The Woman Behind Aviator Nation: High Performance, Wellness, and Taking Risks w/ Paige Mycoskie
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What really makes us different is it really is an authentic brand. I mean, I surf and snowboard and hike and do all the things that are on the patches, you know, like my life is really directly inspiring the designs and it's always been that way. This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn.

What is up, guys? Welcome back to the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. Today in this episode, I sit down with one of my close friends, Paige Mycoskie, the visionary founder of Aviator Nation. She is absolutely incredible. I've been so honored to get to know her on a personal level. She is a

In person, like one of the most special people. She is not only a creative visionary, but just someone who is super, super involved in her business to this day. And also just has really great boundaries and disciplines in her life day to day that make her a really high performer.

Aviator Nation is a brand known for its iconic 70s inspired made in America fashion. Paige takes us through her journey from childhood and early creative sparks to taking the leap and launching Aviator Nation in 2006. She shares insights into building a lifestyle brand, staying true to her vision and managing the growth of a company with 20 locations across the US and 650 employees.

We also discuss her personal wellness routine and the importance of nurturing relationships. I feel like this episode with Paige was such an interesting one because she has really paved her own lane in entrepreneurship. It is so rare that you meet someone with such a large, successful brand who has no intentions of selling it, has taken no outside investments, and has

really has stayed true to who she is from the beginning. Paige as a person encompasses what Aviator Nation is as a brand. And I think she's a really special person. And I think we can all learn so much from her. So let's hop right into this episode with Paige.

Paige, welcome to the Pursuit of Wellness. Thank you. This is crazy. We've been talking about this for a while and I'm so honored to have you on today. You are the founder of Aviator Nation, one of my favorite brands and I think the world's favorite brands. You are one of America's wealthiest self-made women.

And I have had the privilege of getting to know you on a personal level, which has been really, really interesting for me because I admired you so much from afar before. And now knowing you personally, it's pretty insane how hands on you are with your business to this day.

And I also really admire your discipline and boundaries you have in your day-to-day life. So we're going to talk about all of it. Amazing. But I'd love to start at the beginning and hear just a little bit more about your childhood and kind of what shaped you into who you are today. Sure.

My childhood is so interwoven in what I do. It's actually pretty interesting. I'm really lucky. I grew up with two grandmothers that were super impactful in my life.

They lived in the same town as I lived in growing up, so I spent a lot of time with them. And I really believe that a lot of who I am came from spending that time with them. So my dad's mom was an artist, super creative, had a sewing machine, had a whole art studio.

made everything you can imagine. She made her own clothing. She made her own drapes. She did stained glass art, like everything. And every time I would go over to visit her, she would say, hey, what do you want to learn today?

And so I just like thought that was normal, you know, that like you're constantly learning things and I could not wait. That was my favorite thing is to go over and we would go to the craft store and she would be like, just pick out some hobby that you want to learn. And, um, and we would go to that section where they have all the books of like, you know, how to do everything basically. And so not only did I learn a lot just from those days with her, but I also learned that you can do anything, you know, I mean, there were never, there was never a limit to

on what I could learn. And, um, and I would ask her a lot of questions and, you know, so I think that, you know, today, you know, I'm sure we'll get into it, but with my team, everyone knows that they can't come to me and say, oh, that's not possible because they have learned that I'm just going to be like, we'll figure it out. And my thing is like, okay, if I can figure out how to do the thing you're telling me is impossible, then you're in trouble.

And usually I can figure it out. So they're like, okay, fine. Touche. I'm not going to tell you something's not possible because you're going to figure out how to do it and then I'm going to look like an idiot. So anyway, I learned a lot of that from my grandmother. Also patience. She was really just thoughtful and slow and took time doing things and read the instructions and taught me to read the instructions. And then my other grandmother, my mom's mom, was very like –

just life of the party, like super like strong character. She had this like positivity and enthusiasm about her that I just thought was magnetic. And so I always kind of wanted to be like her. She was like the best athlete in school every year. Like she was just,

She was also very competitive, she was a big athlete, she also did a lot of games. She would always have friends over to play games and I think I got that from her. I'm all about activities and being competitive and stuff. And everyone just loved her and I always thought, you know, just that energy that she has, like I want that. And so I grew up with a couple of amazing grandparents and then my parents are also amazing.

