Winsome Kirton | Heard.io

TakeTatt

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Julien Jarry | Cinematographer | Cause of a Kind

Michelle Wild Headshot

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Justin Abrams

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Mike D'Angelo, Former President and COO of Compliance Science

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Tara Kleinhans

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Co-Owner of Humboldt Apothecary an online store and educational center that provides Herbal and Holistic alternatives to modern healthcare. 

Gillian Levy: Botanist, Herbal Medicine and Holistic Healthcare

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Jesse Burke divides his time between personal art projects and commissioned work. Jesse's work deals with themes related to vulnerability and identity, as well as human's complicated relationship with nature. Daylight Books published his monograph, Wild & Precious 2015. He received his MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, where he is a faculty member. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in the U.S. and abroad and is held in many private and public collections including the Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. Jesse was recently named by Time Magazine as a top 50 US photographer to follow on Instagram and by T: The New York Times Style Magazine as a top 5 to follow on Instagram.  "We all want to be associated with something greater and more beautiful than ourselves and nature is the ultimate. I just think it is the one thing we can all agree on." -Bernd Heinrich

Jesse Burke 

Tiffany Slowinski

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Michael Rispoli

### summary
In this episode, Justin Abrams interviews Theodore Massillon, exploring their shared history and the journey of entrepreneurship. They discuss the impact of fitness on personal growth, the transition from corporate jobs to creative ventures, and the establishment of NOM Studios as a digital marketing agency. Theodore shares his bootstrap journey, emphasizing the importance of investing in oneself and seeking mentorship. The conversation highlights the value of community and the willingness to adapt and experiment in the entrepreneurial landscape.

### takeaways
The journey of entrepreneurship often begins with personal struggles.
Fitness can significantly influence mental resilience and business acumen.
Planning is crucial for business success; templates and organization are key.
Investing in oneself is essential for growth and development.
Delusional confidence can drive entrepreneurs to succeed against the odds.
Mentorship plays a vital role in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape.
Community support can enhance personal and professional growth.
Side hustles can lead to unexpected career paths and opportunities.
Adaptability and experimentation are crucial for young entrepreneurs.
Building a network of supportive relationships can foster success.

### Chapters
00:00
The Origin Story: A Journey of Friendship and Fitness
06:40
From Corporate to Creative: The Career Transition
11:16
Building NOM Studios: The Birth of a Digital Marketing Agency
21:42
The Bootstrap Journey: From Side Hustles to Success
25:59
Investing in Yourself: The Key to Entrepreneurial Growth
32:56
Mentorship and Community: Paying It Forward

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MO1J3tGiKXE?si=vxfppa8FIs54kC8Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://www.nomstudios.co/
https://www.nommedia.co/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoremassillon/


In this episode, Justin Abrams interviews Theodore Massillon, exploring their shared history and the journey of entrepreneurship.

Theodore Massilon - CEO, NOM Studios | NOM Media | Cause of a Kind

Theodore Massilon - CEO, NOM Studios | NOM Media

In this episode of the [Strictly From Nowhere podcast](https://www.causeofakind.com/strictly-from-nowhere-podcast "Strictly From Nowhere podcast"), host [Justin Abrams](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuzzinjustin/ "Justin Abrams") interviews [Nir Zavaro](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirzavaro/ "Nir Zavaro"), a multifaceted entrepreneur and storyteller. They discuss Nir's journey from early entrepreneurial failures to becoming a successful author and marketing consultant. Nir shares insights on the importance of storytelling in business, the role of AI in enhancing creativity, and the personal reflections that led him to significant life changes. 

The conversation delves into the nature of failure in entrepreneurship, the risks involved, and the strategies for effective marketing and problem-solving. In this conversation, Justin Abrams and Nir Zavaro explore the intricacies of building a business, the challenges of niching down, and the importance of obsession in achieving success. Nir shares his experiences with profitability forecasting, client acquisition, and the need for a solid foundation in business. 

They discuss the power of obsession in driving personal and professional growth, the value of accumulated experience, and the journey of continuous reinvention. The conversation culminates in a call to action for accountability and the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences with others.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ak-CI_ErzZg?si=6ZTQfDe3wK1LbC8L" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

![Nir Zavaro 2](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/7CjiLuERI3TtYlucKUzISw/76c968e6f4a02698758a5e1d0dfa26ac/people-768x1012.jpg)

### Takeaways
- Nir emphasizes the importance of storytelling in business.
- AI can enhance writing and creativity, not replace it.
- Personal reflections can lead to significant life changes.
- Failure is a crucial part of the entrepreneurial journey.
- Understanding worst-case scenarios can reduce fear of failure.
- Nir's journey includes many entrepreneurial experiments and failures.
- The grind of entrepreneurship is essential for growth.
- Marketing strategies must evolve with each new project.
- Writing helps clarify thoughts and fears.
- Nir believes in the power of mentorship and community support. Building solutions for profitability forecasting can solve painful business problems.
- Client acquisition is crucial; obsession with finding clients can drive success.
- Niching down can be challenging, especially for generalists.
- A strong foundation is essential for sustainable business growth.
- Obsession with goals can lead to greater achievements.
- Experience and knowledge accumulation can increase consulting value.
- Creating accountability can enhance personal and professional growth.
- Reinvention is a continuous journey in entrepreneurship.
- Sharing experiences can help others and foster community.
- Impact and legacy are more important than monetary success.

![Nir Zavaro 3](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/1DlZgUoxERvvlZCYMzcDXU/1c139bf7a19bacf121ebd74a9dbf5ea9/____-2961_websize-1-768x512.jpg)

### Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
2. 03:04 Nir Zavaro's Journey and Storytelling Focus
3. 06:06 The Role of AI in Writing and Creativity
4. 09:00 Personal Reflections and Life Changes
5. 11:54 Entrepreneurial Beginnings and Early Failures
6. 14:54 The Evolution of Nir's Business Ventures
7. 17:55 The Importance of Failure in Entrepreneurship
8. 20:50 Navigating Risks and Worst-Case Scenarios
9. 23:44 Marketing Strategies and Methodology Development
10. 27:12 Problem Solving and Business Insights
11. 34:33 Building Solutions for Profitability Forecasting
12. 38:39 The Challenge of Niching Down
13. 40:00 The Importance of Foundation in Business
14. 43:02 The Power of Obsession in Business
15. 49:07 Creating Value Through Experience
16. 54:57 The Journey of Reinvention and Impact

![F*CK THE SLIDES - Nir Zavaro](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/30EgdXLtnCbkJDrZqriYAa/6249ed3e1004cd774588d61bd2b19ab7/book.png)
![Nir Zavaro - F*CK THE SLIDES](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/5Lzzh6LzpbAmzb6neEq45H/94eeab35cdf3787a90f7d6dfba7dde11/1706190168957.jpeg)
![Nir Zavaro - Mike Rispoli - Justin Abrams](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/5NgYpndhqlexAD8XB5pS3M/e8691cb29060b0ecace57a3af7bacaef/bd0065b2-54ea-49af-9721-987b758898de.JPG)

[https://nirzavaro.com/](https://nirzavaro.com/ "https://nirzavaro.com/")
[https://nirzavaro.com/ftheslides/](https://nirzavaro.com/ftheslides/ "https://nirzavaro.com/ftheslides/")
[https://nirzavaro.com/live-cohort/](https://nirzavaro.com/live-cohort/ "https://nirzavaro.com/live-cohort/")


On *Strictly From Nowhere*, Justin Abrams interviews Nir Zavaro about his entrepreneurial journey, storytelling in business, and AI's creative role. Zavaro stresses accountability, risk-taking, and sharing experiences to inspire others.

Nir Zavaro, Chief of Happiness - Author, Founder, Storyteller | Cause of a Kind

Nir Zavaro, Chief of Happiness - Author, Founder, Storyteller

Michelle Wild is a tech founder helping brain injury survivors. She shares her journey from teaching to creating apps that aid cognitive recovery, discusses challenges faced by survivors, and emphasizes the need for better support systems.

Michelle Wild, Founder & CEO @ BEST Connections | Cause of a Kind

Michelle Wild, Founder & CEO @ BEST Connections

*Tiffany Slowinski is an Executive Advisor and Co-Owner of three successful franchises, specializing in talent management, culture alignment, and performance coaching. With a Master's degree in Psychology from Columbia University, she brings a unique perspective to business, emphasizing the human element of success. At Team Spark Advisors, Tiffany and her team focus on hiring, retaining, and empowering top performers through strategic talent alignment. Using a proven 3-step approach—Assess, Plan, Execute—and leveraging her expertise as a licensed Culture Index professional, Tiffany crafts tailored strategies that enhance communication, productivity, and employee satisfaction.*

__Tell us about yourself. What makes you, uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, and your human experience?__

I’ve always been someone who thrives on connection and understanding people. I’m a mom to four energetic daughters who definitely keep me on my toes! Whether we're traveling, attending sports games, or just grabbing a bite together, family life is always an adventure. I’ve also been a spin class devotee for 24 years, and in between work and family, I make time for shopping, catching up with friends over wine, and a good vacation when I can squeeze it in. People who follow me on social media are constantly asking me, “Are you really away AGAIN?” But it is something I value, so I make time for getaways. I guess you could say what makes me 'me' is this balance of nurturing others, growing alongside my ventures, and finding joy in the busy, beautiful chaos of it all.

__I would like to hear your business inception story. This podcast is about bootstrapping businesses and the earliest days from 0-to-market. How did you begin this journey and what was it like?__

My journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t exactly a straight line. In fact, it was more of a zigzag! I started in education, helping students as a guidance counselor, but I always felt this pull for something more dynamic and creative. The 'aha' moment came when a local social media company was looking for well-connected moms to help write local content and promote businesses. It sounded like a fun side hustle—perfect for a busy mom—but it quickly snowballed into a full-time venture. I had stumbled into something I truly loved!

From there, my husband and I dove into magazine franchising, which felt like the perfect extension of my skills in storytelling and community building. The early days were a juggling act—raising kids, managing deadlines, and figuring things out on the fly. Bootstrapping meant we had to get scrappy, but it taught us a lot about resilience and resourcefulness.

Eventually, this passion for helping businesses grow led to the creation of Team Spark Advisors. I started this venture because I realized that so many businesses needed support in aligning their teams and unlocking potential. And just like that, my winding path led me here, where I’m still helping people, just in a different way.

__Let's begin with family. I know you are a proud #GirlMom of 4 girls. What is it like balancing a big family and an entrepreneurial career? What advice do you have for other moms making a run at entrepreneurship?__

Balancing four daughters and a full-time entrepreneurial career is no small feat! It’s chaotic, unpredictable, but deeply rewarding. I often find myself toggling between a conference call and helping with homework, or heading to a meeting after dropping my girls at an activity. I can be found at dance competitions on the weekends with my laptop out during the down time. The key, for me, has been embracing flexibility and creating boundaries. 

To other moms thinking of jumping into entrepreneurship, my advice is simple: don’t wait for the “perfect time” because it doesn’t exist. You have to make time and be okay with imperfection. Prioritize what’s most important in the moment—sometimes that’s business, and other times it’s family. Also, lean into your support network. Whether it’s a spouse, family, or friends, you need people in your corner. Entrepreneurship is hard, but if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, the challenges won’t feel as overwhelming.

__I find it interesting that you focused your career on people management. Where did that passion come from?__

My passion for people management comes from my roots in psychology and counseling. As a guidance counselor, I was trained to listen deeply, ask the right questions, and guide individuals toward their strengths. When I transitioned into business, I found that those same skills were incredibly valuable. I feel like a counselor for business owners now!

I realized that businesses often focus on the wrong aspects when hiring or managing their teams. It’s not just about qualifications on paper; it’s about finding the right fit for the team and creating environments where people can thrive. My passion lies in helping companies unlock the potential in their people, whether it’s through recruitment or optimizing team dynamics. It’s about matching talent with the right roles so that everyone wins—both the employee and the employer.

__I had the pleasure of taking your Culture Index. I have taken quite a few of these types of tests, from Myers-Briggs to the Berke Assessment, but the Culture Index that you took me through was different. Take us through a bit of the secret sauce. Why is the Culture Index different, and why does it work so well?__

The Culture Index stands out because it’s more than just a personality survey—it’s a data-driven tool that digs deep into not only what motivates individuals but how they naturally operate. Unlike assessments like Myers-Briggs that focus on preferences, the Culture Index zeroes in on behaviors, decision-making styles, and work dynamics. It’s tailored to help businesses match roles with people based on what they’re naturally good at, not just what they’re capable of doing.

The "secret sauce" lies in its precision. It allows companies to optimize team dynamics by aligning employees' innate strengths with their roles. It’s all about improving productivity and satisfaction, and it’s incredibly effective because it takes out the guesswork. Once a company understands the behaviors of its team members, it can better position them for success, ensuring that both the individual and the organization are thriving.

__As an operator and CEO, and as you inspire those around you to pursue business, entrepreneurship, and creative recreation, what are some tangible pieces of advice that would allow, particularly young people, to pursue their passions while focused on creating sustainable futures?__

For young people, my advice is to start small, but start now. Don’t wait for all the pieces to align perfectly. If you have an idea or a passion, take the first step toward building something around it. You’d be amazed at how much momentum you can create by just starting. 

Second, surround yourself with mentors. Seek out people who’ve been where you want to go. Their insights can save you from making costly mistakes, and they’ll push you when things get tough. And finally, focus on sustainability. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of starting a new venture, but the real challenge is building something that lasts. Always think long-term, whether it’s in your financial planning, team-building, or product development. Sustainability is key to making your passion into a lasting career.

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, initiatives, and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to learn about?__

You can connect with me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyslowinski/ "LinkedIn") or through my company,[Team Spark Advisors](https://www.teamsparkadvisors.com/ "Team Spark Advisors"), where we help businesses align their teams for success. 

I’m also incredibly proud of the work we do with the Culture Index, helping companies improve their talent strategies. Beyond business, I’m passionate about giving back to the community, especially initiatives that support working moms and women entrepreneurs. Whether through my publications or partnerships, I believe in lifting others as we climb, and I encourage anyone to reach out if they want to collaborate on these kinds of efforts.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EbZXs5PpnDI?si=xi0Ocka_wvUQI-u8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Tiffany Slowinski specializes in talent management, culture alignment, and performance coaching. With a Master's in Psychology from Columbia University, she helps leaders boost productivity and employee satisfaction.

Tiffany Slowinski, CEO @ Team Spark Advisors | Cause of a Kind

Tiffany Slowinski, CEO @ Team Spark Advisors

*Randy Herbertson is a seasoned entrepreneur and creative leader with a background in graphic design and business. He is the founder of The Visual Brand, a Connecticut-based creative agency, and is known for his expertise in branding, motion design, and creating inspiring work environments. A passionate advocate for youth development, Randy is also an active professor, community leader, and board member, dedicated to fostering creativity and mentorship in both his business and personal life.*

## Interview with Randy Herbertson: Bootstrapping, Business, and Creativity

**Justin Abrams:**  
I'm thrilled to have you on today, Randy. You’ve been not only a great friend, but also a mentor. I’ve shaped my own business and endeavors after what you’ve done, and I’m excited to dive into your story. You’ve been bootstrapping since your early days as an entrepreneur, and you’re still doing it, always with something new on the horizon. Welcome to *Strictly From Nowhere*.

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Thanks, Justin. I’m excited to be here.

**Justin Abrams:**  
Let’s start by getting to know you. What makes you uniquely you? Can you share a bit about your background, hobbies, and family life?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Sure thing. Taking it way back, I was born in Boulder, Colorado. I went to school there and met my wife there as well. Funny enough, one of my first business partners was Mormon, and I joke that I was more Mormon than he was because I got married at 21 and had my first child at 22. So, I was an early starter in many aspects of life. I studied graphic design and business, and started out on the client side working on new products. I later moved into the big agency world and, ultimately, started my first independent studio in 2004 in New York City.

Starting my own business was a leap of faith, like many people do when they decide to be their own boss. But it wasn't until I got into it that I realized how both fearless and fearful you have to be to make it work.

**Justin Abrams:**  
That aligns perfectly with today's topic—bootstrapping and the journey from zero to market. What was it like starting your own business, particularly in motion design? This was during a time when it wasn’t as commoditized as it is now. How did you get started, and what were those early days like?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Well, like many things I do, I just decided to do it and then made it happen. I was running a mid-sized agency in Manhattan, but I found myself mostly doing sales, which I didn’t enjoy, and the creative side, which is my background, was taking a backseat. I wasn’t happy, so I knew something had to change. I talked to my wife, who has always been my greatest supporter, and told her I wanted to quit my job and start a company. She believed in me, and that gave me the confidence to move forward.

I was fortunate to leave with a couple of clients and didn’t have a non-compete holding me back. I also partnered with someone who had a similar vision, which made the jump a little less scary. Although, I’d say it was more of an 80-20 relationship, with me doing the heavy lifting, it was still important to have that partnership in the early days.

**Justin Abrams:**  
You’ve built a creative environment that people want to be a part of. I’ve visited your studio, *The Visual Brand*, and it feels like an arboretum meets an art gallery—it’s just so full of life. How do you create a workplace that fosters creativity and energizes your team?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Thank you for that. Creating an inspiring space has always been important to me. My wife is a brilliant creative herself, and she’s played a huge role in shaping the environments we live and work in. I believe people should look forward to being in their workspace, not dread it. So, when I started *The Visual Brand* in 2011, I wanted to create a space that people would enjoy.

It took me about a year and a half to find the right location—a converted post office, which turned out to be perfect. I’m also a big fan of communal working spaces. I think separate offices and cubicles can isolate people, and a more open environment encourages collaboration.

We’ve filled the space with artwork, found objects, and things that inspire creativity. It’s important to set the right mood with music and lighting too. During COVID, I found that people wanted to come back to the studio organically, and I think that’s because they genuinely enjoy being here, not just working remotely. A space should do more than house people; it should inspire them.

**Justin Abrams:**  
You’re very active in your local community, especially in Westport, where I know you contribute to several causes. How do you balance running a business with giving back, and what does it mean to you to be an active member of your community?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Giving back has always been a core value for me. It’s something my business is committed to as well. I’ve thought about becoming a B Corp because we already meet many of the criteria, but I’m not a big fan of paperwork, so I haven’t pursued it. Still, I make it a priority for both myself and my team to give back. The theme I focus on is youth development—anything related to learning and growth for young people.

We run an internship program that I believe creates a virtuous circle. It’s about developing young people, but honestly, some of our best hires have come from our interns. Even when someone doesn’t stay with us, I find joy in seeing where they end up years later. It’s fulfilling to know you’ve played a part in their journey.

**Justin Abrams:**  
I know you’re also an active professor at Quinnipiac University, which happens to be where I went to school. What led you to teaching at the university level, and how does it fit into your passion for continuous education?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Teaching is something I love. If I could, I’d probably be a professor full-time. I enjoy helping people learn how to learn, which I think is one of the most important skills. The opportunity at Quinnipiac came through my involvement with the American Institute of Graphic Artists. I met the head of their communications and design school, and they invited me to run their senior seminar, which was a great experience.

It’s a commitment, especially with the drive, but I think it’s worth it. I’ve never taught a virtual course because I believe in the value of in-person engagement. It’s more dynamic and interesting that way.

**Justin Abrams:**  
I couldn’t agree more. One last question before we wrap up. We’re in an age of artificial intelligence, and I know *Cause of a Kind* has been exploring how to leverage AI. What’s your take on AI, both for your business and for your clients?

**Randy Herbertson:**  
AI is here to accentuate, not replace, our work. It’s great for handling mundane tasks, saving time, and even money in some cases. For example, we’ve started using AI for voiceovers in our video work, which saves us a lot of time. But it’s still at a very early stage, especially in the visual world. AI can help streamline processes, but it won’t replace the creative talent needed to execute a project successfully.

The key is to stay curious and keep experimenting with these tools. AI can’t replace creativity, but it can certainly help us push the boundaries of what we can achieve.

**Justin Abrams:**  
Randy, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been an incredible conversation, and I’ve learned so much, as I always do when we chat.

**Randy Herbertson:**  
Thanks, Justin. It’s been an honor to be part of this.

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Join Justin Abrams in an insightful interview with Randy Herbertson on the Strictly From Nowhere podcast as they discuss bootstrapping, building creative workspaces, and leveraging AI in business.

Interview With Randy Herbertson, Principal @ The Visual Brand | Cause of a Kind

Randy Herbertson, Principal @ The Visual Brand

- Founder & Chief Architect of [Design Systems House](https://ds.house/ "Design Systems House"); a consultancy dedicated to the future of design systems.
- Moderator of the Slack, Twitter, and Mastodon design system communities.
- Author of [gridless.design](https://gridless.design/ "gridless.design"); a thesis on mismatching the design grid to the web medium.
- Instructor for User Research and Interaction Design at Parsons School of Design.
- Currently, the engineering lead for the UXCore library at GoDaddy.
- Previously, the first UX Engineer at Compass.

__Where were you born and raised? Where do you currently reside? How has your life today been influenced by where you grew up and perpetuate from where you live now?__

Born and raised in Lindenhurst, NY. Spent most of my adult life in Queens, NY. Now living in East Meadow, NY. I’m confident that my exposure to New York City has been a huge influence on my outlook; considering many different perspectives in solving problems.

__Explain design systems to us. What does this mean to the average internet surfer and how does it impact the lives of everyone.__

Design systems help large organizations maintain a consistent design across their products. The main resulting benefit to these teams is reducing the decision-making process. Meanwhile, the benefit for users of these experiences is consistency thereby reinforcing a trustworthy product.

__How did you find your way to entrepreneurship? It would seem like you have had an extensive career and worked with many recognizable brands, so what motivated you to stand up Design Systems House?__

Admittedly, I’ve been involved in design systems consulting for longer than the business has existed. Creating the business was a matter of protection. It was important to me that my personal assets were separated from my professional assets. As my work has become more popular, it was clear that setting up a legitimate business would be beneficial.

![Donnie D'Amato of Design Systems House](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/2qoqlzAiLM49mXfOzA9yeF/30844af2c62793003af81ae152d38586/unnamed.jpg)

__Accessibility and useability are one of the key components of your methodology. How do you explain the importance of these standards? Why are these elements cornerstones of your practice and why is it important to the average person?__

I’d argue they may not be important to the average person. The goal is to include all individuals when considering a design direction, not the average person. This introduces nuances that an average person would not necessarily possess, such as color blindness or lack of fine motor skills. This is important so that any one person does not feel excluded from an experience. For companies, this is important to their bottom line, as the more people that can successfully use their product, the more money they could be making.

__You are a lifelong learner within your domain. You are constantly learning and adapting to the evolution of your craft. What is something you recently learned and have applied that made an integral difference to the way you deliver for your clients?__

I just recently learned about the terms clickwrap and browsewrap based on a conversation about the existence of invalid checkboxes. I plan to write a [blog](https://blog.damato.design/ "blog") post about the train of thought that this caused in the near future. For now, I’ll just mention that many folks are suspectable of the [bandwagon effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwagon_effect "bandwagon effect"), and it’s important to not only copy a pattern we have seen but understand why the pattern was used before implementing it. “It exists; therefore, I use” is not a motto to blindly follow.

![Donnie D'Amato Lecturing](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/Re4LV1hM35AnqCDnqGiTv/1345f990a2c9e58ff50ce3a3ac21e6dd/unnamed__1_.jpg)

__You appear to have a passion for educating and mentoring others. Where does that come from? What are you core passionate about?__

It comes from experiencing my own challenges in learning about any particular topic and from having empathy for others beginning those journeys. I want to make the process easier for others and provide more successful outcomes. I aim for clarity in an otherwise tumultuous practice.

__Your website is one of the most enjoyable web experiences. It serves as a method of “wow” but also what keeping it simple looks like, without sacrificing an incredible user experience. Where did the inspiration come from for donnie.damato.design?__

It started from browsing stock photography, precisely the yellow background image that includes items that could appear on a person’s desk. I thought it would be interesting to lean into the messy desk motif. It was serendipitous that the experience turned into frames on a wall highlighting some projects later on. I do all of my explorations in code because if I can’t make it work there, it’s just not work. This also helps with focusing on content first before the design. While I’ll have a general idea of what things should look like, the content really drives the overall layout of my sites. Adding colors, typography, and spacing are some of the last things I consider.

__Plug Design Systems House. What does the business specialize in and how does one learn more about what you do and who you work with?__

We at [Design Systems House](https://ds.house/ "Design Systems House") challenge the belief that all design systems should have permission to be different. We discover ways of customizing experiences by meeting user expectations while subverting our traditional education. We work with all people tangential to design and development in the design systems practice; especially those looking to create inclusive resources meant for every single one of us.

__How can people follow your work and what advice do you have for young people in pursuit of lofty goals?__

I’m probably most active on [Twitter](https://x.com/donniedamato "Twitter") and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fauxserious/ "LinkedIn"), but [my website](https://donnie.damato.design/ "my website") has a slew of other links. My advice is not to jump ahead too quickly. There are foundations to practices that would be beneficial to learn before tackling larger problems. Information is more widely available than it has ever been, so use that to your advantage responsibly and you’ll often find yourself more successful than some of your peers.

![Donnie D'Amato on Stage](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/1ElV0R4PEV07Sa0rWJIyKH/d8f824167a2e4875c5b967d3b8218fbd/unnamed__2_.jpg)

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Donnie D'Amato began as an artist with a goal; making creative interactions. Before the introduction of the personal computer with now 20 years of writing code, he's found his purpose in life; to not only produce but to also pass this knowledge to others.

HEROES Spotlight: Donnie D'Amato | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Donnie D'Amato

Jesse James Wroblewski he has been at the helm of a NY marketing agency for close to 3 decades. His often offbeat work has been featured in Rolling Stone, the book "505 Weirdest Websites Ever" and Fangoria as well as a plethora of other media outlets. After the realization that the entire marketing industry had gone insane, he retooled, reimagined and reemerged as something different, something more powerful than the marketing world has ever seen. Eager to share his new vision for the world and to spark a marketing revolution he created the call to arms called [Marketing For Supervillains](https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-SuperVillains-Diabolical-Differentiation-Decommoditization/dp/B0CLBNDVLF/?tag=mfsvwebsite "Marketing For Supervillains"). Jesse lives in a supervillain lair on Long Island which he has dubbed Chainsaw Estates with his trophy wife Florence. (the opposite of sex is always attracted to danger!)

__Where were you born and raised? Where do you currently reside? How has your life today been influenced by where you grew up and perpetuate from where you live now?__

I was born in Flushing Queens, raised in Queens and then Ronkonkoma, NY. Being about 60 miles outside the marketing capital of the world, NYC, I began my career in a very weird place in the business world. Long Island is an anomaly when it comes to business I cant put my finger on it without offending most Long Island business owners but let’s just say it is more different than anywhere else on the planet.

__You have been in the marketing industry for decades. Tell us a story about your experience that would shock us. It can be about business, the services, the clients, the staff, the money or otherwise.__ 

According to the Joker, the only thing that separates him from the rest of us is ONE BAD DAY. We’re all one bad day away from birthing our inner supervillain. Running an agency for 25 years I’ve had a lot of bad days, I’ve had multiple clients land in prison and call an emergency PR campaign to wipe the news from the internet, (my financial advisor and client is still rotting behind bars.) I’ve had brushes with mafia (story from my book,) lived with the most hated band in the world, The Insane Clown Posse, the list goes on and on however there is always that one day… The day that forced me to realize I had to make a major shift in my professional life. That day was April 29, 2019 and I have video footage of it.

