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Wisconsin Member Spotlight: From WallStreet to Aerial Adventures

Wisconsin Member Spotlight: From WallStreet to Aerial Adventures

August 2, 2023

The Funtleyders' small business is a calling to serve the community.

Wisconsin Member Spotlight: From WallStreet to Aerial Adventures

For Brian and Lorrie Funtleyder, owning and operating his small business isn’t just life-changing, it’s a calling to serve the community. Brian and his wife Lorrie own Boundless Adventures in Kenosha, an aerial adventure experience with nine courses that include swinging, climbing, balancing, and zip-lining through the trees. After 17 years on Wallstreet analyzing and evaluating other businesses, the two left their careers to start Boundless Adventures. It was a family vacation that changed everything: they saw how their experiences in the outdoors with their kids gave them confidence and independence and they wanted to give that same confidence to other kids.

Brian Funtleyder smiles in this group shot with some of the campers from Project H.O.O.D.

While their business is open to anyone who enjoys heart pounding experiences, there are special visitors they host at Boundless Adventures that to them, make their small business more meaningful. This summer, Lorrie and Brian hosted 80 campers through the program Project H.O.O.D., which is an outreach program started in Chicago that provides summer camps for underserved communities. Roughly 80 campers in the program visited Boundless Adventures. For many, this was the first time that they had ever seen a forest. For most, if not all, this was the first time that they had the opportunity for experiential adventure, where they could push beyond their comfort zones in a controlled setting, while developing confidence through problem-solving, and communication and leadership skills. In Brian’s own words, the experience was life changing. “I never imagined what a profound imprint that the experience would leave on me for the rest of my life.”

Boundless Adventures in Kenocha hosted about 80 campers this summer, many who had never spent much time outdoors.

Here’s just one of a few stories from the week in Brian’s words: There was a boy named Mario that was having a little trouble operating the equipment, so I offered to climb with him. As we were about to start our first set of obstacles, a boy named Jamar asked if he could join us. Mario and I both enthusiastically said “yes!” Within about five minutes, Mario got the hang of the clips and was off, burning through the obstacles. Even though he was moving faster than us, no matter how far ahead he was, he kept turning around to make sure that his friend Jamar was ok. As for Jamar, I could tell by looking at him that he had more than enough strength and coordination to take the course by storm. Having said that, one could understand why being asked to climb though the tree canopy the first time that you have ever seen a forest, while being told to trust that their harness and clips would prevent them from falling, might cause a little anxiety. After said, step, Jamar said “I can’t do this, I want to get down,” but through perseverance and a little coaxing from me, he pushed through. I am not embarrassed to say that I cried a little when Jamar cried. We could have taken Jamar down and called it a day at any point, but I knew that if he completed that obstacle, the experience would have a tremendous, lasting impact on his confidence.  After a lot of sweat and tears, Jamar made it! I could tell that he was proud of himself, because within ten seconds, he went from tears and uncertainty to a beaming smile and self-assurance.  

Big smiles from Jamar and Brian after he sucessfully completed the obstacle!

Brian and Lorrie are excited to be new NFIB members. Like all small business owners, they don’t have time to keep track of what’s happening in Madison and D.C. and appreciate that NFIB is looking out for and advocating for them. Welcome Lorrie and Brian!  
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