Nena Barlow: Shattering Stereotypes

An accomplished off-roader and businesswoman by nature, Nena Barlow pushes boundaries to help others enjoy the Great Outdoors.

As owner/operator of Barlow Adventures and Sedona Jeep Rentals, Nena Barlow offers Jeep rentals, four-wheel-drive training sessions, and guided trips throughout the western United States. Additionally, she’s a certified Master Trainer by the International 4WD Trainer Association and a seasoned rally competitor and 4×4 champion.

Barlow found her purpose in life. She’s pushing boundaries and shattering stereotypes, proving women are just as capable as men when it comes to off-roading expertise, education, vehicle recovery, and more. We sat down with this accomplished 50-year-old woman to learn more.

Tread: Tell me about your childhood and where you grew up. Any relation to off-roading or the love of the outdoors?

Nena Barlow: I grew up on a ranch outside of Palm Springs, California. Off-roading was just a part of daily life, and the closest pavement was a mile away. I grew up with horses, chickens, goats, dogs, cats, and the only girl on the ranch with a bunch of boy cousins. I started driving the tractor at age 10, the trucks at 12 (when I could reach the pedals). From my dad, I inherited wanderlust. He very much gave me the “I wonder where that road goes?” bug.

T: How did you get into off-roading and were there any pivotal moments during that time where you knew you wanted to be in the off-road biz full-time?

Nena Barlow: Growing up with it, I never really thought about it as anything different from what everyone else was doing. I graduated college in Colorado with a degree in Sports and Recreation Management, with a coaching certification. I knew I didn’t want to go back to Southern California, so I moved to Sedona, where I have had family since the ‘70s. Sedona has many Jeep tour companies, so I went to work in the tour business “just until I settled down and got a real job.”

In that time, it began to fall on me to train new guides. There wasn’t much out there for any kind of 4WD training, so I cobbled together my first 4×4 training manuals. Since I was providing this training for commercial guides, I started getting inquiries from friends of friends and colleagues. It dawned on me that people actually went 4-wheeling just for fun, and that there was a demand for some training. I put up a website and had some business cards printed, thinking this could be a nice little occasional side job. Within one year, I was so busy that I left my job in the tour business and went full time providing training. That got me into renting Jeeps as well.

The bottom line, I still haven’t settled down and taken a “real” job.

T: Tell me a bit about your Jeep rental business, why you chose Jeeps, and why you are in both locations.

Nena Barlow: There is nothing out there that can do what Jeeps do, particularly as rentals, all day every day, easy to work on, and as iconic for off roading. Sedona and Moab are both locations that are internationally known to be associated with outdoor adventure, so it makes sense to have bases in those places. We don’t just throw people the keys—every renter is vetted, must provide their own proof of insurance, and will be with us for a 20-30-minute orientation, which includes trail etiquette, operating procedures, and Tread Lightly principles. Mostly, now, our rentals exist primarily to service our clients for training or guided trips. We are moving away from the walk-in tourism rentals.

T: How many employees do you have and how long have you had your business?

Nena Barlow: We have about a dozen employees, then a much larger pool of part-time, seasonal, or contract staff to help out with larger events. I started my business in 2004, with nothing. I begged and borrowed from friends and family to finance my first six Jeeps. It’s a lot of work and compromise to make things happen, but if you want it bad enough, you figure it out.

It’s a lot of work and compromise to make things happen, but if you want it bad enough, you figure it out.

T: Were there any other jobs you had previously that led up to owning your own business and being in the off-road realm?

Nena Barlow: I learned a lot from bosses I had in my early years. The good stuff was just as valuable as the “how not to be a boss” stuff.

T: Who have been instrumental mentors in your life? Why are they important to you?

Nena Barlow: I don’t want to name names, but from every boss I have ever had, I have learned good things and bad. What to do as much as what not to do. Both are equally important. The most critical things I have learned are to be kind and honest with people (they are not exclusive); to keep an open mind yet be mindful of your boundaries; to never get complacent—every challenge is an opportunity.

Never get complacent—every challenge is an opportunity.

T: What challenges have you faced along the way, especially being a woman in the field, and how did you handle them?

Nena Barlow: I have encountered both advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in this industry. On one hand, there are the occasional intentional or unintentional misogynistic comments. I give them all the benefit like they are unintentional. On the other hand, I have been underestimated in the past, and that can have some huge advantages, too.

T: Why compete in rally events?

Nena Barlow: It’s both a vacation and a grueling self-check. It hurts so good? Seriously, besides the amazing camaraderie, landscapes, and food of the Rebelle Rally, competing in the rally is like competing with yourself, and holding up a mirror to see fears and things about yourself you may not like. But if you can acknowledge those, work through them, and learn to be kind to yourself, your teammate, your car, and everyone else around you, it can be a transforming experience.

T: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years or 15 years?

Nena Barlow: The tourism rental business has been very time consuming, and I realized that it is at the point where I need to focus on the training side of the business, and have the Jeep rentals support that, not distract from that. So, along with refocusing on my guiding light of responsible recreation, I also want to bring up the next generation of trainers to continue growing the influence of responsible recreation.

T: Any funny stories you’d like to share about your off-road experiences?

Nena Barlow: Even though we are a woman-owned business, my staff is accustomed to people walking in the door asking to speak to Mr. Barlow. They take particular glee in this. Their answers vary from “Ms. Barlow is working on a Jeep in the shop. May I help you?” or “There is no Mr. Barlow” or “Sadly, we have yet to find Mr. Barlow’s remains.”

On the training side of things, it’s great that whenever I get stuck, my students credit me with doing it on purpose as a teaching opportunity. “Yeah, sure, I did it on purpose!” I also tell my students that the more they learn and prepare themselves, the less likely they are to need those skills and equipment for their own party, but rather random people you find on the trail. Inevitably, after I say this, we will come across some unfortunate situation that someone has put themselves in. My clients almost always think that it is a scenario I set up just for them. And I can’t seem to convince them otherwise.

 T: Any words of advice for women who want to own their own shop or pursue jobs in a male-dominated industry?

Nena Barlow: Don’t be perfect. Do. Yes, study, train and learn, but don’t wait until you have everything perfect. Be honest, vulnerable and have a sense of humor about what you are not good at.

Then, if it’s an important part of what you want to do, work your ass off to get good at it.

Be honest, vulnerable and have a sense of humor about what you are not good at.

Editor’s Note: A version of this story previously appeared in the TREAD March/April 2023 print issue.