45.6770° N, 111.0429° W

Nic is a sales leader in the marketing technology industry with a breadth of experience both building businesses and selling products to the largest advertisers on the planet. He's lived in Boston, LA, Chicago, NYC, SF, Boulder, & Bozeman and has nearly broken 1M miles for work travel, but has been fortunate to sneak quite a bit of fun into those miles over the years. Nic grew up bird hunting & fishing in Southern California from a very young age. His love for the outdoors has led him to Montana where he's pursuing his passion for hunting & fishing as well as building businesses that feed his lifestyle.

1. Regarding your favorite outdoor passion, how did you get into what you do?

I'm not sure what I love more, hunting or fishing, but I was introduced to both through my dad around 2-3yrs old. I remember dove hunting with my dad in 115-degree heat near the Salton Sea when I was 3.

2. Tell us about the first time you had a successful adventure. i.e. your first amazing trip, successful hunt,  or fishing trip.

My first successful big game hunt was last year, at the age of 28, in Colorado on a DIY antelope hunt with a leftover over-the-counter tag purchased 2 days before season. I drove  2hrs southeast of Denver and camped out in agriculture by myself next to the public land I wanted to hunt, only to wakeup to someone driving in past my truck to the spot I was going to hunt. With shooting light quickly approaching, I shifted plans and headed down the road a mile or two before spotting a half dozen antelope feeding off a dirt field towards a rolling section of public. I turned off the car, grabbed my rifle and started my stalk around 6:45 am. The antelope were feeding slowly away from me and I was able to use the texture of the land to stalk them first standing, then crouching for a few hundred yards, then belly crawling the last 50 yards until I was within 150yds. My heart was pounding from the exertion as well as the fact that I was looking through my scope at my first big game animal. After taking 2mins to catch my breath and the antelope starting to check me out, I finally picked my doe and pulled the trigger. After the recoil, all I saw were antelope skidding across the landscape and none of them looked injured, so I panicked and once they stopped at around 300yds I took another shot. Miss. The antelope were long gone after the 2nd attempt and I was sure I just blew a perfect opportunity. But since I had already gotten out this far I figured I walk over to where the antelope were standing and see if there was any blood. To my amazement, when I got there, there was a stone dead doe. My shot had severed her spinal cord and dropped her before I could look back through my scope after the recoil. The hunt was over by 7:05 am and I headed out of the field @ 9 am with 36lbs of amazing game meat.

3. What’s the first thing you say to people when they ask why you do what you do?

Have you ever tried it?

4. How do you mix/balance your professional life with adventure?

I'm very fortunate in that I have always worked in a manner that allows for my personal life to be intertwined. Because I've always worked at early stage startups with less than 20 people, I've also had a very flexible schedule so that I can take days here and there without much planning. This obviously comes at the expense of not taking higher paying positions at larger companies, but I couldn't imagine working any other way.

5. What are the 3 pieces of gear you would never go without?

• 9mm Pistol - HK VP9
• Skeletool Cx Leatherman Multi Tool
• Simms G4 Pro jacket

6. What do you do to stay in field shape?

Currently, I'm not in that shape. However, I have friends in much better physical condition than me who I've taken into the field that have struggled because they don't have the passion for outdoors like I do. Long smiles make for short miles.

7. Do you have any advice for the guy or girl reading this who is considering a leap into your world?

Just try it. Get out there and mess around with fishing to start since it's easily accessible. Then get your hunting license. Go to hunting and fishing meet ups. Meet people and get out there.

8. What’s one thing we could do as a society to protect the environment vital to your passion?

Buy hunting and fishing licenses even if you don't hunt or fish. Then, join conservation non-profits ran by hunting and fishing organizations like BHA, RMEF, Ducks Unlimited, etc. The NRDC, PETA, Humane Society, Sierra Club, etc. don't spend a dime on conservation. Conservation is funded purely by sportsmen and that's a fact. All the others mentioned spend all their funds on extravagant fundraisers in metropolitan areas & litigation, not conservation. 

10. Tell us something that's true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

You shouldn't take on debt to go to college. If you're fortunate enough to be able to pay cash for the experience and really want to attend, go for it. Although I could think of better ways to spend $200k. 

11. What is your favorite quote?

A) 'Life would be impossible without wine, fishing & dogs.' - Jim Harrison;

B) "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."- Carl Sandburg