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__At this point you are running a marketing agency for decades, but what is the story behind Decomotitized? Where did that come from in recent history?__  

When coivd hit, like everyone I had my bouts of self reflection. My agency that did everything under the sun wasn’t exciting me anymore. Our amazing headquarters which served as one of differentiators was shut down and I was relegated to being another web guy in a zoom box. Being average never suited me nor did just surviving.

I wanted an unfair advantage.

I wanted clients who chose to “go in another direction” to lose sleep over the thought of “what if I did hire Jesse…?”

No one loses sleep over not hiring one generalist firm vs another.
I consciously wanted to stack the deck in my favor. So I rewound the past 25 years and reviewed what projects not only gave me fulfillment but also made my clients the most money leaving them fulfilled.

I realized those projects were ones where I was tasked with taking a boring product or service and injecting so much life and personality into it that it actually became “cool.”

Multiple coaches told me I couldn’t be the guy who works specifically with boring businesses as no one would ever self-identify as being boring. I tweaked the strategy into rescuing businesses who have become commoditized, aka those businesses who customers really cant tell the difference between one brand and another and thus choose solely on price.

Once I had my mission it was a process of reading everything I could find on the topic, go down the rabbit hole of self-realization as to why Ive gravitated to differentiated things my entire life and begin to codify it all into a process and then an entertaining book.

__What is a prediction or forecast about the future of the consumer experience? How do you explain the evolution of consumer behavior to your customers?__ 

When the internet came along we all experienced an “Explosion of Choice” as Seth Godin puts it. You would think as a human being having more choices opposed to less is a good thing but it isn't. I can scientifically prove to you that having more choices makes you less happy.

As a business owner, more choices in the market meant you truly had to differentiate yourself in order to compete. Flash forward to today, we now have too many choices, so much so that human beings for the first time in history are choosing to pay more for less. A prime example is this: do you know anyone that would pay $5/month for say the BBC as opposed to a cable tv package with hundreds of channels which mathematically would equate to 10% of that cost per channel?
Humans are now overloaded with choices and we are just starting to see the advent people willing to pay for someone to curate the mass amount of content for them.
With the ai revolution coming and the creation of content exponentially increasing audiences are not only going to swipe left on uninteresting content they will go out of their way to eliminate it from their lives completely. There’s just too much of it, we have no choice.

To those businesses posting mindless content on social just to be top of mind and part of the conversation will now effectively be killing their brand instead of helping it as bored, overloaded consumers will seek to cull the non-essential crap from their lives. 

All that said, being truly differentiated in your space will become more valuable than ever and essential to surviving in the future.

![DSC00096](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/5nwFMxSBp2s10qgBGk0Ehp/64ddc8755de7233a5ceab304cff4cf2f/DSC00096.jpg)

__You designed Marketing for Super Villains as a methodology for folks to follow when trying to create a brand, above all else. Give a small piece of the book away.__ 

Hands down the biggest mistake I see clients make is they come to me with their new venture and point at the name brand in their vertical and say “we want to look like them.”

In almost all cases the name brand has 100x resources and an incredible head start in their business journey. Needless to say, emulating a name brand and trying to outspend them, out “seo” them or do just as much social media with significantly less resources is a recipe for disaster. 

You likely got into business to do things your way… why would you automatically want to try and emulate someone else?

On the creative side my mantra is “I am not here to do what has already been done.” There are thousands of other agencies out there that will cut copy and paste you into the industry template, if you truly want an alternative then I am your guy.

I soon realized this mindset is so counter-intuitive to what almost the entire population thought. I felt as though I had some sort of advanced perspective on marketing that didnt sit well with most… are you starting to see the parallels to supervillainy? Or maybe its just the fact that after 25 years in the marketing industry I’ve officially gone insane.

__Besides the Business and the book, you are also a martial artist, oddities collector and passionate public speaker and have all sorts of hobbies. What are you drawn to these days and why?__

They say if you can do something you love for a living you’ll never “work” a day in your life. Total bullshit. In my early career I created my own line of horror-themed toys. Got them mass-produced, carried in major retailers like Spencer Gifts all across the nation. 

What could be more fun than 100% ownership of your very own toy company? It sucked. Bottom line it was work and it completely turned me off of creating art for my own personal joy.

I’ve since returned to creating art solely for my own fulfillment, only selling pieces I have absolutely no room for in my house (which I call Chainsaw Estates - it has it’s own instagram.)

Commissions and creating production art (doing the same thing over and over) are a no-no. On the outside it may seem like Im an ADHD suffering from shiny object syndrome jumping from one thing to another. I just like to avoid repetition.
Oh, and I start professional wrestling school July 2 lol. Never stop learning.

![DSC00030](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/q6SLfOPygic1iMjtvuIfv/73b907bcd48331ce38df0f583474e332/DSC00030.jpg)

__How can people follow your work and what advice do you have for young people in pursuit of lofty goals?__

I regularly create content that is authentic to me, which is why I likely dont have a mass following. If it were the other way around guess what? Creating content would feel like work and I would use every excuse in the world to put it off and never make it.

My advice is to find something authentic to you and go a mile deep on it. Approach your marketing with a reductive mindset, instead of trying to tweak everything in your personal brand to appeal to more people and a wider audience do the opposite. What can you create that will resonate with the few and find your true ride-or-die raving fans. The gold standard of branding is to get someone to say “Holy shit, this guy (girl, company etc) gets me.” Watered down messaging that appeals to everyone is messaging that resonates with no one.

I can be found on [IG](https://www.instagram.com/marketingsupervillain/ "IG") and [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@marketingsupervillain "TikTok") under @marketingsupervillain

My top recommendation is youtube which is under [decommoditized](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5hCtafiRpMWtD6dUI4yYQw "decommoditized") which is where Im bound by no aspect ratios or time limits and I can go nuts.

And my linkedin under my [name](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-wroblewski/ "name").

Websites:
[marketingforsupervillains.com](https://marketingforsupervillains.com "marketingforsupervillains.com") - the book
[decommoditized.com](https://decommoditized.com "decommoditized.com") - the consultancy
[generationsbeyond.com](https://generationsbeyond.com "generationsbeyond.com") - the agency

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Jesse James Wroblewski he has been at the helm of a NY marketing agency for close to 3 decades. His often offbeat work has been featured in Rolling Stone, the book "505 Weirdest Websites Ever" and Fangoria as well as a plethora of other media outlets.

HEROES Spotlight: Jesse James Wroblewski | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Jesse James Wroblewski

The original co-founder and bootstrapper, turned exited and former President and COO of FinTech powerhouse, Compliance Science. ( Today, ComplySci). 

Mike D'Angelo, Former President and COO of Compliance Science | Cause of a Kind

Sarah Vilenskiy is the Founder and CEO of the skin care brand Blossom Essentials. Follow us as we unpack her bootstrap story and her path from zero-to-market. 

Sarah Vilenskiy, Founder & CEO of Blossom Essentials | Cause of a Kind

Sarah Vilenskiy, Founder & CEO of Blossom Essentials

TakeTatt is a mission driven mobile tattoo removal shop out of Ohio that aims to provide a discrete, ultra high quality tattoo removal experience. 

Wes Henderson & James Gallagher, Co-Founders of TakeTatt | Cause of a Kind

Wes Henderson & James Gallagher, Co-Founders of TakeTatt

Despite a traditional career path, an ingrained skepticism led to questioning the legal system, shifting legal focus, and the creation of House Crunch. A gap in an age old industry lends itself well; to innovation.

Karl Runft | Cause of a Kind

Karl Runft, CEO of House Crunch


__Tell us about yourself. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

I'm a founder and I'm an entrepreneur of two businesses. But beyond that, I'm a mother, a wife, a sister. I'm just, you know, yeah, just kind of hanging out here. So I, as you know, as far as hobbies go, I enjoy painting. I'm an artist. I'm a creative individual and I love interior design.

A lot of that pulls through the work that I do. But yeah, I don't know. I think I'm just a normal human being, surviving and thriving at a few things as well. 

__Tell me all about Pack Elephant and more recently, your jump into the deep end of eCommerce with Heard.io. What are these brands focused on and how are they uniquely position in the marketplace?__

So Pack Elephant is my first business. It's a corporate gift-boxing business that elevates products from diverse zones, focused on social impact, and environmentally sustainable brands. We have a focus on local sourcing, and are really just trying to help, our enterprise customers scale their sourcing from these types of businesses through the vehicle of corporate gifting and gift boxes specifically. 

I launched a new brand, Heard.io, this year in 2023. I actually have been stepping away from Pack Elephant and into this new role with Heard.io, which has a very similar mission to Pack Elephant, but we're actually going a step further with the ESG mission. Heard.io leverages AI to help build out an ESG super graph with every merchant that we're working with in our marketplace. The goal is ultimately to be able to tag for ESG alignment every business in the USA. 
So that's Heard.io. It's a marketplace, it's an e-commerce channel. There are a lot of features that help businesses on both sides, transact with each other. But that's really the differentiating point, is the data and analytics that go into it as well.

__You once had a career in Advertising and Marketing for corporate big brands. Your experience with Gifts & Entertainment as a perk of the career path was unique. Tell us a bit about your vision for completely challenging this as it lead to you dedicating your full attention to a mission that disrupts this traditional corporate culture.__

No, not by chance. All the stars did have to align. With my experience in advertising, I worked for a few different agencies on the media side. So I was a digital media director for some bigger holding companies. And then I also kind of worked for a smaller company as well that has grown since I've left. But with all of this, I was on the receiving and giving end of corporate gifting pretty frequently. was receiving items from the vendors that we worked with, gifting our clients, receiving gifts from my employer for different appreciation events. I was always an active member of various Employee Resource Groups that would require some sort of sourcing as well. So the idea of gifting, you really think about like the holidays and you think about specific, landmark anniversary gifts. But when you think about sourcing in general, it's happening around us all the time.

A lot of the organizations I work with are trying to be intentional about the way they source these items and they really care. But when it comes down to it. It's really time intensive and difficult to source from vendors that live in our communities. And I wanted to just alleviate that and help make it much more convenient. Because if it were Amazon easy to source all of these things from the local businesses, the small mom and pop shops and the diverse owned businesses that we genuinely care about then we would actually put our money where our values are and that's just what's been driving both businesses.

__Mission driven is an individual ethos. It is a way of living, interacting and impacting the world around you. Tell us a bit about your past, and what influenced you to dedicate your extended career and passions to mission driven work with not 1, not 2, but 3 endeavors simultaneously with Pack Elephant Retail, Pack Elephant.com and now Heard.io?__

It was something I just always have cared about deeply. It goes back to my roots in college. I was a visual studies major. I am an artist. I'm a creator. There's so many creative people living and breathing around us, trying to make a living and oftentimes they just don't have the access that they need to really scale their businesses. 

Like the networks with these corporate purchasers, these buying teams, is hard to break into. I'm directly answering your question, but I think that I've seen this from multiple sides of the table. I've been the person with Pack Elephant specifically trying to break into these enterprise sales channels. It's very hard. I've been the person on the side of sourcing and in my past life in advertising, I was responsible for sourcing at times when I'm like, this is not my day job. I have so many other things on my plate, like why, you know, Starbucks gift card. I love, no shade on Starbucks, but it's one of those things where. when it's kind of piled on top of a list of things that you're already responsible for. 

When working on Pack Elephant, I was also doing a ton of sourcing from these small businesses and even though it was the core of the business model, it still was incredibly time consuming. So I don't know. This is... my experience, my personal experience, living through these different challenges, and then being a woman of color, you know, in corporate America and realizing that it's, we're not well represented at the table. It has made me want to dedicate my work towards uplifting people who, like me, are not often at the table. 

__In early 2022, through a referral, you were introduced to Mike and I. I wonder if you could recap your early experience with us. I am sure you did your due diligence, but why did you ultimately select COAK to be your earliest architecture and build partner for what is now, Heard.io? Like what was the mindset and position as you are about to jump into the role of “Tech Founder” full on?__

We were just becoming technology focused and we were in pursuit of someone to partner with that could help bring us from this very, kind of, brick and mortar operations heavy business, into the digital space with an e-commerce tool that would allow our customers to do more, and in a more streamlined way, interface with our merchants. I feel like when I was introduced to Cause of a Kind, one of the things that initially just really was a delight was the fact that I was going to have the opportunity to work, you know, hand in hand with you, to be able to have Mike as the fractional CTO on our team was a huge, huge value add because there are so many tools in the marketplace. There's so many things to evaluate in the landscape. 

Being someone that is not technology focused, it's just incredibly daunting. I felt that I would have this partnership with two individuals, not to mention your team, but with two individuals specifically that were really listening to what our needs were and willing to walk side by side with us to make the best decisions for our brand. I think that was just different than anything else that we had seen in the marketplace when we're looking for engineers through this recruiting platform that introduced us. They even said, and the reason that they made the intro was like, “hey, you know when you know your project and it's super well defined and you know exactly the type of talent that you need to execute, like we got you. But if you need someone to help you wade through this decision-making process, like we think that Cause of a Kind, Mike and Justin are probably gonna be better suited to help you at this point in your journey.” So, I mean, that's exactly why we went with Cause of a Kind is why we selected your agency to work with us.

Working with you was so illuminating because we got to see kind of the underbelly of the tech process. And that enabled me to start identifying where we needed to augment, but then also really focus on bringing individuals with certain skill sets and expertise. So That process, it was a little bit of a messy process on our side, I can't lie. You know, it wasn't all like rainbows and sunshine, like finding the right fit. But ultimately we did hire three in-house engineers, were contracted with them and they are full-time, focused on front-end architecture and then back-end integrations. So those are kind of the three different areas that each of them own.

Cause of a Kind was super helpful because we were able to, well, first of all, you built the backbone of what it is that we ultimately launched and have in market today. But being able to have experts on your team help with that knowledge transfer was, critical. If we didn't have that bridge, then we would not have been able to get to where we are right now. 

So, I don't know, hopefully like staying focused on answering the question that you asked, but yeah, building out our team, you know, was, it really would not have been possible without going through some of the dev process with your team understanding how everything ultimately was being built and transitioning that knowledge was a big part of the process.

__It is no secret that there are significant climate challenges, social injustices, and deep humanitarian issues impacting the entire world. Pack Elephant and Heard.io take a very visible stance in the market around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Shopping Local, Decreasing carbon footprints, and increasing opportunities for the micro artisan, small main street business, and minority makers and manufacturers.  How do you see Pack Elephant and Heard.io amplifying solutions for solving some of these global challenges?__

The reason that we spun off the technology into Heard.io is just that because we are genuinely trying to tackle this at a global scale. And, you know, Heard.io, it's a really layered challenge. So on the surface, there are all of these issues. And we really want to be the brand that helps enterprise customers put their money where their values are when they talk about wanting to make a positive impact on people and on our planet. And now, when you unpack that a little bit, many of the organizations that we work with have already made some really public statements about their commitments. They have built out supplier diversity teams within their procurement department. They have, you know, someone that is leading DE&I internally. They have ESG goals that they're trying to meet. They have already put stakes in the ground and they've made, they're making noise about it and that's awesome. That's where we want people to be. 

That said, there is still a huge disconnect between these big statements that are being made by organizations and the actual needle moving, especially within our communities when you look at small businesses. Only about 3.5%, it's about three and a half percent of dollars that are going through the supply chain are being spent with diverse owned businesses. Only 4% of those dollars are being spent with small businesses. So, Heard.io's mission is to change that. We want to be the disruptors in the space that allow these large enterprises to really effectively source from these businesses that they do want to support. Now, why aren't they supporting them? Like, why is there this gap in the marketplace? 
A big part of this. challenge is that it's hard to discover and identify and then partner with small businesses that don't have the infrastructure to plug into these mega systems. You know, when you think about small businesses. they're only gonna be categorized as a black-owned business or a woman-owned or other diverse-owned business if they hold these certifications, which by the way can run up to $1,000 annually. These businesses are operating in a way that is sustainable. They're using upcycled materials. They're making commitments, but they might not be. green certified, they might not be B Corp certified. So because they're not certified, they're not being picked up by the large enterprises. The large enterprises are here saying, we wanna work with these businesses, where are they? 

They exist, they're doing the right thing and they wanna work with the large enterprises, but there's a bridge. Heard.io makes it easy for large enterprises to identify, to transact with and measure the impact of their spend with these small businesses who otherwise are just falling through the cracks of our ESG ecosystem. And, you know, certifications are a beautiful thing. Like, I think we need that. We need some sort of accountability, you know, but at the same time, this system that has been created to help uplift these businesses is the same system that unfortunately is creating barriers for them. So our approach with Her.io is really to help break down this barrier. And we're tapping innovative technologies to do so. We're actually using AI off the shelf, but we're also building our own heuristic for ESG semantic analysis to help build out an ESG super graph for all of the businesses that we work with. Because we want to be able to create a profile, an ESG profile that is easy for these small businesses to... to access and to market and it's not going to ever replace the certification system per se, but I mean, think of it as an on-ramp. 

Think of it as the first step that a small business can take to making sure that the good that they're doing, all of the hard work that they're putting towards being sustainable can actually be recognized by larger organizations that really do genuinely wanna work.

__Not only are you a career powerhouse, multi time entrepreneur, employer, and distinguished member of your community, you are also a wife and a mother. How do you find balance? What is it like to be a founder in not only business, but also in family?__

Yes, managing it all is challenging. I'm not going to lie. I feel crazy at times for trying to take it all on. But I think the way that I'm able to manage it, I have two babies, two boys under two, to be specific, is to delegate and to surround myself with a support system so that I can trust other people to help. My husband's awesome at making sure that he's incredibly involved. He's equally as busy as I am, he's a doctor. But he also is just amazing at making sure that all of the responsibilities of the household don't fall on my shoulders. He definitely helps a lot. And now we have an au pair as well who helps with the kids too. So she will help get them ready in the morning. 

They do go to daycare, she helps in the evening. You know, it's something, we have a 360 kind of support system that we've built around ourselves here in Michigan because our families aren't here to help. But I would say to any entrepreneur, you know, it's, I always, before I had kids, would say like, oh, I'm not gonna have kids because I, you know, really want to be career driven and there's no way to do both. The secret is there is a way to do both. And that is to surround yourself with a support system that you trust. It's the same as growing a business and in hiring people that you trust to delegate to. 

If you try and take the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time, you're gonna feel that and it's gonna manifest itself in ways that you really don't want it to. So being proactive about building a support system, it's just, yeah, it's been my lifeline.

__Speaking of family, you went a step further than most as far as your families involvement with your business. Your brother, Rey is also a large part of the leadership team for Pack Elephant and now Heard.io. He has an entirely different and specialized set of skills. What is it like to have Rey as a part of the team?__

Well, you know, having a kind of almost like a co-founder relationship is like a marriage in a lot of ways, right? So I'm not surprised that you thought that. There's a lot that we need to be on the same page about. We do have disagreements sometimes, but I would say that probably a unique part of my relationship with Rey is we have he's always been like the perfect. balancing weight to my energy in our whole life, like always. I've been always kind of the visionary pie in the sky, dreamer, and he's been the realest that will keep me down to earth. He's also an incredibly talented individual. I trust him personally, obviously with a lot, but professionally, I have no qualms about letting him into like the innermost circle of my businesses. He has an incredible background in finance. He's now in the venture capital world. He brings a prospectus to the table that really helps keep me driven towards growth. I'm going to say that again. He has a background in finance that he can bring to the table and ensure that we're always thinking about growth of the organization, whether that was Pack Elephant and now Heard.io. So yeah, I mean, I know it's a little bit unorthodox to have your brother as an advisor, as a board member on your company, but even if... Yeah, I don't know. I think that he has been like such a rock for both of the organizations. I wouldn't have it any other way.

__What does Winsome want to be known for ultimately? What is the most grandiose goal that you have for yourself?__

I could see myself on like a Nobel Prize stage for impacting global commerce. And like not in a way that's like profit first in a way that's people first and in a way that inspires young people to go into a creative pathway that they can turn into small enterprise to inspire people that are looking for second leases on life. To go and pursue a dream that maybe they have when they were a young kid and never had the security to do. I see something recognizable for me and when I think grandiosity, I think “why not me”.

Full Episode from Strictly From Nowhere


Winsome Kirton's personal and professional founders journey, the mission and vision behind her businesses Pack Elephant and Heard.io, her commitment to impact-driven work, and her balancing act as an entrepreneur, wife, and mother.

Winsome Kirton | Cause of a Kind

Winsome Kirton, CEO of Heard.io

*Lucas Coniker is a Long Island, New York native, pursuing excellence in his three primary sports; Rock Climbing, Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Lucas represents the future of his sports, trains and performas at an elite level, and is the very first Cause of a Kind Sponsored Athlete*

__Tell us about yourself. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__  

About me. As you know I am a climber, but I also am a wrestler and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. I come from a pretty big family, I have 3 siblings: Caleb, Jacob, and Addison. All my life I have been very connected with my family. Other than that I live the life of a normal teenage guy.

__Tell us a bit about your goals and ambitions. As the first Cause of a Kind Sponsored Athlete, where do you envision your sport taking you? What are some of your goals as you continue to progress?__ 

My main goals and ambitions are really just to stay active always. Whether it’s training in the gym or going to BJJ class I never want to not be doing anything. In regards to climbing my goal is to be the best climber I can be. I envision myself to be one of the strongest climbers in the world and I know I can reach that goal because I’m never not working hard and I’m dedicated. As I continue to progress the most important thing is to take it slow. Go grade by grade and just climb as much as possible. Only being 17 I have all the time in the world to be the best. Why rush it. 

__Naturally, you train in a gym, but execute outdoors. How would you describe the difference between indoor and outdoor climbing from the perspective of fear and risk?__

It’s definitely a big transition to go from a gym climber to an outdoor climber. Climbing in a gym it’s a relatively safe environment, the walls all go to the same height, and there pads everywhere. With outdoor bouldering you don’t know what you're going to get with regards to the boulder. Some boulders can be 12 feet tall others can be 25 foot highballs. You have to be more cautious and aware when outdoor climbing and I would advise always having a spot because if one pad is set up wrong and you have no spotter it can go bad very quickly.

__Spending so much time outdoors, you must see some environmentally unfortunate things. What are some ways that you are taking care of the world around you and what advice do you recommend to your peers?__ 

It really is devastating seeing how dirty some people leave the crags and the beaches. Being a climber on Long Island most of the boulders are on the beach and walking the beaches you see trash everywhere you look. Not too long ago I participated in a cleaning of the beach at east Marion hosted by island rock. It felt really nice to give back to the community and would love to do it again soon.

__You have an amazing bond  with your family. It revolves around Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, Rock Climbing, and general competition. Where did this all come from? What or who inspired you to pursue your passions?__

I would definitely say my dad is the guy that really inspired me and shaped me into the person I am today. Without him I would have never been introduced to BJJ. When I was young I wasn’t interested in any of the normal mainstream sports. My dad showing me the life of Brazilian jiu-jitsu really changed me as a whole. Having been in competitions since I was six, It really showed me how to handle my losses and grow from them. My dad has been by my side since day one and he will continue to be there helping me along my journey. 

__As you look forward to pursuing your education at SUNY New Paltz, what are your education goals? Where do you see your education enabling your future and what were some of the primary reasons you selected this institution?__ 

My plan is to continue to further my education and my goal is to finish all four years of college. In addition to creating a network for my climbing and really striving to Pursue my professional climbing career. I chose SUNY New Paltz to be near the mountains. I get easy access to all the boulders whenever I want. It’s the perfect place to work on my dream career. 

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, initiatives and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to learn about?__

People can get in touch with me by following my [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lucas.climbs). I’m just really stoked to share my progress and my journey as a climber.

__What is your name and a should Bio to attach to it?__

I am a 17 year old teenager who is trying to take there sport to the next level.


I would definitely say my dad is the guy that really inspired me and shaped me into the person I am today. Having been in competitions since I was six, It really showed me how to handle my losses and grow from them.

HEROES Spotlight: Lucas Coniker | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Lucas Coniker

*Dave Benson is the CEO of SuperQuickQuestion and a current customer of Cause of a Kind. He brings a career of knowledge and insight to a disruptor technology and aims to solve an age old problem around scaling time and keeping interactions short, sweet and Super Quick.*

__Tell us about yourself. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

I was the second-tallest kid in my Hebrew School for a little while. I won a juggling contest when I was 12. Didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated college so I moved to Paris and then London. I’ve bartended a bunch and realized you can learn a lot by asking people about what they know. I’ve got what someone called “Reverse Impostor Syndrome” because I’m more than happy to admit when I don’t know something (yet). 

__It is no secret that you are a New Yorker through and through. Originating from Long Island, pursuing SUNY Albany for your education, and now residing in NYC, what are some of the recognizable shifts in workplace interactions that you have noticed over your career and what makes it different in the Big Apple?__

New York is fast. We talk fast, walk fast and listen fast. I think remote work is allowing everyone else to take advantage of that same quickness. Remote work is here to stay whether hybrid or otherwise. The upside is that my colleagues in North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Indiana are all connected with me and each other in a way they wouldn’t have been before. The best workplaces (and cities) are both resilient and agile. So, there’s the urge to try to communicate the way we did before, but it has to be coupled with newer and better practices and tools (like [SuperQuickQuestion](https://SuperQuickQuestion.com "SuperQuickQuestion"), thanks for letting me plug it…). 

You can’t expect things to be like they were before because they aren’t. The world is changing, tech is changing and the ways in which we work are changing. Adapt or die. 

__You are certainly well traveled and have had an extensive career prior to earning the title of CEO and introducing an elegant software solution to the world. Tell us a bit about your early career and how you originally navigated some of the most recognizable logos on earth.__ 

I was never a tech guy, like you and my pals at Cause. I was a radio DJ in London, a journalist in NY and then got into sports media before moving over to marketing at IBM. Each of those experiences geared me up for what I’m doing now, but I’m an absolute novice CEO. It’s been great because I was forced to learn a ton of stuff from loads of smart people. I had no preconceived notions because I actually didn’t know anything. 

__You created a brand out of a problem. [SuperQuickQuestion](https://www.superquickquestion.com/ "SuperQuickQuestion") is rooted in brevity. The opportunity to keep meetings, engagements, interviews, and just workplace questions, short, sweet and productive. What was the inception for the idea and why was the need for SQQ so apparent that you were willing to pivot a whole career, and jump into SaaS, investor land, and the CEO life?__

I moved from sports media to IBM and everything took too long and I’m not a particularly patient guy. Meetings upon meetings that were often far too long. I started zipping over to people’s desks and promising to only take a minute (and never going longer). I’d get the answer I needed and then they’d cancel the 30 minutes we were scheduled for. Win-win. That was the genesis of SQQ – a one-on-one video chat with a 60-second time limit. Of course, now we’re using it for fans to engage with athletes and musicians, experts to give advice or writers to talk to their followers. 

I never intended to start my own company, let alone a SaaS one, but the idea took off, investors came along and then I quit a job that I liked a lot in order to take a crack at this. So far, so good. 

CEO life is a funny one because it’s really the same as my old life. The biggest difference is nobody can create problems or stress for me other than me. So, if I end up having to work extra hard on something it’s because of something within my control, which is good. 

__You are packed with wisdom, a ton of comedy and very practical advice for, well, anyone, that can catch your attention. Why do you enjoy mentorship so much? What are some simple strategies that other leaders can deploy, which would make them as accessible and willing to nurture future professionals?__

First of all…thank you. 

