Meet Aiden Aliouche | Entrepreneur and Adrenaline Junky

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aiden Aliouche and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aiden, how do you think about risk?
I believe risk is your opportunity to prove to yourself just how capable you are. I started thinking this way after taking up Freestyle Cliff Diving as a hobby. I was nineteen, and was two weeks into living in my first van. I was in Oregon meeting up with a friend from high-school and a certified adrenaline junky. I found him after a two mile hike through the forrest, standing on the top of a sixty five foot cliff preparing to jump with around twenty of his cliff jumping buddies. That day I made up my mind that I would be getting over my fear of heights real soon. So I jumped off my first big cliff, and thought it took some mental preparation, i knew that if I didn’t do it that day, I’d find an excuse not to every day afterwards. Since then, I’ve gotten much more into the sport as it’s helped me remove me need to live within my own comfort zone and have faith in myself that I am capable of every challenge before me. Whether it may be as simple as jumping off a cliff, or taking a chance on myself and starting my own projects. While cliff jumping and entrepreneurship may seem to be in two separate worlds, I find there is one distinct similarity between them. If you do not take the risk, the personal growth that can take place in that experience, will never be rewarded to you. As a twenty year old, some may call me young and dumb, but I’m sure that if i never started seeking discomfort and risk in my free time, I surely never would have had the guts to solo van-life across forty six states, compete in a Death Diving competition sponsored by Outdoor TV, and certainly not to set out on my own to build custom tiny homes.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create artisanal tiny homes! It’s been an interesting journey so far, it started with the first van I built out for myself. After selling it for profit I realized that with much more practice and capital I could build some very unique living alternatives to houses. So i built out a truck bed for personal use, and assisted many friends on their custom vans to reside in. After that, I took on my biggest job yet, an 800 square foot home for a close friend. I’ve also taken on my most unique challenge and most recent, remodeling an abandoned 1970’s Shasta Compact into a functioning camper trailer. Every step of the way I’ve been doubtful of the risk I was facing and my capabilities to overcome them, but I’ve been able to have enough faith to persist and found myself on the other side, proud and impressed with what I’d accomplished. I learned to embrace the challenges ahead, and perceive them as opportunities to grow and take on new adversities.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d try to spend most of our time hiking and exploring the natural beauty of the area! I would dedicate a whole day to Garden of the Gods and a separate day to explore Manitou Springs, as it’s a must see when visiting! On some night I would take my buddy to Whiskey Barron for a night full of line dancing. One day we would go boulder up in Morrison, on this unique hike that takes you through over 20 unique bouldering challenges!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family, though at times skeptical of my ideas and plans, have always been in 100% support of my desire to live life my way.

Also the members of the Cliff Cruise community for allowing me a space to exist freely as myself, and for always pushing me out of my comfort zone to discover what potential was hidden behind the monotony of everyday life.

Instagram: Aa_aliouche

Image Credits
Stephen Wentworth