Here's what the research shows: 81% of college graduates wish they'd been taught more life skills before leaving home. Two-thirds of parents worry their kids don't know basic household tasks. Students arrive at college lacking practical capabilities — not because they're incapable, but simply because the skills weren't taught.

Meet Dale

I'm Dale — and if you're wondering why you should trust me to teach your teen life skills, that's exactly the right question to ask. I've been learning to adult longer than most. At eleven, I left my family in Botswana for boarding school in England — an 11-hour flight from home. I've been learning to take care of myself ever since.

Between then and settling in Durham, I've called six countries home. My career has been built on leading in extreme conditions: a British Army officer directing soldiers across Arabian deserts and the Arctic Circle, leading expeditions that meant climbing mountains, navigating caves, diving oceans. Later I worked through startups and corporates, served on the board of a publicly listed company, and today direct ultra-endurance races across some of the world's most remote environments — looking after hundreds of competitors at a time.

But here's what actually matters: at 51, I've made my share of mistakes. They've taught me more than the successes ever did. Closer to home, I help manage a household, cook, run our finances, and raise two kids (ages 10 and 8) with my wife Bri. I live the skills I'm teaching.

That early independence made me resilient, adaptable, and an optimist. It showed me exactly which skills matter when you're suddenly responsible for yourself.

So I built Life Lab. Five days, 40+ skills, zero lectures. Teenagers get their hands dirty, make mistakes in a safe environment, and walk away with capabilities that actually matter — whether they're 15 and starting to drive, or 18 and living on their own for the first time.

If attending this course means they're better able to manage on their own, I've achieved my mission.