Destination Different

I would like to coin a new phrase. It's called the "Holy-shit-thats-cool-factor"

That "Holy-shit-thats-cool-factor" is what sets AJ Wiley apart from a lot of other illustrators and designers. He simply makes amazing work with a unique purpose and style.

AJ is the founder of Kumawave, an outdoor-inspired apparel brand, that brings his art to life across tee shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs, and more. 

AJ never set out with the intention to start his own clothing brand. In fact, his lifelong dream had always been to design for Patagonia. But after creating a few Patagonia-inspired designs and posting them to TikTok with the hopes of landing a job, he started to build a fanbase of his own. 

Since then AJ officially launched Kumawave with his brother and it has been off to the races.

In this episode we talked about building a clothing brand from nothing, how he balance his love of art versus the business of his art, and the secrets behind how he amassed a 100K person TikTok following.

Awesome, inspiring episode. If you want to follow along with what AJ is up to check him out on TikTok at @ajwileydesign or on Instagram @ajwiley.design. And if you want to get your hands on some of that new Kumawave merch, check it out at kumawave.com

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

TikTok - @destinationdifferent

You ever just decide you're going to start a ready-to-drink cocktail brand from scratch...? Yeah, me neither.

But Kayla O'Connor did and things seem to be working out justtttt fine for her.

Kayla was tired of the malt-based, hangover-inducing products that were out on the market, so she took it upon herself to create a better alternative. The result was Island District Company. A beverage company with two initial SKUs launching in May of 2021. A tequila, aloe water, and honey cocktail. And a vodka, coconut water, guave, and lime cocktail. They both sound unreal and the beachy branding conjures feelings of sun and surf any time of year.

You might remember Kayla from Episode 5 of Destination Different where we talked about her sustainable clothing company, Blue Seaciety. Well, in this episode we discussed all the learnings she picked up from that business and how she is pouring them into Island District. We hit on everything from an extensive research & development phase, to building something beyond just an alcohol brand, to dealing with tequila brokers in Mexico.

If you want to keep up with Kayla and Island District you can follow along on Instagram @islanddistrictcompany. And if you're on the east coast be sure to keep your eyes out as her cocktails hit stores in 13 states this spring!

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

TikTok - @destinationdifferent

There's a whole world of snacks out there just waiting to be discovered... and all it takes is a quick read of Folu Akinkuotu's Unsnackable newsletter to find out what they are and where they come from. 

Folu grew up in Minnesota, and it was the vending machines at her parents' office that first sparked a love of snack foods. But as she grew older, her travels, commitment to cooking, and deep curiosity in dark internet really solidified her affection for funky, foreign treats.

Since launching Unsnackable last fall, Folu has received pickup in the New York Times, the Substack homepage, and just recently recorded an interview for a rather well-known 3-letter radio network...

She's not just a newsletter writer though. Baking and cooking have always served as creative outlets, and projects like her "Year in Cakes" and #HumbleBragDiet have attracted quite the loyal crowd of followers.

We talked about a little bit of everything in this episode from strange corners of the internet, to note taking processes (or lack thereof), to teaching herself how to be a full-on mad scientist in the kitchen.

You can keep up with Folu's incredible creations on Instagram or Twitter @notfolu, and also explore all the crazy snacks from around the world on her Unsnackable newsletter. 

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

TikTok - @destinationdifferent

At the start of 2021 I mapped out a few goals for myself with Destination Different:

As you'll see from that last bullet, this is my first attempt accomplishing that. Today's episode was my appearance on a show called Beyond the Profile--which is hosted by Michael Sheinfeld--and it was actually the first episode of a series he is calling the Side Hustle Series. Michael is a super fluid interviewer and his show gave me the opportunity to talk all about how I balance the podcast with my day job, how we approach finding/contacting/landing new guests, marketing the podcast, and what my ideal future state is for the show.

I have never really had the opportunity to talk about Destination Different in this fashion before and it was honestly the most clearly I've ever articulated my vision for the show.

Massive thanks to Michael for having me on. Be sure to check out what he's doing with Beyond the Profile over on Spotify or follow along on Instagram @beyondtheprofile

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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I don't have a single ounce of musical talent in my body... so whenever I talk to someone from the music world I am absolutely blown away.

Claire Davis and Leo Son were no exception.

The guitar playing, sultry singing duo are the two leads for a 5-person Boston-based band called the Q Tip Bandits. Claire and Leo met at a recording session early in their stint at Berklee School of Music and immediately hit it off. Slowly but surely they began writing songs together, and before long they had assembled a killer band that was touring Europe, dropping hit singles, and making incredible music videos.

We covered SO much in this episode from how they thinking about the branding of the band, to their process of songwriting, to coordinating local and international tours, to crowdfunding the $14,000 needed for the production of their first album coming later this year. Such an insightful insight into the world of band life with two absolutely delightful humans.

And despite not having a musical bone in my body, I know good music when I hear it and I know their stuff it GOOD. You can listen to  The Q Tip Bandits over on Spotify or keep up with their shows and antics over on Instagram @theqtipbandits

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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We've alllllll had the conversation... Get a couple drinks and ya and all of sudden it's "wouldn't be cool if we started a brewery together?!"

