From Lab Coats to Lenses – How Ope Outdoors Turned Creativity and Community into a Movement in STL

On this episode of the STL Bucket List Show, we sit down with the creator behind Ope Outdoors to talk about his journey to building a creative brand in St. Louis.

He shares how studying chemistry led to a career he didn’t love, and how picking up a camera changed everything. What started as a creative outlet turned into photography, video work, and eventually Ope Outdoors, a brand inspired by the Midwest and the outdoors.

We talk about building a business from scratch, finding a unique visual style, and learning through trial and error. He also opens up about pitching his brand to retailers, facing rejection, and staying consistent.

The conversation highlights how Ope Outdoors has grown beyond apparel into a community-focused brand, hosting cleanups and bringing people together across St. Louis.

From creative risk to real impact, this episode is full of insight for anyone building something of their own.

They discuss:

 - Transitioning from a chemistry career to creativity
 - Starting and growing Ope Outdoors
 - Photography, video, and creative style
 - Turning content into a business
 - Learning from rejection and taking risks
 - Building community through outdoor events

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Transcript

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Intro: Welcome Back to STL Bucket List Show

SPEAKER_03 0:00

So you walked in and you got rejected at all?

SPEAKER_02 0:02

Okay. Yeah, all six of them, yeah. Imagine like months of just prepping hype and like, all right, I'm here first one. I just drove seven seven hours for this. Yeah, totally unenthusiastic, hard no.

SPEAKER_01 0:17

If you wanna hear about St. Louis, tune into the bucket list show weekly. Hear what Marissa and Luke say. It drops

Introducing Juno (Ope Outdoors & Creative Work)

SPEAKER_01 0:26

every Wednesday, got a dope new guest every single week. Buckle up for the ride. Who's it gonna be? Who's on the show today? They rap St. Louis. What to do in the loo on a late night? I maybe what to do on a date night. Yeah. Bucket list as you covered, then know what's going on. What's going on? They'll give you 18 different things to do on 19. If you need one more to choose, yeah. This city, city, city is a place we call home. A place we call home. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:55

St. Louis, welcome back to another episode of the STL bucket list show. We've been recording this podcast for over four years. Just got a Facebook memory when we launched in March

Juno’s Background: Zambia to St. Louis

SPEAKER_03 1:04

of 2022. Our first episode with Brock Seals. 200 plus episodes later, we've been putting out shows each and every week, highlighting the people, places, and events that make St. Louis special. Somebody that I've connected with for a long time. We've ran into each other. I've done stuff with you. You've been at markets. I felt like I've seen you like a hundred times.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Yeah, dude. I see you all around St. Louis. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

Um, so we got Juno in the studio. It's hard to introduce you because we were talking before the show, but I know Juno from Ope Outdoors. I know you as a really sick photographer creator. Um, I know you from podcasting, from videos on that you do on Instagram. You've done so many different things. So when you introduce yourself,

Culture Shock Moving to Hillsboro

SPEAKER_03 1:41

what do you say you do?

SPEAKER_02 1:42

You know, it's kind of a hard thing to answer. I usually it depends on who I'm talking to. Yeah. So in this particular sense, yeah, I do I run a business called Ope Outdoors, and I'm a photographer slash creator, is what I go by. That's simple.

SPEAKER_03 1:56

So tell me how you got. Well, actually, let's talk about St. Louis a little bit. For sure. How what is St. Louis home to you? Tell me about the story of St. Louis, kind of where you grew up, what led you to this?

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Sure. So I was I'm African. I was born in Zambia. Uh, we moved here when I was like six, and we lived all around. And then the way it is as an immigrant, you like kind of kind of moved to where people you know people. So we had um family friends that lived on the Illinois side. So I lived on the Illinois side when I was like 10, and then we just moved over to St. Louis, lived in St. Louis up until I was like 13-ish, and then our visas expired. So I moved to Hillsborough, Missouri, where we had another family friend while my parents went back um to Zambia. And then

Early Interests: Soccer, Chemistry & Career Path

SPEAKER_02 2:39

I was looking at places to go to college. So I went back, I came back to St. Louis and went to Slough. And then I've kind of stayed in St. Louis since college.

