#9. Resilience and Innovation: Linda Cooley’s Tribal Heritage and Its Impact on Mad River Brewery

Scott Hammond: Hey, folks. It is, uh, our special, special-

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: … guest and special honor to welcome Linda

Linda Cooley: Thank you. Hello.

Scott Hammond: How are you?

Linda Cooley: I'm good.

Scott Hammond: Tell us about who you are, what you do.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: We'll start there.

Linda Cooley: Um, I'm Linda Cooley. I am a mom, a Yurok Tribal

member, and I'm the CEO of Mad River Brewery.

Scott Hammond: Nice. How long have you been CEO?

Linda Cooley: For going on four years.

Scott Hammond: It's-

Linda Cooley: Getting close.

Scott Hammond: Four years.

Linda Cooley: Getting close. Three and a half, somewhere in there.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So you make beer.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, it's so exciting.

Scott Hammond: Well, you do what… You have the, the tasting room-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and the re- restaurant and everything.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That's great.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So tell us about… Linda, how did you…

Were you born and raised here in Humboldt?

Linda Cooley: Um, I was born in Sacramento, and we moved, um,

back here to our reservation when I was very young. Uh, we came and went my whole life. My dad retired finally. He owned a pile driving business.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Linda Cooley: And so we were able to retire to the reservation.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, he wanted to hunt and fish for the rest of his life.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And-

Scott Hammond: Which reservation?

Linda Cooley: The Yurok Reservation.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Is… And that's-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … help me geographically.

Linda Cooley: Humboldt. Yeah, so we are from about the Weitchpec area up to

Klamath, one mile on each side of the Klamath

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Linda Cooley: But traditionally our territory was really right before Trinidad

all the way up-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … to Klamath.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: Um, that's our… Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, so I'm gonna show-

Linda Cooley: That's our territory

Scott Hammond: … I'm gonna show everybody on the map here

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: … flips to me. That's right up in this area-

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: … in Humboldt.

Linda Cooley: Mm. Mm-mm.

Scott Hammond: So

I got it pretty close. It's-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … it's kinda northern Humboldt.

Linda Cooley: It is.

Scott Hammond: So yeah, no, pleasure to have you. So, uh, where,

go to school and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … how did you get to where you're at?

Linda Cooley: Yeah, I graduated from Hoopa High.

I went to CR and Humboldt State.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Uh, I started in the beer business on my 21st

birthday.

Scott Hammond: Of course.

Linda Cooley: My father was a pile driver, and he built two of the

Anheuser-Busch breweries.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: And funny-

Scott Hammond: [clears throat]

Linda Cooley: … crazy story, he saved beer cans, um, when

he married my mom. Uh, back then it was okay to buy people beer after work.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: And he saved it, and he said, "One day I'm gonna have a child

college fund." So I had, um, about $40,000 in beer can money-

Scott Hammond: Ah

Linda Cooley: … that went to college. And I met a local distributor.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Linda Cooley: Um, and he said, "You should come in the beer business.

You seem like you have-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … the right personality."

up.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, I worked for Anheuser-Busch,

was a VP of Eel River-

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow

Linda Cooley: … uh, for a while.

Scott Hammond: Didn't know that.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, yeah. And came home, um, for the tribe, and we had the opportunity

and purchased Mad River and-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … there I am.

Scott Hammond: You're off to the races.

Linda Cooley: Off to the races.

Scott Hammond: So you guys have done a rebranding.

We're gonna get a-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … we're all gonna get to all of that.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But, um, fundamentally, what changed when you took over,

say, the first year? What was the,

um… What, what were the first initial changes

Linda Cooley: What we wanted to do and what happened changed 'cause COVID.

COVID hit two months after we purchased the brewery.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right, I remember now.

Linda Cooley: Uh, so what we originally wanted to do

commerce and have our beer throughout California at these casinos.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Casinos are one of the largest sellers of beer in California.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: However, nobody's making it, and it seemed like a miss.

And tourists come often to those casinos to be part of, to learn about Natives, even though to us that seems crazy to go there, but-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Linda Cooley: … it's a reality, and we thought,

our product in there?"

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, however, that stopped. Indian Country was one of the first to

protective of COVID, thank goodness-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … protect our elders and our language-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and our families. Uh, so then we turned our focus to really

rebranding.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: Mad River Beer has always been wonderful and great.

Um, we really wanted to make sure that the products encompassed, um, a taste of who we are and what we're-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … fighting for, as opposed to putting culture on cans,

inappropriate. We really chose to go the route of, um-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … big things we're fighting for: water, um,

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Uh, and have a can that's updated

take the Mad River portfolio and make sure that it's the right fit for the times.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, we also continued to make sure

possible. We have green waste awards, but then moved some of our packaging over

to greener-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … um, more sustainable, uh, practices.

Um, on top of that, really focusing on certain areas of California to grow the business.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Uh, the tap room really evolved because of

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: Uh, what… I think what we initially started thinking

COVID.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, but really… And then also, um, on our can we

have our own certification. It's something that I'm really proud of. It's Yurok Country certification, and really being able

to have-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … a product in these large stores like

normally hear about Yuroks or Natives-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … and be able to have a piece of

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Story through beer.

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: I love it. So back to you for a minute.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So who were you at 15 years old?

Linda Cooley: Oh, my gosh.

I l- was at the river every day. I lived in Weitchpec. There was no-

Scott Hammond: Fun

Linda Cooley: … internet, no phones.

Scott Hammond: Imagine that.

Linda Cooley: It was amazing. [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Right, every day.

Linda Cooley: Now I look back and feel like I take it for granted.

Um, I went fishing with my dad, I went hunting, I hauled gravel, cut firewood, went to school. I didn't really have the opportunity to get in a lot of trouble because-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … there was not a lot.

Scott Hammond: Sounds like your dad was, is or was amazing.

Linda Cooley: Amazing, he was, yes. I did a lot of art.Beating.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: There's just not much to do.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: But what we did have to do were all the right core value things.

I just didn't know it at the time.

Scott Hammond: That's cool. Are you able to do that with your kids?

Linda Cooley: Yes, and it's so fun. It's hard to pull away my daughter from

some of those modern-day things.

Scott Hammond: Right. Oh, the phone?