And I think that I grew up in an environment where, again, you know, my parents never really told me no. You know, they were like, okay, you want to do that? Like, give it a shot. Figure it out. But they did want me to figure things out for myself as well. My dad was a surgeon. He was also team doctor for the Texas Rangers. So he was always, he was working a lot. He was just constantly working. And my mom was a stay-at-home mom for a long time, but she did teach like fitness classes and stuff.

Health and wellness was a big thing for her. So I learned from my parents, my dad was all about the hard work ethic. He was very focused and driven. And then my mom was super into wellness and taking care of your body. And every single day, I remember we had a home gym growing up luckily. And every single day, she was in the gym in the morning and stretching and stuff at night. And I think that seeing that was a big thing for me too. Yeah.

What I love about you is I feel like you have married the creativity and the drive and the business mind together. When you discovered that you loved art and you were creative, did you have a vision for something big? Like, did you know you were going to do something big or was it sort of like you worked your way up?

I think that I didn't really know it was going to be big until I saw it really selling in the stores. I think that when I was just making clothes, it really was just a passion. It was fun. And I think that at a young age, you don't really understand that your passion can be your job. You know, I think that a lot... I mean, now I feel like...

When I grew up, there was no social media. There was no Instagram. So it's like I don't think that we had as much messaging people doing great podcasts like yourself and stuff, like teaching us we can actually do whatever we want. So I think that it was just a passion for me in the beginning. But as soon as I put it... As soon as I was out and about wearing it and people were approaching me and then I did a street fair where...

I'm sure you've heard if you've ever, if you listen to how I built this, you heard that. But basically like I did a street fair and I sold $8,000 worth of clothes in a day. And my first boutique I shipped to Fred Siegel sold out in a weekend. And like as soon as I saw that, I was like,

this isn't just my job. This is going to be huge. I could see how passionate the buyers were about it. And I did a little bit of work in retail. So I'd been around fashion a little bit, like just working in stores and stuff. And I could see the difference in the customer coming into my store when I worked in Abbot Kinney, the first location, and they were like obsessed with it.

It wasn't just like, oh, this is cute. It was like, oh my God, I love this. The people, the fans of the brand have always been so passionate about it.

And I think that's what made me think from an early stage that it was just going to be huge. I feel like that's because it's so different and it's so bold and it's almost like a lifestyle. Like when you see someone else wearing it, you almost feel like, oh, we're going to vibe because we're in this group. Well, you know, a lot of people have even told me consistently that when they wear the clothes, it makes them feel better. Like I've had women tell me, you know, it makes me feel athletic when I'm wearing it. Like, or it makes me feel like,

people actually do come up and say, "Hey, I love what you're wearing." And so I do think the brand kind of has this vibration around it. And I don't know if it's like the colorful designs or just when you're comfortable, you feel more confident. And I think it's super comfortable. So I've had a lot of people tell me that it makes them feel good. And I love that. I think that's amazing.

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Everyone looks the same. We're all doing the clean girl aesthetic or whatever it is. And when you're wearing Aviator Nation, you're like taking up space and you're kind of like, this is me. And I really love that. I feel like you're very much like that. And you're just such a representation of your brand. Yeah.

Can you talk a little bit about the moment you decided to quit your job and go all in on Aviator Nation? Because I think a lot of people listening who maybe want to do their own thing, that's the part where they get stuck. It's like, how do you take the leap of faith and take the risk and go all in on yourself? Yeah.

Yeah. So I was working at a surf shop. I was a buyer's assistant and that was my kind of nine to five. I was doing photography on the side. I went to school for photography and I was doing that, like just random gigs. And then I was writing for magazines because I was really into journalism. So I had a

when I was working at the surf shop, I was, as buyer's assistant, seeing a lot of clothing. And I just noticed that I was constantly wanting to change things. I'd be like, I like what they're doing here, but I would do it in this color and I would change this and whatever.

So I had all these ideas at work. And so finally, I actually bought a sewing machine with a couple hundred dollars that I got as a gift from my grandparents for my birthday. And as soon as the sewing machine arrived, I bought a couple books on how to do sewing, basically. I had no idea what I was doing. And I remember literally the first night that I started to explore how to make patterns and make clothes. And I

I was literally obsessed. Like I stayed up all night and then I would go to work the next day and then I would come home and I just couldn't wait to get home and work on the ideas that I had. And once I realized I could make my own clothes and I was obsessed with it and I was literally staying up all night.

