Misfit, Inc.

Misfit is a nomadic creative agency hell bent on doing work that truly matters and making a dent in the universe.

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Built Oregon + Terry "Starbucker" St. Marie

By its very nature, being a misfit means different things to all the fabulously unique misfits across the globe, every person who identifies with nonconformity does so for different reasons. Today, I want to shine a light on our dear friend Terry “Starbucker” St. Marie, whose passion for instigating causes that reach far beyond himself defines his work and his character.

A few years ago, Terry met AJ in a break room at a blogging expo and connected over the fact that they were both recovering accountants bent on promoting good through stories. Thus, a misfit bond was forged.

“I’m a misfit at heart. The whole philosophy of Misfit resonates with me. I am part of that family,” he shared with me from Oregon Story Board – a state-funded incubator that helps digital companies tell stories that grow. His objective is to promote economic development in the state of Oregon by sharing the stories of its entrepreneurs.

“We know entrepreneurs are the engines of economies, and we were frustrated by the fact that their stories weren’t being covered much outside of Portland.”

As a solution, he co-founded a statewide platform and digital cooperative for businesses and entrepreneurs called Built Oregon. The project’s vision was shared by the support of 318 backers of their Kickstarter campaign, which saw them breeze by their initial goal of $20,000 and earn over $30k. Their campaign included a video that may very well compel you to move to Oregon – and for Oregonians, it served as a loving nod to those who craft products and provide services for customers around the world – companies like breweries, guitar manufacturers, software developers, and clothing designers.

Through Built Oregon, he has created an industry-diverse meeting place for Oregonian entrepreneurs to learn more about the people that are shaping the future of their state’s economy. The stories uncovered through the site will culminate in an online monthly magazine focused on more than just companies, but, specifically, the people who are running the companies.

After decades of work in the corporate world, Terry quickly immersed himself into Oregon’s entrepreneurial scene. Motivated by his father’s admonition to “go higher and do better,” Terry has arranged his life to be about helping others and working hard.

“In my heart of hearts, I want people to see this content and be inspired by these stories and take them into their communities,” he said. He’s convinced that Built Oregon’s vision could lift up the entire state’s economy.

Terry is also a speaker and consultant, and works to promote a philosophy of “Human Leadership” – built on principles of integrity, empowerment, accountability, and trust. All of these values are clearly visible in Built Oregon. If you’re an Oregonian (or even if you’re not), please go and check out the site and – if it jives with what you’re working on – maybe even become a member.

Terry believes that humans want to be a part of a meaningful cause that’s bigger than themselves. Built Oregon is the physical evidence of his belief.

~ Dane Johnson, Misfit Wordsmith

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Fargo Billboard Project featuring McCal Joy

Misfit has taken over a prominent billboard in Downtown Fargo and made it a giant, public exhibition of local art. This recent display of urban expression is a part of our misfitty agenda to infuse delight and wonder where people have been conditioned to expect advertisements and marketing.

In August, we caught up with Fargo-based painter McCal Joy to talk about a series of paintings inspired by well-known folklore. After seeing her work, we encouraged her to submit to the call we put out to Fargo’s artistic community, asking for submissions of original artwork. We would pick one submission every quarter to be displayed on one of the largest canvases in town.

Although we received a number of excellent submissions, McCal’s art was picked by the Misfit judges and, just a few months later, McCal’s whimsical interpretation of Fargo is catching the eye of anyone walking along the Broadway strip.

“It’s kind of unreal having one of your pieces on a billboard,” McCal said.

She shared that people in town are picking out the things they recognize in the piece, depending on what they are interested in within the community:

There are visual shoutouts to local band D Mills & The Thrills playing high up on a tree branch and the weekly entrepreneurial gathering One Million Cups, represented by a mound of coffee mugs. A hospitable venture created to make out-of-towners feel more at home called Dinnerties is depicted by a dress tie etched onto a sign planted at the base of the great big tree; and the “garden of opportunity,” stretching out onto the green plains, speaks to the fact that Fargo has become a fertile hotbed for innovative companies and startups to plant roots and grow.

There’s a wonderful cacophony of miniaturized worlds to get lost in, but we asked McCal what the piece represented as a whole:

“The billboard illustration is a representation of how I see Fargo’s growing downtown community and was inspired by memories of my childhood fort-building,” McCal said.

Following in the footsteps of Michelangelo and Caravaggio, McCal painted a hidden portrait of herself into the picture. She can be identified at the very top of the tree framed within a window, working on her latest artistic inspiration. This depiction is entirely based on her reality, as her studio is perched on the third floor of a building on Broadway and has a window looking down on the hustle and bustle below.

