(Posted 21st August 2025)
In the world of adventure travel, the line between thrill and tragedy can be heartbreakingly thin. Stories like that of Craig, who lost his wife Lisa Manders on a Safari, or the Brazilian family who lost their daughter on Mount Rinjani, are not isolated. Adventure tours have claimed lives, leaving behind grief that lingers far longer than the journey itself.
For Esther Akinsola, founder of Zago Tours and International Tourism Marketing Strategist, those stories are more than headlines.
Eleven years after losing her father, she knows how grief reshapes lives. And it is that moment that has fueled her resolve to build a company dedicated to making adventure travel safer, more intentional, and lasting.
But building that vision from a developing country comes with its own uphill climb: traction. To survive, Zago Tours must sell. To prove it can be done without ads, without investors, without shortcuts.
Akinsola has launched the 100 Journeys in 100 Days Sales Challenge, a bold public experiment in sales, grit, and belief.
“I know how hard it is to build anything,” Esther says. “But I also know adventure shouldn’t cost lives. This challenge is my way of saying: we can build safer, better journeys, and we can do it without waiting for permission.”
The Challenge
“I started a sprint earlier, I dialed 400 calls in 4 days, at the end of that sprint I spiraled, I was agitated because while I had leads in the pipeline it seemed like I didn’t know what to do and I hate to not know what to do, that moment of exhaustion and uncertainty sparked 100 Journeys in 100 Days Sales Challenge. This is about showing up afraid and still choosing to act,” Esther explains. “It’s about proving that traction isn’t something you wait for; it’s something you create.”
Over 100 days, Esther will sell 100 journeys live, publicly, and without a safety net.
Every day, she will:
Share daily updates with unfiltered insights on what worked, what failed, and what shifted
Host livestreams on YouTube (9am BST Mondays–Saturdays, 7am Sundays) for open Q&A and behind-the-scenes learning
Release breakdowns, templates, and tools created during the challenge
Document the raw reality of a bootstrapped founder selling with grit instead of ad spend
The project is designed not only to drive sales but also to shine a light on the deeper mission behind Zago Tours: creating travel that doesn’t leave families grieving.
Who It’s For
The challenge resonates with:
Founders and freelancers tired of waiting for traction
Travel agents and tour operators ready to move from winging it to consistent sales
Creators and coaches who want to sell with intention
Anyone building quietly who needs proof they’re not alone
A Call to Witness and Act
“This is bigger than me,” Akinsola says. “If my persistence keeps one person from quitting, if my transparency reminds someone that they can too, then the challenge has already done its work.”
Supporters can:
Watch the livestreams ? YouTube @zagotours
Share the hashtag ? #100JourneysIn100Days
Invite Esther to speak, collaborate, or share the journey
Refer a travel agent, creator, or founder who needs this