I think any time someone learns something they’re eager to share it. Almost any time I’ve asked someone to share their expertise, the answer is yes. It’s also a great exercise to help reinforce learning – tell someone else and you’ll get smarter about it yourself. So, I do really enjoy trying to tell others stuff that I know because it makes me feel smart (wink) but also it makes me smarter. It’s also extraordinarily gratifying when someone who was an intern for me tells me years later that something I told them was actually helpful. 

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, initiatives and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to learn about?__

[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-benson-95b0b61/ "Linkedin"). Or email me. Dave@superquickquestion.com The good/bad news is, there are tons of projects and initiatives that need help. There have never been so many worthy causes to donate to, march for or talk about. Just pick something and get to work!


I was never a tech guy, like you and my pals at Cause. I was a radio DJ in London, a journalist in NY and then got into sports media before moving over to marketing at IBM.

HEROES Spotlight: Dave Benson | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Dave Benson

__Tell us about yourself. What makes you, uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

After nearly thirty five years here on earth my back hurts but overall it's been a solid ride; depending on how you look at it, which I think was shaped in my upbringing / background. I was fortunate enough to have a one-stop-shop super mom and a cool, odd father and bonus, amazing step father. Sure, my household was chaotic and messed up but I've grown up to appreciate the blessings and learned how to be a good person because of all my parents. 

After 34 + years, I can say I am happy with who I am becoming because of my past experiences and yes, even the messed up decisions. Learning from my parents' mishaps and wins has been huge too. 

Surfing takes priority for me. There is no better hobby or sport, in my opinion. Tennis is good but impactful on my joints and snowboarding needs to be in primo conditions. I consider myself more athletic now than ever and I prefer to use hobbies as exercise versus the traditional gym. 

The need to shred burns deep within me and I plan on implementing it into my daily dream lifestyle soon, list follows in no particular order:
1. Surf ( in warm water )
2. Work ( TV & Film Creative Ventures )
3. Cook ( outdoors )
4. Socialize ( host dinners etc )

![IMG 6024](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/7cgz6bNXErks7EDEBibwJp/4ffa9bdfb3522daf376fb0310d35c025/IMG_6024.JPG)

__You have a creative relationship with nature, theater, art, food, and film. As a lifelong creative with an attraction to comedic and dramatic art, what are some things that inspire you, challenge you, and keep you motivated to continue to evolve?__ 

I like enjoying the moment and filmmaking is a great medium to create those moments, so is surfing. It’s mental. And when I cook, I'm committed to nature. For me it comes down to doing whatever the F*** you want, which is what I do to keep me happy and what I do best. I can only speak on my instinctual, primal feeling of passion that burns in many forms it can be a craving for Empanadas or a story I just can't wait to tell. Comprehending the opportunities and love around my life, I can say let nature take its course and set sail on all your creative desires, that's the ultimate truth of how I got to here mid-route of this awesome life. Challenges are expectations and daydreaming. Just do the work and the rest will show up.

__As a young man, you explored the reaches of your interests and creativity. What are some notable experiences that have shaped your creativity and have lent themselves to your current bodies of work?__

While I am still exploring, most of my work is centered around identity, whether it be insecurities, comedy, religion, or mental health issues, I use filmmaking as a means of exploration and catharsis to better understand who I am and work through life experiences. 

![IMG 5042](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/7d5v0FB9eVFEtxqs9Z1rhn/530442f237440518e277d992cec840e3/IMG_5042.JPG)

__You have had a very non-traditional route, professionally. There is something to be said about following your passions and pursuing your own truth. Tell us about your relationship with nature, the ocean, the mountains and spirituality and how they have guided you to craft a professional experience perfectly matched for you.__

I grew up climbing trees, scraping my knees and located outside at any given opportunity. I became a “natural” story-teller over time. My interests stem back to the rainforest club in elementary school, to finally going to Costa Rica and seeing some poison dart frogs in person. There's some magic out there, and it's in nature and space. Which is the same, just one has oxygen? 

![IMG 4556](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/1BJcDHLMZa291D5MMH48Ox/2642ff314d29cc0695e9202ebc17a159/IMG_4556.JPG)

__As an actor, writer, producer, director and business owner, the need to upskill and constantly evolve, pursue relevancy, and explore the reaches of your skillset, we have to ask, what are some practical ways that others can explore towards mastery of their own craft?__ 

1. Work relentlessly 
2. Do not quit just dont stop
3. Commit to creating your destiny and taking control and finding a crack in the system.

__You write, produce and create to evoke emotion and to challenge cultural, social and environmental experiences that you encounter. You discover inspiration everywhere you go, but there must be a couple of things that you constantly drift back to. What are some of your roots? What are some of the constants that keep your grounded, inspired and in pursuit of your art?__

Family overall. My inspiration comes from the feeling of home blended with an imaginary life of the feelings I want to have. 

Routine. Routine is key – It’s a sensitive balance between healthy and overdone. As an entrepreneur and creative, my schedule is entirely up to me. Waking up early has been crucial for my work. Go outside. 

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, initiatives and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to learn about?__

I really like [ART TO ACRES](https://art-to-acres-com.webnode.page "ART TO ACRES")  a non-profit initiative. It connects art and large-scale land conservation by raising funds through the sale of specifically gifted art works and voluntary donations. 

@theresourceroom.tv 

@toddoflosfeliz

[https://vimeo.com/user30283462](https://vimeo.com/user30283462 "https://vimeo.com/user30283462") 

![image](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/4ooVWOabvYOHYsSv6NTu3w/a7e29ac6f8ef36c19d57f541271956bf/image.jpeg)

I grew up climbing trees, scraping my knees and outside at any given opportunity. I became a “natural” story-teller over time. My interests stem back to the rainforest club in elementary school, to finally going to Costa Rica and seeing poison dart frogs. 

HEROES Spotlight: Todd Blumberg | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Todd Blumberg

__Tell us about yourself, Dilmer. What makes you, uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

Hello Everyone, I am Dilmer Valecillos and I was born in South America specifically in Venezuela where I spent the first 16 years of my life. During that time I remember growing up and getting my first computer at the age 9, I also remember breaking computers so many times and my parents having to suffer to pay for every repair until one day I was able to take computers apart and fix them myself, YES this was the beginning of my journey with computers and technology.

As far as hobbies, I grew up with technology, I had a big love for computer games such as Mario, Starcraft, Age of Empire, Mortal Kombat, and others, I was obsessed with becoming the best with every game, I also used to play many sports and Ping Pong was one of my favorites which I used to play daily at a local Ping Pong Club in South America.

I grew up surrounded with love, honestly I had an amazing and very large family and within my close family I was an only child but my parents from both sides had between 8-9 siblings which gave me the opportunity to spend so much time playing with cousins and friends.

![IMG 4286](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/7Evy5J1x2BvzNUd4Z6vFiB/baa23fad77d1e0a3734d3565d35e819c/IMG_4286.JPG)

__As an engineer you figured out how to marry a truly technical skill set with Art. Can you tell us a bit about your passion for Game Development and the artistic outlet it has created for you? Which game are you most proud of?__

I started to get fascinated with game development at an early age but honestly never had the focus and passion to do anything about it, yes I played games with my friends and family and we always talked about the idea of making a game someday but in South America life was not as easy.

After arriving to US at the age of 16 I was given many opportunities such as going to a College and University where I got my degree in Computer Science and right after 1 year of college and having some experience with programming I started to mess with Unity...and the rest is history...jk let me tell you about it...the moment I started to play with Unity I remember telling myself WOW this is way too hard and at the time I was watching stories of amazing indie game developers making it big in the industry, also many of them sharing their FAILURES and how hard it was to make a game, honestly I didn't think it was going to be as hard.

One day I decided to work on a small indie platformer called [Stickman World](https://store.steampowered.com/app/807810/Stickman_World/ "Stickman World"), this game took me 2-3 years to develop on my own, I also was working full time as a dev and going to college so making a game was only a thing I did after work hours which is why the game took so long. I released the game to the App Store, Apple TV, Steam, and it got featured by Apple, after that I did a few [mini games](https://store.steampowered.com/search/?publisher=Dilmer%20Games "mini games") also for iOS and Android which honestly is what got me into loving game development.

__Lots of folks have heard of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality. You took this a step further. Can you tell us what Extended Reality entails and why it is the future?__

After working on making mobile games I decided to test ARKit with one of my puzzle games so there I was testing AR...I added all the components required for ARKit, added some code, hit compile, build, pulled my iPhone out and there I was, looking at my first AR experience, wow I can see my game align to the real physical world ! isn't this some crazy magic ? Yes, that got me hooked into AR and from that point forward all I wanted to do was AR. Later in my journey I did the same with VR and joined the Oculus Start program where I was given VR headsets to test a few NDA prototypes I was working on.

I tell people XR is the future because just like an iPhone was revolutionary for many back when it was first released I see the same for XR. I think extending our world with AR makes so much sense, there is so much information we can utilize without having to pull our phones out that could potentially improve our lives, I see it used today in so many industries such as manufacturing, health, military, simulation, etc but in the future this will be widely adopted in households, when driving, when preparing a simple meal, and a big part of our daily lives.

__You have a deep passion for giving back to your community as both an education on YouTube with a very healthy audience and a huge amount of content, but also a deep contributor to GitHub, reaching people from all over the world as they explore AR and VR development. Where does this driving passion come from?__

I think giving back is the key to success, if someone else is successful that makes me happy and therefore successful, it honestly depends on your goals but my goal is to help as many people as I can with my knowledge about XR and open source code.

My passion has built overtime, I think one of the biggest contributors to my passion is XR prototyping and seeing how others can use those prototypes to create something amazing and production ready.

![IMG 4271](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/4FEjqxCJ4aquPKDhrJ9IUI/1e3eef73e925e973c50ddb85c4a142a5/IMG_4271.JPG)

__Tell us a bit about your skills and some amazing projects that you are really proud of. Also, what are some of your software goals and aspirations you have with your talent?__

I've a lot of projects under NDA since I work with many clients, but I am definitely proud of all the [open source projects](https://github.com/dilmerv "open source projects") I've provided to the community from [self parking cars to object avoidance all with Machine Learning in Unity](https://github.com/dilmerv/UnityMLEssentials "self parking cars to object avoidance all with Machine Learning in Unity"). I also did a [cool demo of detecting if someone was wearing a mask](https://youtu.be/NstWTuy-dHQ "cool demo of detecting if someone was wearing a mask") and also to detect the distance between people with AR Body Tracking as recommended by COVID guidelines by using Machine Learning.

Other projects I am proud of are VR Hand Tracking demos, Dozens of AR demos, BCI demos to turn lights on and off with your brain, Drone Demo to control a drone with an Oculus Quest 2, and many many more. For more info about my projects go to [https://github.com/dilmerv](https://github.com/dilmerv "https://github.com/dilmerv")

__What is some truly practical advice that you can offer to young people looking to become deep professionals in the emerging industry of Extended Reality? Can you provide some theories as to where you see this headed in the next few years?__

This may sound basic but JUST START, come up with a list of simple ideas that can teach you 2-3 features, build something, and __SHIP IT__. I know the word SIMPLE is not objective, but here is an example: 

Create an app that can allow you to place a 3D object on any flat surface by using Augmented Reality..

Well you start by asking yourself a question? What tools do I use? What frameworks are available? What assets can I use? What programming languages do I use?

By the time you start researching and answering these questions you will have a better understanding about what's available, then by working on it, and shipping it you will learn so much even when you thought this was a simple use case.

__Do you see an intersection between climate change, environmental sustainability, humanitarian and social issues, and Software development, particularly with AR and VR? If so, tell us where you think this opportunity is headed.__

Physical experiences are great and there is NOTHING that will replace them, but with that said imagine if you could replace physical hardware with VR/AR, then this could lead to less usage of natural resources needed to be able to manufacture physical items, instead we could offer a variety of AR/VR options which could allow you to do the same but with less consumption of natural resources.

One example is how we use so many monitors today, if we could replace them with virtual monitors then we can get rid of a lot of the resources needed to make them, similar goes to VR, sometimes going to a place can be difficult, if we build better collaboration tools that allow us to better interact remotely then we could have better and more effective conversations when having to make difficult choices.

![IMG 4289](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/2H5fbHIa3RTn9SVxPmsS2Y/29f729157addf0856a4775da18e02ade/IMG_4289.JPG)

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

I recommend people to find me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/dilmerv "Twitter") which is where I keep everyone aware of what I am working on, also on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/dilmerv "YouTube") for those who want to watch some practical XR videos where I show everyone in a step by step process how to accomplish different tasks with XR / game development technologies.


I started to get fascinated with game development, but honestly never had the focus and passion to do anything about it, yes I played games with my friends and family and always talked about making a game someday but in South America life was not as easy.

HEROES Spotlight :: Dilmer Valecillos | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Dilmer Valecillos

__Tell us about yourself, Lily. What makes you, uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__ 

Interesting question! I suppose what’s unique about me is that I’ve always been a combination of an artist (well, a musician) and a nerd. Music has been the driving force throughout my life since I was a little kid. I started playing drums when I was 6, was in various successful bands growing up, and I still feel that rhythm is my greatest passion that guides everything else in my life. I’ve been a DJ for about 8 years now as well, basically for the same reason.

My dad is a software engineer and my mom is more of a creative artist type. I am definitely a combination of both of them, which has really set me up for success with SEO, given that it requires both technical skills and creativity.
My brother and I grew up on computers and fully immersed in technology, thanks to our dad (a true Silicon Valley tech OG) - which ultimately shaped both of our careers. 

When I’m not doing SEO or music, I’m usually working out, biking around NYC (while listening to music) or hanging out with my friends.

![Lily-2020-094-3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3qKNDUnyM5XiRbXOVpljVa/abf748432409c4801f10541fc141310a/Lily-2020-094-3.jpg)
Photo Credit: [Seze Devres](https://www.sdphotography.net/photo/ "Seze Devres")

__Born on the West coast, but now rooted on the best coast, how did you land in Brooklyn, New York and what has kept you here?__

My parents are actually both from NYC, but moved to California to raise my brother and me in the Bay Area (again - we’re a tech family!). The rest of our family is here in the NYC area.

I decided to go to college at NYU in part to be closer to my family, and I haven’t left ever since. NYC is truly home for me. I love this city with every fiber of my being, even though it can be quite exhausting!

__From fitness fanatic, to multi genre DJ, to drummer, to Search Engine Marketer and so forth, you are quite a well rounded individual. How do you find balance in your professional, social and personal life?__

Balance has always been really important to me. When I was in high school, I focused intensely on my academics and on getting good grades, then in the evenings I went and played shows with my bands at bars in San Francisco. When I was 18, I actually got a tattoo of the Golden Gate Bridge that was meant to symbolize this very topic - finding balance between my work and creative lives. I drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to get from my home and school life to my band practice and my gigs, so it felt very fitting at the time.

I’m not much different now; I love my job and the work I do, but I always need a release and I definitely can’t stay sitting down for too long. Both fitness and music serve as releases for me - I start feeling pent up if I haven’t moved my body too much, and as a total extrovert, I most definitely feel starved for human connection if it’s been too long without seeing my friends (i.e. much of the pandemic!).

__You are an incredibly well known and highly respected thought leader in the Search Marketing and SEO community. You have held quite a few positions at some well known marketing agencies working with some of the worlds most recognizable brands to drive incredible value and an Expert-Authoritative-Trustworthy engagement. Tell us about the importance of experimentation as an SEO. Why is it so critical to increase the skill set and wheelhouse with SEO?__

Experimentation - or what I like to call “getting your hands dirty” - is probably the single most important approach that makes good SEOs great. Throughout my career, I never stopped working on side jobs, even with very small businesses, just to stay connected to actually implementing my SEO recommendations and not just talking about them. I’ve found that it’s much easier to communicate strategy and recommendations to clients when you’ve actually done that work yourself and seen the results of your efforts.

When it comes to increasing skills - there are an endless number of skills to learn that can improve your SEO abilities, from web development, to UX, to CRO, to programming, automation and more. That said, I would try to stay focused in two areas: what skills do you enjoy most (you will be most effective this way), and what is truly most impactful for your clients? 

Don’t get too distracted or overwhelmed by all the shiny new toys in the SEO industry if they take away from your ability to produce good work (unless, of course, you enjoy honing those skills as a hobby!).

__Fun question: What is the story behind your new superhero arm? What inspired the full sleeve and what gave you the courage to go from blank to badass?__

So in a past life I was actually married to a tattoo artist and spent many years helping him run his business (especially on the digital side, of course). In the process, I learned a lot about tattoo artists (hello, competitive analysis!) and found one named [Roxx](https://www.instagram.com/roxx_____/ "Roxx"), based in California, who specializes in blackwork. 

For years, I admired her style and told myself one day I would have a piece by her. Well, when my ex-husband and I split up, it felt like the perfect time to seek out that dream. It was quite literally a pilgrimage to secure an appointment with her and travel across the country for my 4-day tattoo appointment.
There are no words for the transformative experience of spending 20+ hours being tattooed by Roxx - she is a goddess among humans and I truly feel blessed to know her and have work done by her.

![Lily-2020-260-scaled](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5v1hPuilerjXxDAtV6y5I3/567346503fbef3bd7f8372552cbebc71/Lily-2020-260-scaled.jpeg)
Photo Credit: [Seze Devres](https://www.sdphotography.net/photo/ "Seze Devres")

__What would you say is the most important skill set you have developed as a world class search marketer? If you could have access to just a single skill set, without the use of tools, analytics, or measurements, what would it be?__

That’s the thing about SEO - you can honestly do a good job in many cases without using many tools, because so much of it has to do with connecting with users and understanding their needs and desires. 

Aside from the menial task of “doing keyword research,” if you can start by getting a deep understanding of your audience and what their needs are, what they might be searching for even before they know about your brand or your products and services - that alone can guide the strategy that sets you apart from your competitors. 

I think the main reason I’ve always loved SEO so much is because I am a lover of the internet, first and foremost, and the way it allows people all over the world to find answers to the questions they have on any number of topics. If you can put yourself in the shoes of the searcher for any variety of clients, it can really set you up for success with SEO. Being able to understand the user’s needs and empathize with their experience searching and using the site are invaluable SEO skills.

__As a resident speaker and familiar face on the public industry conference circuit, consistent guest speaker and frequent contributor to the SEO community, what inspires you to keep up with the pace? Even in an abnormal year of 2020, you have been quite busy. What has fueled you for so long?__

This is another good question - especially because the industry really can be exhausting. SEO never stops, no matter what you may be dealing with in your personal life - the rules of the job change every day, and clients need you to stay on top of those changes. 

I think the main thing that has always inspired me is knowing that the work I do helps other people. When people write me and tell me that my work inspires them, or has helped them solve problems with their own sites or their own clients, that really means a lot to me. I know how much of a mark people like [Rand Fishkin](https://twitter.com/randfish "Rand Fishkin"), [Marie Haynes](https://twitter.com/Marie_Haynes "Marie Haynes"), and [Glenn Gabe](https://twitter.com/glenngabe "Glenn Gabe") have made on me - people who made it central to their work to share their ideas and findings with others. They have shaped so many peoples’ lives and carved out career paths for so many people, including me.

Knowing that I can help serve in that same role has been incredibly motivating and rewarding for me. 

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

People can find me on Twitter ([@lilyraynyc](https://twitter.com/lilyraynyc "@lilyraynyc")) or Linkedin - or just message me through my personal site or our agency, [Amsive Digital](https://www.amsivedigital.com/ "Amsive Digital").

When it comes to giving to places I care about, it’s always so hard to choose. Please give your support to civil liberties, music and the arts, the rights of people of color and LGBTQIA, animals and the environment, and to victims of abuse and domestic violence. 

I have a few upcoming talks and articles coming up, including [Mozcon Virtual 2021](https://moz.com/mozcon/speakers "Mozcon Virtual 2021") and [SMX Advanced](https://marketinglandevents.com/smx/advanced/ "SMX Advanced"), with brand new research and discoveries. Please be on the lookout for those! 

![lily-ray-234-e1525750360634](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5Pc45PI2AnbCZa2m0nIeQ1/994f85c5d62cc02d34d21c8e6b6d26f7/lily-ray-234-e1525750360634.jpg)
Photo Credit: [Seze Devres](https://www.sdphotography.net/photo/ "Seze Devres")

Lily Ray is incredibly well known as an expert in the industry of SEO and Search Marketing. A New York based, marketing powerhouse, finding balance and solace as a DJ, percussionist and industry speaker. 

HEROES Spotlight: Lily Ray | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Lily Ray

__Tell us about yourself, Anna. What makes you, uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__ 

My name is Anna and I’m originally from France. Ever since my young teenage years, I’ve had a thirst and longing for new horizons all my life. I moved to the United States alone, on the eve of my fifteenth birthday and since then have lived in Cambodia, Spain, China, the United States, and Panama. I discovered my passion for the environment while studying conservation in Cambodia, when I was eighteen. The climate crisis was already well underway, but it was the urgency of it all that really did push me to pursue a long-term career in environmental filmmaking and non-profit photography. I directed my first full-feature documentary, [Pursuing the Monarchs](https://vimeo.com/262092224 "Pursuing the Monarchs"), at the age of nineteen and worked for non-profits all around the world as videographer and photographer. 

![Anna 3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5gk5gUIunUKKFnWQTMv0SA/6c4ddafb4045e9e6768b0005f8f7d1cb/Anna_3.jpg)

__Can you explain your relationship with your camera? Where do you draw inspiration from and do you carry a core goal with your work?__

My core goal with photography is to re-create visions and convey emotions. Many photographers will tell you their camera is an extension of themselves, my story is different. I see cameras as tools. A tool I have chosen to tell stories and to create art, in the same way that I could have chosen a pen if I were a writer. My camera exists outside of me, and lately, I’ve been trying to practice seeing the world anew through these tools. It can be so hard to reinvent yourself.

![week4 CambodiacAnnaChah-170](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6BJpIEwiIKhaYeFNO1TcIl/6c4cc56882ce2225d9452ee267f5e4e1/week4_CambodiacAnnaChah-170.jpg)

![cAnnaChah-21](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/70d9rRAVRtw1iwv2o1KNhh/bdac6e02eb08b9b18ba3b1fa3ef0c1a1/cAnnaChah-21.jpg)

![Post-2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/7L5yRghfBacCRimOQK3LTm/750dd1087ffd678317d290d671528fb5/Post-2.jpg)

__Your brand, Not Just Colour is a product that allows for photographers from amateur to expert to produce world class content. Where did this product come from and how did you identify this need?__

[Not Just Colour](https://www.notjustcolour.com/ "Not Just Colour") is the product of two creative minds, mine and Jake’s, my partner. We both are self-made photographers and filmmakers who have had no schooling in the realm of production and filmmaking. We have learned our trade from experience and also through the mistakes we have made and the challenges we have faced. We have no regrets when it comes to the way we have grown professionally, but we also know we could have benefited from a mentor at the start of our journey. This content creation business can be so elitist and un-collaborative and we would like to change that. Not Just Colour is part of the answer and we hope to continue growing to help as many creators as we can start their journeys with the right tools in hand.

![cAnnaChah-3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3droAnMi2017G2aLmn6R08/680c299c4e0a86bf570bf9b023b82b06/cAnnaChah-3.jpg)

![MorocconewcAnnaChah-24](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5yQFIb7m9qh6fh9TgIBJVx/437e9170995a10b7f8792d6bae546ff4/MorocconewcAnnaChah-24.jpg)

__Your brand is clearly focused on a few pillars. Climate Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility are clear with your 5% for the Planet pledge. It also appears that you are offering education and workshops for your community and sharing your knowledge as a humanitarian and an artist. Where do these pillars of your brand's identity come from?__

Somehow, I cannot imagine creating a business that does not give back to the planet. We are in the midst of a very serious climate crisis and everything I do, both professionally and personally, somehow connects back to the earth. There is no good photography to be taken on a broken planet and right when Jake and I started dreaming up this project I remember saying: “Let’s do it, but let’s make it at least 5% for the planet. I won’t do it any other way”. It was that simple really. 

![Anna](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2nW4TukQpuJZjXuz7v4Xor/4504e7a267d39ffa88605996f95ef51c/Anna.jpg)

__Tell us a bit about your skills and some amazing projects that you are really proud of. Also, what are some of your film goals and aspirations you have with your talent?__

I’m very proud of my first feature documentary, Pursuing the Monarchs, which you can stream on Water Bear at the moment. It came at the price of a lot of sacrifice and hard work, but I think it did a great job at raising awareness around topics such as the importance of pollinators and the adverse effects of deforestation and industrialized agriculture. I’m looking forward to finding the time to dream up my next project and this time, I would like to focus it more on the human aspect of the climate crisis. 

![cAnnaChah](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/Zbdbb2782CLLizka2vNxi/5fb9dfe8841886eb020628c6b86bd546/cAnnaChah.jpg)

![Anna-3 2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5Etbld1xsMNicHXeJwCTFG/749e6b9d0c8020f30952037083eb518b/Anna-3_2.jpg)

__When you look at the possibilities of a film or a photo's impact on climate change and world problems, where do you see these mediums making amazing strides?__

We are undoubtedly living in a very visual society at the moment. We look around us and we are surrounded by pictures, videos, interactive screens and alike. Film and photography have the incredible opportunity to bring attention to subjects that so dearly need it at the moment, and I think the next big challenge is finding ways to appeal to the younger generations and instill some activism in their lives. In a way, to use screens and visual storytelling to pull them out of it, and take a moment to look around at what is at stake of losing. 

![DSC00634](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5KLvYAZS54UeQFzs7N0ZU5/576b7bf2ccd4e9376b300cacb235b842/DSC00634.jpg)

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

Anyone can contact me either via my websites [greenwanderlust.org](https://greenwanderlust.org "greenwanderlust.org") and [notjustcolour.com](https://notjustcolour.com "notjustcolour.com"), or directly via Instagram through the handle [@annalechah](https://instagram.com/annalechah/?hl=en "@annalechah"). I love to collaborate with other like-minded creators so I encourage anyone to reach out with a project or idea! If you would like to learn more about me, you can also check out my [Youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQdsBU4uA7cOok18OuS7-w "Youtube channel"), focused primarily on sustainability and low impact travel.  

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/262092224" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/262092224">Pursuing the Monarchs // full-length documentary</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/annachah">Anna Chahuneau</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Anna Chahuneau is a photo journalist and climate activist. Although her love for traveling runs deep, so does her love for our planet and as a concerned scientist and earth advocate, she make a point of traveling and living as sustainably as she can.

HEROES Spotlight: Anna Chahuneau | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Anna Chahuneau

__Tell us about yourself, Barry. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell us a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__  

So I was born and raised in the Hudson Valley region of New York and 40 years later, I am still here. Both my residence, my family and my business are within a short distance from where I grew up.  

My hobby is really covering and writing about search engines, search engine optimization, Google and how things are changing in the space. I started my blog, the [Search Engine Roundtable](https://www.seroundtable.com/ "Search Engine Roundtable"), in 2003 and have kept posting consistently, every day, several times a day, since then. I’ve probably written over 40,000 articles on the topic in the past 17 plus years.  It is not a normal hobby, like rock climbing or swimming but it is what I love to do.  I enjoy tracking the changes and keeping a log of those changes.  What I love most is hearing randomly how it helped others with their careers or their client successes.