One of the aspects of the painting that isn’t immediately understood is the “rollercoaster bird” about to launch itself off the tree branch with a group of passengers bracing themselves for uncertainty on its back.

“That was more for fun,” McCal grins, “being here in Fargo is a ride, you never know what to expect.”

For the foreseeable future, Misfit will continue to provide Fargo’s creatives with the opportunity to make the billboard their personal canvas. If you have an artistic rendering of how Fargo truly is a town for Misfits, then consider submitting your ideas here.

~ Dane Johnson, Misfit Wordsmith

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A Million Miracles

We deliberately have very few partners. This is because when we work with an organisation, we go very deep, and we throw the full power of Misfit behind it. When we meet someone who is trying to change the world, who has an arsenal of talented people standing with them and we feel that synergy with the project, we jump in with both feet.

One of our partners in 2014/2015 is Sightsavers – an international organization working in 30 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and supporting those with visual impairments to live more independently.

This month, we designed, developed and launched a website for Sightsavers’ Million Miracles campaign – a three-year initiative that will bring life-altering cataract surgeries to one million adults and children living with preventable blindness. That is one million people who will be given the gift of sight with this campaign.

The campaign kicked off with a live broadcast of a cataract surgery in Malawi which showed first-hand the incredibly important work that Sightsavers supports. Some of the Misfit team will be heading out to India to train staff on the ground in the art of digital storytelling at the beginning of next year.

If you missed the live broadcast from Malawi, we encourage you to watch a man named Winesi joyfully celebrate the moment after his bandages were removed and he could see again.

Now, if you can skip a few lattes this month, please consider donating a miracle. $50 can literally make a blind person see again.

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith based in Misfit's Californian summer house. 

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Chilled-out movements

This last summer, on National Hammock Day to be exact, a new movement was brought into existence. It referred to itself as the Hammock Initiative and made its first public appearance by inviting the Fargo community out for an afternoon of sway in a local park.

A handful of curious people arrived, followed by an array of local media, which then led to a presentation at a weekly entrepreneurial forum in Fargo, which then led to an official sponsorship from one of the most reputable hammock companies in the world.

A domino effect of publicity and intrigue began to spread the vision of this humble initiative throughout the city. This self-proclaimed “chilled-out movement” was beginning to take the community by storm and people were begging for an encore to their inaugural event.

So, in response to demands for more swaying opportunities, the Hammock Initiative, in partnership with North Dakota State University and ENO, has created HiNDSU to bring more relaxation to even more people.

On Saturday, September 27th, between the hours of 3-5pm, the Hammock Initiative Fargo will team up with NDSU to congregate amidst the many-treed Island Park on its South East corner with hammocks galore and relaxation a plenty.

If you find yourself in the Fargo area around that time, we’d recommend that you go and chill out for a bit.

We love initiatives like this because it’s further proof that ideas coupled with action lead to movements that change the ambience of a community.

In the words of Hammock Initiative, “This movement may not sound audacious or ambitious, and that’s the point. It’s an opportunity for people to be, not do.”

Go be yourself, and be open to receiving the good things that come with who you find there. 

For updates on Hammock Initiative's swaying movements, subscribe to their newsletter. 

~ Dane Johnson, Misfit Wordsmith 

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Reimagining Fargo's alleyways

If a friend invited you to a community gathering in a narrow passageway between buildings lined with dumpsters, we’d understand your hesitance in accepting the offer. But, in Fargo, people don’t just throw their trash out in alleyways, they occasionally throw parties there, too.  

In its third public appearance, Alley Fair converted the parking lots and oft-neglected urban space behind the Red Raven Espresso Parlor (one of our Misfit outposts) by bringing in food, music, art, and a little dash of wonder to activate an area of the city that rarely gets a second glance. But, this weekend, it became the center of attention.

Alley Fair is comprised of a team of Fargoans that are committed to reimagining the role of side streets and overlooked spaces. Two of these team members are some of our very own Misfits Joe Burgum and Simone Wai.

Together, this team dreams up new uses for space while simultaneously providing unique canvases for artists, and unlikely stages for performers.

Joe shared that he is passionate about the vision and work of Alley Fair because it allows him to repurpose alleyways into unique urban venues while enabling the community to engage with space in ways they’ve never experienced before.

* Huge thanks to Rick Abbot for all photos in this post :)

~ Dane Johnson, Misfit Wordsmith 

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How no? A lighthearted approach to Scottish Independence

Scotch whisky, oatcakes, and a limited supply of oil from off the shore of its Northern Coast; these would support Scotland’s economy if it secedes from the UK. At least that’s what a Scottish sailor told me last month as I took a boat ride across a highland loch.

