Adventure Dating: Where Love Meets the Great Outdoors

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of High Velocity Radio, and this is going to be a good one. Today on the show we have Lisa Craft, who is the founder and CEO of Adventure Dating. Welcome.

Lisa Craft: Hi Lee, thanks for having me today on your podcast.

Lee Kantor: Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us a little bit about adventure dating.

Lisa Craft: Well, adventure dating is basically an activity based matching system. So let’s say you’re available on a Sunday and you want to ride a mountain bike within like 20 miles of your home. So you’ll put in the activity you want to do, the distance and the date you’re available. And then once we have enough users on the platform, it’s going to connect you with a like minded user and basically promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles and events, and connecting two people with an authentic experience.

Lee Kantor: And then was it always did it start out as being dating, or did it start out being activities.

Lisa Craft: Its activities leading into dating so you could find a friend or you could find a date on there?

Lee Kantor: Okay, so you were defining dating fairly broadly.

Lisa Craft: Yes. Well, I you know, the whole thing came to be I was on a ride on my mountain bike, and I thought how cool it would be if you’re only available, like one day a week, to be able to do an activity with a like minded person. And that’s kind of how the whole idea came about.

Lee Kantor: So you were saying, wouldn’t it be great if I could share this moment with somebody else, and there must be somebody else who’s also I mean, I look around me, there’s people riding their bike around me.

Lisa Craft: So exactly on a random Sunday. So basically what the app does, if you’re only available on Sunday, you can choose a bunch of different adventures. I call them mountain biking. Surfing. You could go to sports games and you’ll put in the date you’re available, the distance you’re willing to travel, and then you’ll be matched with somebody with like minded interest.

Lee Kantor: Now, had you ever done an app before? Is this a new venture? Are you a technologist?

Lisa Craft: No, this is a brand new venture. I’m coming out of CPR, first aid and AED training was my last company.

Lee Kantor: Okay, so you had been. You had been entrepreneur in the past?

Lisa Craft: Yes. I started being an entrepreneur in 2002.

Lee Kantor: And then when you moved into kind of the app world, was that like, how did you kind of, um, uplevel your skills in order to find, you know, the right technologist, the right technology? It’s a little tricky using technology as opposed to kind of in real life stuff.

Lisa Craft: Oh my God, it was a journey. So basically I came up with the idea and then I have a friend here in Los Angeles and he runs a computer company. He’s an IT specialist. So I got together with him and we brainstormed, and then we hired a team of engineers in India. And that was a challenge in itself. And then, uh, it took several years, but we finally got it built.

Lee Kantor: I mean, the technology is just part of it. How do you kind of develop this two sided marketplace?

Lisa Craft: A lot of trial and error.

Lee Kantor: Were you good at creating community in your other work?

Lisa Craft: Yes. So in my other work, I basically, um, that was primarily for like a lot of different, uh, doctors and like, corporate America. And I’d go in there and I’d train. And then I realized year after year, I didn’t need to advertise because I did such a great job with the original clients that that led to, like, all their family, their friends and other associates. So I’m trying to do the same thing with the grassroots and the word of mouth with the adventure dating now.

Lee Kantor: Um, what what’s some advice for folks who aren’t as good at this type of relationship building and community building that you are. What are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to starting building a community from Ground zero?

Lisa Craft: The first thing I would do is I’d buy a.com, because that that kind of solidifies that that’s going to be your company and that’s going to push you to build the company. Uh, the second thing I would do is if somebody is not working on your team as you’re building this, you got to learn to let them go, even if they’re friends or family members. And if something feels right, it is right. You just got to keep going for it.

Lee Kantor: But how do you begin that initial outreach? Like do you start with friends and family? Do you go online to communities like how do you start evangelizing the service?

Lisa Craft: Well, Lee, I’m into a lot of sports, so I go golfing and I go to there like the regular golf courses, the city golf courses, because that’s where a lot of the younger college kids are. And I’ll be playing. And somehow, some way they come up to me and I tell them, I’ve started an app, would you like to join? And the younger kids, the college kids all say yes, and they’ll pull out their phones and they’ll sign on. I’ve surfed for over 30 years, so when I’m in Malibu or Topanga, I’ll tell the younger kids I’ve started the app. Do you want to sign on? They say yes. And that’s kind of how I’ve started this. Um, we’re going to break into marketing now, into the colleges, and we’re going to see what kind of response we can get with the college kids.

Lee Kantor: Or how are you kind of, um, attacking the college campuses. Are you finding ambassadors? Are you finding kind of brand, uh, people that are going to support the brand?

Lisa Craft: I would love to do some brand ambassadors in L.A. and then once we get LA done, what we’re going to do is we’re going to replicate it in other cities.

Lee Kantor: So how do you, like, begin? Like, could you just show up at the UCLA campus and start walking around at the quad and start, you know, showing people the app.

Lisa Craft: I’m going to show up. You bet I am. And I’ll walk around and I’ll see what they’re doing, and I. This this app isn’t for everyone. It’s for, like, uh, adventurous, active people. It’s for people that want to get out. It’s for people that want to get off their phones. It’s for people that want to get into wellness. So there’s a certain group of people that this app is geared for now.

Lee Kantor: Um, when you named it dating, uh, that could mean that people think that this is kind of a hookup app. How are you kind of broadening that? And like, did you think about the rebranding of it as, you know, kind of more activity driven and common interest driven rather than something emotionally charged like the word dating?

Lisa Craft: Yes. So it’s it is a dating app, but it’s an activity based dating app, if that makes sense. And I don’t want it to be a hookup, because on those hookup apps, People spend hour after hour hour scrolling through pictures, and half of the time, those apps don’t even work. I think if we can get two people together with a common interest, like on their first date, they’re going to build an emotional connection through the experience, and I think that will lead them to a second date and to a third date.