Like something, a light bulb went off in my head that like, this is crazy. Like I've never been so passionate about something before and I'm just having so much fun. It doesn't matter if I'm tired, doesn't matter if I mess it up. Like I can't wait to redo it. Like it was a different level of passion that I'd ever experienced. And so...

I was still working, but I decided that I wanted to do something where I could put it out there. And so I got a booth at a street festival for $500 and I sewed as much clothing as I could between signing up and going there. And so for a couple months I made clothes and then I

Went to the booth, I hung up all my clothes, and then one day I made like $8,000 at this street festival. And that was the moment where I realized, okay, like this is actually something I can make money doing. And that is when I quit my job. And I think that...

A lot of people are worried about quitting their job to do their passion and I really encourage doing the same. You don't have to quit your job to start. You can be doing both at the same time. And that's a nice cushion because if it doesn't work, then you can move on to something else or whatever.

So I always tell people, you know, just be prepared to be a little tired, you know, because obviously you're doing this on your downtime. But it's worth it, you know. So take your downtime, put it into your passion, and if you find that it sticks, you know...

then don't be afraid to really go for it. You know, you have to take risk. And jobs are always going to be there. You can always go back and get another job. Who cares? I agree 100%. And I also think there's a season in life where you just need to be tired and you need to grind it out. And if you're in your early 20s, like do it now. And I think taking that risk and making that decision is what sets you

people apart like that's what makes successful people successful it's like being willing to be scared and take that risk I kind of in a similar position was working at orange theory fitness so the front desk I was getting there at three in the morning to open up making minimum wage but I was posting my fitness stuff online and starting to grow that on the side and I was really nervous to quit at first which feels silly now but at the time I was like what

well, what do you mean? Like, this is my job. And that was the best thing I ever did was going all in on my brand. So for anyone listening, I feel like this is such a great story and example of taking a leap of faith that might feel crazy. But if you feel good about it, and you're having fun, and you're passionate, the sky's the limit. How did you land on the name?

The name. Okay, so it's actually a funny story. My favorite movie growing up was Top Gun. Okay. And I was obsessed. I had the movie poster in my bedroom. I watched the movie all the time. So in the movie, I mean, the primary sunglasses that Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise wear, the aviator, the Ray-Ban aviator.

And so I just thought that was how you're cool. You know, you were aviator shades. And so I've always been really into sunglasses and specifically aviators. And I had a whole vintage collection of aviators in my bedroom. I go to flea markets a lot and stuff. So they were like kind of on a shelf in my room when I was sitting there trying to decide what to name the company. And I was looking at the sunglasses and I was like, I love the word aviator. It's just like,

I didn't really associate it with being a pilot or whatever. I was just like, I like that word. And I was like, the sunglasses really just make you kind of elevated. Like when you put on a pair of cool shades, I just always thought, well, that just takes your like,

whole vibe to the next level. And so Aviator, I was like, I love that. And then I was thinking about what I wanted the brand to do. And it was interesting that I thought about this from such a young age, but I really wanted it to bring people together, you know, and the way that people were approaching me when I was wearing the clothes and how passionate they were. I was like, it would be so cool if I could create a brand that really brought people together that are like-minded,

And so that's where Nation comes in, is that I wanted it to be like a collective group of people that had rad style. And I used to say rad clothes for rad people. That was kind of my tagline when I was starting. But it was all about bringing people together. And then the word aviator is just, you know...

Now you're saying that, I'm like, is the jacket, it's kind of like pilot style, no? Yeah, maybe. I think I just like that style. Yeah. I've always loved patches. I mean, his jacket was patches in the movie. Yeah. It has like an undertone of that vibe. Yeah. I just realized that. And then don't you have the furry ones too? Yeah, I do. I have the shirling collar ones. Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm obsessed. Yeah. I'm curious. So I know a lot has changed since you founded. I mean, you founded in 2006, right? Yes.

So a lot has changed since then. And I think a lot of people now when they start companies are like at the forefront of it. And I know you kind of made a decision to be a little more behind the scenes. I see now you're like in the campaigns and obviously you're like on the ground, literally building the stores. But what was your decision behind like being the face of the company?

Yeah, I think that I realized that, you know, the whole fashion world is obviously super saturated. And I think that what really makes us different is it really is an authentic brand. I mean, I surf and snowboard and hike and do all the things that are on the patches, you know, like my life is really directly inspiring the designs and it's always been that way.