This young sailor had a button pinned on his thick wool jacket that read, “How no?” I asked what it meant and he began to tell me about the upcoming vote for Scottish independence. A “Yes” vote would see the nation leave the United Kingdom – a relationship they’ve maintained for over 300 years – while a “No” vote would keep things on its current course.

I’d never heard the expression before, but he explained that it simply meant, “why not?” And, in reference to the referendum, it meant something like, “how could one not vote yes?” A lighthearted approach, I thought, to a weighty decision.

As I continued traveling through the highlands, I conversed with Scots that unleashed their hopes for independence with a great deal of passion – claiming a lack of representation in Parliament and a desire to be a nation that can determine its own future – but ended their patriotic rants with a timid smile that revealed a lack of confidence in an independent Scotland.   

So, on the day of the vote, these same Scots must feel an anxious thrill after hearing reports that the polls are too tight to call.

After suppressing a smile, the sailor consulted his pride and listed exports that could keep his country afloat. Among the goods he mentioned, only oil seemed to be valuable enough to bank on. However, I soon learned the supply would only last thirty years, and then what?

To quell impulsive thinking, and avoid careless voting, fueled by their countrymen’s patriotism, many signs are posted up along the A9 and throughout the countryside, which pose a harmonious thought that Scots should be:

“Proud to be Scottish. Delighted to be United.”

Upon returning to the capital city of Edinburgh, I attended a comedy show, being featured at the Fringe Festival, by an Irish comedian named Jason Byrne. He held an impromptu poll over an audience of about 500 hundred people, who were mostly Scottish, asking how they’d be voting on September 18th. The reaction was clearly in favor of voting “No” to the secession, but those that motioned a “Yes” were boisterous and rowdy in their proclamation.

Byrne took a jab at the “Yes” voter’s logic by pointing out the bickering and divisiveness caused by the creation of Edinburgh’s recently completed transit system, adding that a cab can still get you to the airport faster. “Why then,” he asked, “do you all think it’d be a good idea for you to govern an entire country by yourselves?”

His question seemed a realistic one to be asking and no one I spoke with had a convincing argument that Scotland would be better off apart from the UK.

As the outcome of the votes will soon be made public, I can’t help but think that Scotland might become a victim of its own nationalistic fervor. Many Scots may soon be surprised that timid smiles and bashful laughs surprisingly led to a newfound freedom and identity. But, if that’s the case and the majority votes yes, I imagine that it’s going to take a much more confident posture to navigate a future apart from England.

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith for Misfit, Inc. 

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Misfit at Fringe

The Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world. The population of Edinburgh doubles during the month of August as it welcomes performers and art lovers from all corners of the globe. 

This month, we're conducting reconnaissance work to see how the worlds of art and commerce creatively collide on the city streets of Scotland's capital. 

Throughout the month at Fringe, roughly 50,000 shows are performed, so choosing what to see has been a challenge.

However, we've not been let down by Minneapolis' own Rhythmic Circus and their show Feet Don't Fail Me Now. There was no way to stop from dancing during the show and, fortunately, the performers highly encouraged people to get on their feet and shake what the good Lord gave 'em. 

London-based ensemble Action to the World delivers an electric rendition of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Modern pop hits are seamlessly performed by the actors themselves as they move from dialogue to song within physical theater that is absolutely breath-taking. We're going to see it again. It's that good. 

We are beyond proud to see Fargo's own Experience Blur collective perform Gatsby here at the Fringe. Their transition from the Fargo Theatre to Ecce Gallery to the Assembly Roxy Venue here in Edinburgh has revealed their professionalism in adapting to whatever the environment throws at them. The show has retained an intimate quality, extending an invitation for the audience to experience the drama surrounding Jay Gatsby's complicated revelries.

Now, the city has much more to show us, so we must be off, but you can keep up with more Fringe-related updates on our Instagram and Twitter profiles. 

And, if you're here, shout out and let's go drink some whisky!

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith on location in Edinburgh, Scotland :)

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Misfit: Behind the Curtain

Misfit is generally shrouded in mystery. We walk a very balanced line between transparency and intense secrecy. But now, we’re ready to pull back the curtain to allow you to peek in on some of the work that our company has been doing around the world lately.

From the highways and byways of North America:

This month and last, our collective head and heart of Misfit – AJ and Melissa – are on a 63-day and roughly 10k-mile tour of Shakespeare festivals, telling stories of the Bard’s impact in North America. The stories they gather are being featured at Shakespeare on the Road, which was a site built on the Misfit-developed theme called Legend. Legend will be released in limited supply this Fall, so sign up here for updates.  

In addition to the many hats she wears, Melissa has been expanding her skill-set wardrobe to include hand-lettering. In a word, she describes the last few months as busy.

AJ’s summation of this time is encapsulated in the word adventure. 

