The Flowstate Collective Podcast

#61 - JE Wilds - Old Stag Mindset

JE Wilds joins the podcast to talk about building a life around adventure, storytelling, and documenting the wild.

From picking up his first camera in 2007 to filming remote backcountry hunts and wildlife encounters around New Zealand and beyond, Joe has spent years creating authentic outdoor stories that resonate with people who love nature, travel and the pursuit of meaningful experiences.

In this conversation we dive into the mindset behind filming your own adventures, staying present in the moment while behind the camera, and why the story matters far more than the trophy.

We also talk about solo missions into wild places, the philosophy behind targeting older animals, the realities of creating outdoor content for YouTube, and how the landscape of adventure storytelling has evolved over the years.

This episode is about much more than hunting - it's about creativity, passion, nature, and building a life around the things that make you feel alive.

IN THIS EPISODE

- How JE Wilds started filming outdoor adventures in 2007

- Building a life around passion - Turning said passion into business

- The balance between experiencing the moment vs documenting it

- The art of telling authentic outdoor stories

- Solo backcountry adventures and remote travel

- The philosophy behind hunting older animals

- Filmmaking in the outdoors

- The evolution of YouTube adventure content

- Why storytelling matters more than the trophy

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Early days filming hunting adventures

08:20 – Being present while filming in the moment

15:30 – Wildlife obsession since childhood

22:10 – Snake hunting and exploring Australia

31:45 – The philosophy of targeting old stags

45:20 – Why the story matters more than the trophy

58:10 – How guiding shaped his hunting mindset

1:12:40 – Turning YouTube into a full-time career 1:26:00 – The legendary tree-stand stag hunt

1:45:30 – Hunting with Joe Fluerty

2:06:00 – Behind the scenes of a tahr hunt

2:10:00 – Fishing, filming and future plans

VIDEO | PHOTO | FILM | MARKETING

You’re end-to-end Digital Solution

Work with us…

www.flowstateproductions.com.au

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wadekelly_/

https://www.instagram.com/flowstate_productions/

THE FLOW STATE COLLECTIVE PODCAST from FLOW STATE PRODUCTIONS Pty. Ltd.

     

#60 - Tom Trembath - He Sold Everything to Built Boats Instead

Tom Trembath isn't your typical boat builder. He grew up in Ghana and Papua New Guinea — his dad moved the family across the world and everywhere they went, they fished. Under Portuguese slave castles on the Ivory Coast. On the Fly River catching black bass no one had told him existed.

He came back to Australia, got a mechanical engineering degree he didn't love, and spent years running construction projects in places he didn't want to be. Then COVID froze the world. He sold everything, planned to travel Australia with his partner but ended up stuck in Brisbane, and found himself driving back to his old desk at a Sunshine Coast construction company.

Five years later, Merino Boatworks is producing world-class stepped-hull fishing centre consoles out of Cairns, designed by Michael Peters Yacht Design — the same firm behind Formula, Cigarette and Bertram. Vacuum infused, fully cored, built by a tight crew of young men who trained themselves from nothing in a discipline that barely exists in Australia.

The first boat was sold drunk at the Weipa Golf Club over a handshake.

In this episode Tom and Wade go deep on mortality, the real cost of ambition, what it means to actually back yourself, and how a bunch of 'idiots pointing in the same direction' built something genuinely world class. Plus — Wade's NZ hunt blizzard at 2000m elevation on the West Coast that destroyed three tents and ended in a foil bivvy, and a Torres Strait quasi-arrest involving cocaine runners, Border Force, and the happiest people either of them have ever met.

VIDEO | PHOTO | FILM | MARKETING

You’re end-to-end Digital Solution

Work with us…

www.flowstateproductions.com.au

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wadekelly_/ https://www.instagram.com/flowstate_productions/

THE FLOW STATE COLLECTIVE PODCAST from FLOW STATE PRODUCTIONS Pty. Ltd.

#59 - Jonny Malosi - "I Started with a Broom Handle"

Jon is the co-founder of Malosi Lures - built from a broom handle, a craft knife, and a piece of weird wire he found in the garage. That's not a metaphor. That's literally where it started. I

n this episode we cover the full Malosi origin story — from whittling prototypes in COVID lockdown to becoming Australia's largest grassroots tackle brand with 100K+ followers, a full product range from budget to limited edition signature series lures, and a community model that most brands can't figure out. J

onny's background is in commercial directing and creative direction - he's directed million-dollar TV commercials, run large production crews, and worked on major IPs. He walked away from all of it to make fishing lures with his brother. We go deep on what that transition actually looked like, how their community-first ambassador model works (and why the ROI beats paid ads), why they've never chased pure investor money, the pivot from handmade to composite production, and a genuinely good conversation about AI, authenticity, and where the creative industry is heading.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Why topwater? The "pokies" analogy and the visual connection to your lure

- Jonny's background: graphic design, art direction, directing million-dollar TV commercials

- How the lure business started: broom handle, craft knife, COVID lockdown, Samoa