SPEAKER_03 2:47

What was that moment like when you were so from six to 13? You had seven years. That was basically your whole what you remember was always in the Midwest. Yeah. But then, like, what was that moment like when the visa did expire and you had to move to Hillsboro? Was that a culture shock for you at 13 years old? Because I know Hillsboro. Yeah, you do. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:04

It was it was culture shock. Um, you know, I was like the only black dude there, but like they're nice people. Yeah. And it's weird because it's like Hillsboro

Discovering Creativity & Picking Up a Camera

SPEAKER_02 3:13

is only 45 minutes-ish away from St. Louis. But when you get there, it's like everyone's wearing cowboy boots, cowboy hats, you know, everyone's on a farm kind of so the vibe is definitely different, but honestly, really good people, really nice people, and I really had like a good time there in Hillsboro.

SPEAKER_03 3:29

So during that, like during your teenage years, like you were kind of like discovering, you know, what you wanted to be. Was there something like during that time like that you were passionate about? What you were always creative, or was were you?

SPEAKER_02 3:39

No, not really. I mean, I guess I was, I just didn't really know it. I really loved playing soccer and I liked chemistry, so I went to school for chemistry. So I thought I was just gonna be a scientist or

Developing a Unique Creative Style

SPEAKER_02 3:49

whatever. I wasn't really sure, maybe like chemical engineering. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. But after going to school for chemistry and graduating, I was just kind of like over all of that.

SPEAKER_04 4:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:01

And I've, you know, I just decided I want to do something more fun. So I picked up a camera, started taking pictures. That was really fun to me. And then when it came time, I was working in labs all the time, and it was just kind of like I s I got the creative itch. And it just when you're in a lab is like the most uncreative thing to do. You're like literally just testing to make sure something is what it is. So I decided, you know, I I really wanted to pursue business as well. So I started learning about like, you know, like graphics and whatever. So started the merch thing, and then taking photos, and then I really liked video and then started making videos. So it was just kind of a natural thing for me, I think.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

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Camera Gear Journey (Canon → Blackmagic → Nikon)

SPEAKER_03 5:13

I love your style. So, like, do you have like a reason why that's your style? Or like, because I feel like, and I don't even know what to call it, but like you have this distinct whether it's the camera lens that you shoot with, the white border that you always put around your photos, right? The color, like the over brightness and exposure, like you like bright sun, you know. I mean, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

I I I guess I get a lot of inspiration from old stuff. Yeah, I feel like back then people just took a lot a lot of care in what they made. Yeah. So a lot of that old stuff is like really vibrant and has a lot of character. So that's kind of where my inspiration comes from is like older films, the color grade on those older films. Like, and I I think maybe I'm just a bubbly person, maybe, but I I really like color. So like when when I when I'm looking at this old stuff, I I see it as very colorful too. There's a lot of texture and color, and they're not afraid to be bold with like graphics and all these different things. And I feel like our society nowadays is way more bland and a lot more like almost calculated in their art or presentation. So I like throwing it back to that kind of stuff just because it's a little bit older, a little bit like funky, groovy kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

Yeah, and then that really kind of leads into you know

Vintage Lenses & Creative Process

SPEAKER_03 6:24

really what you're doing now. So what what's your daily shooter? What was your first camera?

SPEAKER_02 6:28

Oh, my first camera was a uh Canon T I 6 Ti, or I forget what it is, T6i. Yeah. Uh and then I moved over to um can or I moved over to the mirrorless, so I started shooting on a Can R6. Yeah. And then I ran that for a while, and then I started getting into like filmmaking and um video. So then I bought a black magic, okay, which are I love the black magic, the color great, like the color science, everything is great. And they're affordable, so it was a little bit cheaper. So that was my first film camera, was a black magic, and now um, so Nikon just bought red. I don't know if you know about red, they're like a camera brand was like film. So Nikon just bought red, and they just introduced their newest like cinema hybrid camera. So I I bought it. It's the Nikon

Early Inspiration from STL Creators

SPEAKER_02 7:16

ZR. So it's like it shoot and it shoots red codec. So you can, yeah, so you can color grade just like kind of like a red, but it's also like a Nikon camera at the same time. It's pretty sexy. So it's got like the upgraded features that you need and stuff like that. And it's portable. So yeah, I'm like going around town all the time on my bike or whatever. So I have that. I can put it in my pocket, I could put it in my backpack and just whip it out.

