Meet PJ Relkin | CEO & Co-Founder of Nature’s Playbook

We had the good fortune of connecting with PJ Relkin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi PJ, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
My whole life is built around risk! To me, it is thrilling to try something new and see how it turns out, especially when it is something I am passionate about. Few startups survive, and even less apps are successful. However, my mom and I are deeply invested in this dream to become a go-to platform for outdoor experiences and community. We would never regret the time and energy that we have put in because we know we are making a difference one person and experience at a time.

My lifestyle is the same way – my husband and I recently rented out our home to begin a nomadic lifestyle with our kids, focusing on outdoor learning experiences. Although we didn’t have everything planned out (and still don’t), we were eager to take on the risk because we believe that we can grow closer as a family and our sons will learn invaluable lessons as we travel. Plus, we get to help Nature’s Playbook grow by talking about the platform on the road and sharing our experiences in nature with others! The posts that my husband and I share on Nature’s Playbook are focused mostly on family friendly and dog friendly experiences. Still, we know that others connect with nature in different ways than we do, so it will be awesome to see how the platform grows as more “Vibe Tribe” members – or those in our community – share ways that they connect with the outdoors.

I believe that risk is an important factor of growth in life. It’s not just about taking a leap of faith, it is also about navigating which way to fly once you are in the air.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Nature’s Playbook is an outdoor community platform designed for sharing the love of nature and encouraging everyone to seek time outside. While we all can agree that the world has unbelievable natural wonders, we each experience nature uniquely while gaining the benefits of being outside. For some it is hiking a 14er, while for others it may be surfing, stargazing, or strolling through a garden! What sets us apart from others is that our platform focuses on the experience of being outdoors rather than the metrics of distance, speed, etc. While those are great tools, our focus is to create a resource where anyone can connect with an outdoor community and find new experiences that they may not have known about or been confident to do before.

It really has been a challenging road to make this dream come to life, and I know the challenges are not over! But it has been such a fun (and slightly intimidating) process to have an idea and then say, where do we start? Then once we’ve started, what comes next? I have had to learn how to focus my energy on one thing at a time rather than trying to take so many steps at once. The biggest takeaway has been to be more confident in asking questions and being okay with leaning on others for help. Without other people’s input, I don’t believe that our ideas will grow to their full potential. So I challenge myself to ask more “how to” questions from professionals, feedback from friends and strangers, industry and market questions, and any other questions that come to mind. The wealth of knowledge only grows when it’s shared.

One thing I am really excited about growing is our Insider Tips feature. On any post about an experience, someone can include something like a “cherry on top”, something to make the experience extra fun or special. This may be a hidden lookout point or where to get the best tacos to enjoy on the beach. It may even be knowledge about what time of day to go or where to park to avoid the crowds. It’s like if you were sharing this place with a friend, and you say “Oh yeah you gotta do this while you’re there!”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For starters, I would take them to Ponto Beach in Carlsbad. We would pick up California burritos on the way – probably from Roberto’s taco shop that’s right there next to the beach – and we could spend the day hanging out there! There is nothing like a day at the beach, and I have always been fond of Ponto because of the location and because it doesn’t seem to get as crowded as some others.

If the visit was during a horserace meet, I would take them to the Del Mar Racetrack! It is such a beautiful and historical location in San Diego – and it is also right by the beach so that is a bonus. It’s a lot of fun going to the races on a sunny day, but I also love watching them train in the mornings. Usually the track is open to the public to watch horses train on weekends and it is a bit of a quieter scene. My dad would take me there growing up and it stuck with me as a staple of SoCal. The horses are beautiful athletes, and you see a lot more of what goes into the sport. It’s something I have always really admired.

Down the road from the track is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Las Olas! Margaritas, great food, and across the street from another spectacular beach. Can you tell I love the beach? Then, if we feel up to it I would take them to the Rancho Coastal Humane Society Thrift Store in Cardiff. This place is so fun to thrift and they always have some really cool finds.

Another area I love taking visitors to is Encinitas to walk along the 101. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, ice cream, and of course, beaches! Gelato 101 is a great stop for dessert, but they also have amazing açaí bowls. It’s not too far from Moonlight beach which has a playground, fire pits, volleyball courts, and more. Moonlight is probably one of the most popular beaches in Encinitas, and that is for a reason. In my opinion, it is one of the best places to catch the sunset!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely! My mom and business partner, Gen Leggett, who’s vision and persistence keeps us moving forward. My dad, who has always been an outstanding mentor and coach throughout my life. And a huge shoutout to my husband, who is my #1 supporter and without whom I would not be able to do what I do! I am forever grateful for these three people. Without them, I don’t know where I would be in life.

Website: https://www.naturesplaybook.com

Instagram: natures_playbook

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