Linda Cooley: Oh, my gosh.

Scott Hammond: [laughs]

Linda Cooley: Or the TV-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah

Linda Cooley: …

or yeah, all of it. But we're getting better at practicing especially the last couple years, it's become really relevant focus on the right things-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … and encompass that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, absolutely. So who… So you were in high school at 50. Who

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What were you doing?

Linda Cooley: Oh, my gosh. I was working for the county, going to

school, thinking about what am I gonna do with the

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: And I wanted to initially be a social worker.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Linda Cooley: And I went to work at Two Feathers.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: They're a Native American services, and-

Scott Hammond: Is that in McKinleyville?

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And I cried every day. It was really sad.

I wasn't cut out-

Scott Hammond: [laughs]

Linda Cooley: … for it.

Scott Hammond: Oh, no.

Linda Cooley: And I wanted to bring all the children home.

Um-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … so I had to start thinking about what am I

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Beer, beer is sort of social work.

Linda Cooley: It's a social… I feel like it's a social activity.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It's a product, but really what it is

Scott Hammond: I like it

Linda Cooley: … of whatever that looks like.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Connection.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. We've talked about that a lot here, um,

that relat- connection begets relationships.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And vulnerability, in the best sense of the word,

which is kinda what some of us lack out there. It's like we're all this-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … these islands running around,

intergenerational community, which I-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … I d- I, I infer from your adventures-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … you know, living in Weitchpec.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, and we, you know, we, we lack that, which is kinda sad.

But, so, uh, so you were at Humboldt State, now Cal Poly.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I was gonna get Cal Poly in here for my…

I, I don't know why I'm looking at Nick to

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: [laughs] We gotta get it right for Cal Poly 'cause they're always

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Um-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … so who were you at 30? What were you doing?

Linda Cooley: Oh, my gosh. At 30 I was working at Eel River.

Scott Hammond: Wow, okay.

Linda Cooley: And I was the VP working through their rebranding.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: The package you see now is different.

Before that-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … um, I was really into sports.

into sports.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Anything outdoors and active. And I

was really figuring out that even though I didn't wanna be in the beer business, I thought I would do something where I was helping people, and I was a little bit upset with myself.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Was disappointed. I thought, "Oh, I'm gonna change the world.

I'm gonna do all these-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … good things." And I finally was able to accept that this

might be what I do.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And trying to figure out in the future w- what can I

do to be comfortable in this.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And trying to figure out do I go down more of marketing lane, do I stick

to sales?

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: What is that that I wanna do?

Scott Hammond: So you figured you would be staying at Eel River-

Linda Cooley: No

Scott Hammond: … at the point, at that point? You,

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: I just didn't know what it was.

Scott Hammond: I didn't ask what your major was. What'd you study?

Linda Cooley: Yeah, business.

Scott Hammond: B- per- perfect.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And Humboldt's got a great business program.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Always has.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: I wish I would've been full on business 'cause it's always

interchangeable with everything.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So wh- uh, where were you at 30 years? I just asked that.

40. I don't even think you're 40, so.

Linda Cooley: Oh, my gosh, no, I am.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Linda Cooley: I'm 42.

Scott Hammond: Okay. [laughs]

Linda Cooley: 40 was the second year of the pandemic.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And it was

hard a little bit with work because everything was shut down.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And we had to get really creative.

And it was also I feel like a time where a lot of racial issues came up.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: And I wasn't aware that we had those m-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Trying to figure out how to be a good mom-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … while I work all the time.

Scott Hammond: Right, that bal- work/life balance.

Linda Cooley: Right.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And everyone talks about having this time for theirselves.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Self-care.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Trying to figure out how you do that when you have no time.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: Or not feel guilty for not doing it.

Scott Hammond: What did you do? What did you figure out?

What are your secrets, [laughs]

Linda Cooley: I don't know if I-

Scott Hammond: To creating more time in the day

Linda Cooley: … I don't know if I have it yet,

but I think it's being forgiving on yourself and not punishing

myself.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: I see

everyone having time to exercise and paint and do all these amazing things.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: And in coming to terms with it's okay if I can't do all that in a day.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: If I can make my daughter happy and my partner

maybe a good dinner and have a good day at work love I love them, that can be enough.

Scott Hammond: That's good. I like it. Especially, I think,

this leisure.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And here you are grinding to try to figure out-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … how to make this enterprise

grow during no grow time.

Linda Cooley: No grow.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And social media doesn't help. I was watching all these people have all

for things and saying, "I'm so bored," and I was just slammed. It was-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … go, go, go. We were trying to figure out…

Every day at that time, the laws were changing for the tap room, and-

Scott Hammond: Oh, right

Linda Cooley: … in Blue Lake, we didn't, we were the only food being served.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: And so I, when we shut down initially because we had

to, really the community reached out and said, "You have to open. There's nowhere else to go."

Scott Hammond: Hm.

Linda Cooley: And having to figure that out and-

Scott Hammond: Right, I remember

Linda Cooley: … not pay attention to everyone else who's

vacation [laughs] it felt like at the time.

Scott Hammond: Right. And you had the whole outdoor space

Linda Cooley: Right, right.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, and I remember going out. I, um,

that-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … the, still the-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … server?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, yes.

Scott Hammond: Are they you? Are they someone… Is that a-

Linda Cooley: No, so-

Scott Hammond: … provider?

Linda Cooley: … yeah, Bill was doing food in Blue Lake, and his

barbecue is amazing.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: Um, he was in the back of the roller rink at

smoker

Scott Hammond: Parago Park.

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: [laughs]

Linda Cooley: And he wasn't open enough hours because he didn't

have an actual facility. And as opposed to spending my time worried about food, I felt like we need to just focus on beer. That's what we're there for.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: We're not there for food. And so we chatted

idea, "You should be doing this in our kitchen-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … so I can focus on beer, and then you grow your business." His

and people need to try it, and it's-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … a better platform.

Scott Hammond: Oh, big time.

Linda Cooley: And it worked out better. And why wouldn't we help each other,

times like this?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: It's really expensive right now for businesses to go open up a new

Why not help each other?

