Today on Backpacker Radio, hosted by The Trek and brought to you by Helinox, our guest is John Mackey. On the trail he’s known as “Strider” and off the trail he’s known as the co-founder and former CEO of Whole Foods. In addition to being a world-class entrepreneur, Mackey is also an avid backpacker and has hiked the AT, PCT, Colorado Trail, and many other trails abroad, including the Alps and Patagonia. It’s a fun, informative, and wide-ranging conversation where he shares his experiences traversing the AT while serving as CEO of Whole Foods, how he saved Gossamer Gear from extinction, his interest in UL gear (including his 6.5 pound base weight), how his love of fantasy novels influenced his creative endeavors on the AT’s Shelter Log, his favorite vegan trail snacks, and much more. He also dives into non-backpacking topics. We learned about how to build a successful and healthy company culture, his views on labor unions, how psychedelics have played a key role in his life, and his new book, “The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism.” Chaunce and I were excited for this conversation, and it did not disappoint.
At the end of the show, we’ll have a preview of a new full-time job opening at The Trek, a fact that’s common knowledge in our industry but unknown to most, the Whole Foods Food Triple Crown, and Shawnce’s ghost encounter.
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Interview with John “Strider” McKee
Timestamp and question
00:04:56 – reminder: Apply for a new full-time position at Trek. Suggest a guest for PCT Days and support us on Patreon for bonus exclusive content.
00:08:15 – Introducing John
00:09:18 – Tell me about the time you looked through your wife’s fridge on your first date.
00:12:27 – We Love Love: Tell her how you feel
00:18:12 – Has it made you more sensitive to how you interact with people?
00:19:15 – What prompted you to purchase Gossamer Gear?
00:23:46 – Are you still involved in running Gossamer Gear?
00:25:15 – How did you get the base weight to 6 pounds?
00:26:50 – What are your big three?
00:28:00 – How did Ray Jardine’s book inspire you?
00:30:30 – Tell me about a time you went off trail.
00:33:22 – What is it like completing the AT and returning to being CEO of Whole Foods?
00:36:01 – Tell us your Trail Register story.
00:39:35 – What was the support vehicle process like?
00:41:44 – Were other hikers aware of your involvement with Whole Foods?
00:43:10 – How have psychedelics influenced your career?
00:49:33 – What did your parents think when you started Safer Way?
00:54:56 – Was it difficult to ask your father to step down from his position on the Whole Foods board?
00:58:50 – What was the community’s reaction to you starting Safer Way?
01:02:18 – How did you deal mentally with the growth of Whole Foods?
01:03:43 – Are there any books you would recommend for entrepreneurs?
01:05:28 – Discussion about listening to books while hiking long distances
01:07:00 – Discussion about what John eats while backpacking
01:10:21 – What cravings do you get while hiking?
01:12:20 – What do you think about alternative meat burgers?
01:13:23 – Can you explain why vegans are against eggs?
01:16:20 – Tell us about your hike with the founder of Celestial Seasons Tea.
01:18:58 – What is the origin of your stepdaughter’s Trail name?
01:20:09 – What tricky situations have you encountered on the trail?
01:24:00 – Tell us about hiking the PCT.
01:27:39 – Tell us about the Via Francigena and Alpe Adria
01:29:50 – What is your favorite trail in Europe?
01:31:35 – What do you think about REI’s recent union busting efforts?
01:36:52 – Do you have any tips for building a strong company culture?
01:42:00 – Amazon merger discussion
01:43:18 – Who is Jeff Bezos?
01:43:41 – Zach’s ideas for improving his grocery store
01:45:33 – Kumo asks: What is your secretly favorite cheapest movie?
01:48:26 – Tell us about your love life
segment
Trek’s ad: Christian Morgan aims for new Appalachian Trail FKT record Ariella Nardizzi
QOTD: What is a fact that is common knowledge in your field but unknown to the general public?
Spooky Things of the Week
Whole Foods Triple Crown
Mailbag
5 Star Review
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