He’s been reflecting, as he drives hundreds of miles daily through the scenic beauty of North America (in a baller Land Rover), on the fact that he does his best work when he’s on the move.

Everything surrounding their current project with Shakespeare on the Road is full of art, beauty, and creativity - the perfect environment for planning future Misfittery.

Equally inspiring to him are the stories that he’s been gathering from Shakespeare Festival founders all over the country. Some of the founders are in their later years and their sustained commitment and passion for the festivals have made AJ think about how, when an old man, he’ll be telling similar stories about his work with the Misfits.

In the midst of traveling, he’s been doggedly working on other projects in partnership with conscientious and philanthropic organizations like Futerra, Sightsavers, and World Vision. Lately, business phone calls and emails are conducted from gas stations and cafes along the road.   

From Canada: Misfit Press & Good Misfit,

Our Vancouver-based Princess of Organizing Chaos, Jessie, has been excitedly ironing out workflow processes with Fargo-based Wolftree Magazine, as Misfit Press now acts as their publisher. This is the first relationship of its kind at Misfit and figuring out the seemingly boring things like tracking sales and inventory is one of the most important aspects. There used to be jokes whispered amongst the Misfits about Jessie's spreadsheets. But, since these last few months spent developing her Excel expertise, that will be the case no longer.

Jessie is also pleased to announce that all Kickstarter rewards have just been shipped out to those who so generously donated to The Life and Times of a Remarkable Misfit book campaign. If you’ve yet to acquire a copy of this beautifully designed collection of inspiring essays, you can purchase a digital copy of the book on Amazon and leave your thoughts in the reviews, if you please. The print edition will be available to buy online in early September.

The digital and epub versions of Misfit Journal Two are ready. The beautiful HTML5 site is ready. Now, we are just waiting on the printing of the magazines before we can launch this baby into the stratosphere.  

Additionally, Jessie works with Good Misfit to develop relationships that foster collaboration between Misfit and companies that hope to do good around the world. Last year she led Good Misfit’s windmill building project in rural Kenya. This year, Good Misfit’s project is being planned as I type. (Hat tip, profess your interest here if you who want to be involved in making real, tangible, measurable change in the world this Fall.)

Jessie has recently come to the realisation that creativity is not an innate skill, but something that can be developed. So, she’s challenging herself in the next month or so to develop her skills that lend themselves to creative direction of web design projects.

From the Philippines and Texas: Web Development

Dino holds down the fort at Misfit’s hub in the Philippines. He is a self-taught web developer responsible for making the world wide web a more beautiful place to visit. By his side is Jerome, a fellow mastermind and running enthusiast.

Right now, Jerome is excited to be working on a project with The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and polishing up the website for AJ’s book, The Life and Times of a Remarkable Misfit, which will officially launch in September. In his spare time, he’s been learning about ancient battle tactics implemented by the Romans, which involved pigs being set ablaze to scare off enemy’s war elephants...we’ve got an eclectic team.

From the other side of the world, in Texas, comes the coding bedrock of Mr. Cebo Campbell. He has just been hired on to lend creative direction (and style) to Misfit’s many projects.    

To add a woman’s touch, our graphic artist and layout co-designer Stephanie works alongside the dev boys to beautifully animate all that we do. The image design gracing the top of this update is a sampling of her craft.  

With their powers combined, they act as Misfit’s dev crew and serve clients ranging from hotel chains to digital marketing agencies. Check out a gorgeous redesign they recently completed for The Row Hotel NYC.

Karen is the self-proclaimed neck of the company. She tells the head where to move and where to look. In plainspeak, she is basically one of the most organized people in the whole world. Her official Misfit title is Chief Maker of Mirth, and she consistently lives up to it with her joyful spirit and endless kindness. 

Chloe is Chief Troubadour, the voice of Misfit on Twitter. You know those delightfully sweet replies you get when you start tweeting at us? Well, you have Chloe to thank for that. She’s stays on top of everything that we’ve got going on in the company and shouts it out so that you know about it.

These last few months, Chloe has been sifting through the glorious social media aftermath that accompanied Misfit Con. She’s working her tail off to make sure that the online world knows all about our amazing time together in Fargo. Even from afar, she’s feeling the positive vibes emanating from Fargo and said that she’s learning that people don’t have to be millionaires or “big deals” to make a dent in the universe – we just need to keep to our respective Misfit paths.

In a word(s), Chloe describes these last few months as fantastically-crazy. 

From California: Twitgift & Package Distribution

Geni acts as the hands of Misfit. If you’ve received a package from us or our social enchantment venture, Twitgift, then you’ve benefitted from her labor of love. She boasts such enviable titles as Chief Ruffler of Feathers over at Twitgift and Chief Maker of Magic with Misfit, Inc.

