THE ART OF ENOUGH // In Conversation with Heather Thorkelson | Explorer and Entrepreneur
In The Art of Enough series, we explore what happens when ambition meets contentment, and how women can define wealth and wellness on their own terms. In this conversation, entrepreneur and polar expedition leader Heather Thorkelson shares how she built businesses that sustain a life rather than consume it. From leaving the corporate world to founding Polar Tracks Expeditions and Minimal Impact Cruises, Heather’s story is one of courage, clarity, and conscious growth. Together, we unpack how to find freedom in sufficiency, peace in purpose, and the quiet power of knowing what is truly enough.
ABOUT HEATHER
Heather Thorkelson is an entrepreneur, business consultant, and polar expedition professional who has spent her life defying conventional pathways in pursuit of purpose and possibility. A dual Canadian–Swedish citizen, she is the founder and owner of both Polar Tracks Expeditions and Minimal Impact Cruises, building businesses that thrive on resilience, sustainability and a global perspective.
Her career spans from the corporate world to some of the most remote corners of the planet, shaping a philosophy that wealth and wellness are inseparable when rooted in autonomy, curiosity, and sufficiency. Heather works with leaders and changemakers worldwide, helping them design lives and enterprises that are both sustainable and deeply human.
For Heather Thorkelson, “enough” has nothing to do with accumulation. It’s about alignment with what sustains you, what lights you up, and what allows you to move through the world on your own terms.
An entrepreneur, business consultant, and polar expedition professional, Heather has spent her life defying conventional pathways in pursuit of purpose and possibility. As the founder of Polar Tracks Expeditions and Minimal Impact Cruises, she has built businesses that thrive on resilience, sustainability, and a deeply global perspective, proving that ambition and wellbeing are not opposing forces but interdependent ones.
“I didn’t know what enough was for a very long time,” she admitted. “Like many ambitious women, I said yes to too much, skirting the edge of burnout. Over time I realised that thriving means tending to the parts of myself that actually make everything else possible.”
Her path to entrepreneurship was born not of strategy but necessity. After a decade in the corporate world, what she calls “the golden handcuffs”, she walked away from a lucrative role in pharmaceuticals, describing the experience as both terrifying and liberating. “It wasn’t a decision so much as an imperative from within,” she said. “I couldn’t do it anymore. The structure simply didn’t fit.”
That decision led to a life lived across continents, from Costa Rica to Cape Town to Sweden, each geography expanding her understanding of possibility and freedom. “Living abroad made it clear there’s no proper way to do things,” she reflected. “It also taught me resilience: that I could figure things out again and again.”
Today, Heather designs her companies to sustain life, not consume it. Her teams are globally distributed, self-managed, and empowered. “Everyone works from home, sets their own pace, and shares in the rewards. There’s no ceiling, only trust. I built the company I would want to work for.”
Her latest venture, Minimal Impact Cruises, is launching a first-of-its-kind, low-carbon expedition ship in 2026; a testament to her commitment to sustainability and innovation. “It’s 90% lower emissions than anything else on the market,” she said, smiling. “And yes, it’s led by women.”
When asked how she balances wealth and wellness, Heather didn’t hesitate: “I’ve had the burnout warnings. The body always tells you when something’s off. Now I’m intentional about protecting my energy, clear boundaries, time in nature, creative work like ceramics, and lots of walks in the forest with my dog. It’s about getting out of my head and back into my body.”
Her philosophy of “enough” has shifted with time, especially as she’s built independence. “Enough is knowing I have full agency over my life and that I never have to say no because of money, time, or circumstance. It’s freedom. And it’s the peace of being able to help others when they need it.”
Perhaps most strikingly, Heather’s business model is built on generosity, a concept rarely prioritised in traditional corporate frameworks. “When you treat people as whole humans, when you’re generous and fair, it comes back tenfold. My team is thriving, our clients are loyal, and the company keeps growing. It’s a circle of goodness.”
As we closed the conversation, Heather offered a final piece of advice to women navigating the tension between ambition, security, and self-care:
“Know exactly what you don’t want. That clarity will save you years of your life. The moment something starts to feel off, check if you’re sliding back towards the things you promised yourself you’d never do. Protect your energy like it’s sacred; because it is.”
In a world still obsessed with more: more money, more status, more noise, Heather Thorkelson’s story is a radical act of reclamation. Proof that when we define enough for ourselves, we create not only freedom, but peace.
Image credit: Lisa LaPointe
Key Takeaways & Learnings
1. “Enough” is not a number, it’s a feeling.
True wealth lies in alignment, not accumulation. For Heather, enough means autonomy, peace, and the ability to thrive without sacrificing wellbeing.
2. Build businesses that sustain a life, not consume it.
Heather’s approach to entrepreneurship centres on sustainability, generosity, and trust. Her companies are designed to empower the people within them.
3. Burnout is the body’s boundary.
After years of overextension, Heather learned that rest and recalibration are not indulgences, but necessities. Protecting energy is a form of leadership.
4. Freedom comes from clarity.
Knowing what you don’t want is often more powerful than knowing what you do. It becomes a compass for decisions, boundaries, and purpose.
5. Generosity breeds resilience.
A generous business model, one that values people and planet over profit, fosters loyalty, sustainability, and long-term growth.
6. Redefine success on your own terms.
Leaving corporate “golden handcuffs” behind, Heather discovered that independence and purpose-driven work bring a deeper form of wealth.
7. Connection is a source of strength.
From her global teams to her creative and outdoor rituals, community and belonging underpin Heather’s ability to thrive, proving that sufficiency rarely exists in isolation.
Image credit: ShipST