Scott Hammond: Yeah. I love it.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So you guys got to expand out then to, uh, besides serving beer

at-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … San Francisco Giants baseball-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … which is amazing, and I want to hear that-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … story in a minute. But, uh, you guys, uh,

you're doing the thing in Willow Creek at the golf course?

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Is that still-

Linda Cooley: We're working on it, yeah. They're fixing up the building,

but we hope to be there soon, and really provide that same platform to those people-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … in Willow Creek of having delicious food.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Having a safe place to go, um, to just enjoy

the day. The golf course is beautiful-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and reviving that.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: The tribe is doing such a great job on the golf course itself,

and-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … yeah

Scott Hammond: 'Cause it was shut for a while, right?

Linda Cooley: For a while, yes.

Scott Hammond: Wow. So will that be, um…

So it'll be a, a tap room. Will you manufacture there as well?

Linda Cooley: No. It'll just… Well, for right now, it'll just be a tap room.

Scott Hammond: With the golf course.

Linda Cooley: With the golf course, yes.

Scott Hammond: That's a big dream for a lot of us. [laughs]

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Destination place.

Linda Cooley: So fun.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And it's also focusing on tourism, too.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, Nick and I were just talking about in this hard time

economically, really pushing tourism, and-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … I feel like we have left

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … the pandemic, and all of our businesses in Humboldt rely

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It's so important, and what can we do to get better to help

that-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … and get together and

spread the word that it's beautiful here?

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Amen. And I, I see, um,

and I hear that cannabis is caving in everywhere.

It's like-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I just talked to

somebody we know, and it's… he said Garberville and Redwood are just, It's just terrible.

Linda Cooley: So bad.

Scott Hammond: It's like, it's, it's caved, and it's… So yeah, back to tourism.

Why not?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Why wouldn't we?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: It's… And there's a lot of people

Linda Cooley: Yep.

Scott Hammond: So when Jodi and I are up hiking in Trinidad or-

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … Sue Mag or wherever we're at,

from around the world-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and they're, like, going, "Oh, oh." They're looking at the ocean.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: They've never seen the Pacific.

Linda Cooley: Right.

Scott Hammond: Or a redwood tree. They're just tripping on a big tree-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and it's like, oh, all this stuff we take for granted-

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … that we see every day.

Linda Cooley: We're one of the most traveled destinations in the world with the

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: We forget because it's our home,

beautiful trees, and we're one of the top destinations in

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And we need to capitalize off of it.

Scott Hammond: And the Great Redwood Trail's coming, so we're gonna-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … we're gonna see that, those tourists come and-

Linda Cooley: Right

Scott Hammond: … hiker, biker-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … whatever

Linda Cooley: … mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … they're gonna move on a trail, I guess.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, it'll be fun.

Linda Cooley: It will be.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Oh, and you guys are gonna get the, uh,

Linda Cooley: The Annie Mary.

Scott Hammond: The trail, right?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: When does that happen?

Linda Cooley: Uh, soon. In fact, one of our, um, brew

house guys are a big part of that. Him and his wife do so much work, and I'm so-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … thankful. They're just a big part of not just a bike

our natural resources and beauty here. Um, I think it's a couple years out, I believe. I'm not 100% sure.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So let's talk about the Annie Mary Rail

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … Eureka to Arcata and came out to Blue Lake-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … for logging purposes back in the day.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And Annie and Mary, tell… Do you know that story much?

You probably-

Linda Cooley: I do not

Scott Hammond: … they're, I think they worked for the city of Blue

They, they were a couple of, I don't know, office manager official ladies,

Days, which-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … you guys just celebrated.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And, uh, the trail got named that. But we l-

w- before… Well, I lived on it before we were married. We didn't live together before-

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … we were married. So I wanna just clar- Sorry, Jodi.

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Um,

so w- yeah, that's gorgeous. It co- it goes through some really cool places.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And that's gonna connect with Humboldt Bay, which is gonna connect with-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I don't know, San Francisco.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Someday, maybe.

Linda Cooley: Inevitably. It's gonna be all the way.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And I believe we're the end of the trail.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Uh, wow, and there's beer. It's-

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: … at the end of the road.

Linda Cooley: It's like a pot of gold.

Scott Hammond: [laughs]

Linda Cooley: It's a pot of gold.

Scott Hammond: It literally is a p- a case of gold.

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: I love it. That's, that's great. So tell me about, uh,

your Victory's marketing-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … in terms of how did the Giants deal

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What's going on with hockey?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What's happening with the other, um, the other casinos in, in

the state?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And out of state, too?

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Not yet, but soon to come. Um, we, during the

pandemic, really were starting to get concerned that we wouldn't be able to get the word that we purchased Mad River-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … and we had a rebranding due to everything

And so I had this crazy idea of, "Hey, let's reach out to the San Francisco Giants." They really have led

all sports-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … in inclusion and diversity.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: They have a lot of firsts.

Um, and [laughs] we Googled every single that worked there and emailed every single person-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … and came up with a short little snippet,

they responded. And it was at a time where we thought we're just never gonna get the word out. COVID's never ending. It almost seemed that there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Scott Hammond: Then the big win.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. And we-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … spoke, and I was really honest with them about what we

tribe and how we were struggling, and-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … I felt like we needed to tell our own

I wasOver being tokenized by all these other not just schools, but teams and businesses.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And we should be able to hear our own voice.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And it took off from there really.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. They've been nothing but wonderful and truly walk the line

that they speak, which is not common, I feel.

Scott Hammond: Which is cool. I love it.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So they, um… Do they serve… I would imagine not all

your beers, but do they serve-

Linda Cooley: Yeah, we have quite a few

Scott Hammond: … mostly-

Linda Cooley: We have Historic State Park, Steelhead.

We have Undammed Seltzer, and then we have our new beer,

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So that's really great.

Linda Cooley: It is.

Scott Hammond: And is it, is it in different places throughout the

Linda Cooley: It is. It's in right now nine different

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … and you can order some on the app

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, it's really great. And then also them giving us a platform

offering to help where they can-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … it's pretty amazing.

Scott Hammond: That's really cool.

Linda Cooley: The reach is far. And then we started with, um, the

hockey league, Barracudas, in San Jose-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … where we have our own, our own bar really.

