Travel With Meaning

The Journey Behind Parks Project | Keith Eshelman

Welcome to another episode of the Travel With Meaning Podcast. This episode was recorded live in front of an audience at The Kinn in Venice Beach as part of their weekly Startup Café series, featuring conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Our guest is Keith Eshelman, Founder and CEO of Parks Project, the purpose-driven outdoor lifestyle and apparel brand that has given back nearly $3 million to support our national parks. Prior to launching Parks Project, Keith built his career with brands including TOMS, Quiksilver, and Puma. As a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and adventurer, Keith recognized a growing need to support and protect our public lands after a meaningful trip with his daughter—a story he also shares in Parks Project's 10-Year Anniversary video. Click here to watch. [https://www.google.com/search?q=parks+project+ten+year+anniversary+video&sca_esv=f6b7f188eae7b463&sxsrf=ANbL-n4Ihk2EzLBxFxxSnaMogJxVhKEqFQ%3A1780449071126&ei=L38favG_B9auur8Pw5iN4Qc&biw=1200&bih=745&ved=0ahUKEwixk7PT8emUAxVWl-4BHUNMI3wQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=parks+project+ten+year+anniversary+video&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiKHBhcmtzIHByb2plY3QgdGVuIHllYXIgYW5uaXZlcnNhcnkgdmlkZW8yBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigAUjdDFDyAVjOCnABeACQAQCYAZYBoAHMBaoBAzIuNLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCB6AC7AXCAg4QABiABBiKBRiGAxiwA8ICCxAAGIAEGKIEGLADwgIIEAAY7wUYsAPCAgUQIRirAsICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYHkgcDMy40oAfiIrIHAzIuNLgH6gXCBwUwLjYuMcgHD4AIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3b8ee2d8,vid:0eZyP1kbw3w,st:0] In this conversation, Keith shares his founder story behind Parks Project, which organically began in a small apartment just across the street from where our episode was recorded. We discuss restoration projects, and conservation efforts that Parks Project and its community have supported over the years. Keith also shares some powerful lessons for entrepreneurs and dreamers alike, including the importance of confidence, taking risks, and not accepting "no" as the final answer. We hear about several of the meaningful travel experiences that have shaped his perspective and influenced both his personal journey and professional path. We also dive into the launch of Parks Project Trips, [https://www.parksproject.us/pages/parks-project-trips] something Keith has envisioned for quite some time. He shares why now feels like the right moment to bring people together through intimate, shared experiences in nature and create deeper connections with both the outdoors and one another. Full transparency: TWM is helping curate unique adventures alongside the Parks Project team. This fall we'll be visiting Sequoia National Park and Joshua Tree National Park, staying at the incredibly cool AutoCamp [https://autocamp.com/location/sequoia/]properties. If either of these iconic parks has been on your bucket list—or if you're simply looking to connect with a community of like-minded adventurers—these trips offer a special opportunity to experience nature in a meaningful way. To learn more about Parks Project Trips and upcoming adventures, visit parksproject.us [http://parksproject.us/]. Enjoy our conversation with Keith Eshelman, Founder and CEO of Parks Project.

The Magic of Mountain Yoga Festival

From the moment you arrive in St. Anton, something shifts. In this episode of Travel With Meaning, Mike shares conversations from the Mountain Yoga Festival in Austria — where nature, community, and presence come together in a way that's hard to explain but easy to feel. Through voices of locals, teachers, and travelers, this episode explores the deeper side of travel: belonging, slowing down, and reconnecting with what actually matters. Sometimes the most meaningful destinations aren't about what you see — but what you feel. 00:00 – Arriving in St. Anton and feeling it instantly 03:15 – How the Mountain Yoga Festival began 07:45 – Why nature + community create belonging 11:00 – Travel, identity, and coming home to yourself 15:30 – The connection between nature, yoga, and presence 20:00 – Why Austria feels different

Chapter 2

Welcome to Chapter 2 of the Travel With Meaning podcast. This isn't a full episode — it's the beginning of what's ahead. A real conversation about where we've been, the heartache and human moments we've been navigating, and the search for meaning through it all. This year, we're taking a more intentional approach to travel, storytelling, and connection — with extraordinary adventures and incredible conversations on the horizon. Thanks for being here for the next chapter.

One Bite Changed Everything with Lawrence Longo

Mike sits down with Lawrence Longo, a serial food and hospitality entrepreneur whose journey from hidden menu curator to restaurant empire builder has reshaped how people connect through food. Lawrence shares how his early obsession with experience over ego led him from launching Off the Menu — a community built around secret dishes and insider dining — to reviving Irv's Burgers, expanding Prince St. Pizza nationwide, and building a hospitality group that's redefining what "premium fast food" really means. They dive into the lessons learned from scaling beloved brands without losing their soul, the role of storytelling and community in hospitality, and what travel and culture have taught Lawrence about simplicity, obsession, and belonging. This episode isn't just about food — it's about the universal language of connection, the places that shape us, and the people who keep showing up for what feels real. Chapters: 00:00 – From hidden menus to hospitality visionary 05:00 – The story behind Off the Menu and food as connection 10:00 – Reviving Irv's Burgers and honoring old-school soul 15:00 – Expanding Prince St. Pizza without losing authenticity 20:00 – Scaling restaurants while keeping local roots 25:00 – Simplicity, obsession, and the power of hospitality 30:00 – Partner alignment and trusting local voices 35:00 – The community mindset behind every concept 40:00 – The travel that shaped a hospitality entrepreneur 45:00 – What it really means to build brands people love

Pacific Palisades: A Story I Never Expected To Tell

In this deeply personal episode, Mike returns to his childhood home in Pacific Palisades — a place that once symbolized comfort, community, and family — now forever changed by one of the most devastating wildfires in U.S. history. Through intimate conversations with his mother (and her experience of living in the Palisades for over 50 years), as well as his childhood best friend, photographer Chris Clinton, Mike explores themes of loss, resilience, and the unshakable spirit of community. Together, they reflect on growing up in the Palisades, the day the fire struck, and what it means to rebuild not just homes, but hope. This is a story about memory, change, and finding connection in the aftermath of tragedy — a love letter to a place that shaped a lifetime of meaning. Click here [https://nypost.com/2025/01/16/us-news/pacific-palisades-native-saves-mothers-house-from-la-wildfires-with-his-two-surfer-buddies-made-it-by-the-skin-of-our-teeth/] to read the New York Post article about Chris Chapters: 00:00 – Returning home to the Palisades 04:00 – A call from Mom: loss, displacement, and silver linings 08:00 – Rebuilding community after the fire 10:00 – A conversation with childhood friend Chris Clinton 15:00 – Growing up in the Palisades 18:00 – The day the fire hit 24:00 – Escaping the flames and saving what remains 30:00 – The aftermath: grief, survival, and resilience 40:00 – What we lost — and what remains 48:00 – Finding meaning, healing, and home again