Mandy Reynolds is a commercial real estate agent, developer, and the co-founder of Union + Co. coworking space in Bath, Maine. She shared her dirt path journey rescuing a historic, 24,000-square-foot "white elephant" building, creating a community cornerstone in a small town, and the mental stamina it takes to continue amidst massive uncertainty.

Expect to hear:

- Unconventional Path: How Mandy started her career doing ESG research, transitioned into real estate, and eventually co-founded a coworking space

- Doubling Down Amidst Uncertainty: Why Mandy chose to invest more into Union & Co after a rocky start, and how they mentally persevered throughout.

- Third Space Emergence: The rise of third spaces after covid and the unexpected impact a coworking space provides

- Bigger than a Coworking Space: Mandy's vision of creating a community center point in a small town in Maine, and how they differentiate themselves from other coworking spaces.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Bath Coworking Dream

(01:05) Closing Deals Variety

(02:13) Commercial vs Residential Real Estate

(06:05) Maine Roots & The Border Town Reality

(08:13) New Zealand Study Abroad & The Liberating Side of Travel

(12:19) ESG Research Career & The SINS Blueprint

(18:28) Remote Work Coworking & The Isolation Trap

(21:21) Real Estate Turning Point & Build Maine

(27:04) Broker Investing Dilemma & "Rich Dad Poor Dad" Influence

(32:13) Union & Co Origins: A Historic Fairytale Downtown

(37:04) Opening Day And First Members

(40:58) Sticking With It: From 5 Founders to 2

(47:22) Why Coworking Matters: Getting Out of Your Bubble

(55:12) New Building Redevelopment: Tackling a 24,000 Sq Ft Monster

(59:25) Community Programs And Art

(01:04:17) Advice For New Operators: You Must Own the Bricks

(01:07:53) Frankisms And Farewell: Knowing How to Get Out

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Connect with Mandy:

- Union + Co Website: https://www.unionandco.me/the-team

- Union + Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unionandcomaine/

- Mandy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-reynolds-aa779155/

Support the podcast:

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedirtpathpodcast/

- Email your questions: thedirtpathpodcast@gmail.com

- Follow Grayson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/grayson-harris-786087148/

After 5 years living the digital nomad life around the world, we decided to make a major life change: we are settling down in a small town in Maine.

In this month's dirt path wanderer's episode, we are sharing why we are stopping full-time travel, why we chose Bath, Maine, and reflections from our recent trip to South Korea.Expect to hear: • The South Korea Safe Flex: why Koreans leave their most expensive possessions to save seats. • The 2-Year Prank: For 2 years Paige has been working towards this moment. It finally manifested in a big way. • No More Nomadding: why we are stopping full-time travel and how it will look for us going forward. • Why Bath, Maine: Out of everywhere in the world, why did we choose a small town in Maine for our new homebase. ------------------------------Timestamps: (00:00) We Stopped the Digital Nomad Life (01:19) Reflections from our South Korea Vacation (04:06) Red Clay Barefoot Parks(10:21) Paige's 2 years prank on Grayson Comes to Fruition (13:53) Grayson’s South Korea Roses: walking and tranquility(19:23) Food highlights: Gochujang Octopus and Kimchi Burnout(24:35) Why We Paused Full-Time Travel (27:00) Searching for our New England Homebase(28:36) Returning to a Repeat Apartment for the First Time Ever (32:24) Needs vs. Wants: How Constant Moves Reveals Your True Home Base Non-Negotiables (35:41) Why Bath, Maine Checked Every Single Box (44:59) The Future of The Dirt Path: Local Artists, Craftsmen, and In-Person Interviews------------------------------Related Links:- Paige's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigegoldstein/- Grayson's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/grayson-harris-786087148/Support the podcast:- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedirtpathpodcast/- Email your questions: thedirtpathpodcast@gmail.com

I just celebrated my 5-year digital nomad anniversary (nomadiversary). Here are my 8 life lessons after living in 5 continents, 24 countries, and making 57 unique moves. For most of my time traveling the world, I was an electrical engineer working remotely in a traditional industry. I later transitioned to HR and recently stepped onto the dirt path as an online entrepreneur.

Expect to hear:

• The 5-Year Nomad Statistics: A breakdown of my last 5 years living around the world

• Deconstructing the Fear Algorithm: How traditional media distortion and viral social media loops completely twist our perception of international travel safety

• The Trap of Lifestyle Labels: Why obsessing over industry titles like "remote worker," "slow-mad," or "expat" can quietly sabotage your autonomy

• Human Relationships vs. Remote Destinations: Why learning to love a new country is a lot like loving a partner

• Conditioning the Mindset Muscle: The unexpected psychological benefits of facing constant micro-challenges and small discomforts while living abroad

• The Ultimate Medium for Personal Growth: Why intentional, curious travel completely outperforms standard personal development books and podcasts for long-term self-improvement

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Celebrating a 5-Year Nomadiversary

(01:13) My Nomad Stats: 5 Continents & 57 Moves

(05:44) Lesson 1: Deconstructing the Media's Fear Algorithm

(10:11) Lesson 2: The Illusion of Lifestyle Labels

(12:51) Lesson 3: Designing Environments Around Specific Hobbies & Goals

(17:53) Lesson 4: Trusting Your Lived Experiences Over Thoughts

(22:21) Lesson 5: No Place Is Perfect

(27:52) Lesson 6: Why Small Discomforts Generate Ultimate Empowerment

(31:57) Lesson 7: "I’m the Problem" — The Confronting Mirror

(36:05) Lesson 8: Curious Travel and the Art of Popping Cultural Bubbles

(44:57) Celebrating 6 Months of the Podcast

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Support the podcast:

- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedirtpathpodcast/

- Connect with Grayson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/grayson-harris-786087148/

- Email your questions: thedirtpathpodcast@gmail.com