It's all Mad River Beer with our-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … um, design on it and marketing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Uh, and it's the largest bar that's

and having that opportunity to hit those people that we would

have missed-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … um, especially during that time.

Scott Hammond: Right. Just being in-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … something semi-pro even sports is cool.

Linda Cooley: Amazing.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And being able to have our own design and

words there and not have a mascot that doesn't represent us, it's really refreshing and almost-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … unbelievable that that's happening.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: My friend Scott Sealy from Porter Street Barbecue tells me that-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … live hockey's the best sport ever.

Linda Cooley: So amazing.

Scott Hammond: It's like, it's, it's like that's the game to go to.

It's way better than football or anything.

Linda Cooley: My daughter, w- uh, baseball's our sport,

and she said, "This is just the best thing ever."

Scott Hammond: Super cool.

Linda Cooley: It's just action-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … 24/7.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. No, it doesn't stop.

Linda Cooley: So fun.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And you can see the puck versus-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … TV it's tougher.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Especially for older people like me.

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Um, so tell me more about how you got into

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … that you're at.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. We're really focusing on intertribal

um, and looking to make that connection. We're opening up Southern California. We're working hard on that right now.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, and coming out with products.

we really had to push the boundaries on. I had to create our own style of beer-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … indigenous ale.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, and work with other, another tribe to grow the

corn in that beer specifically-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … to sell in these large venues. Um,

we looked at something like a Modelo and realized that a Mexican lager is super tokenizing, and how can we be honest about what we're doing? So we have the Ioway

tribe of, uh, Nebraska-Kansas growing corn that we put in there, and it is a 4.3%, uh-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … beer. But we literally had [laughs] to create

indigenous ale.

Scott Hammond: Oh, do you mean this?

Linda Cooley: [laughs] Yes.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yes. So-

Scott Hammond: I love the branding. It looks beautiful

Linda Cooley: … thank you. Thank you.

Scott Hammond: It's only 4.3, so it's-

Linda Cooley: It is

Scott Hammond: … kinda lawnmower beer you can-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … go outside and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … very nice.

Linda Cooley: And also larger venues such as stadiums, casinos, bigger things,

they're looking for the lower alcohol content.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: So we not only have to make something that we think is good,

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … sells and fits.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: So now that we have this, I'm really focusing on that, opening

that opportunity of other venues-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … especially in Southern California

um, and really pushing that, and there'll probably be more news in the future on that.

Scott Hammond: Well, you know something we don't.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Oh, tell us more. Um, so you get some of the ingredients from

tribes?

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Yeah. So we started with that one. We…

They are growing the corn. It is a rare corn from an Aztec village.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, and it's pretty cool how we got Maize

is, uh, the Aztec believe that it… I won't pronounce her name, I'll botch it, um, that she created life from

corn dough.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: And so they grow, ironically, this corn from this

Aztec village. They're the only ones in America that

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: And so our idea was, is to start with this and come

up with ingredients from all different kinds of tribes that we can use, and then maybe even start a trend of, hey other tribal businesses, we can all use each other.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: We all have something to offer.

Scott Hammond: Right. So where is it grown, Nebraska?

Linda Cooley: Um, Ioway. Iowa.

Scott Hammond: Iowa, yeah.

Linda Cooley: That's how they call it, Ioway.

Scott Hammond: I'm from Iowa.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Scott Hammond: Sioux City, Iowa. Mm.

Linda Cooley: Nice.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, all the family's back there, most of them.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. It's… What's cool about the Midwest,

people are really the real deal.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: You could get some real BS'ers and some fake, uh-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … whatever Californians. Not necessarily Humboldt.

Humboldt's exceptional.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But right back there, when my mom died and I went back-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … people were real. I mean, they didn't-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … "I knew your mom 50 years ago,

Linda Cooley: Aw.

Scott Hammond: And I was just so touched by that. It's really, really amazing.

So you, you've done a lot in a short amount of time.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So exciting new developments. Let's talk about, a little bit about-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … future w- without-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … giving away the-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … the secrets.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Um,

uh, so it sounds like some new distribution-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … li- what are they called? Lines? Are they called…?

Linda Cooley: Yeah, distribution lines.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, just new distribution territories

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: I think also in the future it would be lovely to have a satellite

um, in another area. The cost of shipping is really high.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: Uh, I hate to pass that cost on to our customers, and

also to be able to provide more jobs.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, more partnerships with tribes on a larger

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, I would hopefully open up the state-Of

Nevada in the near future.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, there's a lot of opportunity right now,

for our products going forward really have more with not just local ingredients, but specifically indigenous.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: We are really lucky to have the Ioway Tribe that do regenerative

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, and, like, how to be greener.

that are affordable.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Unfortunately, it's also expensive to be green.

Scott Hammond: It's… Absolutely.

Linda Cooley: Um,

and really focus on that and not stop the fight of what we're pushing for, bringing awareness to some of these and being seen and being heard-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … from ourselves. Uh, I think that's just

necessary. And now that we have a lot of that under our belt, really able to push forward

growth now.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. So the Klamath Dam is part of that,

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Take Down the Dam. Not-

Linda Cooley: Undammed, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Okay. When is that happening?

Linda Cooley: Yeah, so we have one dam down. Um, and I

believe each one will come with a short announcement. There has to be all different types of thing that's correct-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and I'm not gonna pretend I know all the

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and speak for them. It's ever-changing.

Scott Hammond: It's a phased-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … kind of a-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. There's four dams

Scott Hammond: … deconstruction.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. It's amazing. I never thought in my whole entire life

happen.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Linda Cooley: It's unbelievable.

Scott Hammond: 'Cause that's probably not far from where you were raised, right?

Linda Cooley: No, it's not far at all.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: In fact, when we had the large salmon, um, kill,

was… My front yard was the Klamath River, and-

Scott Hammond: I remember that. Everything, fish everywhere.

Dead fish

Linda Cooley: … we thought it was the world ending at the time.

We woke up and it was just the river was just covered in silver carcasses, and you felt like, "What the heck is going on?"

Scott Hammond: That's so weird.

Linda Cooley: "What is happening?" And even now up until last year

before, there's times where you shouldn't really You might get a weird rash, and-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Linda Cooley: … all these animals are dying, and it's not just the salmon.