In addition to designing and sending out all of the beautiful packages, Geni handles product research and development.

To ensure quality, she is monitored by a trusty feathered assistant named Retweet, who also works from the same Super Secret Bird Cave (office) with her. 

This month, she lent her magic-making powers to Misfit Press by helping them send out the Life and Times of a Remarkable Misfit Kickstarter rewards and Wolftree’s latest magazine. (PS: if you’re curious to know how the Wolftree Mag + Misfit Press partnership came to be, click here.)

She also conducted a very hi-tech research experiment to test the resilience of her packaging. We shouldn’t even be sharing these findings…

This month, Geni learned that it is restricted to send butter substitutes to Canada and illegal to ship horror comics to the UK, which dashed a lot of our dreams for future ventures.

In a word, she describes herself as being blessed.

From Fargo & Scotland: Misfit Con 2014 & Wordsmith Residency

Our 2nd annual Misfit Con was a smashing success. We encourage you to read the wrap-up over here, yet even that comprehensive summary can’t communicate the feeling of community and inspiration that the city of Fargo so hospitably extended to our Misfits. For example, they let us take over a pedestrian skyway for lunch!   

We’re continuing to send roots down into the eight-foot surface layer of rich topsoil in North Dakota by teaming up with local ventures like Dinner Ties, Fargo Startup House, and connecting with local artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs to see how we can continue to make Fargo a town that welcomes Misfits.  

We're instigating artistic exploits in Downtown Fargo by offering up a prominent billboard for local artists to claim as their canvas. You can read more about these shenanigans here. 

Our apprenticing Wordsmith-in-Residence, Dane, has been occupying our nest in the Red Raven Espresso Parlor and challenging himself to tell stories of Misfit’s work in the Fargo community, whilst stirring up some new ones. 

He’s also been working to write from a Misfit-voiced third person, which has been an absurdly fun task.

Most recently, he's been tasked to undertake a reconnaissance mission to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. While there, he's researching the many ways that Misfit could create more collisions between art and commerce in public arenas. He's also tenaciously committed to researching Scotch. 

Keep up with his Scotland-related photos over at his personal Instagram, as well as Misfit's Official Instagram. 

Dane’s been learning that there’s no better way to ingratiate oneself to another person than by eloquently repeating their own story back to them.

In a few words, he says that his first few months with Misfit have been an absolute blast.

Now, if you’re still with us, thank you, and we hope you enjoyed this tour of our ever-expanding Misfit empire. Be sure to reach out to us via the social medias or any other way you find feasible...and legal.

With lots of love and hugs,

Misfits ‘round the globe

PS: If you'd like to receive this official Misfit-wide newsletter, please sign up for the updates here.

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Fargo Billboard Project

We've enjoyed a long love affair with Fargo, so much so that we've decided to move our headquarters here! Now, we're very excited to be throwing open submissions to the Fargo Billboard Project - offering up one of the city's largest canvases for Fargo creatives to claim. 

If you have a concept that expresses, in visual form, that Fargo is a town full of misfits brimming with talent, living with intention and doing work that matters - and you think it might be pretty dang cool to see your art showcased on the billboard on Main Street - then please submit your idea to this form. Please note that the hashtag "#ilovefargo" must be artfully implemented into the piece (because we all do, right?).  Accepted ideas will be displayed on the billboard for a month at a time over the next six months. The billboard's prominence amidst the Downtown cityscape, as well as an eloquent write-up shared across Misfit's many media channels, are pretty sweet compensation. But, we are also offering a stipend of $275 per accepted submission.

Don't delay. Click here to submit your concept. 

Any questions? Please direct them to Dane Johnson at [email protected]

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Painting true stories

Fargo-based artist McCal Joy sees herself as a detective searching for veritable versions of the stories we’ve grown up hearing.

I met with her in a studio space flooded with sunlight, as a large rectangular window framed Downtown’s busy thoroughfare below. We looked at the pedestrians shuffling about, unaware that they were being watched.

“I sometimes feel like kind of a creeper just looking at everyone,” McCal laughed, “but it’s fun to take in the sights from here.”

As she showed me her painting of Snow White, titled “White Skin, Red Lips, and Poison Apples,” she enlightened me to the actual tale behind the story that Disney managed to make universally palatable. 

In her research, she discovered that Snow White’s biological mother was the witch in the tale and was bent on destroying her own daughter for possessing a beauty greater than her own.

To vanquish her beautiful offspring, the witch mother would place poisoned apples around the forest where her daughter was known to explore. As Snow White wandered beneath canopies of trees in clothes made of tattered rags, her mother would morph into a raven sinisterly monitoring her every move.

In the original story, Snow White did eventually take a bite of an apple, but it wasn’t the poison that nearly killed her. Instead, she momentarily passed out after choking on a chunk too big to swallow.