Lee Kantor: Now, once you had the idea, you had people build it. Um, what were kind of those early beta testers like? What were those experiences? Were you following them around? Were how were you kind of making sure delivered in the way that you wanted it to?

Lisa Craft: Lee. It took 47 tries before I was happy on the app, 47 final tries. So basically my engineers built that app 47 different times before I was happy.

Lee Kantor: So it was always you being the kind of the test case on this stuff. Or were you did you have trusted, you know, like 100 trusted friends that you were like, okay, I need you to go on this and and play with it and do you know, test it.

Lisa Craft: It was me and a few friends. And then it was the engineers in India that went on it, and we tested it out.

Lee Kantor: And when was the when was the moment where you’re like, okay, we got something. What was kind of the signal to you that they had it right.

Lisa Craft: At the end of, I’m going to say, at the end of this last July, July 2025, I knew we were ready to go.

Lee Kantor: So what occurred? Like what? What about it made it like, okay, now it’s it’s ready.

Lisa Craft: Well, the audio, not the audio. The visuals were ready. And then, um, it all, everything just aligned all at once. Everything worked perfectly. Um, the payment gateway was in place. That was another challenge. Getting that done just once we had the finished product was probably at the end of July that I knew I had something and we were going to take it, take it further.

Lee Kantor: So what does it look like for the consumer of the product? Is it free? Is there a free level or is it tiered? How does it work?

Lisa Craft: Lee it’s a 30 day free trial for anybody to get on and try it out. And then after 30 days, it goes to 1999 a month if you want to continue it on.

Lee Kantor: And um, and then so they just pay 90. There’s no kind of if you pay more then you get extra benefits.

Lisa Craft: No, I made it very simple. I want people to have fun. I want people to actually get on and get off it and meet somebody. I don’t want to string people along with a six month or 12 month membership. I want people to go out, have fun, be healthy, and create a real relationship in a short amount of time.

Lee Kantor: Do you feel like that you might be missing an opportunity of just people who want to meet friends and have people to hang out with, and do activities that aren’t necessarily dating? That way they’d stay on the app longer.

Lisa Craft: I don’t feel like we’re missing out because I feel like it’s all going to happen the way it’s supposed to happen anyway. So some people, I feel, can go on one date and they’re going to find a perfect person on that one date, and then you have other people that may need to go on 120 dates before they find that perfect person.

Lee Kantor: So a victory for you. You’ll be high fiving your team. If somebody goes on one time, they find the perfect person and they get off. That’s a that’s a victory.

Lisa Craft: That’s success. Lee. There you go. Quick and easy.

Lee Kantor: So if everybody did that, you’d be a happy person.

Lisa Craft: Very happy. And Lee, this app is built for people with limited time. It’s. How much time do we actually have in a day when you’re a busy professional?

Lee Kantor: And, uh, is it out in the wild yet?

Lisa Craft: Yes, we have it on the Apple Store and it’s in the Google Play store.

Lee Kantor: And, um, it’s primarily in the California area.

Lisa Craft: Correct. I’m starting it. Um, the approach right now is local in Los Angeles. And then once we have the audience here, basically what I’m going to do is I’m going to replicate it in other cities.

Lee Kantor: And then what are some of the cities on your roadmap?

Lisa Craft: Uh, Boulder, Colorado would be a good one. I’d like to do Moab, Utah. I’d like to go to, um, Taos, New Mexico. I’d like to go to Honolulu and Hawaii. Um, just sort of go from here and we’re going to build it. Grassroots effort.

Lee Kantor: And so are you looking for folks in those markets to kind of raise their hand and say, hey, I’d like to be, you know, your boots on the ground in these markets?

Lisa Craft: Yes, I’d love that.

Lee Kantor: Um, and then what else do you need? Are you looking for funding? It sounds like you’ve kind of bootstrapped this thus far. Or do you have any financing?

Lisa Craft: I’ve bootstrapped the. I’ve bootstrapped the whole project so far. What? I like funding. Yes. If the right opportunity comes along, I’m going to take it. But as as of now, I’m still bootstrapping and I’m we’re doing great.

Lee Kantor: So if somebody wants to learn more about the app you mentioned they’re at the App Store. Is there a website or social media kind of for the adventure dating as well?

Lisa Craft: Thank you for asking. We’re on Instagram, the adventure dating app. We are on the X platform for adventure dating Datin um, and we have our website at Venture Dating.

Lee Kantor: Com and that’s, uh, adventure dating.com sure is.

Lisa Craft: Thank you for correcting that.

Lee Kantor: Well Lisa congratulations on all the momentum. I know this is an exciting time and it’s a big achievement to get as far as you’ve gotten. So congratulations on that.

Lisa Craft: Thank you Lee I’m I’m loving every step of this journey.

Lee Kantor: Yeah it’s a lot of fun launching um, kind of an online, uh, app like this. This is you’re going to really be impacting a lot of folks.

Lisa Craft: Hopefully that sounds amazing. Leah, you know, I feel like everything in my life is finally, like led up to this moment. It’s amazing. And to promote, uh, wellness, healthy lifestyles, it’s amazing. It’s absolutely amazing. I’m blessed to be here today. Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: And and thank you for being the catalyst to get more people wanting to live an active lifestyle.

Lisa Craft: Be great. And then they’ll live longer and they’ll live happier lives.

Lee Kantor: That’s right. All right. Well, Lisa, thank you again for sharing your story. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Lisa Craft: Oh that’s amazing. Thank you Leah. It’s a great opportunity I appreciate everything.

Lee Kantor: All right. Go to adventure dating. Com to learn more.

Lisa Craft: Thank you.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on High Velocity Radio.