$300M SMALL-GROUP TRAVEL BUSINESS

From “Terrible Employee” to Global Travel Pioneer

After stumbling through a series of “pretty lousy” early jobs, Daryl Wade realized he had one true talent—travel. With no industry experience, no money, and no safety net, he teamed up with longtime friend and future co-founder, Manch, to build something no one believed would work: small-group adventure travel.

Long before the internet, their idea was dismissed as “glorified backpacking” that no traveler would pay for. Banks rejected them, industry experts laughed, and early brochures drained half their tiny $20,000 budget. Their first year ended with just 47 customers.

But Daryl and Manch had something even rarer than capital: fearless risk appetite, absolute trust in each other, and relentless focus on delivering the best travel experience possible. They reinvested every dollar, built an obsession with product quality, and let word-of-mouth do the rest.

The slow burn became a blaze—growing 30–60% every year until Intrepid exploded into a global powerhouse.

Today Intrepid welcomes 350,000+ travelers annually, reaches $300M+ in revenue, and operates as a worldwide group of adventure brands. Yet at its heart, it remains powered by the same mission: real travel, real culture, real connection.

Watch the full video here from the Foundr Youtube Channel