Then comes “Prince Charming".

He notices the fair maiden lying dead, or so he thinks, on the ground, and orders his seven worker boys (not dwarves) to drag her back to his home so that he can have his way with her.

Not as heroic, is it?

As the boys are dragging her back to his manor, she is bounced over a rock, which dislodges the apple chunk from her throat, thus enabling her to breathe again.

She looks up to the “Prince” and thinks he was responsible for saving her and so they live happily ever after…THE END. 

After discovering the origins of lore, McCal visually interprets their significance in her paintings. 

"Originally, people displayed art to evoke conversations about the stories they told," she said. 

What’s lost in mass-produced art sold at big box stores are their connection to a source of significance, she added.

"Pieces are often selected because it matches the color scheme of the dinnerware or bedspread, rather than communicating a story."

“The value in the story shared makes up for any price you pay for original art,” she said.

I encourage you to peruse her Origins of Lore gallery to see other artistic renderings of the stories that you thought you knew. 

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence posted up at Raven's Nest in Fargo. 

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Weekend at Misfit

Our Misfit team is spread across the globe, so finding fun ways to share our lives together can prove to be a challenge.

This weekend, however, we rallied around a common hashtag #weekendatmisfit to more easily glimpse into each other’s lives.

Now, we’d like to share our weekend highlights with you :)

In the Philippines, Dino proudly beat our resident pool shark Cheese at an intense battle on the felted green. 

Their night’s festivities were fueled by beer and Mississippi mud pie. 

Then, to mellow things out, the lovely Chloe wowed the team by turning wine into popsicles. Magic is real.

In Canada, our Misfit Press team, Jessie and Matt, spent a romantic evening on a dock, sipping wine, and watching the sun set on another week.

This was the calm before the storm to come, which involved a rave and drinking in a basement converted into a speakeasy ‘til the wee hours of the morning.

Jessie would like to note, however, that she did round out her partying by baking bread, visiting a farmer’s market, and attending a vegan food festival. #multifacetedmisfit  

In California, our Misfit worlds collided in reality, as AJ and Melissa’s Shakespeare on the Road extravaganza passed through Geni and Mirko’s neck of the woods.

Together, they attended a play at the Theatricum Botanicum; an outdoor stage presiding among the trees.

It should also be noted that AJ and Melissa made a point to show up at Geni’s doorstep at 10pm with two bottles of Prosecco in hand. Classic.

In Fargo, our Wordsmith-in-Residence, Dane, teamed up with local coffee artisan Young Blood Coffee (Ian Johnson) to give out free coffee to the citizenry of this fair city.

Fargo's WDAY News found Misfit's generous exploits to be newsworthy and featured them on the five o'clock slot. Ian and Dane made sure to schmooze the reporter into joining them for a photo in front of our friend's shop Unglued. 

Then, Dane fled to the lakes country where he played bocce ball, sipped on Moscow Mules, and attended a yacht club party. The photo of this bird house in some Minnesota woods conveys his appreciation of the simpler things in life.

In Texas, our ridiculously talented artist, and web-designer, Cebo, found himself in close proximity to a horse, as he walked the streets of Austin en route to see a performance by Kawehi. 

He also made his way to a beach in Panama City, Florida, teasing our landlocked Misfits with a video post of waves washing up on sandy shores.  

We hope you enjoyed this casual and playful look at how us Misfits celebrate the weekend. 

~ Misfits 'round the globe

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Misfit Radio: Hal O'Leary

For the last two years, AJ and a man named Hal O’Leary have exchanged poetic pleasantries over email. Hal is in his eighties; a World War II veteran; a former professor; a man of the theater; and a lifelong Misfit.

He is also a prolific writer, particularly of poetry, and has made a point of regularly responding to AJ's thought-provoking essays on the Pursuit of Everything with inspired, poetic replies. In fact, AJ now has an entire email folder dedicated to Hal's writing.

Recently, we had the honor of interviewing Hal for a new Misfit podcast series that will feature the remarkable Misfits within our community.

The following interview, produced by our Princess of Organising Chaos, Jessie White, and Fargo-based Wordsmith-in-Residence, Dane Johnson, records stories from a life driven by curiosity, surrounded by wars, and still clinging to the hope that man is innately good.   

Without further adieu, we sincerely hope you enjoy the wisdom and poetry of Mr. Hal O’Leary.

Bonus track: If you want more of Hal's poetry in your life, listen to his reading of A Failed Man; a poem about his ongoing friction with society.

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Scriptwriters... Assemble!

Misfit is running a scriptwriting competition this summer!

Basically, if you are a scriptwriter, or you are connected to someone who is, we are offering the ridiculously rare and exciting opportunity to have their script developed into a short film. 

