Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to sit down with Christopher San Agustin, host of Outside is Magic and founder of Broken & Coastal.
Christopher is one of the kindest, most thoughtful, and creative people I've met in the outdoor industry. What surprised me most wasn't just our conversation, it was realizing how many parallel paths we'd been walking without ever crossing. Similar careers, shared values, unexpected detours... all eventually leading to the same place at the right time.
If you've followed Coastal Range for a while, you've probably heard the story of being laid off from Patagonia after more than two decades in the outdoor industry. That chapter certainly changed the course of my career, but it wasn't the beginning of the story.
What we explore in this conversation is everything that came before.
The chance encounter in a climbing gym that introduced me to the outdoor industry. The years spent adventure racing and mountain biking. A brief stint wearing a green REI vest. Building women's product at Patagonia. The lessons, failures, friendships, and experiences that quietly prepared me to build Coastal Range long before I ever knew I would.
Christopher and I ended up talking about much more than careers. We talked about creativity, grief, rebuilding after unexpected change, and how sometimes the hardest chapters become the ones that shape us most. As two self-described introverts, we somehow managed to have a conversation that could have lasted for hours.
If you have a commute coming up, a long walk, or just need something thoughtful to listen to, I hope you'll give it a listen.
And while you're there, be sure to subscribe to Outside is Magic. Christopher has created something special: a collection of conversations with the people behind the outdoor brands we all know (and many you may not). It's full of honest stories about creativity, purpose, and building a life outdoors from people who aren't afraid to get a little dirty along the way.
I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.