And so I think that it's important that people understand that this isn't just...

me trying to make stuff that looks a certain way. This is really, you know, a lifestyle brand that I'm making things that feel good when I get out of the water and when I'm done snowboarding or when I'm traveling. You know, I designed this jacket and all of our puffy jackets to get really tiny when they're traveling because I love to travel and I don't want a giant suitcase, you know? And so I think that me being, you know, at the forefront really shows people that, you

This isn't just a random thing. This is someone's passion and they're doing what they love. And I think it's interesting for people to see that story. It's funny, the last couple years I've been running into people

young girls and they come up to me and they're telling me how inspired they are. And I don't know like how they knew about me or saw me maybe on Instagram, I guess. But it's funny because that makes me feel so good. And I'm just like, wow, like if I'm inspiring these young girls and I've even had people send me letters that say that they're trying to start, you

you know, like young girls trying to start a clothing brand because of me. And I'm just like, okay, I need to be in the forefront here because, you know, like this is what I'm doing. And I want people to know that they can do it too, especially, you know, the young girls. It is gift giving season and Quince lets you treat your loved ones and yourself to everyday luxury at an affordable price.

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It's awesome that you are doing podcasts and talking about this. I mean, I listened to an episode of yours, I mean, three years ago before I even knew you. And I was so inspired by everything you were talking about. And now on TikTok, I would love to show you some of these brands coming out on TikTok. There's one in particular, I think her name's Strawberry Milk Mob, and that's the name of her brand.

And she does these super cute bikinis. And these girls are like packing the boxes every day and really like in the weeds. And it's just so, I mean, it's so cool what these young people are doing now with TikTok. I mean, the way that you build a business is so different now. I'm sure even compared to what you did back then. But yeah, I think you...

now that I even know you personally, you are such, you are your brand. Like every time I see you running on the trail or we have dinner or whatever it may be, like you are Aviator Nation and it's just really freaking cool. And you're also incredibly hands-on. Like I don't think people even realize to the extent that you're hands-on. I don't think I even realized until I walked in your house the other day and you were like sending out a Cyber Monday email and I was like,

what is going on? Like, I hope you don't mind me saying that. No, it's fine. I think it's fun for people to know. It's insane. Like guys, this is, she is, I mean, this business is huge. Like you are so incredible and I'm like in your house and you're sending out a Cyber Monday email. What is your ethos behind being so involved to this day? Yeah. So, you know, the thing is obviously I love it and

And I love the creative and people are mind blown when they find out that I still design everything. And I do have some assistant designers that help me at times. But I really do all the creative still. I approve every single print, every single dye color, all of it. But the business side of it is really fun for me too. And so there's that, that I'm actually having fun doing it. But

On top of that, I really feel like I am so closely connected to every aspect of it in a way that nobody that works for me really is. So when it comes to the super, super critical thing like the Cyber Monday email or the Black Friday campaign,

Sure, I could hire people to do it, but are they watching the sales reports at the level that I am? They certainly don't know what we did the last five years and exactly what created more clicks and more push through or whatever. A lot of times it's a gut instinct, but it's also just...

knowledge of like, okay, I know every single SKU. So I know that if I do this and do that and what, I can look at a sales report in five minutes that I think a lot of people would take hours to look at because I have the SKUs memorized. And so I'm like, okay, in five minutes I can do an immediate report on like 10 things that are happening in real time. I can look at what's in my factory in real time. I know what's easy to make in case we sell through it too fast or

Like I have kind of this collective knowledge. And so, yeah, so I just feel like, you know, and also, I mean, the really major things, you know, I think that it's important for the person that's the most passionate and has the most knowledge to be doing them. So why would I give that job to somebody else? You know, like that's a huge element. And there's a lot of things that I do give to other people, but when it comes to like

you know, choosing the designs and, you know, the things that I think are most important are ultimately like the product quality. So I always, you know, approve every little tiny bit of that and then designing it. Like, and I have actually had people try to design things for me. Like I've hired assistant designers and,

been like, okay, like give it a go, you know? And like, I honestly just like never like it. I would be so scared to design something for you. The way that my brain works, like I can just come up with an idea so much faster than it takes for somebody to work on it for a week. And so even though it seems crazy, I just,

again, I'm having fun doing it and I'm doing a good job at it. So why would I change it? You know, so I'm just like, you know, if it's not broken, you know, don't try to fix it. And I'm just like a crazy person. Like I work a lot of hours. And you did your own photo shoot in Aspen this past summer, right? How was that? It was awesome. It was, um, I definitely felt a little scared and a little stressed leading up to it because it