From now until October 1st, we are accepting screenplay submissions, we will choose the winner by November 1st and the film will go into production shortly after.

The film will be screened at the second annual Misfit Film Festival and will be produced by Misfit and directed by talented young filmmaker, Ed Rigg.

To enter the competition, fill in this form. For more information go to filmfestival.misfit.co. 

Spread the word kids! :)

[misfitinc-blog]

Coffee on Misfit

Young Blood Coffee Roaster’s founder Ian Johnson is a man that fights for simplicity.

Go to his website and you’ll find one button to click (minus the social media icons), which will lead you to one product to purchase. And we can assure you that this one product will knock your socks off.

He makes damn good coffee. It’s as simple as that.

So, when we hosted our second annual Misfit Con in Fargo, we were relieved to meet Ian and learn that it was possible to find a good cup of coffee in this town. Besides, his deliberately simple and intentional approach to life instantly connected us.

Upon recognizing that we were cut from the same cloth, he generously donated his roast for our Misfit’s morning coffee ritual, so that, unlike the year before, we wouldn’t have to ship in a brew that’s palatable.

Based in Fargo, Young Blood is introducing this region of the world to the kinds of artisan coffees that you’ll find in places like New York, Portland, and San Francisco. Ian isn’t doing this on a massive, sell-out scale, nor does he want to.

Instead, little by little, he’s choosing his moments, his customers, and his options without diluting the potency of the coffee he so meticulously brews.

And now, to give Fargoans a taste of what fine coffee tastes like, we’re partnering with Ian to host “Coffee on the Misfits.”

This Saturday, in front of our friends’ shop Unglued, we will be giving away cups of Young Blood’s coffee, starting at 8am and lasting as long as we’ve got beans to grind and brew.

Make your way over to meet Ian, have your Saturday morning coffee, and enjoy a cup on Misfit. 

See you there!

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence based in Misfit's Fargo outpost, The Raven's Nest.

[misfitinc-blog]

What's a Wolftree?

Wolftree Magazine founder Noah Kupcho is the son of a lumber-jacking coal miner.

After spending his early years in his hometown of rural Hazen, North Dakota, Noah made his way east for college, where he found a creative outlet in making photo books and zines.

When he graduated with a degree in photography from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2012, he encountered a challenge faced by many graduates with liberal arts degrees: how to turn creative passion into something ongoing and sustainable.

Like many bold men from stories past, Noah was inspired to take a risk on his creativity by the instigation of a beautiful woman; his wife Brooke.

“I probably would’ve just backed away had I known that I would have to spend $37k in the first short while,” he recalled, “but ignorance was on our side.”

And compelled by more than just ignorance, Noah and Brooke were surrounded by friends and collaborators who believed in their dream and voiced their support. One such advocate was Ecce Art Gallery’s owner, Mark Weiler, who encouraged their aspirations, lending them a great deal of confidence in their vision.

Then, a serendipitous collision of events transpired during Misfit’s first annual conference in May 2013 -- the very same time Wolftree would be launching their magazine’s first volume.

Mark introduced AJ and Melissa to Noah and Brooke, which planted the seeds that would soon blossom into a beautiful partnership. At this year’s second annual Misfit Con, the inclusion of Wolftree Magazine in Misfit’s craft publishing arm, Misfit Press, was officially announced.

“They call us the Wolftree kids because they want to help us out,” Noah shared with a laugh.

In his humble and soft-spoken way, he continued to explain that Misfit isn’t like a typical publishing house that only seeks to make a quick profit off of their creative work.

In fact, AJ told Noah that he knew Misfit probably wouldn’t make a dime on this investment. But, Misfit absolutely shares Noah’s passion for the arts -- that was the reason for starting the Misfit Journal and that was the reason for wanting to partner with Wolftree.

“It’s really shocking to see someone help you out when it’s not helping them out,” Noah added.

In the partnership, Wolftree retains all creative freedom to make the magazine that they’ve dreamed of making.

“It’s their magazine, we just help them publish it,” said Misfit Press’ Director Jessie White.

What’s a Wolftree?

The word Wolftree literally means, “a very large forest tree that has a wide-spreading crown and inhibits or prevents the growth of smaller trees around it.”

The name was decided upon during a Christmas gathering with friends in Noah and Brooke’s apartment in Fargo. In thinking up names, a friend shouted out “Wolftree!” and everyone agreed that the name sounded intriguing.

Upon looking up its definition they realized that it was the complete opposite of what they hoped for the magazine to accomplish. So, rather than scrap the word, they simply decided to lend it a new definition by associating it with things that represent their vision.  

“By doing so, we aim to redefine the way people view what comes out of Fargo,” Noah said.