SPEAKER_03 7:36

That's what you're doing a lot of your like neighborhood videos with correct camera now.

SPEAKER_02 7:39

It used to be a black magic and it was a pain because the black magic is kind of big and I had a big old lens on it. Yeah, and that was kind of a hassle, but now I just got a little tiny thing.

SPEAKER_03 7:47

And then you kind of like when I first met you, you were using like this really old lens. Is that do you still have that lens?

SPEAKER_02 7:53

I do, yeah. That's funny you remember that. Yeah, um, I still I have a bunch of these old lenses. I was kind of into

Transition Into Entrepreneurship

SPEAKER_02 7:58

I'm still into that, but it's hard to focus like now that I'm doing things a lot quicker, yeah. It's a lot hard, like those old lenses, which are great and amazing, they have like they give character to a lot of the can't like the shoots you're taking. But they're you know, it's all manual focus. So it just they take a lot of time to like get focused right, and some of them are just like finicky. So I'm when you're running and gunning shit like this, it doesn't make sense. Yeah, it's that kind of stuff. I do still use them, but just for like more like personal stuff.

SPEAKER_03 8:26

Yeah. So if we're talking St. Louis, like is there somebody that like was was pivotal in your journey? Like, is there any like people that you look up to in the creative world that kind of helped you get into it, or like somebody you met early in your journey?

SPEAKER_02 8:37

No, I did I just remember or like early Instagram. I don't know if you remember this, it was just like you could see you would see like a whole bunch of photos of like back in like 2018, 2017. Yeah, second try, like all these those be people like you just see their stuff post it up. And then yeah, I'd followed a

Starting Ope Outdoors

SPEAKER_02 8:53

bunch of those accounts, the St. Louis Graham account. Yeah. Um, and it was great. You just see all these creators, and it inspired me really to pick up the camera and just start exploring.

SPEAKER_04 9:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:03

For over 150 years, SSM Health has been providing hope, healing, and opportunities to the St. Louis community with over 40,000 employees across four states. They're not only delivering exceptional care, they're one of the region's largest employers, shaping the future of healthcare. We're proud to present SSM Health as the official healthcare partner of the STL bucket list show. If you've dreamed of a career where you're truly making a difference every day, SSM Health can help you take that to the next step. Learn more at their website in the link in the show notes. So, like that, and that that's why I think like your stuff is distinctly you. Like when you, if you guys go to his page, um, you know, it's uh, you know, I'll drop that in the comments. But, you know, you have this unique color, this unique, you know, even just your personality, like you are doing things that not a lot of people in St. Louis are doing, and I'm glad that you're starting to get recognition from it.

First $50 & Entrepreneur Mindset Shift

SPEAKER_03 9:51

But how did this lead into entrepreneurship? Because when you first picked up the camera, you were probably still working in your regular job, or probably, you know, so what made you take that leap into starting your own brand with Ope Outdoors, selling your services? Like, you know, what was that like when you got paid the first time to shoot photos? Oh, dude, I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

It's uh as an entrepreneur, I mean, I I guess I've always been an entrepreneur in the sense like I used to sell like candy in school and like mow lawns and all that kind of stuff. And like I said, I went back to science and it's just not the same. I I like the freedom entrepreneurship gives you. So I used to play a lot of soccer um and I hurt my knee. So I started hiking a lot. And at the same time, uh, like a lot of my college friends moved out west, and there were, you know, I went and visited and go went hiking at the national parks and all other cool places. And I noticed that they had like brands there that rec represented those places and that were like kind of cool and like interesting. And at the same time, you know, I was really frustrated at work just

Building a Creative Business & Community

SPEAKER_02 10:50

because work was work and I wasn't feeling creative. I felt like I had no autonomy, no freedom. Right. So at the same time that was happening, I was like, you know what? Maybe I could start like an outdoor brand or something here because I was hiking here in Missouri and we have some pretty cool places, and I didn't see any shirts that represented them, so I was like, you know, maybe I could make something. So that was kind of how open outdoors started. And

Farmers Markets & New Merch Drops

SPEAKER_02 11:11

then at the same time, like with the photography, I was seeing all these people on Instagram. I started shooting myself, and also I needed to take photos of like my merch and like the branding for the op outdoor stuff. So I started doing that, and then at the same time, I was like, I think I could kind of make money shooting photos for other people. So that was kind of a natural thing. I was like, Well, I kind of need money.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

So sometimes I use the money that I make from the photo

Vision for the Next 5 Years

SPEAKER_03 11:34

shoots to get some merch stuff, and it kind of like I remember the first time I ever got paid to do like any work outside of like a regular job, and it was $50. And I made I was making pretty good money at my regular job, but for some reason that $50 changed my life. It hit my life, like it was a freaking cash app, dude, and it was like my cash app said like boom, and it was for I sold a post to somebody on STL bucket list, and I only had like 12,000 followers at that time, but like somebody just paid me 50 bucks, and I literally grabbed the picture, wrote the caption, and in two minutes I made $50. And I was like, dude, this was this is it. Amazing. I was like, this is it. Yeah, and then I just went ham on that. And that's probably when you saw that clip of me when I was like, dude, I want to go all in on this. Yeah. And that was before content creators were like influenced. Like, I I don't even like to use the word influencers because like we're I'm a business owner, like we're creating real business, we're creating real impact. But at the end of the day, we're influencing and we have this following and this community. But how do you turn that community into

Favorite STL Spots (Coffee, Food & Hangouts)

SPEAKER_03 12:28

an actual business that employs people, you know, and creatives? And everybody here gets to work creatively, you know, and that's the dream. Right. You know, and that's why we built this studio, and you know, and that's why I'm glad to have you on because I've we've just ran with each other in all these different circles, and it's like, why haven't we not had this conversation on the podcast? Truly. Um, what are you excited about right now? I mean, obviously spring's coming up. Like, what are some things that you're looking forward to?

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Dude, a farmers market is coming up on Saturday, and it's the best time ever. Um, this is my third season at the market with Ope Outdoors. I'm really excited this time because I'm doing like some St. Louis merch that you've probably seen. So I'm excited for that. And also we're coming up with a um uh spring collection as well. So I don't know, the the energy at the farmers market is just so awesome. So really pumped for that.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

If you close your eyes for, you know, and looked looked ahead five years, what do you what what would a day in the life look like for you? Like what are what are some of those things that you want in your life over the next five years?

SPEAKER_02 13:24

The next five years, you know specifically, I I'd like obviously to be run running my business full time. Um, but I I I don't want to be conventional in that sense. I want to have I still want to ride my bike around and still make these videos. Yeah. So the way I guess the way I see it is if I can break it out my days into like partially Ope outdoors, partially like some filmmaking, photography, and then some form of exercise, you know, that's kind of like the most ideal day for me.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Yeah, if you broke it into three. So, like your ideal day, you know, wake up, do some admin work for OPE, go to the gym, and then shoot some content in the afternoon.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

Right. So creativity, business, and then exercise. That's kind of like my perfect day.

SPEAKER_00 14:09

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SPEAKER_03 14:49

Um, so I want to talk about STL for a little bit. So, you know, obviously you grew up on the Illinois side, you know, spent some time at SLU. STL is your home now. For sure. What are some of those bucket list spots that you love in St. Louis? So when we're looking at a day in the life, like what's that coffee spot that you love? What's that lunch spot that you love? When friends come in town, because you probably got friends that come in town and like what are those spots you're taking them? Because you want to show off your city. Yeah, you know, and I bet you you ride your bike everywhere, so I know you got some spots.

SPEAKER_02 15:14

Dude, so many good spots. Okay, so in the morning, we got two spots that I really like for maybe three. Three spots I really like for uh breakfast, coffee, and just hanging out. Uh Felhad

Favorite Parks & Hiking Spots Near STL

SPEAKER_02 15:26

Fern, I used to live on Russell, and I was there while they were building that spot, and you know, Darcy does an amazing job, great spot. And then down the street, um, damn fine hand pies, also awesome. Great donuts, good vibes. And then coffee stamp over on Jefferson. That's a staple. Love them. Empanadas and Patrick's a homie. The empanadas are crazy, right? It goes so high.

SPEAKER_03 15:48

He's so underrated. I mean, I feel like people know. If you know, you know, but like he needs to get a little bit more recognition. So I'm glad you're 100%. He's like, dude, stuff is on fire there.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Coffee stamp, the goat. Um, lunchtime. I don't know. I like I'm usually asleep during lunchtime, to be honest. Yeah. But uh, ideal spot, Tower Grove Park. Hit up Talegrove Park. Um, I know we have a lot of good sandwich sandwich spots up in the hill, uh, Blue City, Delhi for sure. Um, there's a spot over by where Profield Reserve used to be. I can't remember the name of the sandwich up right next door. Yeah. Elaine's. Elaine's. Eileen's, something like that. Eileen's something like that. Yeah, right next door. Great sandwiches there.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:24

And then Cherokee Street, if you're feeling like tacos, all those spots are El Torino, best taco spot, uh, right next to the uh grocery store. And then if the evening's coming around, um, just down the street,

Building Community Through Cleanups

SPEAKER_02 16:39

Sippy, I like do getting some work done there. Um, TikTok Tavern, I like that spot. Uh Grand Spirits. Or not Grand Spirits anymore, Monstera.

SPEAKER_04 16:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:49

Uh downstairs. You guys used to hell highlight on there.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

I haven't been yet. I've the new speaking. Yeah, yeah. That dude's a gangster too. Like his uh I love Miss Cal and like those types of spirits and agave, and like he's got a Mike's the man.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

Mike's the man, absolutely the man. And the staff there too, Bear Um and Chris, homies. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:07

Uh what else? I like it. Seems like to from what I'm hearing, is you like these unique operators. You tie the operator to the business. Because you've just been shouting out each operator. Yeah, and I feel like you kind of have to or staff that's there.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Right, exactly. Because they make the space. Yeah. They're the ones making the decisions. Like when you have any even walking in here, yeah, there's so many decisions you had to make to make this place the the vibe that it is. Right. And I feel like the operators are kind of like, you know, the architects of the vibe. So for sure. And we have so many of good ones here.

SPEAKER_04 17:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

Like yeah. So um places, other places to hang. Um, I like um for activities. What's good for activities? I guess let's talk, let's shift to parks. Yeah, parks.

SPEAKER_03 17:52

Hey, what's that? What's the STL book? I know it's hard because they're all your babies and you got you got merged, but like what's that trail or what's that hike that like that first hike that made you be like, man, Missouri has, you know, you know, he great entry point always.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

Um, Castlewood. We actually just did a cleanup there this past Sunday, which was awesome. Yeah, but Castlewood is a good entryway because it has everything. You have like a big old hike up to see like the cliff, to see the Merrimack, which is cool. And then you go down the stairs and it's kind of like uh kind of like like a forest-y kind of thing. Um, so Castlewood's great. My favorite park is Hawn State Park, which is over in St. Genevieve. Um, they have these big old pines, it feels like you're in like Washington. It's pretty cool. And then right next to that is my second

Brand Growth Moments (Markets & Retail)

SPEAKER_02 18:38

favorite park, is Pickle Springs, which is only like 20 minutes. You could probably knock both of them out the same uh same day. And Pickle Springs is cool just because it's also you get these giant big old rocks, and then like you have a whole bunch of trees and there's a creek. It's just cool.

SPEAKER_04 18:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:52

So Ope Outdoors, like you guys are way more than just apparel, like you guys do these cleanups. So what made you kind of jump into the cleanups? Is that just something that kind of struck you as like, hey, we can make a little, we can make a big you're actually making a way bigger impact than you probably thought, you know, with these cleanups. And when you first started, I'm sure only a couple people showed up, and now it's it's like two people.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

I started because we started I started first like in 2020. So we had a decent crowd come to the first one, and then the pandemic happened. So then we were doing these like virtual kind of things where it's like clean up in your neighborhood, and then it was like the social distancing rules kind of changed a little bit, and then like two people showed up to a cleanup, and then it was like four people, then five people. This past one we had almost 40 people, which is kind of crazy to say. Wow, yeah. But um the wh why I started them was because as a you know, as a business owner, like at first I think it's all about it's kind of all about you, what like what you want to do, your freedom and all that. And if I I think something happens, or eventually, if you're like searching for meaning or anything, you step outside yourself a little bit. And I think as you're doing right now with your team and all the things highlighting St. Louis, it's not just about Lucas Lucas anymore, it's about you know, the people, the city, the uh all those things. So I kind of I kind of wanted to build a business around around something more meaningful than just myself

Cold Pitching in Ohio (Sales Story)

SPEAKER_02 20:10

or just selling t-shirts. Exactly. And it feels it feels like um the cleanup stuff was just kind of you know, it just made sense to start with something like that.

