E44 | Casting Big Nets: How Adventure and Alignment Fuel Sam Vandervalk’s Mission

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We sat down with Sam Vandervalk, founder of Arc Trips, a mastermind retreat experience for high-achieving entrepreneurs and leaders seeking purpose beyond success.

From launching a successful sport fishing business on Vancouver Island to building a platform that helps leaders grow in breathtaking natural settings, Sam’s journey is filled with lessons about taking risks, aligning with purpose, and never stopping the adventure.

Here are our three top takeaways along with our leadership tips and ways to make it FUN for your team!

Takeaway 1: Taking Bold Leaps Leads to Breakthroughs

Sam didn’t just stumble into the world of adventure-based masterminds. He carved his own path by taking bold leaps. From starting a fishing business that broke new ground in British Columbia to later developing an AI-powered booking platform, Sam’s approach has always been to dive in and solve problems along the way. His story is a testament to the power of saying “yes” to the unknown and figuring out the rest as you go. (We LOVE that word!)

Leadership Tip: Encourage a culture of experimentation within your team. Give people the freedom to take smart risks, learn from mistakes, and grow. Emphasize that it’s okay to not have it all figured out on day one. What matters is the commitment to learn and adapt.

Make it FUN: Hold a “Leap Day” challenge where each team member picks one small risk to take that day, maybe pitching a wild idea, testing a new approach, or reaching out to someone they admire. Share the results in a team huddle to celebrate the courage to try.

Takeaway 2: Growth as a Leader Drives Business Growth

Sam shared one of the most profound pieces of advice he’s ever received: “If you don’t grow as a person, your business won’t grow.” As he shifted from guiding fishing trips to guiding leaders on transformative retreats, he realized that a leader’s growth sets the ceiling for their team and business. It’s not enough to build systems and processes. You have to keep growing as a person to unlock new levels of success.

Leadership Tip: Dedicate regular time to personal development, whether it’s reading, workshops, or mentorship. Model this growth mindset for your team and let them see that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being open to learning and evolving.

Make it FUN: Start a “Growth Journal Club” where team members share a favorite article, book, or idea that’s impacted them. Rotate who leads the discussion and watch fresh ideas spark across the team.

Takeaway 3: Adventure and Nature Fuel Creativity and Alignment

Sam believes that taking leaders out of the boardroom and into nature is a game changer. Whether it’s hiking, fishing, or simply sharing stories around a campfire, these adventure-based experiences help leaders unplug, gain perspective, and build authentic relationships. In a world that often feels heavy, Sam’s approach is a reminder that fun and lightness are not distractions. They are essential for meaningful alignment and fresh thinking.

Leadership Tip: Encourage your team to get outside. Nature walks, lunch breaks in the park, or even working from a patio for a few hours can provide a reset and spark new ideas.

Make it FUN: Plan a “Nature-Inspired Brainstorm” session where you take the team outside and tackle a creative challenge together. Bonus points for incorporating elements like natural objects or sketching in the wild.

A Final Note: Building Purpose Beyond Success Together: Sam’s story shows us that true success goes far beyond the bottom line. It’s about aligning with a bigger purpose, taking risks, and remembering to find joy and wonder along the way.

At ExperienceYes, we’re excited to partner with leaders like Sam to help teams thrive in uncertainty, boost emotional intelligence, and tap into the magic of connection and adventure. Here’s to casting big nets and reeling in a future full of purpose and possibility!

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Sam Vandervalk is the founder of ARC Trips, a premier mastermind retreat experience for high-achieving entrepreneurs and leaders seeking purpose beyond success. After building one of British Columbia’s top sport fishing businesses and attending masterminds, Sam realized that financial success alone wasn’t enough—true fulfillment comes from aligning achievement with deeper meaning. This inspired him to create immersive, adventure-based retreats where leaders step away from the daily grind, engage in transformative conversations, and build powerful connections in breathtaking natural settings. Through ARC Mastermind Retreats, Sam blends world-class fishing adventures with curated discussions that foster clarity, personal growth, and impact. His retreats attract purpose-driven individuals ready to shift from chasing more to living fully. With a passion for experiential learning and authentic relationships, Sam creates spaces where leaders reconnect with their vision, embrace new perspectives, and build a legacy that extends beyond business.

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ExperienceYes is not just in the business of learning and development – we're in the business of team transformation. Imagine a world where we don't just fix teams; we supercharge them.

Through our cutting-edge Team Workshops and Business Relationship IQ program, we turbocharge soft skills into hard results. Picture skyrocketing sales figures, clients delighting customers like never before, and teams achieving feats of innovation and peak performance.

How do we do it? By training teams to nurture an Improv Mindset for agile thinking, boost Emotional Intelligence for unparalleled client relationships, and refine Empathy and Influence to turn every interaction into a game-changer.

Join us in rewriting the playbook on team success. Let's elevate your team to new heights where excellence isn't just a goal – it's the new normal. Together, we'll build a future where every team thrives, every client succeeds, and every innovation sets the world on fire. Contact us if you want to know more!