to realise personal ambitions even when they are not economically weak and this is why I am averse to funding anyone unless they are part of a legitimate program that serves the weak.
Who are the people who have inspired you?
I have hunger for success and perfection. So, I rarely need to look for inspiration.
A memorable incident?
Gauri cannot resist from sharing an incident which she holds close to her heart even today! She takes us back to 2012 and Nepal!
What goes around comes around, says Gauri. Way back in 2012, I trekked to the Everest Base Camp. He happened to have run the Everest Marathon a couple of times. I got hit with altitude sickness and he looked after me. To express my gratitude, I invited him to Mumbai to run the Mumbai Marathon. He had never travelled out of Lukla and he had never been in an aircraft his entire life. When the earthquake hit Nepal I raised funds with my IIM-B classmates to help him. He was eternally grateful for that gesture, offering to return the funds to everyone when times improved, and he used that money to set up a business of his own. Of course, my friends and I didn’t want the funds returned at all. Then, in the summer of 2017, my 16-year-old daughter trekked to the same Everest Base Camp with her friends and when she landed in Lukla, he was waiting for her at the airport with an envelope of cash. He told her that it includes some money for her to indulge after the trek. He knew she was a student (not earning her own money) and he didn’t know what to get her, so he decided to give her some money. I have never known how much there was in the envelope but his action and large-heartedness touched me beyond words. It has been one of the most endearing life experiences, and that has been possible because of my love for travel.
Gauri Jayaram makes no bones about her yearning for travel and running while maintaining her love for family and kids. Full of grit and passion, this woman is exemplary for all those who truly wish to pursue their passion.
Canta Dadlaney
