Why Grit, Risk, and Vision Matter in Business and Climbing with Asa Firestone, CEO of A-Lodge

03/24/25 • 56 min

In this episode of The Radical Hospitality Show, host Zeke Freeman sits down with Asa Firestone—climber, adventurer, and CEO of A-Lodge—to unpack the wild journey from scaling granite walls in the Amazon to creating one of Colorado's most unique hospitality experiences.

Asa shares what it means to build a life around adventure, how near-death expeditions taught him tenacity, and the surprising lessons he carried from the big walls of El Capitan into building A-Lodge. Together, Zeke and Asa explore the parallels between entrepreneurship and exploration, the evolution of adventure hospitality, and why sometimes not knowing the full plan is a feature—not a bug.

Whether you’re a climber, a creative, or a business builder, this episode will challenge you to go all in—even when the summit seems far away.

What We Cover:

Growing up between D.C. and Colorado, and falling in love with the outdoors
Big wall climbing in Yosemite, Peru, and a wild National Geographic expedition to Venezuela
The uncomfortable lessons of solo climbing—and solo entrepreneurship
Building A-Lodge from scratch and reimagining what "adventure hospitality" means
Tips on seasonal hospitality, off-season strategy, and building for both climbers and families
How to commit to a path even if you don’t know the outcome

Quotes Worth Remembering:

“At a certain point, it’s easier to keep moving forward than to bail.”
“If you're not growing, you're dying—and that applies to people just as much as business.”
“Sometimes the climb you didn’t finish teaches you the most.”

🔗 Links & Resources:

A-Lodge Website
Learn more about Zeke Freeman & Root Architecture: root-ad.com

Connect with Zeke Freeman:
Instagram: @zekefreeman_rootarchitecture and @rootarchitecture
YouTube: @rootarchitecture
Facebook: @RootArchitectureandDevelopment
LinkedIn: Zeke Freeman
X/Twitter: @zfreemanroot
Ready to get started with your hospitality project?
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Whether you’re a climber, a creative, or a business builder, this episode will challenge you to go all in—even when the summit seems far away.

What We Cover:

Growing up between D.C. and Colorado, and falling in love with the outdoors
Big wall climbing in Yosemite, Peru, and a wild National Geographic expedition to Venezuela
The uncomfortable lessons of solo climbing—and solo entrepreneurship
Building A-Lodge from scratch and reimagining what "adventure hospitality" means
Tips on seasonal hospitality, off-season strategy, and building for both climbers and families
How to commit to a path even if you don’t know the outcome

Quotes Worth Remembering:

🔗 Links & Resources:

A-Lodge Website
Learn more about Zeke Freeman & Root Architecture: root-ad.com

Previous Episode

The Growth Formula: How Architects Can Scale from $1M to $10M with Enoch Sears

Most architecture firms hit a glass ceiling at $1M—so how do you break past that and scale to $10M without burning out?

In this episode, host Zeke Freeman sits down with Enoch Sears, founder of Business of Architecture, to unpack the Smart Practice Method—a framework that helps architects transition from solopreneurs to firm owners with thriving, profitable businesses.

Enoch shares hard-won insights from his journey coaching architects on how to stop being overworked and underpaid, build a team, and implement scalable systems to achieve financial freedom. Whether you’re an architect, developer, or entrepreneur in the real estate and hospitality space, this episode is packed with actionable advice you don’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

The biggest mistakes architects make when trying to grow their firms
Why most firms stall at $1M and the mindset shift needed to break through
The Smart Practice Method—a 4-pillar framework for sustainable firm growth
How to position your firm for high-value projects and premium pricing
The power of delegation: hiring the right people vs. outsourcing efficiently
How to structure your fees to ensure profitability (hint: $200K should be your baseline)
Remote vs. in-house teams: which model is winning today?
How Enoch is building a retreat center in Costa Rica (and what he's learning from it)

02:22 Challenges in Starting an Architecture Firm
09:27 The Smart Practice Method
13:48 Scaling an Architecture Business
28:02 Remote vs. In-House Teams
29:57 The Red Hotel Project: From Architecture Office to Boutique Hotel
30:49 Building a Remote and Integrated Team
31:39 Effective Client Engagement Strategies
33:14 Creating Educational Content and Podcasting
36:34 The Business of Architecture: Consulting, Coaching, and Training
41:18 Delegation Challenges and Overcoming Subconscious Programming
46:45 Spiritual Growth and Internal Work
50:46 Upcoming Projects and Future Plans
53:43 Conclusion and Contact Information

Next Episode

Discover A Blueprint For Scaling From Side Hustle To A Thriving 10+ Hotel Portfolio with Neil Shah

In this episode of The Radical Hospitality Show, host Zeke Freeman sits down with Neil Shah, founder of Inntech Management and owner/operator of 13 hotels, including six in Sedona, Arizona. Neil shares his inspiring journey from immigrant electrical engineer to hospitality entrepreneur. He reveals how he got his start with just $20,000 saved from a side hustle building websites, and how that turned into a growing portfolio of boutique hotels.

Neil breaks down his investment strategy, partnership dynamics, operations philosophy, and what it really takes to succeed in the boutique hotel space—especially when transitioning from short-term rentals. This episode is packed with real-life lessons, tactical advice, and behind-the-scenes stories that are especially helpful for aspiring hoteliers, STR operators, and real estate entrepreneurs.

Key Topics Discussed: