Tuesday Announcements 9/30: October is Here, James Atkin Pro Skater/ Pro Marketer, Redwest Coming Up, No New Episode this Week

The first snap of October hits different in the Wasatch—gold aspens flashing in the canyons, crisp air, and the urge to grab your boots and wander. We ride that energy into a story-filled update anchored by our new conversation with James Atkin, a St. George skater who spent over a decade on the road before stepping into the marketing seat at a fast-rising gear brand. The twist: what starts as a simple booking turns into a deeper look at how skate discipline, travel grit, and community building translate into real marketing wins.

We dive into the parallels that matter. Reading a spot becomes reading a market. Filming a clean line turns into cutting scroll-stopping reels. Falling, trying again, and landing the make—those rhythms map to creative work that lasts longer than a trend. James talks craft over clout, process over hype, and why loyal communities beat one-off viral spikes. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a nontraditional past into a sharp professional edge, his playbook delivers: attention to detail, a bias for iteration, and a grounded sense for what actually moves people.

We keep it local and timely, too. A quick Guardsman pass shows off peak foliage and a small moment of neighborly help—the kind of story that gives Salt Lake its heartbeat. We share plans for Red West next weekend, tease a new community event on the horizon, and flag a brief release pause while travel ramps up. In the meantime, the feed is stacked with fresh clips and highlights so you can catch up on the James Atkin episode and ride into fall with something smart in your ears.

Tune in, take a canyon drive if you can, and tell a friend who needs a push to make their pivot. If you enjoy the show, tap follow, share this with someone chasing their next chapter, and drop a quick review—your notes keep this community growing.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
What is up, everybody, and welcome back to
another Tuesday update.
It is me, Eric Nilsen, the hostof the Small Lake City podcast.
If you're listening to this,odds are it is already October
1st, which is mind-blowing tome.
I can't believe this year haspassed by this fast.
And because it is October, thereis no better time than to grab a
friend, a loved one, afour-legged best friend, hop in

(00:24):
your car, go drive up a canyon,put on some hiking boots, and go
see some of the beautifulfoliage.
I was at a golf tournament inMidway this last Friday, and on
the way back, decided to drivethrough Guardsman.
And it was unreal to see theyellow of the aspens, all the
reds coming through.
Truly one of my favorite timesof the year.
Was even able to give someone aride from the bottom of

(00:46):
Guardsman to the top becausethey had left their keys to the
car at the bottom of theirmountain bike path, at the car
at the top of the mountain bikepath.
So don't be that person.
Also, if you haven't listened tothis week's episode yet, I only
released it yesterday.
So it's still pretty fresh withJames Atkin.
Now, I'll be honest, when Ibooked with James Atkin, I

(01:06):
thought he was one of thefounders of Nomadic Bag Company,
one of the viral bags that isnow trending all over the world
that is based in Sandy, Utah,but turned out to be their VP of
marketing.
Now, what I found was way betterthan any entrepreneurial story
that I've covered in the past,but of a man born and raised in
St.
George, became a professionalskater for over 10 years,

(01:28):
traveled the world, and had aton of experiences that we cover
in the podcast.
So make sure to go listen tothat.
And it's also fun to hear of howhe translates this journey of
skateboarding into a career inmarketing and has been
incredibly successful there aswell.
Now, don't have too many otherannouncements this week, except

(01:48):
for Red West next weekend.
I'm excited to put my boots on,put a hat on, get my Wranglers
on, and go enjoy some countrymusic in the fall weather with
some friends.
So make sure to go get yourtickets if you haven't yet, and
I will definitely see you there.
Um, also working on an eventthat I'm excited to announce
within the next week.
Uh I don't want to get to it tooprematurely, but make sure to

(02:09):
keep an eye on Instagram forthat one, partnering with some
of my favorite people in SaltLake to get that done.
Also, I'll be out of town andbusy this weekend and next week.
So we'll not be releasing anepisode this week.
Uh so we would be pushing to thefollowing week.
But that gives you enough timeto enjoy some fall foliage.
And I will have an episode foryou in two weeks.

(02:32):
Uh until then, go check outInstagram.
I've been posting a lot ofreally good reels and TikToks.
So make sure to check those out.
But hopefully I see you at RedWest and enjoy another good week
in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Peace.