Meet Ryan Woldt | Writer & Podcaster

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

Hi Ryan, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
For starters, I occasionally think about work-life balance now. More shocking, I sometimes set work aside to take a few hours for myself.

Earlier versions of myself pushed physically, emotionally, and mentally as hard as possible. I tend to want to do everything and commit to everything. It would be a rare moment in the history of my working life where I wasn’t working multiple jobs or, at the very least, a full-time job and several side hustles.

I only became slightly aware that balance was a thing when I physically began breaking down from stress, like going to the hospital stress. That happened several times, and I’d slow down temporarily. Those were short-lived respites. It wasn’t intentional, but I’d eventually find myself pursuing so much more than was reasonable again.

Over the past few years, I’ve gotten better at recognizing when I’ve reached my limits. I can recognize those limits because I can very clearly remember the moments I shot past them. The pandemic wasn’t a huge eye-opener for me that I needed to slow down, but the quarantine years helped prevent me from being so engaged. I wasn’t presented with so many shiny new opportunities. That time forced me to confront some truths about what I’ll want out of the next twenty or thirty years of my working life.

If I want to achieve those goals, I’ll need to narrow my focus and be smarter about how and when I push to the limit.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m learning to recognize my limits and work-life balance, but I’m not pretending I’m good at it yet. My goal for this period in my life is to be more focused on just a few things. Right now, that is writing more books and the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast.

There is a third and final book in the Eli & Jane series that I’ve just started working on. Both books follow the titular characters on road trips while they work through some unresolved life issues, first on their own and then potentially together. The most recent, Future Eli & Future Jane, sees the title characters grappling with the potential for falling in love and finding themselves as they explore their burgeoning relationship while road-tripping up the California coastline—with some natural disaster, hiking, coffee, and too much booze tossed in for good measure.

I published the first two independently but am looking for an agent as I complete the series. I’m trying to promote and sell the first two books, which because of Covid-19, hasn’t been easy.

Roast! West Coast the coffee podcast started as a lockdown project that allowed me to explore coffee—which I love—and engage with the world without leaving the house. When I was no longer going out in the world, I could still meet new people and hear-and-tell stories.

It sounds crazy, but I’ve made as many new friends online through this show over the past two years as I have in the real world in a decade. The show focuses on coffee professionals’ entrepreneurial and personal journeys—roasters, baristas, owners, farmers, and scientists—and provides coffee education. I recently published the 100th episode, and the newsletter is growing.

With my efforts to promote my books and the podcast, my goal is to try to build and uplift communities. I think that comes from spending most of my formative years in the hospitality industry. Whether by creating a Maker’s Market to share my own and other creative endeavors or sharing the stories of entrepreneurs on the podcast, I hope to draw attention to all the amazing places and people around us.

It all comes back to crafting and sharing stories, which I enjoy doing the most.

Taking on creative and entrepreneurial challenges is rarely easy. In my case, it means giving up safer career options. It has meant lots of self-doubts and forcing myself to be honest about what skills I have and what I can offer the world. At times, it has been physically and emotionally demanding. One business I started with a partner failed spectacularly. I had put all of myself into that business, and when I lost it, I lost it. My stress levels went so high I had to wear a heart monitor because the normal rhythm of my heartbeat was all out of whack.

All of that aside, I am incredibly grateful I have the opportunity to pursue things I want to do. There have definitely been times when that was not an option.

What I’d want people to know about my brand, which is really just me and my creative efforts, is that you’re getting everything I’ve got. I’m trying not to leave anything on the table because there are no guarantees.

Also, I have a beard.

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.
Most of my family is in Wisconsin, so this happens quite a bit. We’ve lived in Pacific Beach, Cardiff, Leucadia, and now Carlsbad Village, so we’ve been able to get around quite a bit.

I always take visitors for coffee at some of the best roasters in the country. Coffee Cycle Roasting in Pacific Beach and Steady State Roasting in Carlsbad Village come to mind. Then spend most of the week outside. I take guests hiking Daley Ranch, Elfin Forest, and Torrey Pines. Then kayaking or paddleboarding on Mission Bay, Agua Hedionda Lagoon, and Lake Hodges.

I go way out of my way to visit Verbatim Books in North Park, and Point Cabrillo offers some of the best views.

Leucadia Donuts and Haggos Tacos in Leucadia, Bagby Beer in Oceanside, Burgeon Beer in Carlsbad, Juneshine, and Aero Club Bar in San Diego are must-stops, but mostly we pack up a cooler and head to a nearby semi-secret spot overlooking one of the lagoons and the ocean. We’ll back the car up, pull out some camp chairs and watch the sunset.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
How much space do I have here? I don’t know how anyone achieves anything alone. Without the people around me, I think I’d be flailing in space.

My wife Trina has always told me that I need to pursue the things that will make me happy. We’re a team, and without us working through our options together, there is a good chance I’d be less motivated to put my name on things. My Mom–the talented Lori Woldt–has provided me with bottomless pools of support, especially for my more creative efforts. My Dad always pushes me to think things through but hasn’t hesitated to help when I’ve asked, which is why I only ask when I’m all in. My brothers inspire me. They are both successful entrepreneurs. My In-laws have provided a road map for what the future could look like and have inspired my wife and my goals for the future.

Website: http://www.roastwestcoast.com/, https://www.onewildlifeco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roastwestcoast/, https://www.instagram.com/onewildlifeco/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwoldt/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roastwestcoast, https://www.facebook.com/onewildlifeco

Other: https://roastwestcoast.substack.com/subscribe