Entrepreneur Catherine Handley Makes Waves on Buffalo National River
By Katelyn Allen on Monday, October 28, 2024
Catherine Handley was on a seven-day Idaho adventure in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River when she first thought of Yonder Adventure Company. While local outfitter Aggipah took care of meals and logistics, Catherine was in awe of the various jobs it took to make a simple floating trip run smoothly. She shared her experience with her mentor Joe Goodwin and decided this was an experience she wanted to bring back to Arkansas. More specifically, an experience she wanted to share on Arkansas’ Buffalo National River.
“Joe and I decided that we could become business partners, but the roadblocks were many,” Catherine said. “Another mentor, Stewart Noland, encouraged us to look into offering drift boat tours, which was an existing commercial use permit available. He even let us borrow his driftboat to get started.”
From there, Joe and Catherine reached out to hundreds of people to share their newfound company and offer the experience of a lifetime.
Catherine discovered GORP at the University of Arkansas just days before the deadline for its second cohort. After meeting with the former director in Bentonville, she was quickly accepted. During the 12-week course, she and Joe worked with mentors to establish their company’s priorities.
“The peer support and professional feedback that we got as we workshopped our fledgling business idea set us up for a successful season on the river. We still stay connected with the other founders we went through the cohort with, we are proud to be a part of such a powerful program.”
Yonder Adventure Company aims to make outdoor recreation more accessible to Buffalo River visitors while leaving a lasting positive impact on Arkansans. After leading a river trip for teens in addiction recovery, Catherine saw firsthand the healing power of nature. She and Joe plan to expand their offerings with longer hiking and floating trips for similar groups.
“We want to help those who are tentative about getting outside, offering a wide cross-section of clients a way to see our beautiful state.”