There's a large effect of things dying-

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh

Linda Cooley: … because we're not giving it water.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right.

Um, wanted to talk about cannabis growers tapping straws into the water, but-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I'm resisting that right now.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So, uh, good on me.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, I was looking at the art.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So is the artwork, is it all the work of a te- the same team?

'Cause some of these, the Undammed and, you know.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, so I, I wanna confess that I have my own beer that I…

You, you guys make.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um,

I was behind… I'll te- Can I tell my-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … beer story?

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: It, it's a great story.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So I'm behind in line waiting, and it's a hot day, and it's…

I don't… It was a couple years ago.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Before COVID. And, uh, there's Rick from Cadillac Ranch,

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … frequently.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And he, he, he comes away with this beer.

I go, "What are you drinking, man?" He goes, "It's an Old School."

"What?"

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: He goes, "They mix two beers." I go,

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: "You can't do that." He goes, "Well, they do." And it's a double IPA

Red.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Which Jamaican Red's called something else now, or is it still-

Linda Cooley: No, double IPA is.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But Jamaican Red's still Jamaican Red.

Linda Cooley: Yes.

Scott Hammond: And I go, "Oh." He goes, "Here."

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: "Try it." And I j- It was amazing. It was like, oh, my gosh,

refreshing and good.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I'll have one of those. So I've had… Now I've had two of this.

Just kidding.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Uh, it's just a really ama- And they were really, "Hey, yeah, we

know an Old School, so we'll make you that."

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So, uh, how about significant challenges along the

Linda Cooley: Oh.

Scott Hammond: I mean, I, I've, I've-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … you've implied a couple, but-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I'd like… What… Who, who were they?

[laughs]

Linda Cooley: Yeah. It's not been a easy road, and we can s-

sit and talk about all the wonderful, lovely things, and there's so

many.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: But buying a business that was so

historic-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … but had its own struggles, and having to change that-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … and still maintain that fan base is difficult-

Scott Hammond: It's-

Linda Cooley: … especially during COVID.

Scott Hammond: Right, to undo what… Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. And

businesses evolve and change, and it's hard to keep up with that. It's expensive to keep up with that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It's really expensive for a brewery to make any changes.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, when you make a change on packaging,

and thousands and thousands of dollars-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … uh, when you change anything.

time where we couldn't sell beer.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: And

you think originally, the story's so amazing, it's gonna sell

itself. But still having the realization of getting into some of these large chain stores-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … it's not enough.

Scott Hammond: How do you get Costco everywhere?

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And we've had some big wins with Costco.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: We're really thankful to have some really good buyers out there, and

I think we're getting better at telling our story in a short term, where people want to buy into it, but it's still hard.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: It's very hard. Um,

we made quite a few changes, and not everyone liked them, that balance, it's been difficult. And as a tribal business, I didn't really realize that there's hurdles in that alone.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, I think everyone wants to wave the flag of

diverse.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: But when it comes to actions-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … there's not really any-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … um, that anyone's putting out there, which

But finding that happy medium ground of when do you smile and just accept it, but when do you speak up and say, "No,

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … we need a change."

Scott Hammond: Right.

And you're a person that does that.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: I'm… Some may hate me for that, but

I-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Linda Cooley: … I have a daughter that looks at me every day,

that I could live my life if I didn't fight to make it better.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Where do you feel like you got

Linda Cooley: Oh, my dad.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: I might cry, yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's okay.

Linda Cooley: He was such a fighter. I think just the story of indigenous

My grandmother was in a boarding school in Chemawa, Oregon-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … um, and had a horrible life.And my

dad definitely didn't have an easy life, and being able to survive and

be-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … successful and just survive alone during

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … Native Americans, that's such a feat, and you become strong

and standing up for what you're proud of, whether people like it or not.

Scott Hammond: Right.

That's awesome. Good word.

Linda Cooley: Mm.

Scott Hammond: Um, how about turning points? I-

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … besides the Giants-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … contract.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, big turning points in, in the, the business.

Linda Cooley: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: I imagine now it's like we're getting back to normal and people are-

Linda Cooley: Yes

Scott Hammond: … it's getting warmer in Blue Lake.

We talked about that-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … before the podcast. [laughs]

Linda Cooley: Yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: People are starting to drink beer.

Linda Cooley: Right.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Turning points, really when we started…

There's been a new one recently. We redid Slammin'

Salmon. Um, not only did we relabel it, label it, but we freshened the

recipe.

Scott Hammond: Which is a double IPA.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: We freshened it where it is still that same

taste, but it's lighter and fresher.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um,

and doing that to a couple of our beers, along with rebranding and getting people excited again about Mad River.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And even though Steelhead's wonderful, having everyone outside

Humboldt see that we have more than just Steelhead.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: And in the last six months, we've really had that

success in getting it out there-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … um, has been a really big turning point.

Uh, Slammin' Salmon is now Canyon of Dreams.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: And that story is about our partnership with state parks.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and being a dreamer, we've really had a lot of success with

that, and it's really taking off.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And now we are having chain stores and distributors really

respond to it-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … now that the proof is in the pudding.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, o- outside of the Giants, and then

also having our local people really rally behind us-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … and be okay with the change of it being a

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: It was hard at first.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, somehow there's still that stigma of Natives and alcohol.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um,

and I think we're finally at a point where everyone settled down and accepted it-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … and more supportive.

Scott Hammond: We're so progressive in Humboldt County.

Linda Cooley: I know.

Scott Hammond: How could this be?

Linda Cooley: I know.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's funny, huh? Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: We… It's funny how we [laughs]

getting on a, a soapbox, how we talk a talk, So it's interesting.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, reading the comments and

some of the stuff locally is really sometimes pretty brutal in local

wherever.

Linda Cooley: Really.

Scott Hammond: It's like, "Are you kidding?"

Linda Cooley: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um,

so, uh, so Slammin' Salmon is now Canyon of Dreams.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And, um, Steelhead is still Steelhead.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And just for-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … so people that, that don't know, that's-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … that's your standard. It's a lager?

Linda Cooley: Yes. It's a extra pale ale.

Scott Hammond: Extra pale.

Linda Cooley: Yep. Um, and it's won numerous awards.

It's-

Scott Hammond: It's the flagship.