SPEAKER_03 20:19

Um you're building community too, you're getting to see your customers, you know, because I'm sure a lot of those people started as customers first and now they're cleaning up, or they may not have ever been a customer, they just want to be a part of cleaning up these parks, and regardless, it's it doesn't matter, you know. It's like it's probably fun for you to get together with 40 people and become friends with them. Like I just Ricky from Run Crew was on here last week. He's it's gonna be coming out not this week, but next week. Uh it'll be coming out the week before this episode. So you guys are probably already heard it. But you know, Ricky was talking about, you know, how 200 people showed up to his 314-day run, but the first day, nobody showed up, you know, and it's like it really takes, and a lot of those things is just building and building. And now at the marathon, in the St. Louis marathon, they're gonna have like 200 plus people wearing run crew bibs or bibs, I don't know if that's what you call it, whatever they're called. Yeah, whatever they're called, but it's like he's built something, yeah. You know, and and you're building something with OPE. So was there an aha moment in the journey? Was that like getting it into a retail store, or was that like, was there a certain moment where you're like, dude, this is like really starting to become a brand, not just a side hustle?

SPEAKER_02 21:18

There were two, yeah, two distinct moments. Uh, the first one was the farmer's market, because that was the first time I had really like interacted with the customers. Yeah. Because I do it mostly online, or I did mostly online. So I never really gotten any feedback from anybody. I'd see sales coming in here and there, but you know, there's no

Facing Rejection & Improving Sales Pitch

SPEAKER_02 21:37

real connection there. It's very transactional. Right. And then yeah, the farmer's market. It's like, yeah, I've been following your brand for two years, three years, or whatever. I really love this. And then you hear stories about how I'd go there, I'd go to this park with my dad since I was like five years old, and he hit his dad took him here. And you hear all these different stories, and like it feels more tangible as a business. Yeah. So that was number one. Number two was when I got into REI and towning country. Um, that was just like, oh, that's interesting. Like, yeah, they reached out to me and they they they also followed the brand and they were like really interested in the shirts, and that was kind of validating for me because you know, as I was just selling at the markets, I do most of the stuff just in my house. You know, I'm not like a big old brand or anything like that yet. Yes. But but yeah, that was kind of those were two validating, and now I'm at Brentwood, and you know, it feels like it's doing really well there. They're ordering all the time, and people see the shirts there and always like, yeah, I saw your shirt. They are yeah, I'm like, oh hell yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 22:34

The STL bucket list show is proudly sponsored by Suede Dispensary with 11 Missouri area locations. Suede does so much for the St. Louis community. We've been working with this team for

Lessons Learned from Failure

SPEAKER_03 22:45

a couple years back since Medical was here, and we're excited to support their new product launches, events, and community initiatives. We couldn't be happier to work with this premier cannabis brand, and we're excited for them to sponsor the show. Enjoy the rest of the podcast. So I watched this Instagram story that you did, and I was like following along for the whole time. I've never even told you this, but like it was when you went to Ohio like on some sales shit, and you were like, Let me go sell some stuff. And I've been in that exact moment before where like I was at a reflection point in my business, and I've been like, okay, I need to go sell something to someone today. And you went out to Ohio and like went and cold. Yeah. Like didn't call, like you probably tried to call him or tried to email him. I didn't even try that. So you walked in and you got rejected at all? Yeah, all six of them. Yeah. So tell me about tell me how that made you feel because that is the epitome of being an entrepreneur, is getting told no and still keep going. So tell me about that day. And I was fine. I never even told you that, but I really liked that. That was a cool story that you did. I didn't like that you got rejected six times, but I was like, I've been there. It was relatable.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Yeah,