![9459311629 a5eba0e0a8 o](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/EsTE1A6bX0FSO4Yqpxh77/10af189a95aaebe9a87b7ca0216f8d57/9459311629_a5eba0e0a8_o.jpg)

__A true New York native, hailing from Baruch College, and clearly blessed with the gift of gab, how did you blend your natural affinity for story telling with your professional path?__

The funny thing is I am not a great storyteller.  In fact, I kind of dislike listening to storytellers.  I am more of a direct and straight-shooter when it comes to information.  Specifically, I prefer to read and listen to people who will give me the facts and evidence once, without telling a story around it.  I rather hear more facts and less of a story if that means I am given more knowledge in a shorter amount of time. 

So when I write or speak, I often leave a lot of the storytelling aspects out and just give the information. It can come off as monotone and bland but everyone has their tastes and I prefer plain vanilla over strawberry with whip cream and sprinkles. 

People know they can come to me and get the quick and direct answer without any of the fluff.  Not that fluff is bad, it is just not my style.

![7918054600 1c61d000cd o](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5rrV7nwU63JnU9m7OEtvbm/b9046ab27082608a92a0df17f92b6113/7918054600_1c61d000cd_o.jpg)

__You have a very interesting intersection of skills. Your software development and marketing agency [RustyBrick](https://www.rustybrick.com/ "RustyBrick"), is well known and well traveled. But possibly even more notable is your contributions as Executive Editor and daily contributor to the well respected [Search Engine Land](https://searchengineland.com/author/barry-schwartz "Search Engine Land"), founder of the [Search Engine Roundtable](https://www.seroundtable.com/author/barry-schwartz/2.html "Search Engine Roundtable") and annual host for [Search Marketing Expo](https://marketinglandevents.com/smx/ "Search Marketing Expo"), better known in the industry as SMX® on the international circuit.__

__Fueled by passion, and a seemingly endless supply of knowledge and information, what's your secret sauce? How do you stay so relevant, so timely, so neutral and yet, own and operate a business, with a healthy staff?__

Consistency is my secret sauce.  I am a strong believer of having a set routine every day and trying your best to stick with it.  It is easier to get things done, in a more efficient way, if you have a set schedule to stick with.  If you are consistent, those who you interact with; i.e. my RustyBrick customers or my Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable readers, know what to consistently expect from my output. It helps build a trusting and loyal relationship with your employees, customers and readers.

![25911881861 16ca6ccb1e o](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5T3KqjWmndNvZx9QGq5PG6/c6f8589dabfb03b7baf1502a80a35761/25911881861_16ca6ccb1e_o.jpg)

__You have a deep perspective and a very long career at RustyBrick, creating solutions that solve business problems and position technology as an opportunity to “decrease costs and increase sales”. Can you tell us about a few projects over the years that you feel, truly meet the mission? Tell us about some that truly impacted the community, the climate, humanity and so forth?__ 

One of my other passions, which you might get from my writing output, is looking for solutions to become more efficient.  The one thing we don’t get more of is time.  So if we can make more use of the time we are given, and get more output in less time, then that is a huge win both for business life and personal life.  That is how my mind works and that is the culture ingrained in every person who works at RustyBrick.

We are all about finding ways to make companies and organizations more efficient through software solutions. It can be a web based application or a mobile application or both. It can be a clever way to use a third-party API to help our customers communicate better with their customers, reducing in-bound calls. It can be a way to drive more leads to those businesses. Or ways to leverage the workflow systems we custom build for our clients to funnel some of that data dynamically into their marketing channels.

I have so many stories I can share with you on this front but I am honestly afraid of singling out one client over another.  So let me share more of a personal set of applications. 

Like I said, ingrained in us is looking for ways to be more efficient with our time.  I am an observant Jew, and the requirements in the Jewish religion are embedded throughout our daily lives.  My company has built numerous apps to help Jews live a more productive Jewish life.  One example is our [Smart Siddur](https://www.rustybrick.com/iphone-siddur.php "smart siddur") that dynamically customized the prayer book text based on what day and time it is; is it the new month and you need to say a specific prayer, or perhaps it is a Monday or Thursday where you need to read a set of passages from the Torah and so on. The app also tells you when you have to pray during the day, where the nearby synagogues are, who is in need of prayer if they are sick and so on.  We have countless apps like this aimed at various areas of Jewish life.  We don’t really make much money from these apps but it is good to help the Jewish community in our small way.

__In the world of SEO, meets software, meets human experience, if you could boil the ocean of advice, what would you offer to young, fresh eyed and ambitious marketers, SEO's, developers, or thought leaders?__

That is a tough question, especially in the SEO world.  There is so much good information out there but at the same time, for every one really good piece of advice you will get, there may be two or three pieces of advice that is outright wrong or misinformed. 

My best advice is to question everything you read, even what I write, and question it by testing to see if that advice works.  There are some great software tools out there that help you test. 

Always stay on top of what is changing in SEO and you can do that by following me on Twitter [@rustybrick](https://twitter.com/rustybrick?s=20 "@rustybrick") (it is a lot of stuff) or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel which summarizes the more important topics of the week at [youtube.com/rustybrick](https://www.youtube.com/user/rustybrick "youtube.com/rustybrick"). Then if you find something you like, test it, and then test it again. Even if it works on one client, it might not work for another client. So test, test and test.

__Fun Question: The movie [Spaceballs](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/ "Spaceballs") came out in 1987. At this time, you’re just a young man trying to figure out his place in the world. “The Schwartz” is definitely with you, Barry, but like all Jedi, there must be a balance between success and failure. Tell us a bit about staying the course and relentlessly pursuing goals, and maybe some speed bumps, road block and New York potholes along the way.__

Yep, I was about seven years old and people were telling me, may the Schwartz be with you.  In terms of staying the course, I think it goes back to what I wrote above around being consistent.  It is rare to have successes overnight.  It takes a lot of hard work, over many many years and even then, you might end up failing. Heck, look at all the [Google failures over the years](https://killedbygoogle.com/ "Google failures over the years"). Just keep trying new things, and you will know if something will work or not and if you should keep putting effort into it. 

I’ve launched many new products over the years, some took off and performed very well. Some did not but those experiences helped me with future projects. The most important thing is not to let the failures bring you down, in fact, they should bring you up. It is about the mindset.

![8970575151 694d5faa62 m](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5fPRDg4gGYiaonbbH96uy5/37d4c1dc09b19a37193acbe8b0a6e853/8970575151_694d5faa62_m.jpg)

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to learn about?__

People can learn more about me at [rustybrick.com/barry](https://rustybrick.com/barry "rustybrick.com/barry"), follow me on Twitter [@rustybrick](https://twitter.com/rustybrick?s=20 "@rustybrick") and of course, on the [Search Engine Roundtable](https://www.seroundtable.com/ "Search Engine Roundtable") or [Search Engine Land](https://searchengineland.com/ "Search Engine Land").  If you want to interact with me, the best way is over Twitter and share what you found or learned regarding search marketing with me.  Maybe I can amplify that. I love highlighting new discoveries from people within the industry.  

> So if there is one thing I want to do, it is to help amplify the community and the people within it.  The SEO/SEM industry is great and filled with awesome people. 
> 

Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick, a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. He is well known & respected for his expertise in the search marketing industry

HEROES Spotlight: Barry Schwartz | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Barry Schwartz

__Tell us about yourself, Stacy. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__  

I have lived in 5 different countries, I know how to cook Italian pasta and speak a little bit of Swedish! 

I love spending time and my living on experiences, not things! I like writing about everything tech! One of my hobbies is taking beautiful photographs while traveling to new places. I had a dream of visiting Hawaii, and it’s coming true this month!

![Capture4](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1syS0BdynCHMrY2JFUukbn/c0a5c985c685d94d2061ad4be5177119/Capture4.JPG)

__Once upon a time, you were going down a path to become a pharmacist. What drew you to that path, and how did you pivot to become a software engineer?__

At school I liked science and chemistry in particular. I wanted to develop drugs and help people feel better. When I got to University I enjoyed studying and working in a lab. However, after my graduation, I realized it wouldn’t work out for me. The main reason was that I planned on moving abroad, thus making my degree not applicable in other countries. I was traveling, changing countries, and had to be flexible. When I was studying, I couldn’t imagine my life being that intense. After all that, my pharmaceutical knowledge has served me well.

![unnamed](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2vbzD2ju1B6TyqIadJOq0h/c849a57f7940454aed5f9126f4d6eb4b/unnamed.jpg)

__Lots of people come to software from outside of a traditional CS background. What other types of jobs did you work before becoming a software engineer? How do these skills now help you as a software engineer?__

I had plenty of jobs, from running a restaurant to working abroad serving cocktails on a beach! I’m proud to have all kinds of experiences that make me who I am today! What I have learned from all of these experiences and jobs is that you should stay open to new things and let changes come in. 

![Capture3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3ON7FuKaLfxzaTX10zT72E/e2a08ae596bb5f6a60eca4cb245d4f6a/Capture3.JPG)

__You are now helping new software engineers get into the field. What are the top tips that you would give to a new software engineer coming into the field right now based on your experience?__

"Consistency is the key to success" - That is my mantra! 

I know it is hard to get your first development job, but it’s possible and doable! Everyone had to do it, so just don’t give up!

Also, work on your skills and portfolio, build confidence and try contributing to real projects! I saw that many newbies don’t know where to start, so I have created an open-source project where everyone can contribute! The name is [Inter-Camp](https://github.com/Inter-Camp/InterCamp "Inter-Camp") and you can start contributing on [GitHub](https://github.com/ "GitHub").

Once you get the job, never be shy about asking for help from a senior engineer. Learn how to do it the right way and remember, there are guides on the internet! 

![unnamed (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/qfsq8bWDpfjZB3tJ4h8HE/32c503ce870776d73dfb8f8f454171db/unnamed__1_.jpg)

__We also know that you are a dedicated activist to the WomenTech Network as well as a highly-skilled multilingual software engineer. Tell us a bit about your balance and the association between your philanthropic work and your craft.__ 

Somehow, many women don’t feel that they have the power to change things. Instead, I want to show them a different perspective. I was a girl myself once and I grew up in Ukraine, a country where women do not have a lot of opportunities. I had little support for studying Computer Science or Mathematics as my parents thought it was too hard for a girl. These gender roles exist in many places, even if we don’t necessarily notice them.

I am thrilled to make an impact on breaking these stereotypes and help women to reveal their power through the community.

![unnamed (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5Tdjq2Ggi0NjtQo6PLV5il/cc210385c20c9a7ae6bd31f28ae51f14/unnamed__2_.jpg)

__Tell us a bit about your skills and some amazing projects that you are proud of. Also, what are some of your software goals and aspirations with your talent?__

I am a Software Engineer, proficient in JavaScript and Python. I also know C, C++, but I don’t use these daily. I work on both, frontend and backend. 
Lately, I have been building an online school for learning English, it is a big project which is still in the development stage. 

My goal is to grow as a Software Engineer, learn how to build scalable architectures, contribute and make a difference at global scale! There’re a lot of things to learn for an aspiring learner like me! I also want to continue writing about things I learned. 

![Capture2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4fUrd5Tb91B1NAjfZxOtuS/89711b3b0f7247e6abc35105cac1ab4a/Capture2.JPG)

__Fun question. What is your absolute favorite framework, stack, library? If you were building something from scratch today what would you want to be in your toolbox?__

Fun answer! JavaScript would be the language of my choice! I’d use Node.JS & Next.JS for my project. However, if you ask me again in a month, everything could change! I don’t fall in love with a framework, because it’s just a tool for accomplishing a task. The tool depends on a task and not vice versa.

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions, and adventures you're proud of and would like others to know about?__

I have a tech blog on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/codemyjourney/?hl=en "Instagram") & [Medium](https://medium.com/@codemyjourney "Medium").
You can find me by looking for @codemyjourney.
[Netlify](https://codemyjourney.netlify.app/ "Netlify")
[GitHub](https://github.com/codemyjourney "GitHub")

The project I’m currently working on is an Open Source Project I’ve created. It’s focused on learning advanced programming concepts.The initial idea was to create a small project for my portfolio, but it turned out to be something bigger.

I’ve developed a solid codebase and made it Open Source, so now everyone can contribute and make a difference.The goal, for now, is to develop new features and keep things simple. I build the UI using React.JS and I use Firebase on a backend.


Stacy Kutyepov is a software engineer hailing from Ukraine. Making her impact and breaking stereotypes with her talented and ambitious approach to software development.,

HEROES Spotlight: Stacy Kutyepov | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Stacy Kutyepov

__Tell us about yourself, Madeline. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

Hi! I’m a software engineer at Google. I’m passionate about STEM outreach, and I am very interested in web dev and programming video games. Born and raised in California, I went to college on the east coast, so I have a soft spot for New England springtime. In my free time, I love running, singing, playing board games, solving puzzle hunts and escape rooms, and watching way too many Reddit cute cat videos.

What makes me, me, is that when I get interested in something, I get extremely into it and give it my absolute all. This ranges from a quarantine crocheting phase where I crocheted for 20 hours straight until I finished an amigurumi bunny, to learning how to sing several Bulgarian songs and arranging piano accompaniments for them because I wanted to improve my Bulgarian language skills, to running everyday for the past 2.5 years. My current obsession / interest is playing social deception board games - I’ve been playing a particular one (Blood on the Clock Tower) 4 days a week, at least 3 hours a day, for the past few weeks.

![swe3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3mhMmZSaxTPuxG3AHOqLRR/1ed92db81d89b66fafd2931af5184428/swe3.JPG)

__While just getting started with a wildly impressive role as a Software Engineer at Google in the Health Business Unit, you have had absolutely no shortage of incredible work experience. In some way, you always seem to map your love of engineering with some cause for the greater good. Can you tell us a bit about this mission critical ethos, using coding for a greater cause?__

Yep! I’m passionate about using software and tech for altruistic causes. When I started university, I actually wanted to study biology and become a doctor. I ended up pivoting towards computer science, but my passion for biology and trying my best to help others stayed strong. I think coding is so powerful because of its versatility - software engineers with the same skill set can make an impact in lots of different fields, from medicine to academia to environmental sciences. 

At MIT, I worked as an undergraduate researcher at D-Lab, developing Bayesian modeling algorithms and creating a Django server to diagnose pulmonary disease in rural South East Asian populations. Also, for a MIT program called Patrones Hermosos (Beautiful Patterns), I travelled to Aguascalientes, Mexico, where the other instructors / TAs and I taught high school girls some basics of computer science, including search and sort algorithms, binary trees, web development and more. This experience meant an incredible deal to me, not only because of the passionate group of MIT instructors that I got to work with, but also because of the amazing Aguascalientes girls who were so eager to learn and also ended up teaching me so much. Finally, I was a mentor for MIT CodeIt, an educational outreach program that introduces middle school girls and nonbinary students to computer science, and taught weekly Scratch and Python lessons.

![patroneshermosos](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/10efb054mTY4ZJDp0wf8jl/106e05089ce8f49f8bef0ea4f41e0a35/patroneshermosos.JPG)Patrones Hermosos instructors - 2019

__You once worked on a project at your alma mater MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) called “Code for Good Consulting” This initiative has allowed you to work on mission driven projects that have allowed technology to intersect with people, places and limitations, all over the world. How do you remain laser focused on this as your career evolves?__

Being a part of Code For Good Consulting was such an amazing, rewarding experience. MIT Code For Good Consulting is a club that pairs local non-profits with student teams who build technological solutions for their assigned nonprofit. 

I first heard about Code For Good purely by chance, but after going to an informational session, I felt it was a perfect fit for my goals and mission, and decided to apply. My team and I worked with Green Streets, an organization that promotes sustainable transportation by working with corporate partners to host fun commuter challenges to encourage walking, biking, and ride sharing. Later, I joined the executive team of Code For Good as part of the Dev Exec Committee.

Even after graduation, I still hold onto the values that drew me to and the skills that learned from Code For Good. I help out with Google’s university outreach efforts quite often (e.g. tech panels, resume reviews, career fairs, mock interviews). Also, during the pandemic, I’ve been a virtual speaker for various nonprofits and technology / STEM outreach focused organizations, including Feira de Ciências Itinerante (a nonprofit which provides science and technology resources to public school students in Brazil), Codeista (a youth-led organization which uses technology to encourage STEM participation in the fashion industry), Girl Genius (an online magazine which promotes female leaders and participation in STEM), and InTechual (a youth-led organization which empowers students to pursue technology careers and programming).

![cieiterante](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/sfNjoRT6uhuRhVWm4Rw93/c028cbe4a3ef75fdcb09e377383b943c/cieiterante.jpg)Feira de Ciências Itinerante virtual speech - 2020

__You have been known to help new software engineers get into the field. What are the top tips that you would give to a new software engineer coming into the field right now based on your experience?__

I’d say that it is very likely, especially for junior engineers starting in the field of software engineering, to experience imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is a phenomenon in which people (often high-achieving ones) doubt their own abilities and skills, assume that they achieved any successes due purely to luck, and are afraid they will eventually be “found out”. It is something that I personally struggled with throughout my entire life and still gripe with to this very day, and it is extremely common not just in the software realm but also in many other scenarios, as there are reports that ~70% of individuals have suffered from imposter syndrome at some point in their lives.

In order to effectively start combating imposter syndrome, one has to acknowledge their thoughts and put them in perspective. It’s important to realize that in a scenario where >50% of the population believes they are inadequate, it is mathematically impossible that every one of them is actually low-achieving. Because people often don’t broadcast their mistakes and failures to others and only showcase their successes, I have seen many new software engineers panic because they are aware only of others’ achievements, making them very self-conscious on asking questions (which is totally normal and should be encouraged!) due to fear of appearing unintelligent. Another tip is that one should definitely try to find a mentor who has been a software engineer for a longer period of time. Having the perspective and advice of a more senior member of the software engineering field will be invaluable, especially one who works for the same company.

__You have always been quite busy. As the valedictorian of your Albany High School and the president or vice president of what seems like an unmatchable list of clubs, varsity sports,  commitments and extracurriculars, what experience do you feel has shaped you the most.__

I have certainly done my fair share of extracurriculars in the past, and all of them have impacted me significantly, each in their own way. However, if I had to pick, I’d say that being president of MIT Model United Nations (MITMUNC) has shaped me the most. When I started running MITMUNC during my sophomore year, I really had no idea what I was getting into. In the end, I learned a lot, both about myself and about how to effectively lead an organization. 

Throughout my presidency, I oversaw many moving parts, including sponsorship negotiations, merchandise design and shipping, topic planning and background guide writing, venue booking, website coding and updating, and retreat planning. As a result, I learned a lot about project management techniques, a skill I utilize to this very day. MITMUNC also taught me how to think on my feet - I had to put out quite a few fires, including a gas leak scare that required the evacuation of a building in the middle of our conference, disputes between rival schools, several attendee health issues, and delayed shipments. 

In addition, I also helped organize our international branch and went to Shanghai China, twice for MITMUNC China, a high school Model UN conference we held with ASDAN China, a educational charity which hosts skills-based student conferences and international educational programmes specialising in China. During those trips, it was fascinating to learn about the parallels between American Model UN and the international circuit.

![modelunnobelprize](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/17NYEMms3nqQh4j4aLdWEd/a864672ae7b73245a3ac630634bea8dc/modelunnobelprize.JPG)Madeline With MITMUNC X Guest Speakers - Bengt Holmström (pictured left), recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics, and Esther Duflo (pictured right), recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics

![modelungroup](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6HuStrSfjubcKvgczLyu10/aceccd53da6319233710cb7eebb7e824/modelungroup.JPG)MIT Model United Nations Secretariat - 2020

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

Please feel free to reach out to me on Instagram[ @madeline.m.zhang](http://instagram.com/madeline.m.zhang/ "@madeline.m.zhang")  or LinkedIn [@Madeline Zhang](https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinemzhang "@Madeline Zhang"). 

If you are in university, I’d highly recommend getting involved in any tech for nonprofits / mentoring extracurriculars if your college has any, or reaching out to local nonprofits directly to help with their causes. I’m proud of my part in building [Google’s COVID19 self assessment](https://landing.google.com/screener/covid19 "Google’s COVID19 self assessment") and the [Valentine’s Day themed escape room](https://www.escapeit.xyz/ "Valentine’s Day themed escape room") I helped build.

![swe1](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2bssSNwwnWCYeHvJFGoKRw/f24a8878ccb5645326107561df933674/swe1.jpg)

![swe2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1LAgDEm5W1tW9hQXaTMKEN/1265fe632d933e92439d0847ea9cf610/swe2.JPG)


Meet Madeline Zhang is a software engineer at Google and an MIT graduate. She has previously held internships at Amazon, Microsoft, IBM and Morgan Stanley. She is interested in using technology to make healthcare more accessible to all

HEROES Spotlight:  Madeline Zhang | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight:  Madeline Zhang

__Tell us about yourself, Tara. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience?__

I had a humble upbringing in the Hudson Valley region of New York, where I lived on a small horse farm raising goats and riding our horses through the apple orchards. I was raised in a single-parent household most of my life, with my Dad and sister. When I graduated high-school I wanted to explore the country so I picked up and moved out to Colorado. Since then, I’ve built a passion for travel and photography and now reside back in the Hudson Valley. 

![crops (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1h7r6gdVlNk2bBRBRhGBqy/231a26baf70ce687d3ca77a76e58bb4a/crops__2_.jpg)

![IMG 20200525 074301 468](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6KTSaWolhE6DLCRbF05XAR/ce334106cbd8a8a82714a475f9fa436a/IMG_20200525_074301_468.jpg)

__We also know that you are an incredible drone pilot, have a significant draw to the great outdoors, focus personally and professionally on eco sustainability and impactful change as well as an activist in multiple facets. Tell us a bit about your balance.__ 

Being drawn to the outdoors __IS__ my balance. John Burroughs wrote, “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” When you grow a deep appreciation for nature, you can’t help but want to have a positive impact. In all of my work, I want to feel that connection. It’s something my mom instilled in me at an early age. My drone is fun for me and I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion with others. It allows us to capture perspectives we don’t usually get to witness. I’ve always had a fascination with flying and it certainly gives me a special feeling when I’m zooming through the air! 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AL7IeiI1yCk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

__Tell us a bit about your craft. How has existing technology and the exploration of new technology allowed you and your team at the [Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County](https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-cooperative-extension "Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County") to explore and reach new heights?__

I’m a firm believer that technology can solve a lot of issues. Working for a non-profit, your resources are limited but technology doesn’t always have to be expensive either! Our (CCE’s) culture is changing. We are becoming more open to technology like adopting CRM databases to better understand and serve our stakeholders, we’re creating more digital content, and engaging much more in the social media environment to provide education and outreach.

![My Post (6)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5SMiYh3pqWAM6MrwVxlHIP/93142d005587b62ad92fece4e59d8504/My_Post__6_.png)

__During the pandemic you did quite an interesting project with CCE around local farms. Tell us about the problem you identified and how you and your team helped solve it?__

When the pandemic hit, our food supply chains broke and unemployment rates rose. I used a simple Google mapping tool to locate local farms and pantries in Ulster County so that we could connect our community with food sources. Before I knew it, people were calling asking if they could add their farm business, update their hours and offerings, and if I could expand the map to the surrounding counties. Now, it has data points mapped across six counties in the Hudson Valley and is becoming a state-wide project. The map has over 30,000 views one year later.

This type of technology, a simple map, has so much potential to aid our work in food systems. The data has the potential to promote local agribusinesses, provide better food access and resources to our communities, stimulate entrepreneurial projects, promote a more equitable food system, and provide a foundation for further research and development. We’ll be able to see where gaps in food access and where bottlenecks in processors exist. If we can collect information about where food is travelling, we can begin to understand how our food moves throughout the state -- the entire lifecycle from seed to waste. This is really important information to further our research and better understand our food systems. 

![42345074 950372758504023 3124964831011012608 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2jyQKnyLFhfoEVBiIbwBXw/1d71b891755a72093a55d58e28d829b9/42345074_950372758504023_3124964831011012608_n.jpg)

![41073958 940967702777862 2761080908042731520 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4grujqzLGFvvKTW8QHmQ4F/a05f84f623871b651584692c234efac3/41073958_940967702777862_2761080908042731520_n.jpg)

__Sometimes it feels like technology is swallowing up the little folks out there like these local farmers. What do you think needs to happen to make it more appealing for people to build tools that are more focused on the local community and grassroots issues?__

This is a great question and something we took into consideration with the mapping project. Our farmers are so busy that learning and using digital platforms usually falls to the bottom of their list of priorities. What we’re seeing happening in the Hudson Valley is this more “regionalized” approach. It’s not just “this organization in this town” and “that one in the other town”, it’s a more unified and collaborative approach which is so exciting! If we can work together to create a single touch-point for users, it will make the whole process more simplified and really amplify the work being done.

__We would venture to say that both personally and professionally, you are mission driven. How do you see the future of business and consumer trends adopting a greater environmental or social mission with software and technology?__

I think there’s this new recognition that sustainability is profitable, it doesn’t have to be either-or. I already see consumer culture shifting to more reusable and recyclable products, and those that have been made out of recycled products. This is really exciting to see! As far as big-data, we’ve really only just scratched the surface. As more and more businesses begin to incorporate data analysis into their operations, we will be able to see the big-picture from start to finish. We can continue to ask questions like how was this product sourced and what is it’s life-cycle? What do we know about our partners, suppliers, and distributors and how can we hold everyone accountable? Moving forward I think we’ll see a lot more businesses with sustainability as a core component of their mission. 

![45595147 977346855806613 4956101451643355136 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2n6Crd4hs7ZiXn5aMPhFo7/c158187bb7b800ca8971f1053950f77d/45595147_977346855806613_4956101451643355136_n.jpg)

![60952793 1108540472687250 929997553594793984 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1pYJbeu0i9C8A2UJ7qqKqE/450d91964c03887069167ba69f822067/60952793_1108540472687250_929997553594793984_n.jpg)

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

To get involved, find your [local Cooperative Extension](https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-cooperative-extension/local-offices "local Cooperative Extension") (we’re in every county of every state!) and see what’s going on in your community. Consider serving on the Board of Directors or volunteer to mentor youth in the 4-H program. Of course, I highly recommend checking in to see what Cause of a Kind is working on. I’m super fortunate to be able to participate in some of their projects! My drone work can be found [@hvdronegirl](https://www.instagram.com/hvdronegirl/ "@hvdronegirl") on Instagram and [hvdronegirl.com](https://hvdronegirl.com "hvdronegirl.com") and check out [@CCE_Ulster](https://www.instagram.com/cce_ulster/ "@CCE_Ulster") on Instagram to see the fun stuff we’re doing. 

### Drone Footage Captured By Tara Kleinhans of HV Drone Girl

<iframe title="vimeo-player" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/466329795" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/474856229" width="640" height="564" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe> 

![HVDroneGirlBlack](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/789ghwuBRSf7ilqXE7Qmqj/941695466a341ac56a5cfe33f8579c2c/HVDroneGirlBlack.png)

![41294262 942358682638764 2221076679961346048 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6L1jnY8eAIJkQk2a9wqLEE/f3b409b384437412bcd8433203dad284/41294262_942358682638764_2221076679961346048_n.jpg)

![141324623 1606210272920265 3044136774108184951 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2HgzXGIZgHlSCU3cmeEGXd/fa3fd5edab14456cae452108284db2d4/141324623_1606210272920265_3044136774108184951_n.jpg)

![64701962 1125895000951797 1232398083417964544 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5aQrMZ7vqVvQQhfI7D8B5C/34a7578525295f769a9f0101408baebc/64701962_1125895000951797_1232398083417964544_n.jpg)

![81856314 1295822467292382 1911087922178686976 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6B555aYir1BN9w3h19kgK4/5ffa597f5cca902758320c0ff4f8a714/81856314_1295822467292382_1911087922178686976_n.jpg)

Tara is a I'm a Hudson Valley, NY native. I have a B.S. in Digital Media Programming & Management and a Master's in Business. My senior project was building a drone business.  And well, here she is!!