Linda Cooley: It's the flagship. Uh, we did purchase new equipment when

we purchased the brewery that helped, I think, the beer just be a little more clear and clarified.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: But it's still the same recipe, and really tried to

encompass what they did right with Steelhead-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … into the other products.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: A lot of the other products were wonderful.

They just didn't get the time and the highlight that they needed.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right. So do you… Let's say all dreams come true and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … you're at Costco and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … you, you're in every place in Nevada

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Do you guys have capacity? Can, can, can you make that much beer?

Linda Cooley: We

have more capacity currently than what we use. However, we will need to grow with that.

Scott Hammond: You, there's land where you're at by-

Linda Cooley: Correct, yeah

Scott Hammond: … by Alm-, Almquist. Is he-

Linda Cooley: Correct

Scott Hammond: … is Al- Eric Almquist own that still?

Linda Cooley: Yes. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: He's a g-

Linda Cooley: Wonderful

Scott Hammond: … is… I would imagine he'd be a great landlord.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. I think we need to really focus on another

area outside of just Humboldt.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Behind the Redwood Curtain, it's so expensive.

Scott Hammond: To ship.

Linda Cooley: Yeah, and-

Scott Hammond: Ship in and ship out.

Linda Cooley: Yes. Keep Mad River, the one we have in Blue Lake here, but

then think about another area. I would really like to do it with another

tribe-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … um, on tribal land and have that-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … jobs and stay true to our story.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: So hopefully and I believe we can do that.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, we're also working with another tribe

them.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um,

it would be nice to be able to do that down the road.

Scott Hammond: Wow. So capacity would mean more equipment

Linda Cooley: Correct

Scott Hammond: … but also a second.

Linda Cooley: A second location, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Or a third.

Linda Cooley: Who knows?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And maybe even with a new location, be able to be more green.

I would love to go to solar.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, we have zero waste.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: But maybe there's more we can do with that than what we're doing right

Scott Hammond: Right, right. So for us, solar today is 62 degrees.

Linda Cooley: [laughs] Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Sun just came out at like-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … 3:00 in Eureka.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And, uh, Death Valley's 116 today.

Linda Cooley: It's unbelievable.

Scott Hammond: So it's, that's twice what we are.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Weird.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And Redding is not too far behind.

Linda Cooley: No.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. It's crazy, so.

Linda Cooley: It is.

Scott Hammond: Um, good for solar, good for beer drinking.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. But when you're in Humboldt…

[laughs]

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It definitely-

Scott Hammond: But living here is, is, is also the magic.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So, uh-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … let's talk about, about your view of Humboldt County for a

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So I always do a, a special section.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: It requires the bell. [bell dings]

Linda Cooley: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Hey, Linda,

gonna get a sense of what you like in Humboldt.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And there's no correct answer. If you answer correctly, um,

you'll get a small prize.

Linda Cooley: Okay.

Scott Hammond: So, uh, there's no correct. Uh, so when you guys go out,

eat? And I realize that you're, you're kind of in business,

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … judicious. You can't choose everybody,

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … if I said, "Hey, here's 500 bucks.

Take the family out."

Linda Cooley: Larrupin's.

Scott Hammond: Larrupin, okay. Yeah. We were just there. It's, it's…

The guy, the… I still got the wait staff because-That French Laundry in Napa or in Calistoga

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … he goes, it, he thinks we're every bit as good,

Boise at our daughter's. He goes… And he's very affluent and travels. He goes, "Yeah, that, that Lar- Larrupin, is that how you say it?"

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I go, "Yeah, you got it." He goes, he goes, "That

Linda Cooley: Amazing.

Scott Hammond: Um, so if you didn't drink one of your beers-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … what beer would you-

Linda Cooley: Ooh

Scott Hammond: … have?

Linda Cooley: I do love Eel River. I don't think it's out of just loyalty.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Their IPA is phenomenal.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: I'm not the biggest IPA person.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: The English style IPA, they just nail it every single time.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Linda Cooley: I love it.

Scott Hammond: And their blonde is really good.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Yeah. I'm not a blonde drinker, but it's good.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: Everything they do is really good.

Scott Hammond: And their food seems to be good.

Linda Cooley: Oh, their food is delicious, and the taproom there is fun in Fortuna-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and it's always lively and happy.

And I love how they were the first certified organic brewery.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: And that was difficult. It's expensive-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … to be that.

Scott Hammond: I bet.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. We have a lot of good beer here,

place in my heart.

Scott Hammond: So you're gonna go for a hike with the family. Where do you go?

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Oh.

I- There's so many different places. Of course, I love Strawberry Rock, but-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

You actually get up all… Do-

Linda Cooley: I do

Scott Hammond: … go all the way up?

Linda Cooley: All the way up.

Scott Hammond: Rad. Good for you.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. I don't know. I think I like going up Bald Hills Road,

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … it's, uh, takes me back to my childhood.

It's-

Scott Hammond: Right

Linda Cooley: … where our people lived. It's where I learned to hunt,

to drive. It has a lot of my childhood memories

Scott Hammond: Joni just took me for a, a hike, a drive and a hike up there,

where the ranger, the tower is.

Linda Cooley: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Is that Lions Valley?

Linda Cooley: Yeah, the Lions Ranch.

Scott Hammond: Lions Ranch.

Linda Cooley: Old Lions Ranch, yep.

Scott Hammond: It was-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … just amazing.

Linda Cooley: So beautiful.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. We hiked in. It was really fun.

It was, uh, like there's no one there.

Linda Cooley: No one. It's so bea- And you're on…

Scott Hammond: Yeah, and there's this nice breeze and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … then it turned 95, and we had to go home because we [laughs]

Linda Cooley: [laughs] It was too hot. [laughs]

Scott Hammond: We were, we were starting to melt a little bit.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, how about coffee? Where do you drink coffee?

Linda Cooley: Oh, I love Gold Rush.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Great.

Yeah, I actually met the owner. He's… I don't think he… I don't think so. Nice guy.

Linda Cooley: They've always had just consistently good coffee.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: They don't overdo it. I'm not into all of the sweet

craziness that-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … everyone does.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And they have just good coffee.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Linda Cooley: I don't need the fancy stuff.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: I like coffee.

