Trails Less Traveled

Jenn Mason is the founder and owner of WinkWink In Bellingham, WA. A woman-owned, identity-inclusive sex shop who celebrate sexual expression and exploration, banish shame, and help people to better love themselves and others. They have created a progressive platform that advocates for inclusion and acceptance, proposing the radical idea that we can approach sex with comprehensive education, express ourselves without stigma, and explore pleasure without shame. Jenn isn't just a successful entrepreneur and business owner, she is also an active member of the community in many ways like serving on the Bellingham School Board. She’s also a mother and a partner. Jenn and I discuss some of the sociopolitical layers surrounding the perception of sex in our society, while also getting a grasp for who she is, how she founded this company and got onto this trail in life. We talk about the intersections between the multiple roles she juggles, how life changed after their daughter was born with cerebral palsy, and how important it is to let go of expectations in order to explore your limitless potential. 

Plugs:
Special thanks to Coach House Cellars.
Learn more at http://www.coachhousecellars.com/

Learn more about this podcast at www.thetrailslesstraveled.com/
Follow @tltpodcast

Credits:

Hosted by Jacob Bassett

Recorded, Mixed, and Produced by Jacob Bassett

Logo by Jessica Mucha

Intro Music by MusicalSmile

Transition Music by Phil Larson

Recorded in Bellingham, WA.

In this episode, I sit down with a long-time friend of mine, Alex Williams. For about as long as I have known Alex, he has been behind a camera and I love that all these years later, that passion hasn't gone anywhere. Alex is a filmmaker and he independently writes, films and produces original short films. Each time he turns one out, I find his work incredibly well done, captivating and thought-provoking. He’s talented, humble, and a skilled craftsman of the trade. When Alex first got behind a camera, he was hooked. In his childhood, he struggled with a speech impediment that impacted his ability to confidently communicate, but when he found the camera he found his confidence and figured out he could express himself with videos and photography. Now, he is forging his own path in film, exploring his creative boundaries and finding himself along the way... behind the scenes. 

JC Canfield Is the Founder and CEO of High Above, a Bellingham based company that designs and handcrafts packs for mountain bikers. Known for impeccable design, simplicity, and durability, High Above packs are built for those who demand versatility and unrivaled quality - built by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers. JC’s introduction to handcrafting quality durable bags quickly turned into an obsession, but it would take a few years of low wage sewing jobs and being fired from his last job before High Above was conceived in a spare room from his Seattle apartment. In the early stages, JC was able to move some products locally but somehow gained popularity in Japan and sustained the bulk of his business shipping bags overseas. As his brand and products continued to develop and gain notoriety, JC has since moved his growing business to the Mountain Biking Hub of Bellingham, WA expanding both his operations and brand recognition in the community. JC’s story is the tale of building something from nothing, stitching together a vision and seeing it through with pure grit, determination, and unrelenting pursuit of excellence. 

Shane Young is a professional photojournalist and portrait photographer whose work has made appearances in national publications such as The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and TIME Magazine. Falling in love with photography at a young age, Shane’s story is the definition of passion and is a classic example of building a career from the ground up with nothing but relentless determination and an unwavering commitment to his craft. As his story takes shape, Shane finds himself as a business partner with legendary art director Carol Gardner, together, they co-founded Zelda Wisdom - a unique company promoting humor and healing through greeting cards, calendars, books, phone cases and more featuring Carol’s English Bulldog, Zelda. What started as 12 greeting cards in Gardner’s living room blossomed into more than 1 million cards sold within six months, landing Zelda Wisdom on Oprah and Good Morning America with licenses all over the globe. As Shane, his wife and 4 kids are navigating their busy and hectic lives, things take an unexpected turn when his wife is diagnosed with MS. As a family, they decide to simplify their lives, load up a travel trailer and live life on the road. Now working as a contracted photographer for Google, Shane and his family travel the country living more simply, adventurously, and working from wherever they park.

In this episode, I have the honor and the privilege to sit down with a woman that inspires me, and many others every day, Natalie Bassett. Natalie has been involved in education for many years and she currently works as a Kindergarten Teacher on the English side of a Two-Way Immersion Dual Language Elementary School. She also worked for many years during college as a lead mentor functioning as a liaison between Western Washington University and the Burlington Edison School District. She oversaw the college mentors placed in the school district and mentored students in elementary, middle, and high school. She was also an assistant coach for the program Girls On The Run which aims to empower young girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident through running. In addition, she founded a small business called FairhavenTeach which is a private tutoring program offered during the summer months for children in Kindergarten - 8th grade. Meanwhile, this superwoman has also knocked out 4 half marathons and is currently training for her 5th. It goes without saying that Natalie is passionate about the field of education and her craft. I love her tenacious spirit and unwavering commitment to accomplish whatever it is she sets out for. I hope her story inspires you to chase what you're passionate about, stand resilient in the face of challenges, and go outside of your comfort zone to explore trails less traveled and tap into your limitless potential. 

In this episode, I sit down with Jake Gobeille, Brand Manager for Menace Brewing and member of the IO Brewing Collective that recently took over ownership of Menace, as well as The Local Public House in downtown Bellingham. He also has a home brewing project under the name Beach Cat Brewery. Jake is a young entrepreneur with a passion for the craft beer industry, but the trail he’s walked to get here hasn’t been an easy one. In this conversation he opens up about dropping out of high school, losing his father to cancer, then facing his own battle with cancer at the age of 25. Stuck at a dead-end job, Jake dropped everything and began chasing his newfound passion, brewing beer, as he immersed himself into Bellingham’s renowned craft beer scene. Adversity forged Jake’s path to becoming a college graduate, a rising figure in the Bellingham business community, and a caring friend and loving husband to his wife, Kaitlin. I hope Jake’s story inspires you, as it does me, to follow your passions into the unknown. To overcome adversity and tap into the resilience, determination, and courage to take the trails less traveled in life. If there is one thing I have learned from stories like Jake’s, it’s that sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you’ve ever been to stand up taller than you ever were. 

Max is a real estate agent from Rockwood Reality in Ferndale, WA. Beyond being a successful young realtor, Max is always involved in the community - volunteering at non-profits, an active member of the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce, Whatcom Young Professionals, and so much more. He even organized a weekly community run every Wednesday, from the Rockwood office in Ferndale as a way to bring people together. He is so shamelessly himself and I find it inspiring how this makes him stick out amongst all those who blend together in the real estate industry. I want to find out how he got on the trail he is on in life with Real Estate, how he stays motivated and positive, and what it’s like to be a young, wise, professional realtor on the move.

Nate Wolch obtained his Master’s Degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology and is currently in the process of becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. He’s recently begun working for the U.S. Army full-time with the title of Master Resilience Trainer. He’s launching his own consulting business in October 2019 called Inner Champion.  Nate is also a lifelong athlete and now boxer who even has a few amateur fights to add to his resume. I have always been inspired by Nate’s intrinsic motivation. In this conversation, we talked a little about where that comes from and how he ended up on the trail to the field of Sports Psychology and how being an athlete himself influences his understanding of Mental Performance.