Leading Abroad: How Clare Jones Scaled Polarsteps by Listening First

“Prepare for success sooner than you think.” 

This week on Venturing Abroad, we sit down with Clare Jones, CEO of Polarsteps: the all-in-one app for travelers to daydream, plan, track, and relive their adventures. A native Londoner, Clare moved to Amsterdam over a year ago to take the helm at Polarsteps. From adapting to a smaller city and a frank work culture, her move mirrors the values that the travel-tech company cherishes: new cultures, learning from different perspectives, and traveling respectfully.

As the third CEO of Polarsteps, Clare took on the rare challenge of leading a team where the founders and former CEOs are still part of the company and deeply involved. Her approach? Listening first and keeping product and culture in sync, as the company quickly scales internationally.

Today, Polarsteps has:

• 17 million users (up from 16M just in July!)
• 1 million daily active users
• 20 million trips shared across the globe
• Topped the app stores in France, while expanding across the U.S.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Clare!

If you love traveling, this episode is a must-listen.