Entrepreneurship, Growth & Delegation

SPEAKER_02 23:46

I took a week off work and I was like, uh because my whole idea with Ope is like I want it to be a Midwest brand. Because I feel like this is not just a Missouri thing. I think it's a Midwest. I think we're always looked elsewhere for all those things. Anyway, yes. So I went to Ohio. I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna rip it. Go to Ohio, go to all the REIs there, and then pitch pitch the brand. It's doing well with these REIs here. Um, I figured, why not just take a take a trip, go visit Ohio and hook those places up. And yeah, the first I drove, I remember because I I drove into Cleveland. I mean, I flew into Cleveland and then I rented a car, and then I drove all the way down to Hawking Hills and I went to the first one, which is like seven hours.

Rapid Fire Questions (Hiking & Lifestyle)

SPEAKER_02 24:25

So I drove the first one, I was hyped. I was like, there's no way they're gonna say no. I I made specific Ohio merch for me just for the cold meaning to him, yeah. For the him who just give them out and be like, you know, whatever. He showed the first one, unenthusiastic. Total. And I was imagine like months of just prep and hype, and like, all right, I'm here for first one. Just drove seven seven hours for this. Yeah, totally unenthusiastic, hard no. Um, and that was kind of demoralizing at first. And then I kind of made my way around Ohio. I think they have five are guys, five or six. So I drove around and I got better at my sales pitch. The first one I just kind of showed up with stuff and I was like, hey, what's going on? Can I get these here in your store? When can I get them? How many do you want? It was a little different. And then I developed my sales pitch as I went along, but like some of them were maybe, some of them are no's, flat out no's, two flat out no's. One of them actually just reached out to me, the one in Cleveland. Um, and they I have someone I work with in Cleveland that helps me with group hikes there and whatever. And I sent them some merch, so maybe I might be in Cleveland soon. So I got a kind of that was kind of a warm one, and then just literally maybe a couple weeks ago, they reached out and they might want to carry some stuff.

SPEAKER_03 25:38

So this episode is sponsored by Upshot Coffee, three St. Louis area locations in Cottleville, Break Shop in St. Charles, and their new hi-fi location in Clayton. I personally use Upshot Coffee every day at my espresso machine at home, and I try to visit one of the shops at least once a week. They source the beans responsibly from local farms all across the world, um, and they take care of their staff and they take care of the community. Let's get back to the show. What did you learn from that though? Like what what like what was your mindset when you were driving home?

SPEAKER_02 26:06

Uh,

Improving STL Outdoor Culture

SPEAKER_02 26:07

you know, it it's one of those where it's like, you know, as an entrepreneur, you you you it's like you miss all the shots you don't take or whatever that saying is. And like I learned something regardless of whether or not I got the yes. And I think to me, that that kind of it also showed me a little bit of resilience. Like I didn't really lose anything. There was nothing really to lose. Like it's it's such a leveraging thing just to ask because there's always upside. The only downside, there was really no downside. The no was already a no if I never had approached. Exactly. So there was only upside in me even going there. Now building relationship, and you know, eventually, maybe if this one gets into Cleveland, I have all the emails of all the other ones for all the other, you know, REIs.

SPEAKER_03 26:56

So it's like, you know, it's it, I don't think you ever really lose because you're just learning something.

SPEAKER_04 27:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:02

And it takes that, man. Like it it really does take time. And there's people that I've talked to four years ago that are finally becoming customers now. And

Final Thoughts + Outro

SPEAKER_03 27:10

it's like it does get easier, but it there's different challenges, you know, when you're building in your mode, when you're by yourself and like everything's on you, you have all that pressure, but you also don't have the pressure of other people failing with you. So, like, that's a different pressure, but also they relieve a lot of things and they're better, they're better at a lot of things than you are. Like there, you have to be real with yourself and be like, what am I good at? What am I excited about? What am I doing? And then how can I, how can I, you know, delegate the things that don't make me excited and then focus on the things that do make you excited. So I want to wrap up with some rapid fire, open outdoor style. Sure. So I'm gonna I'm gonna read you some questions. We're just gonna fire them off. So sunrise or sunset hike? Sunset hike. Sunset hike. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

Uh sunset hike, go up to Castlewood. Short, quick, uh, go up the hill and then sit on that bench and uh watch this miss watch the sunset as the Mississippi is flown by. Midwest spring or midwest fall?