HEROES Spotlight: Tara Kleinhans | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Tara Kleinhans

__Tell us about yourself, Adriana. What makes you uniquely you? Can you tell me a bit about your background, your hobbies, your human experience? Climbing, Mountaineering, Alpinism and Philanthropy and Motivational speaking are relatively new endeavours for you in the grand timeline of your life. How did you come to find these passions and pursue them at an elite level, surrounded by history's greatest vertical athletes?__

So where do I begin! I guess what makes me, me is that I just love pushing myself to the absolute limit… There is nothing in this world that can truly expose your strengths and flaws like a huge challenge and so that’s why I climb. Since age 9 I have been involved in endurance and hard core fitness projects, starting with the Three Peaks Challenge in the UK where I was the youngest to complete it. From then on, with the help of my father, I found that I had a crazy ability to focus my mind on the challenge ahead and block out the pain that comes with some of the things I have done. 

My life at the moment is pretty much fully devoted to mountaineering. My goal is to transform my passion into a full time career and so to do that I must focus 100% of my attention on this. At the moment my three year goal would be to complete the 14 8000m peaks - with the potential of being the youngest person to do so. An exciting, yet challenging project which will push me to the limits whilst also being a financial nightmare too!! More recently I had the huge privilege of being on the K2 Winter expedition alongside [Nimsdai](https://www.nimsdai.com/ "Nimsdai Sherpa") and his epic team who I now consider family. This gave me my first proper taste of what life as an extreme athlete is really like, and well, i frigging loved it!! I was exposed to all angles from PR to Communications to Social Media and all matters in between that make up what it is to be a successful and influential climber.

__With your travels taking you all over the world, what has your experience been with respect to the degradation of the environment and the effects of climate change? Where have you witnessed some of the largest impacts?__ 

So for me climate change is a relatively new topic that I am coming to explore in detail. Following Nimsdai’s interest, I decided to look into it myself and started by reading a few books such as Bill Gates “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster”. Just recently on my trek into Everest Base Camp we came across a flood warning sign in the town of Dingboche - the glaciers are melting and there is a risk that the small village can very quickly be flooded by glacier water - a real life, real big problem that nobody can fix. Another issue was the air quality in Nepal - I had the pleasure of learning to solo paraglide in Pokhara for 2 weeks in a beautiful hilly area of Nepal where once the mountain range in the distance was crystal clear, now you would be lucky to see them on a bright sunny day. 

These aren’t just small changes, these are noticeable and sad changes that we can’t reverse. So the only solution is to completely change the way our world functions - something that is certainly not going to be easy. I am now in a partnership with [Save the Duck](https://savetheduckusa.com/ "Save the Duck"), an amazing clothing brand which promotes anti-animal cruelty and sustainability by using other materials such as Plumtech instead of Down in their jackets etc. I’m super excited to learn more about sustainable living and also more specifically sustainable climbing! I’m very new to this area so it’s one step at a time but I’m loving every moment of this new experience and hope to become an influential advocate of sustainable climbing some day!

![sherpa](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/fDD18YUggEFeyFQRa3dJA/32e6c487e80fcc2e179661c375e88bae/sherpa.jpg)

__In your travels, have you seen any highly effective, simple ways that people have implemented to reduce their impact on their environment? What are some simple ways that you yourself reduce your own footprint?__

I recently came across a man called [Tommy Gustafsson](https://adventureascent.com/team/tommy-gustafsson "Tommy Gustafsson") who has created the [Sagarmatha Next Center](https://www.sagarmathanext.com/ "Sagarmatha Next Center") in Namche Bazaar- a village on the way to Everest Base camp - which allows artists from all over to create artwork from recycled materials found on the trek to base camp. He also has created an initiative called __Carry Me Back__ which simply gets people to carry a 1KG bag of waste from the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park to Kathmandu airport where it can then be recycled by a separate company - if every trekker did this, over 70 tons of waste would be removed from the area each year!! So simple yet so effective! I really loved his idea and will be promoting it for sure :)

__It seems as though your father was integral in developing your passions, introducing your education at altitude and fostered your young experiences as you pursue elite climbing. Tell us a bit about your relationship with your father, and what is some advice you have for other young women as they pursue support from their parents.__ 

 My father is the reason I am where I am today. He pushed me beyond my limits when I thought I had reached them and was the ultimate idol for me. I remember being so proud of my father and boasting about him at school to my friends!! A big moment was when he climbed Aconcagua and I just remember thinking I want to do this one day, I want to achieve big things. And eventually we did get to climb Aconcagua together in 2018 which was just a magical moment :) 

My advice to young women would be to find what you’re good at, and more importantly what makes you happy, and be the best at it. Point your heart and soul at your passion and huge things will come your way. Your parents are ultimately the only people you can fully trust , so don’t be afraid to talk to them and ask them for support, Sometime they may not agree with your choices but at the end of the day it’s your life to live, SO GO LIVE IT!

__Climbers have an inherent obligation to nature. To preserve it. To protect it. To teach about it. What are some ways that you use your talents to perpetuate the soul of a climber to others that you cross paths with?__ 

In modern times, the best way to promote, advocate or put across any beliefs is via social media. I am of two minds when it comes to social media. I absolutely love the platform it provides and the reach it can have - which is how I use it to promote my beliefs such as sustainable climbing and women empowerment! My aim is to be as real as possible and not create a false identity or picture of what my life or climbing is really like. Unfortunately social media has its downsides - such as mental health related issues. However at the end of the day it’s the best way to communicate with the world and make real impacts.

![summit push - adrianna brownlee](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/QB9FvJOT6MUaW0txrXj7V/221ec703bf345056342c6dd9b91780b2/summit_push_-_adrianna_brownlee.jpg)

__What is next for you in your young career? You have had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented professionals in the world and in the near future, that will hopefully continue to expand. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?__

Next for me is to complete Everest/ Lhotse followed by K2 and Broad peak in summer 2021. I am also planning on climbing some unclimbed mountains in the Kanchenjunga range which will be more technical in terms of ice climbing, etc. My three year goal as mentioned above would be to complete all 14 8000ers and hopefully become an influential young climber where I can promote and advocate important issues and hopefully make a positive mark on the world :) I also hope to get more into paragliding and find a way to incorporate both climbing and flying into one! Now that would certainly make me an adventure athlete haha

__Where can people find you or get in touch? How can people get involved in ultimately giving back to things you truly care about? What are some projects, productions and adventures you're really proud of and would like others to know about?__

The best way to get in touch with me is via email or through my Instagram. I absolutely love having people ask me questions and show interest in what I do!! My biggest project at the moment is working with the charity [Friends of Himalayan Children](https://www.f-hc.org/ "Friends of Himalayan Children"), which gives young children in difficult living situations access to accommodation, food and education. My main role within the charity would be to teach young girls to become trekking guides - an occupation which is heavily dominated by men , not only in Nepal but all over the world! I’m also super excited to be able to use my platform as a young female climber to promote both female empowerment and raise awareness on mental health issues in young adults through the [British Inspiration Trust](https://www.britishinspirationtrust.org.uk/ "British Inspiration Trust") which is an organisation that provides young adults suffering from mental health related issues with support and help.

Website - [adrianabrownlee.com](https://adrianabrownlee.com "Adriana Brownlee Website")

Instagram - [Adri.Brownlee](https://www.instagram.com/adri.brownlee/?hl=en "Adriana Brownlee Instagram Link") 

Facebook - [Adriana Brownlee](https://www.facebook.com/a7summits/ "Adriana Brownlee Facebook Link") 

[Survival of the Summits](https://www.survivalofthesummits.com/ "Survival of the Summits")

Join us as we interview an inspiration young climber who is putting non-profits on her back as she pursues a career of mountaineering. 

HERO Spotlight: Adrianna Brownlee | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Adriana Brownlee

__You have had a seriously significant rock climbing career. Tell us a bit about your origin story. How did Alex Puccio find rock climbing and why did it become your life's work?__

Well, it all started when I was 13 years old and my mother, Kim Puccio, introduced me to climbing. My younger sister was actually the naturally talented one and I was the scared one.  The one great thing I had going for me was my competitive spirit and stubbornness. I was determined to get better and overcome my fears!

Fast Forward to being 16 years old. I entered ABS Nationals for my very first time, not knowing how strong the field of woman were since I never really did any Pro Competitions before that, and ended up WINNING! I was stunned and shocked for months! That feeling of winning that comp for the first time will never be replaced! Since then I have been named Adult National Champion 10 Times. 

![05B7253](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5a4Nn6cHAh0M13e5ICQocC/681c2b40fb0c81df2be48924d446e39f/_05B7253.jpg)

__You have quite an impressive trophy room. What is it like to compete at the highest level of a sport? Where do you find the motivation to train and improve?__

I believe you are your biggest competition. You are the only one that can win or lose a comp or get to the top of your project or not. Climbing is a individual sport so naturally being a pro in the sport you have to deal with a lot of pressure! Losing a competition or not achieving your goals on a trip is not always a bad thing. It gives you an opportunity to reflect and learn and then improve from your loses. This is a good chance to get reenergized and motivated to improve! :)

![49A9917](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/74cHGifqS0FxCa2zvGqCWi/c6673c912ed179f2fd3457373ea2e735/_49A9917.jpg)

__Maintaining a position as a top athlete in the world for so long and being in such a visible position comes with a lot of pressure and expectation. How do you balance your career, your family, and your passion?__

Pressure just comes with the career. In most people's jobs, whatever they do, there will be parts of it that are challenging and dealing with the pressure from different directions and balancing your time is something that will never be easy, but you just learn to get through it the best you can. 

For me I found climbing outside more in Summer of 2014 helped me A LOT! I was doing a lot of the World Cups before that point and doing alright in them, but always coming up a bit short from my goals. I would always mentally break down in finals and find myself not standing on top of the podium, my goal, not because I wasn’t strong or good enough, but because of my head and not being able to deal with the all the pressure I put on myself.

So Summer of 2014 I ended my WC Season early and decided to enjoy bouldering in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado. I had climbed outside here and there before that point, but never really, seriously, pushing my limits. I was always known as the  “Comp Queen”  before that point. This is when I climbed my first V13, Top Notch, and then went on to climbing my first V14, Jade, shortly after. I was no longer just a “Comp Queen”! Now I have a healthy balance between training, Comp climbing and climbing outside and it balances each other out! :)

![1DC 6882](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1Ru6XKbkd0u1us4iezs1zm/4cfa746c0c08fe2db20dd489c0a875e9/1DC_6882.jpg)

__Do you have trouble balancing outdoor climbing goals with training for indoor comps? Which do you prefer and why? Are there other disciplines of climbing you want to explore?__

I usually don't have a training plan at all these days. Actually I mostly climb outside when I can and then just go to the competitions. It's been working for the past few years so why not! For the Adidas Rockstar Comp I just won a couple months back I only went to because I was already in Europe, Magic Wood Switzerland, on a climbing trip. I think I have less pressure on myself if I don't put all my eggs in one basket and just train for a competition season and then go and compete in it. When I climb outside I still feel really strong in my fingers, body and head. I might be lacking a bit in the jumping department since you don't get too much of that outside, but my head is WAY better and I’m much happier!!! :) 

![1DX 7639](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/iYrXO4QegnNIrfsnV9dwi/cde334c46624a721a7acc07a47973f6e/1DX_7639.jpg)

__What has your experience been like as a female that is better than nearly all the boys? It is extremely obvious that the gap between ability is shrinking and will likely flip in the near future. How does this motivate you?__

Honestly, I don’t actually pay attention to the fact that most of the time I’m the only or one of the few woman in a group climbing. I feel that we are all just people doing what we love to do and helping eachother out. The only time I get annoyed, and this doesn’t happen a lot anymore, is when there is a guy that I can tell gets competitive with me because I’m a girl that is climbing as well as or better than him. In that situation something lights up inside of me and I naturally just want to out perform him then, just to prove a point that he better get used to it and woman are just as strong and can be stronger! 

Maybe this isn't the best way to be, but it’s just a natural instinct. I see every person as just a person and that we are all different sizes and all have our own strengths and weaknesses, not that he's a guy so he is strong and she is a girls so she is probably more flexible. I’m a woman and let's be honest, i’m not that flexible at all, but I sure do have a lot of power and muscles! I’m only 5’2” as well! 

And yes, I believe the gap is closing in fast. We are just seeing more and more women in the sport these days and they are pushing their own limits naturally! This is a beautiful thing to see and be a part of!!! 

![1DX 7339](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/26tcvojC6gKsUZ7o7hH78U/fd6f1fdf45c744744806a8486bc98f51/1DX_7339.jpg)

__What advice would you give to a young climber today that is moving up in the competition circuit?__

Have fun with it and don’t expect the pressure to ever go away or get easier, but you will learn your own way of dealing with it. There isn’t a right or wrong way to improving, but we all simply have our own ways and try different things out till you find what works for you! Like I said before, we all have OUR OWN strengths and weaknesses so something that works for your friend or someone else might not work for you. Don’t be afraid to be different, embrace it!!! :)

__You have been literally all over the world for your career and to climb. You must have seen first hand, the darkest of environmental crisis. Can you tell us a bit about some experiences you have had that made you feel upset or concerned for nature's well being?__

Wow, this answer could go on forever! I will just leave it at, we should all try our hardest to be kind to each other and treat others how you want them to treat you! And if you are passionate about your climbing areas then respect them! It was sad when I was in Magic Wood Switzerland climbing outside just a couple months ago and saw ALL the trash left behind at the boulders! Everyday I would pick up trash as I saw it even if it was just a little piece of tape. Don't just treat others the way you want to be treated, but the environment that you say you LOVE so much as well! 

If we all just start doing a little each day to help out our environment and communities then they will thrive and you in return can keep climbing, hiking and playing in the places you love. I am not saying everyone needs to be a huge activist, but we all have a part to play; so make your's a good one! 

__How do you express the environmentalist within you while you are simply living day to day? What are some simply things that you are mindful of which keep your own footprint on this earth small?__

Being honest, i’m not a minimalist, but these are the “guidelines” I try to apply to my life, whenever possible.
1.)Recycle what can be recycled.
2.)Eat the food I buy.
3.)Keep our lands clean and pick up trash when I come across it!
4.)Stay on trails when they are there!
5.)Walk places if you can or take public transportation… it’s also a good workout to walk more! ;)
6.)Don’t abuse the environment as much as possible! 

![1DC 5846](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2Gngw6gEYioKaPO6ycqiZy/13a6704d4b5d58e251dd9e1e99b4b741/1DC_5846.jpg)

__With the Olympic’s being included as a recognized event in the 2020 Olympics, what are your plans to represent the USA?__ 

I will try out for them in hopes of being selected, but not sure if that will happen or not. It’s going to be a tough selection! 

__What is your next great adventure or goal?__

I’m currently in Hueco Tanks climbing outside and I have a project here, well maybe more than one! I will be here till Jan 3rd and then it’s time for a few more big Competitions here in the states, like nationals in Feb! After that we will see. Right now I’m thinking I might want to do some World Cups for Bouldering and maybe Sport Climbing! Time will tell though. I kind of just have a rough draft plan that can change and I like that! :) 


ALL PHOTO CREDIT: [@julienajarry](https://www.instagram.com/julienajarry/?hl=en) and [@darkhorseboulderingseries](https://www.instagram.com/darkhorseboulderingseries/)
[@alex_puccio89](https://www.instagram.com/alex_puccio89/?hl=en "Instagram")

Follow us as we circle up with rock climbing superstar, Alex Puccio.  Check out her story, position on the environment and quest for an olympic future. 

Alex Puccio | Professional Rock Climber | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Alex Puccio

__Where were you born and raised? How has your life today been influenced by your roots?__

I was born in the Bronx, New York but grew up in Connecticut. We visited my mom’s parents, my grandparents a lot in San Diego county at least once a year and I like to believe I’ve always had roots out there. My mom is from California and after I graduated high school in Connecticut we moved out there. I ended up staying for three years then drove across the country to come back ‘home’ to Connecticut. She stayed. My wife and I are able to visit her at least once a year.

My parents divorced when I was very young. I learned a lot about survival from my dad and a lot about living from my mom. As an only child my parent’s friends were my friends and I grew up being able to converse with them just like if they were a friend. I feel that this had a lot to do with developing my intuitive communication and leadership skills.

__How did you first come to realize your passion for film, photography, cinematography? Tell us a bit about your inspiration and some struggles along the way.__

I didn’t pick up a camera until I was 22 years old. My mom had bought me a little point and shoot and I started taking pictures here and there. This was during the early days of Facebook and photo sharing. Earlier in life my dad was a photographer and after giving me a few bits of feedback on my images and imagery in general I really found a few frames I had captured interesting. Soon after and on a whim I bought myself a little micro four thirds camera as a graduation present to myself. I had done a bit of research and thought I found a great camera. Something about buying it, the lens choice, the gear, I was hooked. 

I started looking up photography everything online every waking minute until the camera arrived and the rest is history. The camera showed up, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing but kept learning and shooting.I started buying a few vintage lenses and adapters to use on the camera. I had finally found my calling. Over the last nine years everyday has been a learning experience giving me one more nugget of something good to make me better for tomorrow. That’s the short version.

![image2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1e2xv8ESZfBBelRoI2m0I4/4ffbc1945a3123fccb254166e2c484a5/image2.jpeg)

__Life behind the camera often forces the professional to focus on the subject, removing emotion, opinion and even reaction. Describe a scenario where this was tested. How did you use your camera and professional experience to navigate a difficult project, yet still retain the passion for the final quality product?__

Over the years I have shot many a mission trip and adventure in places like Uganda, Haiti, India, Jamaica and Colombia and life isn’t easy. There’s is a lot of poverty and injustice in the world. There’s almost too much to take it all in at once. Being behind the camera naturally gives us something to hide behind. It gives us a purpose but it can also be a distraction to what is really going on. I remember there was a hospital in Uganda where I decided not to shoot patients because it would have been disrespectful.

Whether a place is tough or not there will always be light and composition. A passionate photographer can and will always feed of the little beauty to be captured. 

__You seem to focus on several different initiatives, but appear to be passionate about people and their lifestyles as well as the environment such as the Cannondale or Flow campaigns, Dark Horse Bouldering Series, or even the Osito Coffee campaign. How do you feel about using your skills to capture the human element and changes in the environment?__

I am about to go on a week and a half long trip to Romania as part of a longer journey following a young adopted girl who is trying to find her birth parents. Though I do a ton of doc style stuff this will be my first real long form documentary and I am quite excited. As a creative I want things to be perfect and this project has forced me to let that go a bit. This isn’t a commercial campaign. It’s a raw documentary.

I am still figuring out what type of filmmaking I like best and will have a better sense after this project is finished. I have a few friends really into fishing and sustainability and we have a large docu-series idea surrounding that. It’s a matter of finding the time and balancing it with paid work.
All I want to do is shoot and create more because I love the craft.

__What is your position on organizations rooted in social and environmental consciousness?__

Osito Coffee who I went to Colombia with to capture content for is a coffee exporting company rooted in exactly this. I also just did a video for a local organization focused on the fight against human trafficking. I also work part time for Trinity Church in Greenwich, Connecticut as their creative director. My position on these issues is supportive. My personal and internal passions in this area are geared towards restoring the environment and combating injustice.

![image3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1Nx1wmhRxah3Y8j6I4ptCr/e6a448ba849300ac8ab3ab12a5909fc8/image3.jpeg)

__What are some of the most significant success that you have had over the years? In turn, what are some significant loses and what has the ultimate result been?__

I think my entire life and then freelance career journey has been a success so far and I am very humble and thankful to say so. I’d like to believe it’s just the beginning. I not only have had a very supportive family, church family and wife but now living in the same town I grew up in I know a lot of people and that helps with networking. I tell everyone this: 99% of all the work I have ever done has been from someone I know. Share your work on your social channels so people can see what you do and know what you do. You’ll soon get a call or email. My biggest contract and job to date has been this web series and now commercial content for Sennheiser. A friend from high school is their marketing manager and hired me.

On the flip side of success I recently got sick with a sinus infection due to lack of rest and had to miss a big job last minute for someone I really wanted to work with. Thankfully they were understanding but I missed out for sure. I learned that my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual rest is very important and should be more of a priority. 

![image1](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3KSgRKfxvGZOTo5kC0kaPI/164ea47702b8ff973d53c8a13735f4b3/image1.jpeg)

__You are exposed to a ton of people, places, corporations and scenarios. What are some practical and simple ways that people can document their own lives with a focus on social and environmental consciousness?__

Start capturing stills or video or writing about what you’re passionate about today. Don’t wait. Don’t wait for something you think you need to wait for in order properly get something out there, just start.

__Where can people find you, engage with your story and hopefully work with you?__

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/julienajarry/?hl=en "Instagram") 
[Facebook](https://facebook.com/julienajarrymedia "Facebook") 
[JulienJarry.com](https://JulienJarry.com "JulienJarry.com")



Join us as we interview Julien Jarry. A career cinematographer, photographer, environmentalist and family man. We explore Juliens career, passion for the environment and the utilization of his craft to express his view of the world. 

Julien Jarry | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Julien Jarry

__Begin by giving us a bit of your upbringing and your journey till today.__

Despite to my thick British accent, I was born stateside in Augusta, Georgia and spent my early years talking in a long, southern drawl! When I was four, we moved back to the UK and I grew up in beautiful Devon - leaving the deep south far behind. Our first house was right on the Exe Estuary - the beach was literally our garden and at high tide in  a storm, the waves used to lap against the living room windows. I guess it was living in such proximity to such a significant natural environment teeming with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and nationally important nature reserves, as well as being a stones throw from the Jurassic Coast and Dartmoor National Park; that my love of the outdoors and wildlife really came into its own. 

I have been blessed with strong interest in lots of different areas - which can be good and yet confusing when choosing a career path! I loved sport and music and chose quite a mixture of A-levels compared to other people on my undergraduate course; including English literature and Psychology. I chose to study Zoology at the University of Bristol, to feed my broad passion for biology and the natural world. Up until my final year I had plans to continue my studies into veterinary medicine; but after long and honest chats with veterinary professionals during my work experience placements, I realised that an extra five years of hard study didn’t really appeal to me! I also began to realise that I got a real kick out of talking to people and getting others excited about science and the natural world. It was then during a late night on the laptop that I came across the MSc Science Communication programme at the University of the West of England (UWE) - which safe to say has been monumental in helping me forge my next steps! 

I completed the MSc in November 2017, after a jam-packed year of exploring the rapidly expanding field of science communication and its importance in shaping societal perception of science and the future of the natural world. 

![19059498 351980638551364 3407106796136553111 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2P0EHYzDdyqwtDO8r9u0s5/31229b4d4b0f5074c259cfbe6004c533/19059498_351980638551364_3407106796136553111_n.jpg)

__As a young person, how has nature shaped you?__ 

Honing my love of nature has been a relatively slow burner - the passion has always been there, but I never truly nurtured it until the last year or so during my masters when we were trained to become professional science communicators. Timing wise, it couldn’t have been better - 2017 was marked by a sudden and widespread recognition of the damage we inflict upon our marine habitats, food webs and vulnerable ecosystems. Fuelled by hard hitting reality, broadcast by the fantastic Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II, I think as a population we have never been made more aware of just how destructive our lifestyles can be. That being said, I am so encouraged at our response to issues like plastic pollution and the drive in some people to make those small changes to their consumer habits that can amount to meaningful, positive impact. 

WIth this in mind, I believe that there has not been a more important time to get people back outside and engaged in the natural world on our doorstep. Earlier in 2017, I embarked on a 300-mile solo trek around the entire coast of Cornwall - Sophie’s Wild Cornwall. Having grown up in ‘the Digital Age’ I was curious to see how we can adapt our obsessive relationship with social media and use its huge influence to show off British wildlife, inspire interest in nature, the outdoors and celebrate the UK’s incredible landscapes. Having to fulfil the criteria for an MSc Science Communication dissertation, I decided to do something a little different and plan this three-week expedition to test this rather ambitious aim. Armed with my iPhone and a backpack, I was on a mission to see whether our obsession with social media can connect us back to nature. The digital world has an incredible power to attract massive audiences and I was determined to test its potential in championing some of the best environments the UK offers and raise awareness of its unique wildlife. 

Walking solo for 22-days, making 22 video blogs documenting the wildlife and landscapes I encountered, was an incredible experience. Spending that time with the wildlife and elements as my sole company offered a chance to connect with nature and truly empathise with its beauty, its intelligence  - and its fragility. I can’t stress enough the relationship that I’ve found between being outside, and allowing that to develop and nurture an empathy for the natural world. As cheesy as it sounds, once you open your eyes to wildlife and quirky habitats and feel the power of the weather, you begin to become addicted - you want to see as much as you can - feed the questions that pop into your mind - be openly curious and engage with other people you encounter on the trail. I often found myself asking total strangers, “did you see that buzzard just then?!” or “how cool was that kestrel?!” - even if I did get funny looks, my excitement about the UK’s immense biodiversity was bubbling - and it has been ever since!! 

![19642435 363649554051139 789357779288356529 n](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/67pBj003ih96TW4c7P3T3j/4acd9a86ff35ca1d3ad6a26df946b3a0/19642435_363649554051139_789357779288356529_n.jpg)

__As a zoologist, early in your career, what are some of the areas you focus on?__
 
I am really passionate about the relationship between adventure and scientific curiosity - I think the simple act of getting outside can solve a lot of communication problems and re-vamp traditional learning. Modern issues like plastic pollution have a powerful cause-and-effect positive feedback impact; you become much more appreciative of the problem once you actually see its effect on the environment - you want to take action - and that’s where the magic happens. I’ve always been interested in the human-wildlife interface and I think plastic pollution is a key and accessible example of that. 

Sophie’s Wild Cornwall made me realise the incredible potential social media presents for science communication. The touch of a few buttons enables an unrivalled sharing opportunity to a global audience, to spread good messages and form like-minded communities and present science as something cool and worth talking about. So many of us make social media part of our day and instead of lamenting the digital shift of society, we should embrace it and learn to harness the unique opportunities it presents to make adventure, science and wildlife trendy and ‘instagrammable’! It is our responsibility to ensure nature is protected for years to come - and only if we encourage people to develop a relationship with the natural world will that happen - and I believe social media can have a hugely important role in fostering this. As the wonderful Dame Jane Goodall so beautifully said, “Only if we understand, will we care.”

![dartmoor](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3YpGS47F0hMOUkQ2jLGps2/ab3f6d3bd4a360e0ce5ba8813bf5b3bb/dartmoor.jpeg)

__How has the environment’s decline affected your research and your purpose?__

 If anything it’s spurring me on. Instead of working in the industry being a pipe dream that ‘would be nice’ - it’s fast becoming something I feel I need to do. Like most of us, I work best if I have a purpose, a goal that I can work towards producing a meaningful outcome. I can’t think of a better purpose than one which puts the natural world first and aims to encourage others to do the same. 
 