I think the day I woke up for the shoot, I realized, I'm like, wow, like I didn't hire a photographer. Like it's me. Like I have, I've paid all these people to be here, you know, like I've done all these things and, and now I have to push the button, you know? And if I don't push the button the right way, then all of this goes to waste. And so I had a lot of pressure on myself, but I am a strong believer that if you're not feeling that, like,

you know, that super adrenaline and you're not feeling like you're challenging yourself and you're growing, then you're not really living. And that's kind of an undercover thing of my whole life is like,

I don't like to just take the easy way out. Like I like to go hardcore. And it had just gotten to a point where I felt like I needed to challenge myself this year. I was feeling a little bit like monotonous routine. And I was like, you know what, I'm going to do the photography. I want to see if I still have it, you know. And I had to like learn new equipment. I mean, even though I went to school for photography, like we had film cameras back then, you know. So I had to really learn equipment and

all these things. So it was like, I kind of got to learn a new skill. And, you know, when the photos, when I was posting the photos for the holidays, like it was so rewarding and

So there's so many elements of that. It's like a lot of times people do what they think is the easier way to do it, but they're not feeling that reward after doing something that's super hard and challenging. And I just feed off of that. I sleep better at night when I feel like I just crushed it. And so yeah, you have to just level up constantly. I think that that's a big thing with me is every year I set goals that seem almost unattainable.

and I'm super competitive and without those goals and without feeling like I just have to do something crazy, you know, like I'm just not really like loving it as much. I think that's like a really good lesson in general. Cause I mean, a lot of people in your position would probably just sit back and be like, Oh, I've kind of done it now. Like there's really, I mean, financially there's no reason for you to keep going, but you do anyway. Um,

For you, is that more of a like, like what does success look like for you? Is it a happiness thing? Is it like you're constantly pushing yourself?

Yeah, it's absolutely, it's truly not about the money and it never has been. And I always tell people, you know, when they're starting out, like really try to not think about the money because obviously that's the biggest thing that takes into anybody's mind is like, how can I do this and make money? You really can't, you know, you can't let that get in the way. And the money always will come if you're on the right path and you're working hard. I always tell people that.

But so for me, I think now it's really just about feeling like challenged and that I'm growing. You know, I think, I mean, I'm 19 years in now and obviously fashion companies don't stick around for very long. I mean, it's really rare for them to stick around as long as we have. And I think that

So I have that in the back of my head that I have to constantly be leveling up and doing things better and keeping the customer excited. But yeah, personally, I feel like success for me is really about waking up every day and when I sit down at my computer being excited. I still to this day, I work out every morning and I can't wait to get to the computer.

And that's just kind of like crazy to think about that it's been 19 years that I felt that way. But really, like I'm usually in a run recording thoughts and ideas and

I'm like, I still have these thoughts and ideas and I can't wait to sit down and like write out this plan for something or send these emails to people. And I think that just feeling excited about that is success. I think also, you know, as you get older, like just feeling good and feeling healthy is super important to me. So I also feel like that's a huge part of my life is balance.

because I did go through a time in my life where I was really just total workaholic and not focused on my health and wellness. And now I really do feel that I'm in a really great place of balance, you know, like taking time for my friends and family, you know, doing things that I love in nature. Even though I love the work so much, like I'm really taking care of myself too. And I think that's important.

If you don't mind me saying, I know you've said you have no interest in selling your business. What is the thought process behind that? And like, where do you, like, what's the vision for Aviator Nation? Yeah, I think that, you know, I've of course been approached and been offered a lot of money. And I think that because the money is not the driver, you know, I feel like

I'm just having so much fun with it and it's doing well. And I think that the best time to sell and the best time to take investors is when you really need it. When you need, like, for example, if I couldn't figure out something that I wanted to do, I would take on a partner that specializes in that. Yeah.

I think that that makes a ton of sense. But if you really feel like you don't really need help from the outside, the only thing that's going to come from money is a lot of pressure. Because ultimately, if somebody is going to invest in your business, they're probably, if it's doing well, they're going to want you to continue running it.