Scott Hammond: Right. We always go to Black Rock up in Medford.

They have-

Linda Cooley: Ooh

Scott Hammond: … this killer coffee.

Linda Cooley: Really?

Scott Hammond: I mean, there's Dutch Bros. on every corner and-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … shout out to Dutch Bros., but these guys are, uh, really do

coffee-

Linda Cooley: Mm

Scott Hammond: … really well. Um, so talking about Humboldt

it, um, what do you see for the future, uh, five, 10-year window for, not for y'all, but for y- our kids, for the county? What, what do you wanna see? What do you see?

Linda Cooley: I wanna see

a longer-term vision planning in economics.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: I look at what we've had with logging and fishing-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and marijuana just in my lifetime.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: That was never sustainable.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: We jump in, like, we repeat the gold rush over

I feel like we're stuck in Groundhog Day.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: And I don't know why we're still hanging on to

that business.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: We're still trying to hang on to it.

I hope that we look long-term and figure something out that's good for our community that's-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … sustainable.

Scott Hammond: Good.

Linda Cooley: Um,

I want to live here for the rest of my life. It's the most magical place.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And I can't see my daughter leaving too far

away.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: This is where our people have been forever.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, I hope that we can have a more sustainable

future and have more honest conversations about that. I also hope that we do start [laughs] to focus on tourism and really-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … remember why we live here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It's easy to get stuck in the negativity, and, you know,

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: Really focus on how wonderful it is and get back to that.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And even though I don't think it had happened when I was growing up,

going to the Arcata Plaza and having all these fun events-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and seeing everyone.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right.

Linda Cooley: And when I moved away, I missed it so much, of having these

community-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … things and being together and being happy-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and supporting each other.

Scott Hammond: Farmers markets, whatever.

Linda Cooley: Oh.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: It was just, you just wanted to be together.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And I don't know what we have to do to go back that direction.

I feel like this year we've made a lot of leeway.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think Eureka's doing some stuff.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: The Thursday night concerts, the Friday night-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … street thing and-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … everybody's got-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … an Arts Alive it seems like.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Even McKinleyville does their concerts in the park.

Linda Cooley: And it's nice, and even if it's a small turnout, it's something.

Scott Hammond: It's something.

Linda Cooley: It's something.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Linda Cooley: And of course, I'd love to see more inclusion for, um,

in Humboldt.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um, even though I think everyone here knows

sometimes I feel like there's still a wall there and a gap.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And I'm not sure how we close that, but…

Scott Hammond: I love your answer about l- something long-term and sustainable.

That's a brilliant, brilliant commentary 'cause you're right. We gold rushed it again, and there's… We'll probably do it again with something, and it's like, um, Nancy Olsen from the chamber was here-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and she said, you know, and she added a further comment that,

the, "and the clock's running." [laughs] We good decisions-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … 'cause not everybody's gonna get

Linda Cooley: Nope.

Scott Hammond: And we're, we're a little behind the eight ball in

I mean, I think of what if we had a nice concert venue on the Bay-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … or somewhere else. It's like-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and we could have,

you know, uh, Michael Buble come and-

Linda Cooley: Right

Scott Hammond: … somebody major.

Linda Cooley: Right.

Scott Hammond: Frank Sinatra. Wait, he can't come.

Linda Cooley: No. [laughs]

Scott Hammond: But, you know, somebody, uh, whatever, Pink FloydOr

even like the Brit Festival in-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … in Jacksonville, Oregon.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: There, there could be that venue that could be amazing in a big

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … maybe that's not the, necessarily the way to go, but,

um, I like that. So how do you personally make a And, and I got a couple of questions before-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … we close that I ask everybody, so-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … be ready for them.

Linda Cooley: Okay.

Scott Hammond: 'Cause they're who are you and what do you want?

That's-

Linda Cooley: Okay

Scott Hammond: … those are the two questions. But, um,

in terms of, um, giving back to the community?

Linda Cooley: I think that I'm still trying to figure that out.

We were talking about that as well. I really feel like we need a voice for not just businesses, but of e- each other of what's really going on we really feel.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: I feel like we have a lot of great organizations and

clubs that have the right intentions. I don't know if they're as efficient as they used to be.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: Um…

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: I think it's wonderful the work the chambers do and the cities.

I don't know if everyone's going to those meetings.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: And I would

one day, I'm trying to figure it out, to have a platform for all of us to come together and be honest about I am struggling, I have nothing, this is what I need help with.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And have other people to be able to not just support and listen,

but all of us have resources-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and ideas-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Linda Cooley: … and pull it together and just be there for each other.

It's been a hard road, and I don't think everything that's going-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Linda Cooley: … on in the world.

Um, and I think, too, just surviving and not giving up.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: Keep fighting.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. And create a venue for

Linda Cooley: Right. And a safe place.

Scott Hammond: I like that.

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I like that.

Linda Cooley: I don't know what that looks like, but it's been on my mind-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … for the last three and a half years-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … and I would really like to have a space,

employee somewhere-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Linda Cooley: … to come together and be there and work better

together. We have to work together in Humboldt. We're all have some sort of struggle one way or the other.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Linda Cooley: And be more honest about it. We see all these beautiful pictures on

media, but life is not always that beautiful.

Scott Hammond: No.

No.

Um-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … having an office downtown Eureka, I can,

I can confirm that for sure.

Linda Cooley: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: So, um, your legacy, what do you… What's gonna…

What's the phrase on your tombstone?

Linda Cooley: I don't know. Oh, my gosh. I think I'm still figuring it out.

Maybe, "She tried."

Scott Hammond: She tried.

[laughs]

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Re- brief and to the point. I like-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … I like that. I like that a lot. So,

um, so I'll c- I'll come back to the original question-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … 'cause you did really well with it,

So who, who is Linda Cooley?

Linda Cooley: I think that she has so many tasks she

wants to do-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and tries to do them all.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Linda Cooley: But inevitably finds a couple that she does well.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Linda Cooley: And

I think she's someone that strives for all the good things and trying to figure out how to put it in a package and maybe learning a lot on the

way.

Scott Hammond: Nice. Good answer. Wow.

Linda Cooley: Just being real. I'm not sure-

Scott Hammond: That's totally real

Linda Cooley: … I'm not sure how it's gonna pan out, but-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … we'll see.

