Episode Details
Back to Episodes
A National Parks Pass, Because Obviously | Working at Hike2
Description
In this episode of Culture Uncovered, Jena Dunay sits down with Rebecca Kerr, former Director of People & Talent at Hike2, to explore what it's like to build culture at a fast-growing technology consulting firm named after its founders' love of the outdoors.
Rebecca shares how she was personally recruited by co-founder Amanda Wodzenski through a direct LinkedIn message when the company was just 20 people — an early signal of how intentional Hike2's leadership was about building people infrastructure well before most companies would think to. The conversation dives into what pulled her away from a stable role at a large global company into an unfamiliar industry, and how Hike2 built a curious, collaborative culture suited to consultants navigating client environments that aren't always their own.
The episode also covers Hike2's standout National Parks pass perk, its "Trail Talks" lunch-and-learn program, and candid reflections on the communication growing pains that come with scaling quickly — plus why teachers, surprisingly, tend to make excellent consultants.
What You'll Learn
- How Hike2's founders prioritized building people infrastructure at just 20 employees, earlier than most companies do
- Why running toward a new challenge, not just away from a stable job, made the move to Hike2 the right call
- How Hike2 supports consultants who move between client cultures and their own internal one
- Why the company screens for comfort with ambiguity and real-time problem-solving over rehearsed interview answers
- What makes teachers surprisingly well-suited for consulting careers
- How Hike2 has had to relearn and improve internal communication as the company scales quickly
Company Highlights
- Industry: Technology and AI consulting
- Customer Base: Enterprise clients across multiple industries, served both remotely and on-site depending on client preference
- Company Stage: ~80 employees, grown from a 20-person team over four and a half years, remote-first
- Culture: High-performing, collaborative, and built around curiosity and comfort with ambiguity
- Focus Areas: AI and data capability building, leadership development, and scaling communication practices
Unique Perks & Programs
- National Parks Pass: A company-provided perk reflecting the team's outdoorsy culture and the company's own name
- Flexible PTO: Remote-first flexibility intended to help consultants recharge between demanding client engagements
- Accessible Leadership: An open-door culture where any employee can speak directly with leadership, even as the company has scaled to 80 people
- Trail Talks: Employee-led lunch-and-learns covering everything from technical skills to personal passions
- Exposure to Cutting-Edge Client Work: Broad, resume-building experience across industries and emerging AI technology
- Growing Leadership Development Investment: Increased focus on training and supporting people managers as the team has grown
To learn more about Hike2: