Small Lake City
Small Talk, Big City
Join host Erik Nilsson as he interviews the entrepreneurs, creators, and builders making Salt Lake City the best place it can be. Covering topics such as business, politics, art, food, and more you will get to know the amazing people behind the scenes investing their time and money to improve the place we call home.
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Small Lake City
Tuesday Announcements 9/30: October is Here, James Atkin Pro Skater/ Pro Marketer, Redwest Coming Up, No New Episode this Week
The first snap of October hits different in the Wasatch—gold aspens flashing in the canyons, crisp air, and the urge to grab your boots and wander. We ride that energy into a story-filled update anchored by our new conversation with James Atkin, a St. George skater who spent over a decade on the road before stepping into the marketing seat at a fast-rising gear brand. The twist: what starts as a simple booking turns into a deeper look at how skate discipline, travel grit, and community building translate into real marketing wins.
We dive into the parallels that matter. Reading a spot becomes reading a market. Filming a clean line turns into cutting scroll-stopping reels. Falling, trying again, and landing the make—those rhythms map to creative work that lasts longer than a trend. James talks craft over clout, process over hype, and why loyal communities beat one-off viral spikes. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a nontraditional past into a sharp professional edge, his playbook delivers: attention to detail, a bias for iteration, and a grounded sense for what actually moves people.
We keep it local and timely, too. A quick Guardsman pass shows off peak foliage and a small moment of neighborly help—the kind of story that gives Salt Lake its heartbeat. We share plans for Red West next weekend, tease a new community event on the horizon, and flag a brief release pause while travel ramps up. In the meantime, the feed is stacked with fresh clips and highlights so you can catch up on the James Atkin episode and ride into fall with something smart in your ears.
Tune in, take a canyon drive if you can, and tell a friend who needs a push to make their pivot. If you enjoy the show, tap follow, share this with someone chasing their next chapter, and drop a quick review—your notes keep this community growing.
50% Off Minky Couture Blankets: softminkyblankets.com/SMALLLAKECITY
www.skydiveutah.com
Cache Valley Creamery Showdown
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What is up, everybody, and welcome back to another Tuesday update. It is me, Eric Nilsen, the host of the Small Lake City podcast. If you're listening to this, odds are it is already October 1st, which is mind-blowing to me. I can't believe this year has passed by this fast. And because it is October, there is no better time than to grab a friend, a loved one, a four-legged best friend, hop in your car, go drive up a canyon, put on some hiking boots, and go see some of the beautiful foliage. I was at a golf tournament in Midway this last Friday, and on the way back, decided to drive through Guardsman. And it was unreal to see the yellow of the aspens, all the reds coming through. Truly one of my favorite times of the year. Was even able to give someone a ride from the bottom of Guardsman to the top because they had left their keys to the car at the bottom of their mountain bike path, at the car at the top of the mountain bike path. So don't be that person. Also, if you haven't listened to this week's episode yet, I only released it yesterday. So it's still pretty fresh with James Atkin. Now, I'll be honest, when I booked with James Atkin, I thought he was one of the founders of Nomadic Bag Company, one of the viral bags that is now trending all over the world that is based in Sandy, Utah, but turned out to be their VP of marketing. Now, what I found was way better than any entrepreneurial story that I've covered in the past, but of a man born and raised in St. George, became a professional skater for over 10 years, traveled the world, and had a ton of experiences that we cover in the podcast. So make sure to go listen to that. And it's also fun to hear of how he translates this journey of skateboarding into a career in marketing and has been incredibly successful there as well. Now, don't have too many other announcements this week, except for Red West next weekend. I'm excited to put my boots on, put a hat on, get my Wranglers on, and go enjoy some country music in the fall weather with some friends. So make sure to go get your tickets if you haven't yet, and I will definitely see you there. Um, also working on an event that I'm excited to announce within the next week. Uh I don't want to get to it too prematurely, but make sure to keep an eye on Instagram for that one, partnering with some of my favorite people in Salt Lake to get that done. Also, I'll be out of town and busy this weekend and next week. So we'll not be releasing an episode this week. Uh so we would be pushing to the following week. But that gives you enough time to enjoy some fall foliage. And I will have an episode for you in two weeks. Uh until then, go check out Instagram. I've been posting a lot of really good reels and TikToks. So make sure to check those out. But hopefully I see you at Red West and enjoy another good week in Salt Lake City, Utah. Peace.