Scott Hammond: No, we're, we're all on that journey, yeah.

And, and you kind of said what you want. Um, what do you, what do you personally want? I mean… And, and not to say-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … uh, uh, my other question was, "Hey,

better?"

Linda Cooley: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You've only run a giant brewery and t- turned it around

have this-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … giant vision for thousands of other people

But, um, in terms of what would y-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … what would you want,

um, if given unlimited resources-

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … outside of business? You kind of mentioned, hey, a forum maybe.

Linda Cooley: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What would you like to s- what would you want?

Linda Cooley: I think that it's really hard as an

Indigenous woman, especially when you come from a reservation, to think that you could ever make things happen or that people wanna listen to you.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And it sounds crazy, I know some people right now feel like

racism doesn't exist, but to be able to spread the hope that you're capable of anything.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And I don't know what that would look like,

I just didn't necessarily think that I had the possibility to make

changes.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Linda Cooley: And some of the successes and changes that I have been able to be a

of-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … not me alone, it's a whole team-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Linda Cooley: … whole tribe.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Linda Cooley: How can we do that on a larger level

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and change that narrative, where as opposed to

feeling oppressed or suppressed, that you… those struggles make you empowered.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Love it.

Linda Cooley: I think that that's-

Scott Hammond: Sounds like a book to me.

Linda Cooley: [laughs] Right. What Not To Do-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … by Linda Cooley.

Scott Hammond: That's a… [laughs]

Linda Cooley: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Sometimes, sometimes the what-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … not to do-

Linda Cooley: Right

Scott Hammond: … is the most valuable of all. Well-

Linda Cooley: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … thank you for being here.

Linda Cooley: Thanks for having me

Scott Hammond: … and thanks for, thanks for the honest, like,

Linda Cooley: Yeah, I'm sorry-

Scott Hammond: Appreciate it

Linda Cooley: … but-

Scott Hammond: No, don't be sorry at all. No, and I, I love it.

Um, hope you'll come back, actually.

And so-

Linda Cooley: Ah

Scott Hammond: … any, any questions for me? Anything, anything else?

Linda Cooley: Um-

Scott Hammond: Did I miss anything?

Linda Cooley: I, I-

Scott Hammond: Anything you wanna talk about?

Linda Cooley: … do have a question for you.

Scott Hammond: Go for it.

Linda Cooley: How do you stay motivated, to stay positive and pushing your business

I fangirl-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Linda Cooley: … over all the things you do,

And-

Scott Hammond: Thank you

Linda Cooley: … it's motivating. Uh, so I've had a couple days where I've just

kind of been down in the mud-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Linda Cooley: … and I literally go to your Facebook page.

Scott Hammond: Hey, there he is.

He's, he's happy. [laughs]

Linda Cooley: You're just… You're always trying,

out-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Linda Cooley: … and trying to help people. What drives you to do that?

Scott Hammond: Um,

thank you. That's a great question, and I… now I'm on the spot, best, honest, short answer. Uh, I am highlyHighly motivated by my higher power, by the Creator.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And I am totally

pretty unabashed about that. I don't really shove that much, But you asked, so I'll, I'll say.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, I am highly motivated to know

are limited. Nobody gets out of here alive.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And I wanna be, uh… I wanna have something really key on that

tombstone. I don't know, you know, what that is exactly.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um,

I'm motivated because I know that one day, this lovely woman I'm married to that's raised nine and child number ten right here-

speaker_2: Unbelievable

Scott Hammond: … uh, needs, needs an amazing, honoring

retirement. It's gonna be-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … freaking fun.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And so, um,

I know that in order to do those things and to achieve those things, there's things that go before that.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: A responsible person would want to…

I'm told by my coach, "You have to have health,

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … the things that you'd like to do." And so at 63,

got some of that left. Got some health left, so-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … uh, what do we do to,

you know, accommodate that vision for, say, travel?"

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So we're gonna go to Amsterdam in the fall.

speaker_2: Mm.

Scott Hammond: We have a, a son and a, and a granddaughter soon to be born there,

uh-

speaker_2: Mm

Scott Hammond: … why not give yourself permission?

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So we're figuring that out. So what motivates me, I'd say, um,

I have an amazing partner-

speaker_2: She's wonderful

Scott Hammond: … in Joni. Yeah. She's pretty, pretty amazing.

My dad goes, "So Joni's really, really amazing." [laughs] He goes-

speaker_2: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I go… And I got this look. I go, "What, what about me?" He goes-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … "You just were smart enough to marry Joni."

I go, "Wow. Thanks. Thanks, Dad." So, and he was right, so

got, uh, married up in a big way. So, uh, do I do this for God, for Joni, for the kids, for grandkids? Yeah, and I think we need more time with

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So we, we had nine kids and no grandkids.

We had grand-dogs-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and grand-cats.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And suddenly,

there's gonna be grandki-kid number 10 here in the fall. So it's like-

speaker_2: So amazing

Scott Hammond: … what's he… What are these guys up to? Uh, oh, I get it.

speaker_2: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Oh, they're having grandkids. Crazy.

So Joni's vision and mine is to go and spend time with these guys-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … 'cause some of our grandparents didn't do

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Some did. Were really amazing.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But after being remote, it's harder-

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … to get the heck out of Dodge.

speaker_2: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: You know, it's expensive to fly.

speaker_2: So expensive.

Scott Hammond: Takes all day to drive to Boise.

speaker_2: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Um,

but that's what you gotta do if you wanna make connection

speaker_2: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and all that stuff, that magic happen.

So thanks for asking that. Good question.

speaker_2: Thanks for doing it.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

speaker_2: Thanks for being there for all of us that are-

Scott Hammond: Thank you

speaker_2: … you're really good at outreaching,

sometimes to take a page from your book.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

speaker_2: We'll see how successful I get at it.

Scott Hammond: I, uh, you, you're more than welcome.

Anyway, thanks for coming today.

speaker_2: Thank you for having me.

Scott Hammond: Appreciate you, and I wish you a good afternoon, and, um,

uh, we'll see you in Blue Lake.

speaker_2: You will. I'm excited.

Scott Hammond: Thanks.