How Do You Do?

If I asked you to name the top five outdoor apparel brands that come to mind, you'd probably say something like, "Patagonia, North Face, Arc'teryx..." the list goes on and on. But one apparel manufacturer is making a name for itself, and is doing so in a very holistic way.

Rudy Glocker has made it his mission to help mountain communities flourish. The founder and CEO of Burgeon Outdoor started the apparel company in 2019 in an effort to create a healthy connection between outdoor enthusiasts, our economy, and the mountains. With a focus on bringing jobs, and manufacturing, back to the US, Burgeon Outdoor is garnering attention beyond their (literal) award-winning apparel, including 5% of each Burgeon sale goes to community and environmental efforts.

Rudy and I chatted about how he got started in the outdoor apparel industry, discuss Burgeon's focus on community impact, what he hopes for the future of the apparel industry, and how Burgeon can inspire a new type of business model.

Links:

Burgeon Outdoor website - https://www.burgeonoutdoor.com/

Walk down the aisle of any grocery store and you will see entire sections dedicated to honey. What was once a simple pantry staple has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Beyond honey production, bees are responsible for much more than we give them credit for, and I wanted to know more about just how valuable these tiny little creatures are to our society.

Jason Kardong is a certified beekeeper and founder of Woodland Bee Company. He has a keen understanding of how bees impact our environment and vice-versa. Our conversation ranged from how Jason got started as a beekeeper, demystify bee swarms and what actually is happening during one, and dive deep on how bees are responsible for so much of the food that we eat today.

Woodland Bee Company website - https://www.woodlandbee.com/

Puget Sound Beekeepers Association - https://pugetsoundbees.org/

It's no secret that sports are a major economic driver in this country. In college sports, there has long been a debate about how and if student-athletes should get paid. With the passing of name, image, and likeness (NIL) in the past few years, college athletes are finally realizing their long sought after payday. The floodgates opened and I found my head spinning at what exactly was now allowed, and how that could shake up the industry.

I called up my old college friend James Landry, a sports agent and attorney who has spent time working in the music industry, helping young artists break into the business. We chatted about college sports in the modern day, James's time in the music industry, and a whole bunch more.

Few things beat the feeling of cruising through untracked, soft powder on a bluebird day with your friends. With the rise of backcountry skiing the past few years, skiers and conservationists have made a push towards making the outdoors and skiing more accessible. The White Mountains of New Hampshire have long been a playground for backcountry enthusiasts, while also dealing with tree density and legal access to forests and mountains.

Tyler Ray, founder of the Granite Backcountry Alliance, grew up skiing in New England and has made it his mission and that of the GBA, to advocate for backcountry skiing in one the America's most beautiful wild places. The GBA is here not only to give the public fun places to recreate, but advocate for environmental preservation in partnership with businesses and policymakers, educate the public on safe backcountry travel, and create and nurture a community to come together in the outdoors.

Granite Backcountry Alliance Website - https://granitebackcountryalliance.org/

Wild Corn Backcountry Shindig Tickets - https://www.skireg.com/wildcorn

Think of the last time you used salt in your cooking. Probably pretty recently? Do you know where it came from? No, not which store, where on earth (literally) it came from. I'd be willing to bet most people listening buy the cheapest option they can find at whichever grocery store they live the closest to.

Brady Ryan is looking to change that narrative. As the founder of San Juan Island Sea Salt, Brady's story of starting his own company was born from a lifetime of working on farms, and a natural curiosity of trying new things. His roots in the community speak to the passion he brings to work every day, and his desire to always be learning has helped him become a successful entrepreneur, as well as host of his own podcast.

San Juan Island Sea Salt website - https://sanjuanislandseasalt.com/

Happy When Curious podcast - https://happywhencurious.buzzsprout.com/

Films have the ability to capture our attention and tell us stories in a way that few other things can. Some of the greatest stories ever told have graced the silver screen, and there is a reason the influence of films like "The Godfather" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" have stood the test of time. The film industry has changed tremendously over the years, and I interviewed filmmakers Keith Macri and Ev Duran to hear their take on the direction the industry is going. Having worked with both of them previously, I have first-hand experience of the storytelling, cinematography, and overall talent these two have. We talked about their show, "The Bluff Council," what they both look for in a "good" movie, and reminisce over Keith just wanting both of us to move back to Boston. 

Bluff Council Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@TheBluffCouncil

So many people dream of turning their passions and hobbies into their careers. Few rarely follow through on that dream. Matt Elder is the exception. After learning to brew in Seattle, Matt moved back to his hometown of Scituate, Massachusetts and opened Untold Brewing.

As craft brewing as exploded over the past decade, Matt and the crew at Untold have differentiated themselves through their storytelling, their work with the community, and the fact that their taphouse is an old school building.

Untold Brewing website - https://www.untoldbrewing.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/untoldbrewing/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/untoldbrewing/

I'm about as firm a believer in the healing powers of nature as you can be. Whenever I get into the woods and out of the city I feel calmer, less stressed, and in a place that feels more like "home" than just about anywhere else. Turns out there are some major health benefits that accompany these feelings. 

