#155 - Getting to Know Dan Becker
Episode description
Dan Becker is a backpacker from Wisconsin who turned his passion into his full-time profession. If you’ve poked around YouTube for backpacking, you’ve no doubt seen his videos a time or two. He’s grown a massive following and for good reason - he’s just a great guy. Dan is genuine, sincere, funny, and just loves to backpack. I didn’t know much about him before we spoke, but sincerely enjoyed getting to know him and now have a fond appreciation for what he’s been able to accomplish.
We cover a ton of ground in this episode, including everything from Wisconsin backpacking culture and learning how to find your own style of backpacking, to starting a YouTube channel and making it a real career. One of the things I find fascinating about Dan’s approach to making backpacking a “career” is that he looks at it like a business and a hobby. He’s been able to separate the two things, but also fuse them together which is really hard to do. Dan has used backpacking to create a business and business to create more backpacking adventures and I think a lot of outdoor creators can learn a thing or two from him. I mean, the guy has a family and goes backpacking for a living.
I have no doubt you’ll enjoy getting to know Dan as much as I did.
Show Notes and Links:
- Dan’s outdoor backstory
- Backpacking in Wisconsin
- Getting to know the backpacking crowd
- Western backpacking vs Mid West backpacking
- Appreciating what you have
- Putting backpacking in a box
- Learning to backpack
- Finding a personal backpacking style
- Being the focus of hit pieces
- Why Dan started a YouTube channel
- The life of a creative
- Deciding to go all in on YouTube
- Sponsorships and brand deals
- Dan’s advice to creators
- Working out with Dan
- How to follow up with Dan
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanBecker
- IG: https://www.instagram.com/danbeckeroutdoors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danbeckeroutdoors
- Dan's rescue recap: https://youtu.be/FRSGGUUtN9Y
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