So all of a sudden you have a boss, you know, and it's like, is that really what you want? And maybe you do. Maybe you don't mind having a boss. I'm the kind of person that really likes to make last minute decisions. Like, I mean, every day I make decisions to change dye lots. Y'all be like, hey, like we're dyeing all that stuff in white. I actually want to change it to blue because I'm just feeling like I want more blue right now. Like,

a board of directors is not going to be okay with that. You know what I mean? I'm just feeling it, guys. I'm just feeling it, you know? And like right now I can just be feeling it and do whatever I want. And I love that, you know? Like if I had to run it by 10 people, I mean, that wouldn't be fun for me. So again, you know, like if I needed the money really bad, if the company was struggling and I needed the money or I needed a specialist to come in and help me, then I would consider a partner. But yeah, I just love the freedom of being able to do whatever I want.

and it's working, you know? And I think that ultimately you said, like, what is the plan for Aviator Nation? I mean...

My dream is for this to be around forever. I would love for my future children to be running the business and my best friends or whoever it is. I want it to continue forever and always be relevant, always have new products coming out. And so when I make a big decision like that, like should I sell or should I take an investor, I think about what's going to make it last forever. And I don't think that's the answer because I think that people that come in and buy fashion companies, a lot of times they're

They're more concerned about the bottom line naturally. And so they're going to do whatever it takes to make the product cheaper and faster. And that's definitely not the best quality. And quality for me is what's really going to keep this brand alive. I agree. And I think in the business world, raising money...

has become super glorified. Like it's almost like to people, it's the first step before you can even have a business. And, you know, Greg and I very recently took a partner to make our drink. But before that we were 100% self-funded, never took an investment. And I think that's,

honestly, I think that is the best way to go about it. And I, as you said, it was never about the money at the beginning. It was, oh, I found fitness. I'm obsessed with it. I want to talk about it and show other people how to do it. And something good came out of it. And I think that really is the best way to start a business. And I think if you start with the mindset of, I need to raise X amount of money, I want to sell it for this much. You're kind of setting yourself up for failure because it's like, did you even want to start in the first place? And I,

At a certain point, I think that motivation will fizzle if that's how you start. So I 100% agree. I'm curious when talking about your routine and you mentioned wellness being a huge part of your life now. As a high performer day to day, what are some of your non-negotiables when it comes to wellness boundaries? Like how do you structure your life to feel your best and show up as your best self every day?

Yeah, there are several things that I do. First of all, I try to not do any emails or messaging until I work out. I like to give myself...

my morning of, you know, just myself because I found that if I get into my email box and on my cell phone, like, you know, I'm clouded with everything else going on. And so I try to kind of wake up and first thing I do is fitness, you know, and it just gets me going. I always get good ideas when I'm working out. I do like to kind of work out alone. I like group fitness classes, but lately I've been jogging a lot and

So it either has to be like a lot of music or just kind of solitude where I can then enter the next stage. I do butter coffee every morning. And I've done that now for a couple of years. And I do the MCT oil and the butter and coffee. And I think that intermittent fasting has become a huge part of my life.

I am a huge believer in it and I do major intermittent fasting. I pretty much do like the warrior method. It's like 12 to 13 hours, 14 hours of not eating. And basically I wake up in the morning, I have my coffee and I don't eat all day. And a lot of people are mind blown by that. But I just really believe in it. It's like for me and maybe everybody's different. You know, I don't know that there's a one stop shop. But for me, it's

it allows my brain to just be so focused. And on the weekends, I actually go to brunch and stuff because I love going to brunch. And I can tell a difference on the weekends. When I go to brunch and I have a big meal in the morning, I feel so groggy, not creative, tired. And I enjoy the food and the meal, but I can't really have my day. But when I do the intermittent fasting, I'm super laser-focused and clear.