SPEAKER_03 28:05

Midwest spring, spring all day, baby. It's because it's spring now. That's right. Uh, favorite trail within 10 minutes of St. Louis. Is there a good one? Within 10 minutes.

SPEAKER_02 28:16

Forrest Park, I don't know the names of some of these trails, but Forest Park has some crazy trails. Yeah. Music, podcast, or silence on trail. Silence, you gotta think. Silence. You gotta think.

unknown 28:27

Nah.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

I sometimes it depends on how long the trail is. If it's a long, long, windy trail, podcast. Okay. Or book. Audiobook or podcast. If it's just like a 30-minute thing, silence, baby. Bucket list trail you haven't been to yet. But in Missouri? Anywhere. Oh, anywhere? Yeah. I really want to go to Alaska. I don't know, like, I I I forget what like what parks, but Alaska looks awesome. I want to go visit Alaska. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 28:54

Um, go uh coffee before or after hike? Before. Before, baby. Before and after?

SPEAKER_02 29:01

And after both. Let's get it.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

Go to white monster. Give me some. And white monster. Uh, and then to wrap up, go to snack after hiking. Go to snack. You're a workout guy too.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

I am. I love a good beef jerky. Give me a beef jerky and a like a power raid.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

I'm rolling, baby. Um, and then I guess my last question is one thing you hope to see St. Louis could do for the outdoor culture and the outdoor community. Is there anything that you would love to see the city do?

SPEAKER_02 29:26

Uh the city itself? Yeah. Just more um green spaces. You know, more green spaces uh within the city. Like Mexico City is really good at this. They have trees everywhere, like places you can walk. Yeah, I feel like more green spaces, and I feel like um River City Greenway is doing or Great Rivers Greenway. Great Great Rivers Greenway is doing great stuff there. Yeah, they're pushing some stuff. But I feel like the city should we could do more.

SPEAKER_03 29:49

Yeah. We have them. You know, we have the ability, and and uh that's what all good cities. And my one of my old podcast guests, Javen, um, has the vision for St. Louis.

SPEAKER_02 29:58

Do you see his recent post?

SPEAKER_03 29:59

Yeah, dude's insane. We want him. Yeah, dude's insane. Um, and he's got that exhibit where you can like look at the picture this way and you look at it this way of what greenery looks like in a city versus not.

SPEAKER_04 30:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:08

And like it's not, I mean, it's obviously hard to do, but it's like, what if we did that? Imagine what St. Louis would look like. Yeah. You know, so it's uh it's possible and it's like everything, you know. That's what part of the reason of like, you know, going 30 minutes outside of St. Louis. Like, you know, people are like, oh, you don't live in the like, don't live in the city. It's like sometimes people just find peace next to trees that you're I mean, there's value to being in the woods. So I appreciate you for coming on today, my guy. Uh excited to support the brand. I'll see you at Food Truck or at um at uh Tower Grove Park for the farmers market. Um, the new South City hat that I'm wearing today. This thing is so tough. So if you guys are watching on YouTube, go to opoutdoors.com. You can shop that. So it's it's not on your main homepage. You got to go to the inside the loo category.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Uh yeah. If you it's on that, it's a tab on the op outdoors page. It's inside the loo, bunch of new merch there. It's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_03 30:54

Sounds good, man. We'll appreciate you for coming on.

SPEAKER_02 30:56

Thanks for pleasure, pleasure, pleasure.

SPEAKER_03 30:58

Thank you. Sounds good. See you next week.

unknown 31:00

St.

SPEAKER_03 31:01

Louis, thanks for listening. Everything we do here is about telling the story of this city, and that doesn't stop with this show. On the Bucketless Podcast Network, we're diving even deeper into the people, places, and moments that make this city what it is. Meet Me in Music with Neil Salzick captures the sound of the city, past and present, ending each episode with a live performance. For my foodie lovers, the sauce with Lauren Healy brings you inside the restaurants that define our culture every Tuesday. Gateway to Growth with Jamal Cornelius highlights the stories behind the people that make St. Louis work. And every Thursday, Bryce breaks down your weekend with This Week in St. Louis. More stories, more voices. Explore the full bucketless podcast network wherever you listen.