Most people think being CEO means having all the answers. James Thornton would say it means knowing when to shut up and listen.

James is the CEO of Intrepid Travel – the world’s largest adventure travel company and a certified B Corp that’s been walking the talk for decades – but he didn’t start at the top. Nearly 20 years ago, he applied for a job at Intrepid, got rejected, and eventually got his foot in the door as a sales rep. Since then, he’s worked his way up to the CEO role, crediting his rise to listening, learning, and communicating even when it’s uncomfortable. Now, under his leadership, Intrepid is on track to hit $800 million in revenue, but James believes the real key to leading a business across seven continents isn’t just strategy – it’s communication.

In this episode, we dive into what it’s like leading a company you didn’t found, why purpose and profit aren’t mutually exclusive, and the leadership style James calls “casual intensity.”

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#107 Intrepid Travel: Good Leaders Talk. Great Leaders Listen - How James Thornton Went from Sales Rep to CEO