I think it’s so important to think about how we present environmental issues and conservation - scare mongering and the classic ‘doom and gloom’ approach simply does not work. In this age where people’s interests are largely defined by their social media feeds, we need to engage people in seconds. In my opinion, it’s better to attract attention to science using vibrant, punchy and informal yet informative content that nails a topic, versus distressing images of the ivory trade or plastic-choked marine life. While it’s important to present the reality of a situation to ground it in context, as a scientist and millenial - positive content with achievable actions attached is more likely to spark my interest and help me feel that I can make a small difference. 

![FullSizeRender 2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4BpPkF1C1GejonDWvKAa1c/c202749e51060520364f70444a1ed068/FullSizeRender_2.jpg)

__What are some startling statistics?__

30% of all time spent online is used to engage with social media - with new research detailing an average global rise to at least two hours using social media everyday - that’s five years and four months in the average lifetime. 

By 2050, the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans will weigh more than the entire fish population. 84% of people surveyed said they are concerned by the level of plastic in the world’s oceans and 60% support a deposit return scheme in the UK. Now imagine if we used some of the time we spend online to channel these concerns and promote action? Imagine the potential audiences we could reach and the voice we could generate to stimulate change? 

![FullSizeRender 3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1au4KwHUSd8SfM6DhEtbMq/1de8d24c56494fca2e215e4b402197cd/FullSizeRender_3.jpg)

__What are some ways that you think people can reduce their carbon footprint and slow the rate of climate change?__

There are lots of simple changes we can all make. One of the easiest and my favourite is to switch up your mode of transport if you can - mine is to opt for my bike and public transport wherever possible! I’m a bit of an outdoor geek as you’ve probably guessed, so any chance I can get to stay out there -  I’ll grab it! Also things like re-using your water bottles, buying reusable coffee cups and cotton shopping bags, using hard soaps for showering, using loose-leaf tea instead of non-recyclable teabgs etc - can significantly reduce your plastic footprint too! 

![Kestrel](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6NOc9pUyM9ZWOD8lX7qD0/805e3fb0226f5675a3c62852f3fe7a31/Kestrel_.jpg)

__How do you envision the world in the next decade?__

That’s a tough question! It’s quite unsettling to be edging towards the significant ‘statistical years’ such as 2020, 2030 etc - where supposedly we will start running out of fossil fuels and have X-amount of population growth and X-amount of habitat loss…
I would like to think that the next decade will see a big shift in public attitudes to science and the environment - I’d like to think that something will ‘click’ within us and we will start acting wisely and become more environmentally conscious. We all harbour an innate dependance on the natural world and I think we have been seeing that seed growing during 2017 - which I have found fascinating. 

![picking up plastic on reed bed](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/18evvtcTgQquryKXlejx7p/366aa9fdb8ed6d83721157f5eb786a24/picking_up_plastic_on_reed_bed.JPG)

__Where can people find you, follow you and support your journey?__

Please find me on Instagram [@sophiepavs](https://www.instagram.com/sophiepavs/?hl=en) as well as my [personal page](https://www.dfmanagement.tv/sophie-pavelle/).

![scotland](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3bzZiNopGHRe2npjDUD4ju/38243d722f1a42a0e39e6da66117993e/scotland.jpg)

![zennor](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/226eJgJI6WqXjUWL1NqMmZ/915189de9d10f4902f24afdd64b067d4/zennor.jpg)

Join us as we interview Sophia Pavelle. An up and coming zoologist and adventure explorer using her education, keen sense of nature and social media to spread messages of environmental responsibility and passion. 

HERO Spotlight: Sophia Pavelle | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Sophia Pavelle


__Where were you born and raised? How has your life today been influenced by where you grew up?__

I grew up in Cincinatti, Ohio. Being raised there really inspired me to move away from there ASAP since it stopped feeling like a place I wanted to live while I was still in high school. Moving away from there was the best decision I could have made because it led me toward and down the path I’m on now! 

![sav.cummins.kolobcanyon-1407](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/mlNo7FeeVMVlGztYfU4lk/0530fcde2c5c3d74b127f928468c9af0/sav.cummins.kolobcanyon-1407.jpg)

__Climbing, Mountaineering, Alpinism and photography are relatively new endeavours for you. How did you come to find these passions and pursue them at an elite level, surrounded by history's greatest adventure athletes?__

I first found climbing because it was part of the curriculum in the ‘City Kids’ program that I worked for in Jackson, Wyoming. Lucky for me, I met some long time, prolific climbers in my early days on the rock who were willing to take me out on some of their adventures in the mountains to show me the ropes and the ways of the master. That’s basically how I was introduced to mountaineering and ice climbing. Then, combining some of my skills and experiences with my blooming photography passion led me to alpinism. Once I had a taste of any style of climbing, I’d be hooked, and the idea of taking photos in those big, beautiful and remote places that climbing takes us continues to fuel me. If you want to get up there to even have a chance at capturing a perfect mountain moment, you almost don’t have the choice to be anything less than ‘elite’. I feel very lucky to have been able to team up with so many amazing athletes along the way in my own journey as a climber who have helped me climb to new heights, and it’s been inspiring to see how willing they all have been to share the stoke and their knowledge with people like me who are excited to enter their world. 

__With your travels taking you all over the world, what has your experience been with respect to the degradation of the environment and the effects of climate change? Where have you witnessed some of the largest and most obvious impacts? __

Every time I’m planning a trip I think about how big an impact me even getting to the destination has on our fragile planet. It’s a tough line to walk since my work life requires me to ride in airplanes and cars much more than your average person does. It breaks my heart to see and feel when our presence in the world is hurting it. I don’t have an answer to solve this problem, but we can all do better, and everyone should start by not using plastic straws or disposable plastic water bottles! 

![sav.cummins.sleepingbag-8647](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/7hWkGkuooQTY4Bazk9jrdQ/6183f36fc533fc1116cf8c2643dedf2a/sav.cummins.sleepingbag-8647.jpg)

__We have to ask; What was your experience in Antarctica like? For such a pristine, undeveloped place were there any signs of environmental distress? Scarcity of wildlife? Glacial or ice shelf melt? Vast fluctuations in temperature and weather? How did the combined experience of the team open your eyes to that frozen world?__

Antarctica was an incredible experience! It was unreal to spend such a long stint in a place so remote and quiet and untouched. I personally couldn’t see any signs of environmental distress or scarcity of wildlife, or ice melt because I have nothing to compare it to. Conrad was the only member of our team who had previously been in that region and he never commented on any crazy difference in temperature or landscape compared to 15 years prior. Everyone in our team was blown away by the setting and the beauty of all the rock rising from the flat, icey planes. There was a giddy energy in us all, and it was neat to see how even the most bad ass, hardcore experienced alpinists, film makers, and climbers had a similar respect for the landscape we were there to explore.    

__Climbers have an inherent obligation to nature. To preserve it. To protect it. To teach about it. What are some ways that you use your talents to perpetuate the soul of a climber to others that you cross paths with? __

I aim to shoot raw, real moments in amazing places in the vertical world. I don’t pretend to be anything that I’m not, or try to make any adventure appear to be any different than how it actually was. For me, shooting the ‘soul of a climber’ in pursuit of their own ambition and dreams and goals speaks for itself. 

![sav.cummins.12.17.2017.lastday-00700](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1PKuEhGzmMgAmR0uTERkgf/6ff68d51c220858a401a40c9938adefe/sav.cummins.12.17.2017.lastday-00700.JPG)

__What is next for you in your young career? You have had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented professionals in the world and in the near future, that will hopefully continue to expand. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?__

By 2024, I hope to be a more seasoned version of the current 26 year old version of me! For now, I’m going to continue to diversify my climbing experiences and do some new to me things like develop some of my own routes, plan and go on more expeditions, and feed and water my photography and videography skills so it continues to bloom!  

__Where can people find you, follow you and get inspiried by you?__
You can find me on Instagram [@sav.cummins](https://www.instagram.com/sav.cummins/?hl=en) or my website [savannahcummins.com](http://savannahcummins.com/) 

All photo credit to Savannah Cummins ([@sav.cummins](https://www.instagram.com/sav.cummins/?hl=en)) and Drew Smith ([@_Drew_Smith_](https://www.instagram.com/_drew_smith_/?hl=en)) directly. 

Follow Savannah Cummins, a young, up and coming The North Face athlete and photographer, as she tells Cause of a Kind her story, passions, and journey.

HERO Spotlight: Savannah Cummins | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Savannah Cummins

Jesse Burke divides his time between personal art projects and commissioned work. Jesse's work deals with themes related to vulnerability and identity, as well as human's complicated relationship with nature. Daylight Books published his monograph, [Wild & Precious](http://www.wildandprecious.co/) 2015. He received his MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, where he is a faculty member. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in the U.S. and abroad and is held in many private and public collections including the Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. Jesse was recently named by Time Magazine as a top 50 US photographer to follow on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jesse_burke) and by T: The New York Times Style Magazine as a top 5 to follow on Instagram.  

"We all want to be associated with something greater and more beautiful than ourselves and nature is the ultimate. I just think it is the one thing we can all agree on." -Bernd Heinrich

__Where were you born and raised? Do you remember a specific moment in time when you realized your passion for photography and particularly, nature. __

I was born and raised in Stratford, Connecticut. I didn’t really get into photography until I moved to the Arizona desert in the mid 1990s, in my early 20s. Once there I started by taking an introduction to photography class at the local community college. I very quickly realized that it was something amazing and it quickly became my passion. As far as nature is concerned, I grew up using the woods and ponds near my house in Connecticut as an escape from daily life. It was my favorite place to go, and I would often go with my friends to play and look for animals. I think that’s what instilled in me a deep connection to the natural world. I can remember those days like they were yesterday.


![IMG 1049](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/13UxeXCGfW8YQsOeG6UMic/f4c9792598b518bd99abda6cbb376ed5/IMG_1049.jpeg)

__Tell us a bit about your journey and your obvious alignment with the environment. You have quite the resume. Your work can be found everywhere from publications like Wild & Precious, to campaigns for L.L. Bean, Carnival Cruise Line, Floating Hospital for Children and so much more. How does this variety of experience map back to your passion for nature?__

The journey in my professional photographic life has been interesting. I started by photographing what it means to be a man (in my personal circles) in an attempt to understand who I was as a man and who my friends and family were as men. Then I had a daughter and I realized quickly that my work would probably change. The thing that shifted my work away from exploring masculinity and more into the nature experience that I practice today is deciding that I wanted my daughter to be deeply in touch with the natural world. So I focused on introducing her to nature by exposing her to it first hand. Taking road trips, exploring, adventuring, constantly being out there. Over the years I have acquired a lot of my family photos doing things in our personal life that have led to my current commercial client situation. Clients like L.L. Bean, Honda, and Carnival Cruise Lines have hired me just to do what I do- which is to document my kids in the way that introduces the natural world into our lives and expresses our love for it. It really makes logical sense for specific clients. Floating Hospital for Children was a little bit different because they were interested in the idea of strength and vulnerability in the face of childhood- which is also something that I am really interested in. It’s evident in my personal work but  spills over into my professional client work as well.


__How do you live an eco-friendly lifestyle on a daily basis? What are 3 basic things that you would prescribe to anyone looking to do the same?__

We try to live as eco-friendly lifestyle as we can, we really do give it our best effort. One thing that we try to do is recycle as much as possible and be really good about it. Don’t be a lazy recycler. All those little lids make a big difference if you put them in the bin instead of into the trash can. The other thing we do is we try to raise and grow our own food when we could. We have a chicken farm and eat lots of eggs. In the summer we grow a big garden so that we can rely less on the grocery store and more of the natural world. It’s also our favorite thing to do. The other thing we do is go to the beach pick up litter when we’re down there. It looks cleaner and it’s better for the animals. We’re very concerned about the animal's wellbeing and plastic often looks like food to animals. Whether it’s birds or fish, or what have you. So it’s not uncommon that when we leave the beach we have pockets full of trash. These are simple things that we do that jive really well with our lifestyle and aren’t that complicated. I think when you give it a little bit of an effort it’s simple to do.

![IMG 0855](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2yJcr6SGty2ieQIUysI66U/4fc64bf2992cd2d135ebdcff8439490a/IMG_0855.jpeg)

__Your relationship with your children is beautiful. How do your children inspire you? How is their outlook on life internalized by your inner child?__

Oh man, I am always being taught and inspired by them. They constantly teach me about patience by pushing me to the limits of mine. They teach me about wonder and seeing things anew. Seeing life and nature through a kid’s eyes is incredible. They teach me about compassion and love. The way they interact with the animals in our lives and their friends is awesome to watch. I have been fortunate enough to raise three kind and considerate souls. I watch them and their kindness and it rubs off on me. They inspire me to be the best dad that I can and to always set a good example, especially when I am inclined not to or in a moment when it’s hard. That is when I really try to look outside of myself and do what is right. They inspire me to show them what being man is about and how men and women are equals. They make me live my life hyper aware of how I can operate in my own life while making sure women are always treated fairly. Their future depends on it, all of ours does.

They inspire me to let go and stop being worried about the small stuff. To take your shoes off as much as possible, to climb trees, to look up and to look down when maybe I would just look forward. I think we are constantly teaching and inspiring each other. 

![IMG 5184](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4RCkfPvPE4IyO8Q6SmOuaa/b006765d3b2462e0451a3b1ae5e19505/IMG_5184.jpeg)

__Life behind the lens is always interesting. Do you ever put down the camera to simply live in the now and capture the moment in your mind's eye instead? Describe a scenario where this happened. Who was with you? Where were you? And why this moment?__

This is a great question, it's something that I increasingly think about. What is the difference between capturing a moment with the camera, so you can relive it over and over and relive the sentimentality of it, or just experience the moment in real time, so you can truly embrace it without any distraction. It’s really hard and as a photographer, I tend to do more of the filming rather than just simply experiencing. But recently, on the 4th of July I decided to leave my phone home and went to the beach with my kids. We watched the fireworks and just hung out. It was amazing to not have the burden of the phone with me, to get any calls or emails, or even use it to take pictures of the fireworks. We just sat there and watched everything unfold, it was awesome.

![IMG 9892](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2OovlfVG2Aoss04IusGgUs/6c20172fddc8d1789d6ed7f04b735627/IMG_9892.jpeg)

__What are some unique challenges you have had with your journey? Becoming a well known photographer, father, explorer certainly has its challenges. What were some bumps in the road?__

Sometimes I think people have a hard time interpreting my photographs and might just read them in the wrong way. I have this image of my daughter with a bloody nose, which has gotten a lot of slack, mostly online. I’ve had a lot of comments about being an abusive father, taking advantage of a child, etc. But the truth is she simply had a bloody nose- she was calm, I was calm and it was beautiful. It was one of those moments in life where you can physically see the vulnerability of your child and I really wanted to capture that and add that to the body of work we were creating, which is about empowering my daughter, embracing all things that life throws at us, and being strong in the face of adversity. 
Blood can be scary and I wanted her to feel comfortable with it. I wanted to capture it as it was laid out before me, but when you see it out of context it’s really misconstrue. You have to have a thick skin if you’re going to be a photographer and expose your family and private moments. I’m fine with the push back because I believe in what I am doing.

![IMG 9163](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6OgSMATpwQ6wUu8W028mec/5c7bffe7d535c108839461ff79712a94/IMG_9163.jpeg)

__If you had the attention of fathers and their daughters, what would be a bit of advice you could offer? Girls, historically, are sheltered and protected. Nature builds character and wonder and imagination. What would you say to break that stigma?__

I would say try not to think of your kids as boys or girls but just think of them as little creatures that need love and exposure to things. Expose them as much as possible- to the natural world- let them get dirty, muddy, wet- who cares, you can wash it off. It builds character and allows them to be freer and a little more wild. I like to think of my kids as lion cubs. What does the mother lion let her cubs do? She doesn’t watch them overly closely but she keeps an eye on them, she lets them wander and play, and sometimes even get get dirty and hurt. 
All of those things teach the children what’s possible, what’s safe, what’s not safe... and I think if you allow for a little freedom, and loosen the leash, that you can see your children grow exponentially. It has worked for us. Also, try to sit down and explain things to your kids that might be scary. Break it down for them to show the beauty and respect, not fear. Spiders, bats, certain animals can typically scare children but if you take a more scientific approach and explain how incredible spider's webs are, how amazing bat's echolocation is, kids won’t be afraid of them and they won’t scream, they’ll be excited and actually look forward to the opportunity to see one. Maybe even hold one.

![IMG 2427](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3SH2Pj7DGMouoQg4UmgeCI/2088e68634b51550f0507c4e4316b682/IMG_2427.jpg)

__Where can people find you, follow you, get in touch?__

The best place to find me is on Instagram at [@jesse_burke](https://www.instagram.com/jesse_burke/). We are always posting current pictures, events and things we do. It’s like a working journal of our life and farm. Also, my work can be seen at [www.jesseburke.com](http://www.jesseburke.com) and [www.wildandprecious.co](http://www.wildandprecious.co/)

![IMG 4508](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3Jco6pLNBSkss4W6yE4CAq/a8c22585eb2311c9f8e521a0c1dfb40e/IMG_4508.JPG) ![KAYAFAS INSTALL 01](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3HRUvuiA8EEWyIagKwiaeO/6996a48d0b0aa7e5b271aac2ec90b93a/KAYAFAS_INSTALL_01.jpeg)
![IMG 4211](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6vIHLXqyTmGOce628cywku/28e2d7cb7317704eb20500fe9a36e708/IMG_4211.jpeg) ![IMG 9171](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/44qkEDexgkSowuu4qiQ6YG/80f9e1eec2dd1753ee531bb8a3746f90/IMG_9171.jpeg) 

Jesse Burke divides his time between personal art projects and commissioned work. Jesse's work deals with themes related to vulnerability and identity, as well as human's complicated relationship with nature.

HERO Spotlight: Jesse Burke | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Jesse Burke


Gillian Levy is the co-owner of [Humboldt Apothecary](https://www.humboldt-apothecary.com) and started HA with her business partner, Susan Cleverdon in 2015.  Gillian's background is in watershed management and botany.  She worked as an environmental consultant for many years before collaborating with Susan on the development of the company.  Outside of their interest in cannabis, they both have a strong background in herbal medicine and holistic health.  Their desire to start the company sprung from a marriage of interest in the growing cannabis industry and their! love for all things botanical medicine related.

__Tell us a bit about where the idea for the Humboldt Apothecary was born? __

We initially decided to create a cannabis tincture company with offerings that addressed specific symptoms that could be supported with cannabis use.  Our first tinctures all featured a suite of other medicinal herbs with the cannabis to maximize the benefits of each formula.  Cannabis was historically used in combination with other medicinal herbs.  This is because the suite of constituents that exist in the different plant compounds have a synergistic effect and are thus more potent and effective when taken together.  We designed our line of products to fill a niche in the industry that seemed to be lacking.  The result has been mind blowing.  We have a growing following of customers and some pretty amazing testimonials about our products.  

__How has the cannabis industry offered alternatives to traditional treatment and medical supplement?__

Most western medicine is based on using pharmaceutical drugs to treat symptoms of a disease.  In some cases, it is extremely effective, such as antibiotic use for bacterial infections.  In other cases, especially when there are a range of symptoms, traditional western treatments fail to treat the underlying problem.  

Cannabis can be incredibly effective for a range of complicated disease pictures.  The core of the efficacy of this plant is based in the cannabinoid content and it’s unique ability to play a significant role in moderating our own endocannabinoid system.  By using cannabis to modify the endocannabinoid system, we can reduce inflammation throughout the body and can frequently have a broad effect on patients that are dealing with chronic pain, sleep disorders, mood disorders, etc.  Regular cannabis use can be extremely effective and is considered safe and generally well tolerated by most patients.

![Gilly Susan-0001](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6qKOWnFWzCK8QmSiM6iEKS/1fad181072d0691b55926553cb6fe9b6/Gilly_Susan-0001.jpg)

__What separates Humboldt Apothecary from other cannabusinesses?__

At [Humboldt Apothecary](https://www.humboldt-apothecary.com), we focus on whole plant extracts, and we feel that it is the synergy between the suite of plant constituents that makes the best medicine.  We source all of our cannabis extract from small extraction operations and small farms in Humboldt County.  This is because we want a top quality, vibrant product.  We also source organic ingredients whenever possible.  Essentially, we aim to create a product that is the highest quality available because we don’t want to compromise the product in any way.  We want our customers to know that every time they purchase one of our products, they are choosing quality and consistency that they can count on.

__What are some current challenges that the cannabis industry is facing as this alternative becomes more widely acceptable?__

One of the larger challenges that the industry is facing seems to be the standardizing of the testing for cannabis products.  Many of the testing facilities have a huge disparity between their results, which becomes a problem for manufacturers that receive vastly different feedback of cannabinoid content, depending on the lab that they work with.  This problem can be compounded by the fact that there are many other ingredients that may alter or modify the potency results.  

__Where is your ultimate goal for Humboldt Apothecary?__

We would like to continue to expand our product line to include other remedies besides tinctures.  Currently we are working on a topical line that we plan to roll out over the next several months.  Additionally, we would like to start offering our products in other states.  We aim to be a leader in the cannabis tincture industry and to continue to offer the highest quality cannabis products available as we grow and expand into new regions.

__What about the outdoors and your environment inspire you?__

We are fortunate to live in an extremely beautiful part of California with access to beautiful coastline as well as remote mountain wilderness and wild rivers.  In my own experience, I have found the most joy and mental peace in staying connected with the natural environment.  Additionally, having access to clean water and clean air are some of the most significant contributors to healthy communities. 

__Is there a specific environmental issue that you personally feel passionate towards?____

I think that I feel most passionate about clean water and healthy rivers.  In our community of Humboldt County, some cannabis cultivation practices have definitely impacted the quality and quantity of water in our rivers.  One of the great benefits of legalization in California is that farmers must work very hard to minimize impacts to their water sources in order to be permitted and licensed to cultivate cannabis.  They now have access to state agencies and private consulting entities to help guide and inform their cultivation practices and to minimize impacts.  This regulatory infrastructure has really raised the bar for many farmers.  I think that is of utmost importance.

![WOOD AND SMITH -2](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1bFfVZfwjUkekWgSGIOE26/be090cd6424f4a689b47aaf01bd3557b/WOOD_AND_SMITH_-2.jpg)

__How does Humboldt Apothecary and preservation of the environment intersect?__

We try to be good stewards of the land and to build that into our business model.  All of the cannabis that we use is sun grown.  That is of critical importance to us because indoor growing contributes a huge carbon footprint.  We believe that it is imperative to support farmers that are using the sun as their energy source.  

We work with farmers that pride themselves in creating farms that minimize environmental impacts by limiting nutrient runoff, building healthy topsoils, and preventing erosion that might impact water quality.  We also source as many organic ingredients as possible to limit contamination to the environment from pesticide use.  Additionally, we try to minimize the amount of plastic in our packaging and to make use of as many recyclable materials as possible.

__What are some practical recommendations for consumers as they consider their impact on the environment?__ 

I hope to encourage more consumers to value sun grown cannabis.  As the industry develops, cannabis cultivators are starting to define the unique environmental conditions that shape the quality of the cannabis that is produced.  Terroir, or the environmental factors such as soils, climate, and topography that can be expressed in sun grown cannabis, is unique to growing outdoors.   Likewise, the carbon footprint from indoor grows is so significant that it is really important to look at the contribution to greenhouse gas production. 

![WOOD AND SMITH -3](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3G8evFMxLiaAEsCSu46Osi/e5eab4eb3d7e542529d271ad3db25c5f/WOOD_AND_SMITH_-3.jpg)

Where can people find you, follow you, and get in touch?

My website is [Humboldt-Apothecary](https://www.humboldt-apothecary.com), and my social handles are:

Insta: [@humboldtapothecary](https://www.instagram.com/humboldtapothecary/)

FB: [Humboldt Apothecary](https://www.facebook.com/humboldtapothecary/)

Gillian Levy is the co-owner of Humboldt Apothecary and started HA with her business partner, Susan Cleverdon in 2015.  Gillian's background is in watershed management and botany.

HERO Spotlight: Gillian Levy | Cause of a Kind

HERO Spotlight: Gillian Levy

*Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef and certified nutritionist who specializes in developing accessible, organic, farm-to-table recipes from whole food ingredients. She has cooked for celebrities such as P!nk and Gwenyth Paltrow; as well as having been featured in Cosmopolitan, CBS’ The Doctors, ABC News, Forbes, Shape, Star, Huffington Post, Refinery 29, Men’s Fitness, and Food Network’s “Chopped.” She is also the author of two Amazon #1 best selling cookbooks, “[The Bone Broth Miracle](https://www.amazon.com/Bone-Broth-Miracle-Ancient-Improve/dp/1634507029)” and “[The Thinking Girl’s Guide to Drinking](https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Girls-Guide-Drinking-Cocktails/dp/1682450481/).”*

__Where were you born and raised? How did your childhood introduce you to your passions?__

I was brought up in rural Massachusetts until my family moved to California when I was a teenager. My mom ran a co-op out of our basement and made all of our food, so that set a strong foundation for me. My parents are (and were) very holistic so my upbringing was informed hugely by that.

![ariane at the beach](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/20sHqFvNVOQE8CyUec4G4g/17b77ba0de14f41c92aff1c194f70daf/3.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__When did you first get started cooking and when did you first start seeing food as medicine?__

I had my first chef job at age 19, and no matter how long away from kitchens I spent after, I always landed back in one. I knew of food as a tool for healing because my childhood had had that as a focal point, but I gained first hand experience with it when I dealt with two different chronic illnesses in my 30s, both of which I healed without Western meds.

__You have a significant reputation with some of the world's most recognizable media outlets, business and celebrities. How do you always maintain creative control and continue to innovate and refine your craft?__

I’m a human beyond anything else; I’ve been privileged to see how becoming known can change people, and have made a conscious effort to remain authentic as my personal brand has grown. I only work with people and companies I’m excited and passionate about, because I think consumers can sense that.

![ariane in chef mode](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3OS0HvwuNW2AkGmWeqKgKi/5d15c03c6a0665fa0f15f28a2c789be6/8.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__It is known that you have had Lyme Disease. Talk to us a bit about that might have happened and how controlling your nutrition and including holistic treatments has led you to a high quality life.__

Lyme is the result of a tick or mosquito bite. I didn’t heal it purely with nutrition — it was an assortment of holistic modalities that cured it. I was very intuitive about which I chose, and since I was so public about that, it led to others coming to me for advice. I gear people into choosing what feels most right for them in treatments, rather than suggesting what they do based on what ailment they have. I’m a big believer that illness is an opportunity for you to get to know your body better and to get more in touch with it.

![ariane juicing](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1CBu7pkU6QMKGKgMQyMesq/c86341d090b1ba39afec1bb401430a3c/11.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__Most people enjoy cooking, but have significant difficulty cooking nutritiously. What are some basic pieces of advice that you can provide for those who enjoy simple creations, but can’t seem to avoid the unhealthy options?__

It’s all about adding rather than subtracting, and making small changes. Swap out one unhealthy food item for a healthy food item you know you enjoy, and when your schedule has become acclimated to that, choose a second one. I think going “whole hog” and trying to overhaul your life is a terrible idea, as it rarely leads to success. The last thing we need is to feel like a failure! Congratulate yourself for every small positive change, and you’ll find yourself making more of them.

