Finlay was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, which he still calls home. He was steeped in the ethos of experiential travel from a young age. His father, Ben Bressler, founded Natural Habitat Adventures, a company focused on small-group journeys dedicated to the conservation of nature and wildlife.

While Finlay, too, loves the natural world, he has always been deeply drawn to people, culture and their relationship to place. He attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, where he earned a degree in psychology. He initially worked in the mental health field, where he became fascinated by how many modern wellness movements—from mindfulness to eating locally—draw on deeply rooted cultural practices.

That curiosity led to a defining question: What would travel look like if it were designed not around monuments and checklists but around cultural insight and meaningful encounters with local people in tradition-based communities? That question led Finlay to found Terra & Tu in 2022, a travel company focused on living culture experienced through local engagement rather than staged performance.

Modeled on Nat Hab's trusted small-group approach, meticulous trip design and high operational standards, Terra & Tu was created to bring that same philosophy into the cultural realm. In 2025, Finlay began working with Natural Habitat Adventures as Cultural Journeys Director, and Terra & Tu became Nat Hab's cultural arm.

His most memorable travel experiences have involved connecting with local people, whether baking bread with villagers in the mountains of Portugal or sharing a glass of wine with a restaurateur in a small town in Tuscany. Outside of work, Finlay enjoys playing guitar, skiing, biking and spending time outdoors in Colorado.