The art of "forest bathing" is one that I came across a few years ago. After attending a forest bathing session here in Seattle, I connected with Forest Therapy Guide and founder of Cascadia Forest Therapy, Michael Stein-Ross. I wanted to learn more about how he become a forest therapy guide, how academic research is opening our eyes to the benefits of being in the woods, and why it is important, when we live in a society that is so focused on moving fast.

Resources

Cascadia Forest therapy website - https://cascadiaforesttherapy.com/

Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs - https://www.natureandforesttherapy.earth/

I've known Nik for as long as I can remember. Literally. I distinctly remember him on the first day of kindergarten wearing bright red suspenders. We grew up in Massachusetts together and our days were filled with snowskating in the winter, football and baseball in the summer, and the common theme here was that we were always making and editing videos together. Fast forward some 25 years later and Nik is still behind a camera. We had a chance to connect on his time as a professional videographer and photographer, but also found time to discuss "purposeful discomfort," how we both have jumped into hunting the past couple years, and what it's like to enjoy the journey of learning.

I am always eager to connect with people who love the outdoors, especially when it is someone who is well-experienced and gives me an opportunity to pick their brain. Being in the Pacific Northwest, those people are pretty easy to come by. I sat down with Claire Topalian, who has a pretty extensive outdoor resume in her own right. We talked about how she stumbled into fly fishing, her approach to risk, education, and experience in the outdoors, defining what "adventure" is, and trade a few stories from our past. 

We are back! After a two year hiatus, we are announcing our return to the world of storytelling. For our reintroduction, "Trailblazers and Trendsetters" is now, "How Do You Do?" The themes of connecting with people and hearing their stories will stay the same, but with a bit more of an inviting and conversational style for this newest act.

New episodes coming soon.

The first ever in-person Trailblazers and Trendsetters podcast interview! I sat down with Bruce McGlenn of Human Nature Hunting. A third generation hunter-gatherer, Bruce and I spoke about his time as an environmental steward, all the components that go into a hunt, and most importantly, his mission to heal the connection between humans and nature. A conversation that was part history, part philosophy, with some modern day discussion thrown in, there are innumerable lessons to take away from this episode. You can check out more at humannaturehunting.com, on Facebook at @huntingschool, and on Instagram at @humannaturehunting.

The 2020 election is one of the most consequential of our lifetimes. I sat down with Nicole Adduci to discuss ways you can educate yourself on becoming a registered voter, checking voter status, and making a plan to vote. Here are some resources we mention in the episode.

www.rockthevote.org

www.vote.org

www.newsguardtech.com

Isaac Saul is the founder of Tangle, a daily political newsletter that shares the best arguments from across the political spectrum. These days it's nearly impossible to find a straightforward story when it comes to politics. In the hyper-partisan landscape that is political reporting, I've found Tangle to be a breath of fresh air to read. From Israel, to the newsroom of the Huffington Post, and beyond, Isaac's experiences have allowed him to cover a diverse range of topics and how they affect the world today. You can follow him on social media at @Ike_Saul and subscribe to Tangle at tangle.substack.com.

Kyle LaFond is the founder of the all-natural personal products company American Provenance. I discovered it when I started looking into all-natural skincare products, as an alternative to the more mainstream, bigger brands that have dozens of ingredients you can't pronounce and have a list a mile long. What led Kyle to start American Provenance out of his grandfather’s tool shed is as All-American a story as it gets. We discussed his path from being an educator to an entrepreneur, how his company compares to the bigger brands, "the good old days," and right down to the types of ingredients that go into each product. You can learn more about the company at americanprovenance.com, and on social media, @americanprovenance.

Kathryn Nicolai is the creator of the hit bedtime stories podcast, "Nothing Much Happens." As a yoga teacher and owner of her own studio, Kathryn is used to using her voice to teach people to practice mindfulness and self-awareness. Started in 2018, "Nothing Much Happens" has been downloaded by millions of people, and will be a published book in October 2020. You can learn more about Kathryn and "Nothing Much Happens" at nothingmuchhappens.com. Follow along on social media at @nothingmuchhappenspodcast.

Tom Henell is the founder of the lifestyle brand "A Life Deliberate" and in 2018 walked from downtown Boston to the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.  We discuss how social media has impacted our view of what "adventure" really means, what Tom learned on his pilgrimage, and discuss how "a life deliberate" is more than just the name of his brand, but a path in life he follows.

Lindsey Hagen is an adventurer, filmmaker, and executive producer at Stept Studios in Los Angeles. In 2016 she thru-hiked the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand. Her travels have taken her from the streets of Oaxaca in Mexico, to the frozen lands of the Arctic Circle, and beyond. Inspired by both tragedy and a desire to share meaningful messages with the world, Lindsey's exploits have showcased the truest connections of the human spirit.