![ariane on the doctors](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/13I4pFlbou2GyCmiooS6CS/d044d10e090f0033066f2a8ae7c3a3a5/13.png)

__As a best selling author, you are no stranger to the power of effective communication. How are you able to explore your expertise and digest it into an enjoyable reading experience, ultimately resulting in a 2X -  Amazon Best Selling Author with "The Bone Broth Miracle," and "The Thinking Girl’s Guide to Drinking"?__

Writing, like cooking, has always been second nature to me. I have no formal culinary training, and while I do have a writing degree, it’s in creative writing/poetry. I’m incredibly fortunate to have turned my hobbies into my career, and that was mostly the result of a lot of meditation and intention setting to let the world guide me in the direction where I’d be most helpful. I didn’t plan any of this, and I’ve never sought out work, or advertised. When you find your purpose, the universe helps line things up for you. That’s the best explanation I can give, kooky as it sounds.

![ariane making a salad](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6i5uqR0YbSeq6Aea0WUKei/aab7011993e670db77f4c718cfff3ce5/6.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__In your expertise, how do the ingredients we use and consume affect the environment? What are some essential things for the public to be aware of when thinking about their own food consumption in and out of their home?__

We desperately need to find a balance between consuming the most healthful foods and the most sustainable ones. The best example of that is quinoa; our consumption of it has made it unaffordable for the residents of the Andes for whom it was a main staple. Yes, it’s nutritious, and yes, it tastes good, but did we really need to harm a culture to have a new food in our culinary lexicon? I’m wary of many foreign superfoods for this reason. Do some research before delving right into the next food trend to see how the production of the food affects both the environment and the indigenous cultures growing it.

![ariane at event](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1en0rp5qASYyieAg4QwO4E/d0a521b57e28ccb3c0dc521bf763bbf1/7.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__Is there an obvious connection between food consumption and environmental sustainability?__

At this point, most of what we eat comes from packages, so sadly there isn’t an obvious connection. One exists, of course, but it can be hard to recognize and takes a lot of conscious thought and research to discover.

![ariane giving a presentation](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1eSHPoYfRyCGigESGAoEMs/e8a16b34cecf92c01fae3b9c1e71b025/12.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__Where can people find you, follow you, and get in touch?__

My website is [ArianeCooks.com](http://arianecooks.com/), and my social handles are:

Insta: [@chef_ariane](http://instagram.com/chef_ariane)

Twitter: [@ArianeResnick](https://twitter.com/ArianeResnick)

FB: [Ariane Resnick](https://www.facebook.com/ChefArianeResnick)

Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef and certified nutritionist who specializes in developing accessible, organic, farm-to-table recipes from whole food ingredients. 

HEROES Spotlight: Ariane Resnick | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Ariane Resnick

*Tobi Deckert is a poly-extreme sports athlete, entrepreneur, engineer, and DJ. An all-around incredible human that just can't seem to sit still, he's consistently pushing the boundaries both as a professional and an athlete. Thanks to his love of nature and well-rounded skillset — he is trying to forge new ways to reduce his own footprint by applying his business and engineering skills into larger solutions.*

__Where were your born and raised? How did that influence the man you are today and all the interests you have?__

I was born in southern Germany in Munich close to the alps. So I got my ambition to the mountains and all those different sports there from my father.

![Tobi deckert kite boarding](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4n3PsXS9jioiiCmiwaSskM/5904701831c2e66463b1ed4ed51caff6/GOPR5668_1024x1024.jpg)

__You are quite the world traveler. Can you give us a bit of a list of the top places you have been to? When you travel, what do you typically do?__

Indeed I have been quite lucky traveling many countries so far. The purpose is quite different, sometimes it is work related, sometimes it’s rather leisure connected with sports. During the last couple of years I was visiting the US, Australia, China, New Zealand, Brazil, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and many places all over Europe. In most of the cases some commercial and promotional shootings and products tests took place there.

![tobi backcountry skiing](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4ayA5txeBySqG8SOA02mAw/6c7edcfa8df0d0bce564066b9f4c6529/P1220628_1024x1024.jpg)

![ski jump series](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/mON0MYfUDAwAwKmw88WGw/ba69d307b2e4909baec60f4c7d8bfe36/serie_bearbeitet2_1024x1024.jpg)

__You are a super eclectic individual. You have interests in everything from engineering to kiteboarding to extreme backcountry skiing to DJing. Tell us a bit about your passions and why you participate in such an array of extreme sports?__

Yeah, you listed already all my passions (so far). I just love doing and learning new things. Getting bored of an ordinary life, I was always looking for synergies among my interests. That’s why I probably worked as a product developer at Skywalk, a company that produces kites and paragliders. As soon as I had access to all this different gear, there were no borders anymore. I started mixing those  sports throughout the seasons like I would mix my music on a party. Soon I began to earn some money with those side jobs as companies needed versatile content for their social media channels. This even got me some more possibilities to move on with my doings and learn other skills like movie editing or stunts for movies in the theatre.

![tobi paragliding](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/uLznGQQytiiW8uYC8EEM8/b7d373defcb57f42cd18b372281f67e7/P1090171_1024x1024.jpg)

__With so much risk, what is the ultimate reward for you? Is there a particular mantra that you live by the fuels your urge to live an extreme lifestyle?__

I cannot deny that I love taking risks, no matter if in a sporty way or business related. Breaking out of your comfort zone is one of the most important things to get progress. The ultimate reward is good vibes together with friends and that can be caused by a nice session of kitesurfing, flying or skiing for example. So sport is definitely my fuel to overcome challenging hurdles at my business and djing and movie editing unleashes my creativity which is quite as important to face daily tasks.

![tobi kite boarding](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3hKaO75yVWMCWOYsaoi8uU/336754b61068ac818e2acab66c7c20f6/G0036743_1024x1024.jpg)

__Throughout your youth, how did you originally discover all of these activities, find time to practice them and become world class? Did you have a particular mentor or support system that kept you focused?__

Well I’m not performing at a world class level but gaining skills at some sports in particular is all about the people you are around with. That means my support system has always been my network of really good friends. This is one of the highest influences of pushing yourself to next levels. I have never performed very well in only one sport, as I loved to mix them but exactly this was the reason for cross progress to other disciplines. As one day lasts 24 h, I needed 8h for working, 8h for sleeping, which means there are 8h left over to do some crazy stuff. The only thing is to remain motivated to do some after work “productivities” — and I’m not talking about sitting in front of the TV.

![closeup paragliding](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/7J0jj1fcI0IaGcmkEyQiWC/a1605b943c89b85304475f591d150915/IMG_0727_1024x1024.jpg)

![ski hand plant](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4PospHZuMMuoqEEqOWW0cM/611dc223cbff7be179dd6d1998bb02e6/GOPR7642_1024x1024.jpg)

__With so much exposure to land, sea, mountains and air, you must be unfortunately intimate with the poor condition of our environment? What are some of the issues you recognize in the remote places you visit?__

Indeed, when I’m in the mountains in the winter I can evidently see melting of the glaciers, when I’m at the beach, there is almost no spot anymore without garbage. Of course I recognize the issue: it’s us. Everywhere where there are human beings, the world does not look like it should look. The more people the worse.

__How do you express the environmentalist within you while you are simply living day to day? What are some simple things that you are mindful of which keep your own footprint on this earth small?__

This is a really trapping question as all (my) travelling is leaving a footprint. It’s always easy to blame politicians or big business managers but start thinking about yourself also, for example your buying behaviour (no matter if food or hardware). As environment and it’s healthcare is related to money in most of the cases, look at what you buy for which price. From my point of view as an engineer I can tell that the cheapest things can’t be the most environmentally friendly ones.

To get a better conscience regarding all my traveling burning a lot of fuel, I try to use my engineering and business skills to keep my footprint small. One way is to produce and use upcycled products which I do together with “rubbish upcycling” ([https://rubbish-design.com/pages/tobi-deckert-kitesurf-snowkite-freerider](https://rubbish-design.com/pages/tobi-deckert-kitesurf-snowkite-freerider)) Another example is one of my inventions “SHRED RACK” to allow carrying a lot of gear on the roof of a small car. With these inflatable car roof racks people can use only one car and fit in there all together with all their gear.

![ski jumping](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3Q7LdwHWmkEcWC84meSeei/5b719f20cb94c01abc63bad06c8e1ec5/DSC05632_1024x1024.jpg)

__Where can people find you or get in touch?__

[www.tobideckert.de](http://www.tobideckert.de/)

[www.shredrack.com](http://www.shredrack.com/)

[https://www.facebook.com/TobiDeckert/](https://www.facebook.com/TobiDeckert/)

[https://www.youtube.com/user/Deckardinhostuff](https://www.youtube.com/user/Deckardinhostuff)

[https://www.instagram.com/tobi_deckert/](https://www.instagram.com/tobi_deckert/)

Tobi Deckert is a poly-extreme sports athlete, entrepreneur, engineer, and DJ. An all-around incredible human that just can't seem to sit still, he's consistently pushing the boundaries both as a professional and an athlete.

HEROES Spotlight: Tobi Deckert | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Tobi Deckert

*Angela Eiter is a professional climber hailing from Austria. She's a champion competitive climber holding multiple Lead Climbing World Cup championships. Last year, she became the first woman to climb 5.15b by sending La Planta de Shiva at Villanueva del Rosario, Spain.*

__Where were you born and raised?__

I was born and raised in a valley near my today's home region Imst in Tyrol, Austria. Since I was a child I have always played outdoors enjoying the mountains and forests. Nature has been a part of my life for as long as i can remember.

![Angy Eiter climbing Planta de Shiva 9b. Villanueva del Rosario (Spain)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/45Lzje5jWg0IEou0wGw4Ss/92aec274e877966de3ccd5c00e5bd119/AP-1TPM59NX51W11_news.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Angy Eiter climbing "Planta de Shiva" 9b. Villanueva del Rosario (Spain) 25-10-2017. © Javipec / ASP / Red Bull Content Pool*</small>

__You have had some recent significant accomplishments in your climbing career. What are some of them and what has the dedication and work been like over the past few years towards achieving?__

I experienced successful competitions where I became 4 time World Champion, 3 time World Cup Winner overall and European Champion in 2010. There are more, but these are some of the most significant to me.

My motivating factor is my passion and pursuit of fun. With this drive I am eager to learn how I can improve in climbing and in my life generally. Then, I want to pass my experience over to other people.
 
![Two time world champion Angy Eiter competing at the World Cup of Kranj, Slovenia](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4e50OjdkMMi8I4Mm4EUkyw/fd41ad0a09e55c6bd7835b81597e7a8a/1329478591332-387831984_news.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Two time world champion Angy Eiter competing at the World Cup of Kranj, Slovenia. © Stanko Gruden/Red Bull Content Pool*</small>

__Being in such a visible position within the sport comes with a lot of pressure and expectation. How do you balance yourself?__

The pressure mainly comes from myself. Over time I have learned how to deal with it. Being satisfied with my performance and accepting the situation leads me to success.

__Do you have a specific focus within the environment?__

I simply love nature and as it is my playground I want to keep it clean.

__Where in the world do you identify the most with?__

I identify myself with a flower in the alpine areas in my home region of Imst. There, I lead a life in an almost completely clean area, where people protect this specific landscape in order for that rare species of flower to survive in this region.

![Angy Eiter during the ascent of Turkish Airways (8a+) in Anatolia](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/549fBDqkScqcEagcGqYGgq/71c637b0bde5ea5228661bba22092b9b/1329477736084-1069302054_news.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Angy Eiter during the ascent of 'Turkish Airways' (8a+) in Anatolia. © Bernhard Ruech/Red Bull Content Pool*</small>

__If you could send a message to every young person in the world today regarding the environment and the great outdoors, what would it be?__

Nature is your basic tool where you lead your life. Go out and look around at how beautiful nature is, our plants, our animals, the sky, the sun etc. Nature is getting destroyed day by day. Act differently and keep it clean by doing small things. Protecting nature means protecting your future.

__What is your next great adventure or goal?__

I want to explore different areas and rocks for climbing. I am interested in meeting other cultures and see the beautiful sides of our planet.

__With respect to the environment and its current critical state, what about the future truly scares you?__

I am quite afraid of the result of the disregardful behaviour of human beings. However, I am sure nature will always resist and gets stronger. I am afraid that we simply have come too far and we cannot completely secure the environment for the future.

![Angela Eiter performs during the IFSC World Climbing Championships in Paris](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/39if78vM1iSEgO6SkiCkMK/24c192b181421e1c4e2f416f3aebd825/1347953746882-289397799_news.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Angela Eiter performs during the IFSC World Climbing Championships in Paris, France on September 15th, 2012 © Stanko Gruden/Red Bull Content Pool*</small>

__Do you have a plan to use your gifts as an athlete in combination with your desire for a better environment?__

I take care of my environment with small, simple things. For example, I do not waste water, I recycle, I buy products with little or no wrapping, and i look for recyclable things. I want to act as a positive example and pass on my attitude to other people.

__If you could have one wish, what would it be?__

Peace forever and for everyone!

__Where can people find you, follow you, get in touch?__

Instagram: [@angyeiter](https://www.instagram.com/angyeiter/?hl=en)

Facebook: [@angy.eiter](https://www.facebook.com/angy.eiter/)

*Header Photo Credit: Portrait of Angela Eiter in Fuschl, Austria on July 7th 2011 © Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool*

*Angela Eiter is a professional climber hailing from Austria. She's a champion competitive climber holding multiple Lead Climbing World Cup championships.

HEROES Spotlight: Angy Eiter | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Angy Eiter

*Jenna Hogg is most notably the co-founder of Free Spirit Equestrian Center & Rescue. A not-for-profit organization dedicated not just to the rescue of horses in need, but also to helping humans who could benefit from the therapy offered by these incredible animals. She is also the vice president of I Stand With My Pack, an organization dedicated to the prevention of animal suffering and cruelty around the world. A primatologist by trade she's also spent time studying orangutan's and their capacity for cognitive development. What she experienced with these creatures forged her path toward helping all creatures in need, large and small.*

__Where were your born and raised? How did your youth ultimately influence the work that you do today?__

I was born in Tampa, Florida. I was frequently moving as a child and cannot say that I was raised in one particular place. Every year or two years of my life I lived in a different city in Florida to North Carolina. I went to three elementary schools, two middle schools and five high schools. Because of this, it has made me very open minded. I have met and befriended people from all walks of life, all classes, all races, from the tiniest towns to the big cities. It made me adaptable but also confident in who I am. Every place I’ve lived taught me something and was completely different than the last. The biggest lesson I learned is that society has a way of socially constructing viewpoints and ideologies into our everyday lives. But it is up to us to choose how we live, what we believe in and who we are to become. Our perspective is everything.

![jenna with a rescue dog](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1nPWwieTTemQo6Is20s8Me/f13d3b417be40c676d2669fef0e1b3b1/2.jpg)

__You have done so much for animals and the environment. Tell us a bit about your non-profit efforts with Free Spirit Rescue and I Stand With My Pack? What are each of these missions designed to do and what is your participation?__

I am the co-founder for [Free Spirit Equestrian Center & Rescue](http://www.freespiritequestrian.org/), which has been opened for almost three years. My mother and I opened the rescue and built it with our bare hands and only $800 to start. Blood, sweat, and tears has been poured into this animal rescue. Our mission is to create a safe place for both people and animals. A place that is built on compassion as the foundation. We aim to inspire people that each and every life on this planet has a purpose and compassion can change the world but it has to start with each of us.

I am the vice president for a non-profit organization called [I Stand With My Pack](https://istandwithmypack.org/). I was drawn to this organization because of its need to bring awareness to global animal welfare initiatives. From saving dogs in Puerto Rico to elephants in Sumatra, this organization is ran mainly by a group of strong willed women who are determined to help keep this world beautiful for our children.

![Jenna with rescue pony](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5wCDl2wBAQWmAueKMcY62k/133ab6a01295db02abb0f63aecfacb14/3.jpg)

__You pursue a career as a Primatologist and Medical TA at an Animal Hospital. Can you tell us a bit about this career choice? What is the intersection between your career and your personal missions?__

Since I was a child and old enough to verbally communicate my love for animals, I have always wanted to work with primates. When I was 12 I was given the book, [Gorillas In The Mist](https://www.amazon.com/Gorillas-Mist-Dian-Fossey-Dr/dp/061808360X) by Dian Fossey. Since that moment I dreamed of jungles and saving primates. In my final year of college, I studied orangutans and their abilities for cognitive development and interspecies communication through enrichment. What I learned was fascinating and completely changed my life. These beings are capable of conscious thinking, problem solving, having emotions such as love, and the ability to communicate their thoughts and their needs. My heart broke for their species on the brink of extinction. I went on to work with gibbons, capuchins, marmosets, tamarins siamangs, and lemurs. After four years I wanted to take everything I learned and really make a difference. That is when my mother and I decided to open an animal rescue. We started out with equines and animals saved from slaughter houses but in 2018 we will expand to help non-human primates. These primates more than any other animal are the most similar to us and yet they are tortured in laboratories, locked in tiny cages, and kept as pets. I hope that every life we save we can bring awareness to the fact that we are not superior. Compassion is superior.

I have always been an avid learner. In the last ten years, I have learned a vast amount in many different facets of the animal world but one area I was lacking was animal medicine. I wanted to expand my knowledge, so I sought out a position that would allow me to gain more experience at an animal hospital. As someone who rescues animals from abusive and neglectful circumstance, many of these animals need medical attention and care. Being able to learn how to help them not just emotionally but physically has been essential.

![jenna with rescue horse](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5bIkPM2JzOuywQE0caaAC8/cf64d6c2d2c15203fd5149a6605fc626/4.jpg)

__You have a particular affinity to horses. Why are these animals your particular passion? Do you focus on other species?__

My mother is the one who showed me how magical of a species horses truly are. While primates where my specialty, horses where hers. Because there was such a prevalent need to rescue horses we rescued our first horse named Apollo, who was rounded up from the wild in Nevada. He was completely feral. He was the definition of a free spirit, or at least he was. When we rescued him at the auction, he was on his third strike and had been shipped across the country from Nevada to Florida.  He was broken, I could feel the heaviness of his soul. His eyes simply stared blankly and held such an emptiness. Lost, alone and scared this once free-spirited animal left me with a fierce need to protect his species. Today he is safe and happy, integrated into a new herd where he is alpha and will always have a home at Free Spirit Rescue. But the look in his eyes when I first met him will haunt me forever and make me determined to be a voice for his kind. 

Currently free spirit mainly focuses on horses, and will be expanding to non-human primates but we rescue a variety of species of animals. From goats to pigs and cats and dogs, we try to help any life that is in need. 

![jenna at home in her rescue](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1gkeNcyw2eQCWY0QS2GQM/ae9841514d19fd3ee0df1eca92bb985c/unnamed__1_.jpg)

__How do you express the environmentalist within you while you are simply living day to day? What are some simple things that you are mindful of which keep your own footprint on this earth small?__

Sustainable Palm oil is something I am extremely passionate about. The palm oil industry is responsible for animal cruelty, deforestation and climate change. The massive impact it has on deforestation is pushing many species into extinction. The effect of carbon emissions it releases into our environment is crippling.

I try my hardest to not purchase or use any products or support companies who are not palm oil sustainable. I try to make my own footprint on this earth small by altering the way I live from "aimlessly consuming" to "mindful consuming" that is where a difference can be made. While I alone cannot create a difference by practicing mindful consumption, imagine if everyone did?

__What is next for you? How do you see your mission expanding and your hobbies translating into impact over the next 5 years?__

Besides expanding our primate rescue program, my next step is to launch our pony therapy program to help people in need. I am a big believer in animal therapy. They have an incredible potential to heal in their own way. Much like dogs, ponies can provide an intense form of therapy for those with disabilities, children, veterans, and basically anyone who could use a smile. Over the next five years I hope we can show people that animals have such a beautiful purpose and that it is a gift to share a planet with such amazing creatures.

![jenna with a rescue horse](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2KbtR8WYYo6yUg640yK6A6/eb96115e33206b29932c516928dedf5a/5.jpg)

__With regard to your efforts in non-profit, what are your hopes? How do you define mission complete? When will you know that you have achieved your goals?__

My hopes for my rescue is that it will be an inspiration, especially to our youth. I hope that we will be able to grow to create a place that is not just safe for our animals but is a safe place for all of those who walk through our barn doors.

Free Spirits Rescue’s mission will be complete when there is no longer a need for it. I love what I do but I hate that the need for it even exists. I will know my goal is achieved when animals have rights and animal cruelty has diminished. Until then we will continue what we do and we will be their voice.

__Everyone has some kind of a soft spot for charity or non-profit work, but most people lean on the crutch of not having enough time. What is some advice that you have for people?__

If we really want to make a difference we will find the time to do it. There are multiple ways for people to get involved and help a non-profit and our Earth. Life is so overwhelmingly busy, that we make the excuse of not having enough time to deter us from helping create a positive change. Even volunteering once a week for a few hours helps. Hosting a fundraiser to help local organizations, educating friends and family on an environmental issue, spreading awareness on social media outlets or choosing to be more conscious of what you are consuming in your everyday life can make a difference. There is always time to do something. Whether great or small every good deed matters.

__Where can people find you or get in touch?__

If people would like to get in touch with me they can contact me via my social media: [@JungleJen](https://www.instagram.com/junglejen/) or reach out to Free Spirit Equestrian Center & Rescue at [www.freespiritequestrian.org](http://www.freespiritequestrian.org/). I absolutely love talking to our youths and answering their questions and giving advice on what they can do help our planet and spread compassion.

Jenna Hogg is most notably the co-founder of Free Spirit Equestrian Center & Rescue. A not-for-profit organization dedicated not just to the rescue of horses in need, but also to helping humans who could benefit from the therapy by these incredible animals

HEROES Spotlight: Jenna Hogg | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Jenna Hogg

*Sarah Uhl is an artist and activist from Carbondale, Colorado. If there were the perfect example of art as environmental activism, it would be Sarah's work. She has dedicated her efforts to creating art that promotes the protection of our public lands, clean water, and fighting against climate change. She's a free spirit and self-proclaimed joy evangelist. We absolutely fell in love with her work when we first saw it and got a chance to catch up with Sarah to talk about her story, her inspiration, and her dedication to conservation. *

__Where were you born and raised?__

I was born in Allentown, PA and grew up in the Appalachian woods up and down the east coast. My parents were avid rock climbers and cave explorers so we spent most of our time outside in nature.

__When did you realize that creating art was more than just a hobby?__

I have always been an artist but it wasn’t until I turned 30 that I actually gave it enough attention (and value) to pursue it as a storytelling mechanism. My sense of curiosity for the world needed a new outlet and pursuing professional life as a creative allowed me to chase that further.

![sarah painting in aspen forest](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/hufwG0cECIe88KUYwCUyS/2a40063fb80f4fe4651969ecec4b4f1c/sit_in_aspen_trees_1024x1024.jpg)

<small>*Photo by: [Andrew Chad](https://www.andrewchadmedia.com/)*</small>

__Where do you pull inspiration from?__

My inspiration is most certainly born in the mountains. I love the alpine and feel most alive when I am high up in the hills. I moved to a mountain town in 2012 because I wanted to be able to look out my door and see a mountain on my horizon every morning. I kept saying that I wanted to be able to “have breakfast” with Mount Sopris every morning because I knew that would set me up to thrive.

![Painting in Skinner Castle Valley](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/37v4yxlgI8EoeqKS04MOaO/d68cba41dd424fe596de3424ff5bdd29/Skinner_Castle-Valley-2048px_1024x1024.jpg)

__What are the kinds of emotions you look to evoke when your work is complete?__

Creating artwork is a form of chasing the truth for me. I hope to convey my own experience combined with the experience I perceive from the land. When I paint a mountain I am not only painting what I see but also what I feel. I feel as though my work is a visual recording of the conversations I have with the landscape. Sometimes the land is jumping for joy, pleased to share her beauty and wonder with us. Sometimes she is weeping, begging us to know her more so we may find ways to live more harmoniously together. My goal as an artist is to provoke all of this in hopes that the work serves as an invitation to others to create their own relationship with the land and whatever the land has to say to them.

![Hell Roaring painting from sleeping bag](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/do1vlwejoOkkE6caiW8wY/7a4933e7f6b587a4456d226b949b893f/Hell_Roaring_painting_from_sleeping_bag_-_1_1024x1024.jpg)

![painting the tetons](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/Zhm6xHp0C4QGUMkQy0Iui/edd6d3337e0a5a844be4095500711c28/painting_the_tetons_2_-_1_1024x1024.jpg)

__Your work seems to reflect the world around you. What is your personal connection to nature and the environment?__

I believe in magic and I think the best place to find and experience magic is in the natural world. She is full of wisdom and beauty. I go into nature to seek a sense of connection, guidance and reassurance that we are all one… that we all coexist in the same cycles, the same woes, the same joys. I also go into nature to feel a sense of constant growth.  We only know so much and if you keep seeking growth you will discover an endless world of opportunity to expand in all dimensions.

![buy art support water](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5CIGXQLTyw2euQmSOo0QUO/f24a6f46203e6963f9917504a17bf669/buy_art_support_water_1024x1024.jpg)

![Running with joy at Hell Roaring Ridge](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/a8MKAsfpPqMu02Oeu8S8u/5ef6e7dfe2c88a1086057267439f0c18/Hell_Roaring_Ridge_Joy_1024x1024.jpg)

__What about the world inspires you?__

People practicing kindness inspires me. People being vulnerable inspires me. People seeking growth and personal expansion throughout their inspire me. The magic kingdom of the natural world is also a constant source of awe and wonderment that seems to dish up unlimited refills of inspiration. Getting to know myself and my own edges inspires me to keep digging in, asking hard questions and going to places I’ve never been before. We are such resilient beings and I feel fortunate to be surrounded by so many incredible folks living beautiful lives and making a difference in the world. It makes me want to do the same and never fall to complacency. 

![Painting Kula Mural](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/110a4AmMIAUOYYcMO2CKOy/eafa0bafbe021e23fe02fd2851e22c9f/Kula_Mural_-_1_1024x1024.jpg)

__Is there a specific environmental issue that you personally feel passionate towards?__

Yes. Like many of us, I believe in the protection of our public lands. Time spent in the beautiful wild places is our reservoir of hope and connection; it is the keystone to caring about our planet and paying attention to how our actions impact the world as a whole. If you do not have access and exposure to a beautiful wild river, it’s hard to care about clean water or water conservation. If you have never seen the remnants of those who have come before us, it is hard to think that anyone will come after us. Access to our heritage and the wild world that sustains us is paramount to protecting it.

![bears ears back painting](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5xI1IifHziUGWa0CMccs0q/31f98c62cfc35e09a6dc59c62f29d359/bears_ears_back_painting_-_1_1024x1024.jpg)

![Long Live Bears Ears painting](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2KiHyJMkgwUa2GuoEW4Gsm/1dd81458eef828f7158f1ff5fbe83de7/Long_Live_Bears_Ears_1024x1024.jpg)

__Has there ever been a time in your career where you felt extremely passionate about using your work for cause?__

Right now, Right now, Right now. I actually always have wanted my “work” to relate directly to causes I’ve cared about but I didn’t have as direct of an equation to pull this off as I do now. I have always wanted to be an advocate for the land, and for sustainable practices, but I couldn’t quite figure out how to apply myself in other ways that made me feel like I was really moving the needle. Creating art that can be used to bring attention and connection back to the land is a very satisfying equation. My success as an artist is directly related to my ability to draw more people into these challenges that need all hearts and all hands on board. I am extremely motivated and that motivation stems directly from my deep love of the land and my desire to carry her voice through my works.

