Trek Trades

Tim Kampen

Reviving Human Connection through Tangible Skills & Live Experiences. Trek Trades is a documentary-style podcast exploring the people who build the real world. From concerts to vineyards to remodels, we follow people whose work exists beyond a screen. Go behind the scenes of the skills required to create tangible experiences that bring people together. We use small town Augusta, Missouri as a window into a much bigger conversation about the future of work, human connection, and living a life grounded in real experiences. The future isn't built by spectating. It's built by creating.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    I Broke My Phone & Didn't Replace It

    Trek Trades Podcast Ep. 002 In this episode, I get into why I don't actually think your phone is the problem — and why so many people still feel stuck online anyway, even when they know they should log off. We talk about the invisible wall AirPods build between you and everyone around you, why doomscrolling is less about discipline and more about direction, a hitchhiking story that reminded me most people are still good, and what it actually looked like to walk through NYC — millions of people, and somehow everyone alone in their own screen. If you've ever felt like you should "spend less time on your phone" but nobody ever tells you what to do instead — this episode is for you. In this episode: 🔌 What happened when my phone died in a town with no wifi 🎧 Why I stopped wearing AirPods everywhere 🚗 A hitchhiking story that changed how I see strangers 🏙️ What loneliness in NYC actually looks like 📵 Why "just get offline" doesn't work — and what actually does 🛠️ The challenge I'm giving you this week Timestamps: 0:00 – Cold Open: I broke my phone 1:15 – Intro: What I noticed building a festival crew 3:00 – The phone isn't the problem 5:30 – When my phone died 8:00 – Life before we filled every moment 10:30 – No AirPods 13:00 – My hitchhiking story 16:00 – Why are people so lonely? 19:00 – Let your phone die 21:00 – What do we do instead? 24:00 – Outro: This week's challenge Trek Trades is a documentary-style podcast reviving human connection through tangible skills and live experiences. We use small-town Augusta, Missouri as a window into a bigger conversation about the future of work, human connection, and living a life grounded in the real world. The future isn't built by consuming. It's built by creating. 🔗 Learn more / apprenticeship info: trektrades.com 📧 Email: trektrades@gmail.com 📍 REcorded LIVE at the Harmonie Studios Augusta, Missouri #TrekTrades #GoBuildSomething #AugustaMissouri #DigitalDetox #TouchGrass #HumanConnection #Podcast

    I Broke My Phone & Didn't Replace It

  2. Aug 1

    I Built a Music Festival. Here's What Nobody Sees

    What does it actually take to build a music festival? Most people see the band walk on stage. They don't see the months of planning, the late nights, the sponsors, the volunteers, the weather, the crew, or the hundreds of decisions that have already been made before the first note is ever played. In this first episode of Trek Trades, I take you behind the scenes of building the Augusta Wine & Jazz Festival from the ground up and share the lessons I never learned in college—but learned through actually producing live events. Along the way, I realized this story isn't really about a music festival. It's about work. Friendship. Purpose. And why building something together might be one of the best ways to reconnect in a world that's becoming increasingly digital. This episode explores: 🎵 What it really takes to build a music festival 🎤 The hidden work behind every live event 🛠️ Why I learned more from real projects than I ever did in a classroom 🤝 Why adults struggle to make friends—and why crews matter 🤖 How AI is changing the future of work (and what it can't replace) 🌎 Why tangible skills and live experiences may be more valuable than ever 🚀 Why I started Trek Trades Trek Trades isn't anti-technology. We believe technology should help us build richer lives—not replace them. Our mission is simple: Reviving Human Connection through Tangible Skills & Live Experiences. Every week we'll explore the people who build the real world—from concerts and festivals to vineyards, trades, small businesses, creative careers, and the communities that bring them all together. Filmed in Augusta, Missouri—the oldest wine district in America and a town of just 300 people—this channel is our attempt to prove that meaningful work, strong communities, and real-world experiences still matter. If you've ever wanted to: Build concerts or festivals Learn practical skills Meet great people Explore careers beyond a desk Get outside and create something real ...you're in the right place. 👇 Want to join the Trek Trades crew or help build future festivals? 📧 trektrades@gmail.com trektrades.com Whether you're a student, musician, tradesperson, filmmaker, photographer, entrepreneur, or just someone looking for a crew, we'd love to hear from you. If this episode resonated with you, consider subscribing and leave a comment: What's something real you've built that changed your life?

    I Built a Music Festival. Here's What Nobody Sees
  • 2 Episodes

About

Reviving Human Connection through Tangible Skills & Live Experiences. Trek Trades is a documentary-style podcast exploring the people who build the real world. From concerts to vineyards to remodels, we follow people whose work exists beyond a screen. Go behind the scenes of the skills required to create tangible experiences that bring people together. We use small town Augusta, Missouri as a window into a much bigger conversation about the future of work, human connection, and living a life grounded in real experiences. The future isn't built by spectating. It's built by creating.

Information

  • Creator
    Tim Kampen
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Copyright
    © (c) 2026 TREK TRADES dba REignite Music LLC
  • Show Website
    Trek Trades