And so anyway, that's been a huge thing for me. And then at night, I really like to wind down to like jazz music and I kind of do the opposite. Like during the day, I'm all about like

you know, power music and I don't know, a little bit of EDM, like all kinds of stuff like that. And I'm just like, go, go, go. And then when I get to the end of my day, I hit the jazz and super chill. I do sauna cold plunge religiously. I also really believe in that. And I'm trying to think what else. I mean, I'm a big believer in eight hours of sleep minimum. I try to go to bed early.

but yeah, like really keeping the fitness thing going has been huge. I think that, you know, I think that if you're taking care of your body, your mind, really your mind and your spirit really follow. Um,

I actually don't meditate, but I'm trying to get into that. I think that I need that whenever. I used to take a trip to Bali every January after Christmas and I would do a lot of meditation there. And I know how powerful that is. And I just haven't really been honestly making enough time for it. But yoga and meditation, I think, is really important. You know, at the end of the day, it's all about balance.

If I'm going to go hardcore for some of the day, like I need to also go super chill. Yeah. I say no to a lot of things. I'm not super social. But when I am, like you'll never see me on my phone. Like I literally am –

Yeah.

I, which is true. Like there are those times when you're like hardcore and I'm like, hold on, the purple hoodie sold out. I've got to move the black hoodie further up so people see it and they don't get frustrated. Like I really am like, I'm the one behind the scenes actually merchandising the website when we have a big sale because I just like am obsessed with it.

But yeah, like when I'm with friends and family and my nephew's baseball game, like I'm watching every shot he takes because you know when he makes that goal, he's going to look at me and I don't want to have my head in my phone, you know? So I think that it's really important to be present with the people you love. I think that relationships are huge, huge.

And so, you know, being present with the people I love when I'm with them allows me the space to be completely into my work mode when I'm at work. Yeah, I think you are really good at boundary setting. Mm-hmm.

Greg is too. I've said this to you guys before, but you and Jess remind me of me and Greg because Greg is, I mean, he does one social thing a week. So I have to be very selective with the one thing and he sets boundaries. He doesn't like to like chat when he's doing things. And, you know, whenever I see you running on the trail, you're like headphones in like, hey, and then you just keep going. And I respect the shit out of that. I think when you,

are such a high performer and you need to show up and be your best every day and you're managing a 650 person team. You don't really have time for things like that in your brain. So I respect that. And I think that's a really valuable part of this lifestyle. You mentioned prioritizing relationships. I know you're engaged. Yes. To Jess. Yes. The love of your life. She's sitting in the room right now. We're both looking at her.

Hi, sweetie. She's like a huge reason we're here today, honestly. So shout out to Jess for making this happen. She's always telling me to be more in the camera. So I think it's a good thing. I really do. And I think hearing this story is going to make a huge impact on people. But how do you prioritize Jess? Like, how do you make time for her? Like, what are some certain like rituals you guys have around your relationship to make sure you're getting enough quality time?

Yeah, I think that really at the end of the workday, I try to not work later than I have to. So if I am having a day, like the other day,

I was feeling pretty good about everything at like 2 o'clock, so we went shopping. And she's always like, hey, can we do something? And sometimes I can't, but I really try to recognize those days when I am pretty much finished with my work early because there are days when I have to work really late. And so...

anytime I have free time, I really, you know, would love it to be with her. And so I try to prioritize her above everything else. I mean, if she's busy doing something else, then I would maybe call my friend or whatever, but like, it's always first like, okay, babe, like, are you available to do something? Like I'm free, you know? And at night we pretty much always have dinner together. Um,

Sometimes we have plans with friends, but for the most part, we always have dinner together. So that's kind of a ritual of sitting there and talking about our day. We sometimes work out together. We used to work out together more. I think now we kind of do different things. But whenever we're driving in the car or we do the sauna together sometimes and we talk, I think that just really communication is so important in a relationship. And I think that

you know, making plans together and just talking about like how everything's going in their life. You know, it's important to make that a priority. And also, you know, when we travel, it's usually just her and I like focused on each other and we try to not be on our devices and stuff like that. So I think that when we do travel together, that's like a big bonding time for us. I love it. I think the dinner ritual is good. Greg and I do that too. And it's a really nice way of like

coming together. Yeah. And if there's a week where he's at work, or he's, you know, doing things with the team, I really feel it because I'm like, Oh, my gosh, where's my dinner? Because like, even if we're in the same building, I never see him. And I so relate to that. Can I ask about wedding prep? How's that going? Wedding planning, wedding prep?

It's going good. I think that I have realized about myself that I love to put on like a major show. Yeah. It's funny because, you know, I used to love to host people and have parties and stuff at my house in Venice when I was when I was younger. And I think that I really do love to entertain and I love to host. And so the wedding has become the ultimate gathering.