![protect our public lands](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/6q4lUKc2xGK8yMusKcM0eO/e1abdb5b43a3fc1553cf9cf9bdec0cf6/protect_public_lands.jpeg)

![riding bike in aspen trees](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/35PxGVFFCoG08sKqkwGyIg/ac926a89aa53ee98122d98db273097ea/riding_bike_in_aspen_trees.jpg)

<small>*Photo by: [Andrew Chad](https://www.andrewchadmedia.com/)*</small>

__Art seems to be a universal truth. A final product left to interpretation by the audience, but ultimately, focused on the artist's ability to tell the story. What is it about art that allows you to be so expressive, but also focused?__

Great question! I think it just stems out of my own love of the land. My work is a transcription of an incredibly authentic and gushing wellspring of love for the land. I feel more like an advocate for the land than an artist. Art is just the mechanism I’ve chosen to convey something so wildly important and compelling to me. I hope that everyone can find their way into knowing what makes them come most alive so they too can serve the world through amplifying their own truth… their own undeniable question about why we are here and what makes us tick.

![Sarah wings painting](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4dCuhDsfEIgI8agawWkAU2/44f55b169537270efe464b29a9ebfc9c/Sarah_Wings_WEB_1024x1024.jpg)

![sarah painting in the mountains](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/17VM5CC8gIS8iKsCegI6YS/99de05af6f9d99d49ee727cb5bda72b9/IMG_1173_1024x1024.jpeg)

*If you love Sarah's work and want to see more check out her website at [sarahuhl.com](http://sarahuhl.com/) or instagram [@sarahvirginiauhl](https://www.instagram.com/sarahvirginiauhl/).*

Sarah Uhl is an artist and activist from Carbondale, Colorado. A perfect example of art as environmental activism. She has dedicated her efforts to creating art for the protection of our public lands, clean water, and fighting against climate change.

HEROES Spotlight: Sarah Uhl | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Sarah Uhl

*Lizzy Asher is a sponsored rock climber as well as a climate scientist, a potent combination. She received her PhD in Oceanography in 2015 from the University of British Colombia and her accomplishments in science run as deep as those in climbing. Lizzy offers a unique perspective as someone that understands both the science behind the changes our planet is undergoing as well as the joy one experiences from a life spent playing in the mountains.* 

__Where were you born and raised? How did your environment growing up introduce you to your current hobbies and career interests?__

I was born in Austin, Texas, but grew up partially in Toulouse, France. I spent a lot of time tagging along with my older sister, Alexis and her friends (still true!). My dad first introduced us to hiking, backcountry skiing and climbing at a young age. My love of the outdoors really fueled my passion first for environmental science in college and atmospheric science and climate science thereafter.

![Climbing Democracia (8b/13d) in Terradets, Spain Nov. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1X72ugucg8egACQ2W0M2Cy/7ce8fdae674eb799fa8794ce12fc0ae1/IMG_3707.JPG?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Climbing Democracia (8b/13d) in Terradets, Spain Nov. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear*</small>

__As a climber, what have been some of the greatest challenges you have experienced both on and off the wall?__

The greatest challenge that I’ve faced is having to set a dream aside, whether it’s injury related, a climbing project I’m simply not physically or mentally strong enough to climb yet, or a job or an academic opportunity that slipped through my fingers. Thankfully, or perhaps as a result, I’m rather tenacious.

__How did you end up focused in climatology and transcontinental pollution for a career?__

I care deeply about the environment and about the human experience of our natural world. In my opinion, air quality and climate change are the two greatest problems threatening that experience today.

![Atom-3 (last deployment) group photo. Oct. 2017](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3KguoT2PG0IsiYIAAQ2KOo/f05d3b78e72921f9c7666137989176cd/2017.10.27_End_of_ATom-3_Group_Photo_in_Palmdale.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Atom-3 (last deployment) group photo. Oct. 2017*</small>

__Most people are aware of environmental problems, some are aware of solutions, but few are likely to be as intimate with the data as you are. What are five startling statistics with respect to climate change and marine pollution?__

1. The surface ocean has warmed at least 1 degree Celsius since 1970. Due to thermal expansion, this (even without glacial melt) leads to an increase in sea-level (something not many people consider).
2. Overall, sea-level has risen by 0.2 m since 1900.
3. Less than ½ of the anthropogenic CO2 remains in the atmosphere, leading to observed rising CO2 concentrations (~¼ is absorbed by the ocean and ~¼ is absorbed by plants)!
4. Yet CO2 concentrations continue to rise at record rates (3 ppm yr-1).  
5. A 0.1 change in pH (a log-scale) is equivalent to a ~30% increase in Hydrogen ions, which drastically changes environmental conditions for marine biota (i.e. corals and phytoplankton with calcium shells). Just think if someone reduced the available oxygen by 30% (it’s a little bit like climbing a really big mountain for which most people require supplemental oxygen). 

![Skiing in Silverton, CO Jan. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/52Zn9CRRGE0SYMSga2Y8O8/fc0680a6a6fd5e90fdd79a8ee33f6929/lizzy_ski_silv.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Skiing in Silverton, CO Jan. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear*</small>

__With respect to the climate, what is one major threat that nobody is talking about?__

The Southern Ocean (and remote atmosphere in the southern hemisphere) are relatively well insulated from the rest of the globe due to strong circumpolar winds and currents. As a result, the majority of Antarctica, is warming at a much slower rate on average than the Arctic or West Antarctic Peninsula, and remains less polluted as well. Whereas melting the West Antarctic Peninsula and West Antarctic Ice sheet would cause a sea-level increase of ~0.25 m and ~3 m respectively, melting of East Antarctica’s glaciers are estimated to cause a 60 m rise in sea level (time to redraw the world maps)!

__Through your education and now your career, what are some of the greatest successes you have seen focused on a cleaner tomorrow?__

I am impressed with the environmental legislation that has improved regional air quality by reducing industrial emissions of various pollutants, particularly in the US thanks to the EPA.

![Group photo after teaching a women's climbing clinic in Bishop Feb. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/48kWpt2Bdeeo8AeaQE26W0/3b50094a6ad9646efa7541df298a852d/IMG_0753.JPG?w=1200&q=80)

<small>*Group photo after teaching a women's climbing clinic in Bishop Feb. 2016 | Photo by: Ben Shear*</small>

__What is your formula for a sustainable tomorrow? What are some simple ways that everyone could potentially implement this into their daily lives?__

- Try to go on vacation (or work trips) less often but stay longer when you do!
- Have an apartment or small house (as opposed to very large one because it takes much less energy to heat or cool it)
- Consider having a small nuclear family (unfortunately, a rapidly growing population only exacerbates problems related to anthropogenic emissions of CO2 and pollution)
- Commute less, or carpool, or drive an electric car (or hybrid) or motorcycle...
- If you eat meat, eat smaller animals (i.e. chicken vs. beef)
- Try to buy locally made stuff...also buy fewer, nicer things

__What is your next adventure, assignment, expedition and why there?__

I’m currently participating in the Atmospheric Tomography Mission, which circumnavigates the globe on a NASA aircraft and aims to map out the layers of the remote atmosphere in different seasons. Our next field campaign is this spring.

Where can people find you or get in touch?

I’m an postdoc at NCAR.  Send me an email at [easher@ucar.edu](mailto:easher@ucar.edu).

Instagram: [@lizzyasher](https://www.instagram.com/lizzyasher/)

*Header photo by: Ben Shear*

Lizzy Asher is a sponsored rock climber as well as a climate scientist, a potent combination. She received her PhD in Oceanography in 2015 from the University of British Colombia and her accomplishments in science run as deep as those in climbing.

HEROES Spotlight: Lizzy Asher | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Lizzy Asher

*Sara Jagielski is the founder of [Joy Is My Armor](https://www.joyismyarmor.com/), an Ashtanga Yoga studio in Hoboken, New Jersey. Not only does the studio bring the practice of Ashtanga Yoga to her local community, but it also serves as a platform for Sara to raise funds for charities. Right now that charity is the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/), which rescues and rehabilitates birds on the Upper West Side of New York City. By donating its profits to these missions Sara's studio is able to both enrich the local yoga community as well as the work of important charities like the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/). Currently Joy Is My Armor has a [campaign on Indiegogo](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/joy-is-my-armor-ashtanga-yoga#/) so they can continue their mission.* 

__Where were you born and raised? Tell us a bit about your childhood and how it influenced your passions today.__

I was born in Roger's Park, Chicago and spent most of my childhood on a farm outside the city in a small town called Hebron. My dad commuted an hour and a half each way to his job in Chicago, which seems very far, but I think he liked the idea of raising us in a rural setting.

We owned Morgan horses, and showed them saddleseat, which is a type of English-style pleasure riding. We bred and raised a lot of other animals too, including doves, quail, pigeons, ducks, pheasants and chickens.

My childhood was pretty eccentric. My sister and I had a lot of freedom to do whatever we wanted. We'd take a horse out on our own for a long ride through the countryside, go ice skating in the winter on a frozen floodplain in the pasture, and play on the rooftop of the barn (talk about dangerous!). One year, we even built a winter chicken coop near a window in our basement because we thought it was too cold for the birds to be outside. Winter mornings meant waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing in the basement. We also had a lot of chores too, mostly involving taking care of animals, but as long as we did those my parents didn't seem to mind what we did.

Growing up this way left a lasting impression that the world was filled with promise, and I could do anything I set my mind to. It also gave me a boundless imagination and taught me how to be alone with my thoughts. To this day, though I appreciate the company of other people, I prefer getting lost in my head and don't really get lonely.

![sara and sister as children](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2TQvmwy7J6KY0uwkAGYOQe/e6b35d975eee7292b0e5ebc887d1ed4c/Little_Sara_and_Sister.JPG)

__Tell us a bit about your journey, when did you first get into yoga? How did you get into teaching?__

When we were kids, my dad taught me and my sister Hatha Yoga and a type of mediation called Yoga  Nidra. Eventually, they bought us a book with illustrations so that we could practice. I remember really liking kurmasana, turtle pose, though I don’t like it so much today!

I stopped practicing when I became a teenager and instead did amateur long distance bicycling. I was a very meditative sport, a bit like running, where you can lose yourself in the repetitive movement.

I got back into yoga after college. My first real job was at an ad agency in Chicago, and they had a gym for employees. I'd walk across the street and practice vinyasa yoga. I remember that I felt so good afterwards, I couldn't believe I'd ever stopped. Then, a couple years later I moved to New York City and made it my mission to try different styles of yoga. I think I tried them all -- Bikram, Iyengar, Anusara, Jivamukti and even Tantric. Then one day in 2001, I walked into an Ashtanga yoga class. It was the toughest class I ever took, and it seemed to go on forever. The teacher was unrelenting -- posture after posture, transition and non-stop movement with interlinked breath. I thought it was the craziest yoga I'd ever experienced. So, of course, I made it my mission to master it. Now I realize how absurd that was. I’ve been practicing Ashtanga since then and still have not bested it, nor will I ever.

I decided to teach Ashtanga because there is no shala where I live in Hoboken, NJ. The classes in Hoboken are mostly vinyasa and hot power yoga. I think that's fine for many people, but Ashtanga can deepen your practice and be personally transformational. I am stronger, kinder, better person because of Ashtanga. My mind is clear and my body is strong. I wanted to share this with my community, so I opened up my own Ashtanga studio in September called Joy Is My Armor.

![Sara in Karandavasana (duck pose)](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/DYafgqv2hME6ASgUiwOQa/dd3f85433eb88cfd9e48ee5d4eaa3637/Sara_in_Karandavasana__duck_pose_.JPG?w=1200&q=80)

__How does Ashtanga differ from the other disciplines in Yoga? What drew you to Ashtanga over Hatha and Nidra that your father taught you?__

The major difference is the way that it's taught, which is as a set sequence of postures in the same order with the breath linked to each movement. Students practice the Primary Series, or part of it, three to six times per week, 30 to 90 minutes each time. If and when those postures are mastered, the student moves to a second and third series of postures, called Intermediate and Advanced A. There are more series beyond this, but the level of difficulty is so great that most humans never attain them. I practice up to part of the third, but do so with laughter because it's crazy hard.

Secondly, Ashtanga is taught as a self-practice supervised by a teacher in a group setting where students memorize the order of the postures. This is called Mysore-style. You can think of it as a "open gym" where everyone has a different start time and is working on different postures. It can seem a bit intimidating at first as a new student, until you realize that you're practicing at your own pace, building stamina and focus gradually with a community of like-minded people supporting you. Once a week the student will attend a "led" class where the teacher calls out the poses like any other yoga class. This ensures that you're not cheating the breath count and following the order properly.

![Helping Students into Headstand](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/7BNzQiV0iWmY4ME0Kk8aWU/1800f0aee7baeda0e60bff1ab59f62ea/Helping_Students_into_Headstand.JPG?w=1200&q=80)

I started out enjoying the physical challenge, but ended up liking how grounded it made me feel. Because I had memorized the postures, I could unroll my mat anywhere at any time and practice. When I travel, the first thing I do is the primary series. I've done this in a tiny hotel room in Amsterdam, a river boat cruise in Germany, a sailboat in the Caribbean, by pools, in backyards and in other people's living rooms. It wipes away all of my anxiety and stress.

I still practice Yoga Nidra because I enjoy the meditative aspect, but I don't follow Hatha at all anymore. I prefer the rigor of Ashtanga.

![Students in downward dog pose](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/dvWGIPLxXqq2IoqCUIGGC/188bf1291194e73fe6800ba381869155/Joy_Ashtanga_Downward_Dog.jpg)

__Mindfulness is a cornerstone of yoga. You live and work between New Jersey and New York City, which are extremely chaotic places. How do you practice mindfulness amidst all of the chaos? Do you find you need to take a step back sometimes and if so what is your method of doing so?__

I love living in the New York City area. I am an introvert, so the chaos draws me out. If I lived in a quieter place I would not have a healthy lifestyle and probably would become fearful of the world. So for me, finding a balance here is easy. When I need to unwind I practice or teach Ashtanga, write or relax at home. Meditation is also very helpful to clear the mind.

__So we’ve heard you actually wanted to be an Ornithologist once upon a time. Where did your love of birds come from? Do you own birds today?__

As a kid, I was in charge of taking care of all the birds. So being an Ornithologist seemed a natural career goal. I liked the idea of living in a cabin in nature, studying birds. They’re fascinating creatures, diverse and quirky, a vestige of dinosaurs. It’s beautiful to think, from an evolutionary perspective, they crawled out of primordial sludge, grew colorful feathers, became winged and now fly above us.

Today I only own one bird. He's an eight-year-old bright red Fire Finch named Sanjay. I don’t think I’ll own domesticated birds again for awhile though. I’m focusing more on caring for those in the wild.

![Sara in Snow Ardha Baddha](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2T32COdZS8gg0W6CkOiEIg/26138165b35b49e53cc16d4ce04ef1db/Sara_in_Snow_Ardha_Baddha.JPG?w=1200&q=80)

__Tell us a bit about your work with the Wild Bird Fund. What do they do? How are you working to help them?__

The [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/) rehabilitates sick, injured or orphaned wildlife and releases them back to the wilds of New York City. They also educate New Yorkers on how to help wild birds thrive. They’re a 501(c)3 charity with a facility located on the Upper West Side.

Each year, they rehabilitate over 5,000 of New York City’s birds. This includes medical diagnosis, surgery, medication, bandaging, splinting, physical therapy, feeding and sheltering. All native and migratory birds are treated, from common sparrows to swans and owls. Their work is accomplished through private donations and volunteers.

I’m raising funds to help the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/) through my yoga studio, which I created to serve my students as well as the community at large. I’m not out to make a profit off of Ashtanga yoga. To me, that’s the antithesis of the practice. I just want to get the studio to pay for itself and donate whatever is left over. [The Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/) is enthusiastic to work with Joy Is My Armor.

![Sara in Snow Padmasana](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/8gkxwYkxeECMU44wgsgAA/f2845b82867c493a334a804de7e5723a/Sara_in_Snow_Padmasana_.jpg?w=1200&q=80)

__What are some of the more surprising birds that have come in to be rescued?__

There are a lot of birds that live in and pass by New York City during migration, so it’s naturally a diverse group.

[The Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/) assisted a Yellow-billed Cuckoo who collided with a building in Brooklyn, then was attacked by a cat and lost its tail. It needed antibiotics to save its life.

![Yellow Billed Cuckoo WBF](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3HtFiIkVcIEi6yMuIW8qkk/c17dccbf7911f0dc5970b451d7534b11/Yellow_Billed_Cuckoo_WBF.jpg)

<small>*Yellow-billed Cuckoo at the Wild Bird Fund © Antonio Sanchez*</small>

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was rescued lying helpless in Harlem. He needed 2 weeks of rehabilitation before being released back into the wild to continue his migration to Central America.

There was also a Great Blue Heron who had fishing line wrapped around his legs and feet with deep cuts. Fortunately, he was rescued by the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/), treated, then transferred to another wildlife facility on Long Island where he could recuperate in an outdoor cage. He made friends with another bird named Jackson while he was staying on the Upper West Side. I think Jackson is a funny name for a bird.

![Jackson The Bird](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4ueGpcrOCQSW2ImguSCQcG/b5f3fe1dbb5fda30ac0e467163d41667/Jackson_The_Bird.jpg)

<small>*Jackson the bird.*</small>

__We were surprised to hear that there is a bird rescue here on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Are any of the injuries to birds common and/or due to human causes? What can the average person living in cities do to be mindful of this and help prevent it?__

90% of animals brought to the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/) are there because they were injured directly or indirectly by human activity. This includes being struck by vehicles, hitting skyscraper windows and falling pray to cat and dog attacks, as well as litter and pollution. 

A lot of garbage that causes injuries to birds, including everyday household items, like ribbon and string, plastic rings from 6-packs of soda and milk jugs. Cut these items into small pieces before throwing them away. 

Birds also get tangled in refuse along coast lines, including the Hudson and East Rivers. When walking along our city’s rivers and lakes, keep a bag with you and pick up any garbage that you think animals might get tangled in. Plus, picking up garbage will help beautify our city.

Of course, if you see a bird in need, call the [Wild Bird Fund](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/). You can also place it in a paper bag and take it to the center. A paper bag makes a good bird ambulance because the bird can't strike the side in fear and injure itself further, as it can in a cage.  If you do use a cage, put a towel over it so that the bird can’t see out. This will help it stay calm.

![Sara in Supta Padangusthasana](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/1xwAD5jzSggmGk6UOIGUwi/b8417e962255ac999979aa42f4778731/Sara_Supta_Padangusthasana_.JPG)

__What environmental issues are you most passionate about and what do you do everyday to try to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle?__

I am really alarmed by the use of disposable plastic bags. I see people take them for one-time use and then throw them away. Where do they go? Gutters, oceans and landfills. I hope one day soon that we'll have to pay for plastic bags to encourage people to bring their own, as in many parts of Europe. I carry my own bags with me.

Also, let's talk about cars. One of the reasons I like living in New York City is because we have access to public transportation, can walk or bicycle. It's environmentally friendly to avoid driving when possible. My husband and I own one car, but we only drive once or twice a month and would rather bicycle or walk. I also pool rides when I can. Pick up a friend or co-work and drive together. It’s much more fun!

__Where can people find you, follow you, get in touch?__

Website: [www.joyismyarmor.com](https://www.joyismyarmor.com/)<br/>
Fundraising: [https://igg.me/at/joyismyarmor](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/joy-is-my-armor-ashtanga-yoga)<br/>
IG: [@joyismyarmorhoboken](https://www.instagram.com/joyismyarmorhoboken/)<br/>
FB: [Faceook.com/joyismyarmor](https://www.facebook.com/joyismyarmor)<br/>
If you want to donate directly to the Wild Bird Fund: [www.wildbirdfund.org](https://www.wildbirdfund.org/)

Sara Jagielski is the founder of, an Ashtanga Yoga studio in Hoboken, New Jersey. Not only does the studio bring the practice of Ashtanga Yoga to her local community, but it also serves as a platform for Sara to raise funds for charities.

HEROES Spotlight: Sara Jagielski | Cause of a Kind

HEROES Spotlight: Sara Jagielski

*Tommy Caldwell is a professional rock climber and personal inspiration to us here at Cause of a Kind. We grew up watching his incredible ascents around the world in every discipline of climbing. He is one of the world's greatest all-around rock climbers with ascents like Flex Luthor (5.15a), the first free ascent of [Dawn Wall](http://www.tommycaldwell.com/dawn-wall-yosemite-climbing-pictures) on El Capitan, and the first ascent of the [Fitz Traverse](http://www.tommycaldwell.com/patigonia-fitz-traverse-artical) in Patagonia. For those that want to hear even more we encourage you to check out his memoir, [The Push](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRNJOBF?tag=randohouseinc37971-20), released in 2017.*

__You have had a seriously significant rock climbing career. Tell us a bit about your origin story. How did Tommy Caldwell find rock climbing and why did it become your life's work?__

My dad was a mountain guide and had me out climbing from age three. I never aspired to make it my life's work. I just did what I knew and what inspired me. In my early 20’s I started to understand what a privileged life I lived. I traveled the world and went on progressively bigger trips. I did a lot of sport climbing and bouldering. I became increasingly obsessed and at some point I realized I could actually make money climbing. It has always felt like a bit of a dream to live my life doing what I do.  

![tommy making a long reach on el cap](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3yyU8QhKaceUqmOWyGqusE/10cc8188bb505134c1eac590feb6b762/tommy_tight_reach.jpg)

__You’ve been kidnapped in Kyrgyzstan, cut off part of your index finger, freed Yosemite’s most difficult big walls, sport climbed 5.15a, completed the Fitz Traverse — the list goes on. Throughout your career we’ve seen you through incredible difficulties, setbacks, and triumphs. It seems that burnout is not something that happens to you. How do you maintain motivation and continue to set your goals higher and higher despite both failures and the exhaustion that comes with success?__

One thing that has kept me  immune from burnout is that I have been able to embrace the ebb and flow. Setbacks and and hardships are great perspective builders. They humble me in a way that makes me feel lucky for all the good times. Progression is the most addicting thing in the world for me and continued progression would not be possible without the occasional reset.

__Maintaining a position as a top athlete in the world for so long and being in such a visible position comes with a lot of pressure and expectation. How do you balance your career, your family, and your passion?__

The balance is probably the crux of my life these days. I rarely feel like I have it quite right. With my family I have been forced to up my productivity. Constantly ask myself what is really important to me focus on that. I am also quite lucky that my family loves the climbing life. So road tripping to climbing aras and traveling fulfills both climbing and family expectation. I have definitely had to sacrifice sleep in the past few years.  

![tommy working corner el cap](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3tBPFE5grSSCQs6iSYummO/5af8d2751a2a98e3d7303d2daedf2013/tommy_working_corner_el_cap.jpg)

![200711050926cr](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/5jqmUYYfc1oo8HSmC0gcQB/323932136c8e476fc067830ad24effaa/200711050926cr.jpg)

![201204085379cr](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/dXk8Zvz8UZoBE9RrJaU81/cb046f51dab63bd5b3485099a00bc1b7/201204085379cr.jpg)

__How do you come to set new climbing goals? Are there any goals that have eluded you? Do these goals ever seems impossible when you start? And if so, how do you get past that doubt?__

I feel like I spend the majority of my life failing to reach goals. But I am really persistent and in climbing you can just keep coming back to something until you finally manage to do it. I have come to a point where I love process and the lifestyle of pursuit more than the achieving of goals. That helps with the doubt because in a way it doesn’t really matter if I succeed in the end.    

![1009685](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/gZVzz5ybbXOLaIkL5IrMl/a548a3d346579472e4f1922a6aceed44/1009685.jpg)

__In general, what is the scariest or most profound experience you have ever had, personally or professionally?__

My experience in Kyrgyzstan in 2000 was the most impactful of my life. It reset how I view the world. Most days since I have felt incredibly lucky to be here and alive.

![tommy under roof el cap](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/7f2hexaOA0Wue2K00IE4Gy/50f0be9b6b90348b8fcdb0b4a342d766/tommy_under_roof_el_cap.jpg)

![200807313055cr](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/3g1lvWsCsxLz7uTpynPJcj/2b70c6c793b4530fef206751a86a1296/200807313055cr.jpg)

![16 201004261669cr](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/12pCFicB5rriJsDauDL37Q/df37ea22c6c6af10f2d14be519085544/16_201004261669cr.jpg)

__What has been the biggest surprise and challenge of fatherhood?__

All the cliches of fatherhood become absolutely true once you have kids. I live my life both overwhelmed and absolutely in love. I have been somewhat surprised by how much introspection fatherhood has created. I feel a need to constantly analyze how I live so that I can both support and be a good example for my kids.

![1009704](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/CdPjC9ouTGtTfOES1OB5Q/cb2d599e4d9680bc7922116a24af7b56/1009704.jpg)

__What advice would you give to your child as they set out to achieve their own life goals — whether that be in climbing or whatever their passions end up being?__

Maintain a humble heart but an ambitious mind. Focus on the way you live more than on how you are seen by others.  

![tommy corner el cap](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/39MT8VI7Zuu0C6Q6MWg6au/22dbe94a0bda449a8839041a0ba6a44f/tommy_corner_el_cap.jpg)

![tommy night climbing](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/4xDKUSD3m8oYSUsaUoYQKU/e984f4a6dde79546734a594f3baa965d/tommy_night_climbing.jpg)

__You have been literally all over the world for your career and to climb. You must have seen first hand, the darkest of environmental crisis. Can you tell us a bit about some experiences you have had that made you feel upset or concerned for nature's well being?__

The most obvious symptom of environmental change I have seen is in the receding glaciers. The big mountains are melting out and falling apart at an astonishing rate. Bug infestations are wiping out forests all over North America. Forest fires and floods are bigger and more devastating than ever.  It hard to pin down the darkest. If your eyes are open you see it everywhere. Travel makes you understand that it is a worldwide issue.

![1007569](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/6QmzZAV1L9OTRIKYRoCdnd/03a09c76ad638500a4a00dd46882b5c1/1007569.jpg)

__If you could send a message to every young person in the world today regarding the environment and the great outdoors, what would it be?__

In the words of my beloved lost friend Hayden Kennedy, “Respect.”

![tommy big stretch high up in yosemite](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/2mpw4N89O0wuKymq800i2S/37d4f838451625d3be359a4bd31571af/tommy_big_stretch.jpg)

![tommy dawn wall](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/3YTlo6D0PY4qyw6Amg0UkG/0218e36897ae33de20520b3e6e4f8616/tommy_dawn_wall.jpg)

__What is your next great adventure or goal?__

After the Dawn Wall I wondered if I would be done with Yosemite for a while. But I realized that the Family/ climbing/ work balance is best when I am there. So last fall I found a new big El cap project. I am also planning on renting out my house and hitting the road for a full year with my family starting this summer. That will certainly be an adventure.

![tommy ascending ropes against the sun](//images.ctfassets.net/o3vn3w2yy4rp/5QJiCbfJXa8eU8U8s8YamO/a0074e85b88f57cfb8b5944ee22285bc/tommy_ascending.jpg)

![16 201004261669cr](//images.ctfassets.net/m33y9bdtd8t2/6VKR6HVwds6TPgCHE79KV9/adbd292eef5276bbf8c62c45d278365b/16_201004261669cr.jpg)

*All photography credited to [Corey Rich Productions](https://www.coreyrich.com/index).*

Tommy Caldwell is a professional rock climber and personal inspiration to us here at Cause of a Kind. We grew up watching his incredible ascents around the world in every discipline of climbing.

Take Back Tomorrow