Instead of growing so big that nothing can grow up around it, Wolftree exists to allow others an opportunity to thrive.

“When we started, it was for me to show my work because I was stuck and no one thought I was important. I felt diminished,” Noah explained.

“Everyone wants to feel important, so to be able to do that for someone is our mission; to raise someone up is why we started.”

In selecting submissions, he said they look for someone excited about what they do. Celebrity, widespread social networks, and a thriving web presence aren’t required. Instead, Noah picks the pieces that resonate with him and his editorial team. He selects the submissions that give him chills or bring tears to his eyes.

Starting a business was not without its challenges, but Noah recalls the words of his coal-mining/lumberjack father when he showed him Wolftree Vol. 1:  “I am proud of you and what you’re doing.” For a man mostly disconnected from the world of art and creative communication mediums to so readily validate the importance of Wolftree was all the encouragement Noah needed to continue on with Vol. 2.

In addition to paternal support, Noah credited the community of Fargo, the Misfits, and Wolftree readers for the ongoing success of the magazine.

“Support and relationships have been the most beneficial things. Being in a community like Fargo has been everything for us.”  

The magazine has only been in existence for a little over a year, but they are well on their way to publishing Volume IV. When asked what this year has taught him, Noah said that it may sound cliché, but that he’s learning to go after the things he really wants in life.

He posed a musing challenge as we concluded our interview:

“People live foolishly,” he said, adding that we should do something that we actually want, rather than stuff that bogs us down.

He now aims to use Wolftree as a megaphone for a voice that’s been lost in the world of magazine.  

“We’re trying to reclaim a voice of humility and honor,” he said.

Whether submitted pieces are published on Wolftree.co or printed in beautifully crafted volumes, every single drop of creative energy is poured into each and every aspect of their work. From the design, editing and layout, to the stunning photography that accompanies written pieces (often taken by Noah himself), to choosing the paper, ink saturations and packaging. Everything about Wolftree is intentional.

“We’re not here to make money, we do it because we love it.”

Check out the magazine for yourself at Wolftree.co and keep up with their ridiculously beautiful photo updates on Instagram.

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence posted up in Misfit's Raven's Nest in Fargo. 

[misfitinc-blog]

One Million Cups Fargo

This morning's One Million Cups Fargo featured two presenters from drastically different fields, but with equally inspiring vision. 

First up was Jeremy Neuharth of SYCORR.

He unashamedly shared his passion for banks and credit unions. 

His company has implemented guerrilla tactics to break into industries that are aversive to change...like the financial industry.

Seeing that more education is needed for the protection of consumers' personal information, and their money which can be accessed with said information, he created SYCORR to index and benchmark all the information-gathering processes of credit unions throughout the US.

Second up was Mama Jean.

She wanted to create a easy-to-obtain meal option that was more delicious than take-out and much healthier than fast food. 

To accomplish this goal, she founded Z!NG, Dinner in a Dash. 

After working with app-making magicians over at Myriad Mobile, she launched an app-based ordering feature for people to scan through her 39-item menu and pick up their home-cooked comfort foods while on the move. 

"I want to offer a healthier version of the comfort foods we grew up with," she said. 

As is customary at One Million Cups Fargo, Greg Tehven interviewed and facilitated questions from the 224 people in attendance. 

Once again, the Fargo community displayed their willingness to help companies like Z!NG and SYCORR through their insightful questions and collaborative spirit. 

How can we help Z!NG? 

Download their app.

Try their food!

And, give honest feedback about your customer experience process. 

How can we help SYCORR? 

Spread the word about the alarming number of incidences of "click-jacking fraud". Awareness-raising gives rise to change.  

SYCORR has provided an easy-to-share resource at their website.

All in all, it was another inspiring morning at The Stage in Island Park. 

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence at the Raven's Nest in Fargo. 

[misfitinc-blog]

Filming Shakespeare

Attention filmmakers!

We have decided to extend the submission deadline for Filming Shakespeare to August 1st.

Filming Shakespeare is an annual film festival that Misfit produces in partnership with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The King of Shakespeare himself, Sir Kenneth Branagh, is the patron of this film festival which is now in its second year.

Quite a few filmmakers asked us for an extension on the original July 1st deadline to give them more time to get their films completely polished and so we decided to extend the deadline for all. Hurrah! So, if you're a filmmaker and you are making, or have made, a short film that in some way relates to William Shakespeare and his works or his life, please submit through the form over at Filming Shakespeare before August 1st. 

The ten finalists will have their short films screened at the second Shakespeare Film Festival in Stratford upon Avon in the first week of October. The final winner will be chosen by some kick-ass judges and will receive a cash prize of $1,000 and a Filming Shakespeare laurel.