And I think it's funny because I always say like, you know, you're going to like plan as much as you have time for. And like we had over a year, we got engaged and we have had now where the wedding's in like three and a half months or something. But so, you know, for the last like, you know,

year, nine months or whatever, you know, you just think about it all the time, you know, every detail. And I know I'm also a perfectionist and so I want everything to be super dialed and perfect. And so it's fun, but there are so many details and we're making it a whole weekend, not just a day. So, you know, there's Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday, like it's a whole thing. And so, um,

I want my guests to feel just like they're attending something that they've never experienced before. And so I don't know why I'm making this like the grandest thing, but I just feel like there's not many opportunities in your life where you really just are just going to go balls to the wall.

on entertaining people. And so I'm just going to send it. Send it. And yeah, so we found a place that we're both obsessed with and that was kind of the start of it. And now, you know, we're just like dialing in every little detail and just trying to make it the most perfect experience

amazing experience of our life. And so it's going to be so fun. And I'm very excited about it. I know you have a lot of surprises up your sleeve. Yeah, I don't want people to know. I'm also like really into people not knowing what's coming. I'm scared. Yeah, I have to get my outfits.

I know. I'm so excited that you'll be there to share it with us. I also don't know if I'm going to be pregnant or not. That's true. The outfits have to be like stretchier cut out or something. That's true. You might be. Yeah. So we'll plan for that. Let's see. I'm so excited and I'm so honored that I get to be there. And...

I'm so honored that you came today and shared your story. I think you are truly one of a kind. When I think about you, I don't even know how you exist because I think you are so creative, so talented, so kind. I admire you in so many ways and I'm so lucky that I got to meet you and Jess this year. I think it's one of the things I'm most grateful for, honestly. It's rare that you cross paths with someone where you feel very connected and very close right away. So I am so lucky.

Can you tell everyone where they can find Aviator Nation? Yeah, aviatornation.com is our website and you can follow me on pagemycoskie.com

and Aviator Nation Instagram, but I will be trying to post a lot more on my feed these days. I actually have a fun little experience that's coming up for the holidays. I'm going to be building. I'm going to share with you something kind of a secret, but I've decided that I want to make a giant gingerbread house that is an Aviator Nation theme. Stop. I'm going to make it from scratch. I'm going to cook the gingerbread and dial it all in and

do it all myself. So I'm going to be documenting that and posting it on my feed. So I'm going to do more creative things for my followers. I think you should put that on TikTok too. Yeah, maybe. I feel like a time lapse of that would be so fun. So satisfying. Because I build all these stores. I'm like, I should build a gingerbread house that's like a store. It's basically a mini store. And maybe you'll turn that into a real store at some point. And you also have 20 storefronts now. I do. Do you know the cities off top of your head?

I can try. I can try. Basically, I started in Venice and then it was Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and then Colorado. I did Aspen and Vail. And then I did Miami. I did Austin, Texas. I did Brooklyn, New York, just opened. I also have a store in the Hamptons and Soho in New York.

Oh, San Francisco. I have three locations. I have one in Mill Valley. Oh, I didn't know that. One in Hayes Valley and one on Haight Street, the corner of Haight and Ashbury. Laguna Beach and La Jolla. Yep. Orange County. I've been to the one in Laguna actually. Have you? Yeah. I feel like, am I hitting all of them? What, Jess?

Nashville. New Nashville. Nashville just opened recently. You don't have one in London yet, do you? I don't. I have no international stores yet, but we're starting to look and think that that would be fun. I think that would be sick. Yeah. Carnaby Street. Yeah. Sick. Totally. I have Hawaii, North Shore. Oh my God. Oahu. I didn't even know that. Yeah. Okay. Well, for anyone listening in any of those places, go check out the stores. Paige like paints them herself. Yeah. And Paige, thank you so much. Thank you. This is fun.

Thanks for joining us on the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. To support this show, please rate and review and share with your loved ones. If you want to be reminded of new episodes, click the subscribe button on your preferred podcast or video player. You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my favorites at marielowelland.com. It will be linked in the show notes.

This is a Wellness Loud production produced by Drake Peterson, Fiona Attucks, and Kelly Kyle. This show is edited by Mike Fry and our video is recorded by Luis Vargas. You can also watch the full video of each episode on our YouTube channel at Mari Fitness. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. See you next time.

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