The conversation happens a lot. It's the execution that tends to fall flat.

Well, Ben Tilton, Joe Chase (and their third partner Dave Tilton) have had the conversation ANDDDD nailed the execution.

The trio opened the doors to Tilton Brothers Brewing in early 2019. Ben and Dave had been home brewing beers for years and it was finally time to take their talents to the big leagues. They were fortunate enough to land a large space on the Seacoast of New Hampshire that had previously been used for brewing. With a little elbow grease and some aesthetic changes, they were ready for business. 

Two years and one pandemic later... they are still going strong.

In this episode we talked about all the early iterations of home brews Ben whipped up at his house and how he tinkered with the recipes to get them just right for public consumption. We also discussed how they have approached their brand, naming beers, and their vision for the future of the company. 

HIGHLY recommend you grab a beer and check this one out. And if you want to check out what Ben, Joe, and the gang are up to you can visit their website at tiltonbrothersbrewing.com, on Instagram @tiltonbrothersbrewing, or actually have a beer with them in real life at 845 Lafayette Rd, Hampton, NH 03842

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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I'm always blown away by anyone who can do anything musical.

Then I come across a guy like Carmine Mattia and he completely puts my brain in a pretzel.

Carmine does it all. He writes songs, composes scores, makes beats, plays guitar, performs raps, make content, acts in skits; it's insane. He dabbles in a little bit of everything on the music front and has a pretty incredible grasp of it all.

Having played regularly in multiple bands, released a solo album, and put together classical compositions at the iconic Abbey Road; his experience speaks for itself, but he is seemingly still just getting started in the music world.

In this episode we talked about the creative process of taking a song from idea to execution, his goal to compose soundtracks for major movies, and his new rap song that comes out Friday... 

Be sure to follow along with all the craziness Carmine is getting up to over on Instagram @carmeeno22 and stay on the lookout for a new track from @xucrut.music this Friday March 19th. 

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with Destination Different all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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When I first started the Destination Different podcast nearly a year and a half ago I figured the biggest benefit of having a podcast was that eventually I'd be able to make money from ad deals or merch or something like that.

It turns out that is harder than it looks...

But there are still some perks to hosting a podcast.

The biggest of which has been the relationships I have made and the doors that have opened from interviewing so many incredible people.

A few months back I had Dominique Soucy on the show, who is the founder and creator of a brand new sport called PurInstinct (you can check out that episode here). Flash forward to present day and he enjoyed the interview so much that he has now invited me to help co-host his new show called My Purest Sports Moment (subscribe right here!) 

What you're about to listen to is actually the pilot episode from that podcast where we each share our purest sports moments and swap some stories about the sports of our youth.

Anyways, I figured this was a cool way of showing the doors that sharing content on the internet can open up for you. Enjoy!

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with us all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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The Addie Hauber Spectacular

Ingredients:

- 1 part hustle

- 1 part creativity

- 1 part trial and error

That's the general makeup of Addie Hauber and Another Round Cocktails. Another Round is Addie's cocktail company that does a little bit of everything. From creating sustainably grown cocktails for party experiences, to consulting bars and restaurants on their cocktail menus, to take-home cocktails and bitters; she is taking traditional cocktails and flipping them on their head.

Addie's career in the bar and restaurant industry is FASCINATING. You've probably heard of "Farm to Table" restaurants, but Addie is taking that same approach and applying it to her cocktails. She has built unique relationships in the Austin, Texas area with local farms and distilleries and brings all of those products into her drinks.

We covered a bit of everything in this episode from her favorite cocktails of all-time, to constantly innovating in the space, to how the bar scene has changed over the last decade.

Awesome interview. If you want to keep up with what Addie is doing you can check out her website at anotherroundcocktails.com or on Instagram @anotherroundcocktails.

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with us all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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There are times when I leave interviews feeling inspired and there are times when I leave interviews feeling INSPIRED... 

This was the latter.

Freddie & Jeremiah Vargas are brothers who grew up in a baseball-obsessed family. They both played throughout high school and into college, but at some point they decided they weren't just going to play the game they loved, they were going to build the next great baseball equipment brand.

Their father (the "Mad Scientist" as they call him) worked to develop a prototype in 2015 that Jeremiah began to mess around with and show his teammates while he was still in college. Slowly but surely more friends and teammates got their hands on the wooden bats and were blown away by the exceptional quality. The Vargas family was onto something and at that point Tater Bats was born.

Since then, the family business has seen dozens of Major Leaguers swing their bats in live games and they have built an intimate community of supporters in the baseball community, affectionately known as Team Tater.

I was BLOWN AWAY by the commitment and dedication the Vargas family has to Tater, as they all still work other jobs while building this extremely successful business. We talked about how they learned to hone their craft as bat makers, landing their first Major League Baseball players, and proving all the haters and doubters wrong. I loved these guys and I know you will too. If you want to keep up with what they're doing, follow along over on Instagram @taterbats or on their website at taterbats.com.

And if you're not already, you should be keeping up with us all over the internet...

Twitter - @ry3dunn 

Instagram - @destinationdifferent

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