- The first cast that changed everything — brother Nick's first cast on a handmade lure

- Bumping into Brigsy at a trade show and why Morning Tide changed Australian fishing

- The community model: 50–100 grassroots anglers, no contracts, just froth - Why their ambassador roster is small, personal, and genuinely organic - ROI of gifting lures to young anglers vs. ad spend

- The pivot from fully handmade to composite production and why they removed "handmade" from their marketing

- The investment story: why they avoided pure capital and what they needed instead

- AI in the creative business — where it helps, where the line is, and why they'll never fake a fish

- Big budget production is dying — what that means for the industry

- Building an in-house content team and letting go as a creative director

- Persistence: the shower floor years and the 90/8/2 rule of entrepreneurship

- The full Malosi lure range — from $60 Staples Series to limited edition signature lures

 

VIDEO | PHOTO | FILM | MARKETING | WEB DESIGN | SOCIAL

You’re end-to-end Digital Solution

 

Work with us…

www.flowstateproductions.com.au

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wadekelly_/

https://www.instagram.com/flowstate_productions/

 

THE FLOW STATE COLLECTIVE PODCAST from FLOW STATE PRODUCTIONS Pty. Ltd.

#58 - JE Wilds - "Nobody Gives a Sh*t Who You Are at the Start

JE Wilds (Joe Edlington) is an experienced back country hunter, angler and all-round outdoorsman. Joe has built his own personal brand showcasing his amazing and rugged adventures throughout the New Zealand Mountains as well has his north island fishing expeditions on his secondary channel. In this episode, we catchup at a fishing tackle trade show on the Gold Coast, Australia. We hired a studio and banged out two great sessions on the mics where we chat about our adventures, where our work has taken us, family, business advice, the outdoors industry and much, much more. We have became great friends over the past year or so and we have many more adventures planned together.

I hope you all Enjoy! Cheers, Wade

Episode 57 - Clint Isaac

Clint Isaac is the owner and head guide at the Australian Fly Fishing Lodge based in Hinchinbrook, North Queensland Australia. I was up staying at his lodge filming a fly fishing film for a few brands and we decided to sit down for an hour and yarn about all things fly fishing, permit, guide life, business and the difficult nature of the fisher in the Hinchinbrook region. A great yarn with an even greater bloke. Enjoy!

Episode 56 - Mike Dames

Mike Dames is a South African angler, a very experienced fly fishing guide and conservationist. Mike currently guides for African Waters at their Sette Cama camp in Gabon as well as Mavungana (one of Africas oldest outfitters). In this episode Mike and I chat about his fishing journey that began from the age of 2, his love of fish in general (not just fishing), what guide-life is like and the whole west African experience. Mike has a much deeper understanding of fishing than most, and is a wealth of knowledge on all of its associated topics. I can't thank the African waters guides enough for all of their help, advice and time while over there. An awesome bunch of blokes and an even more awesome experience. Enjoy!

VIDEO | PHOTO | FILM | MARKETING

You’re end-to-end Digital Solution

Work with us… www.flowstateproductions.com.au

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wadekelly_/ https://www.instagram.com/mikedames_fishing/ https://www.instagram.com/flowstate_productions/

THE FLOW STATE COLLECTIVE PODCAST from FLOW STATE PRODUCTIONS Pty. Ltd.

Episode 55 - Jako Lucas

Jako is a world renowned fly fisherman, guide, content creator, producer and damn good human. Jako and I had known each other for years through fishing and social media. I saw Jako advertising a hosted trip to Gabon - a remote West African country towards the end of last year so I dropped him a line and we built a pitch to create a crazy fly fishing film project over there. In this episode we chat all things fly fishing, heritage, how Jako built his career, life and its state of affairs, travel, adventure, elephant attacks, catching crocodiles in the jungle at night and much, much more. This episode was shot towards the end of our time together in Gabon. 40hrs of travel, new friends and new experiences. What a life. Enjoy!

VIDEO | PHOTO | FILM | MARKETING You’re end-to-end Digital Solution Work with us… www.flowstateproductions.com.au

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wadekelly_/

https://www.instagram.com/captjackproductions/

https://www.instagram.com/flowstate_productions/

THE FLOW STATE COLLECTIVE PODCAST from FLOW STATE PRODUCTIONS Pty. Ltd.

Episode 54 - JE Wilds & Hunter McWaters

Joe (JE Wilds) & Hunter Mcwaters are avid hunters and outdoorsmen. Joe is a New Zealand based YouTuber with 2 channel that encompass remote area backpack hunts and land based fishing missions. Joe is an Ex-hunting guide with a lifetime of experience in the mountains, a businessman, father and all round badass.

Hunter (The Hunters Quest) is an American Hunter, YouTuber, podcaster and TV personality that showcases his exploits on the Sportsman Channel and his social media. Hunter is an experienced presenter, producer, businessman, father and all round great guy.

In this 3hr Episode, we are sitting back in a motel room doing a post-trip recap of 10 days together in the mountains hunting red deer, chamois and tahr. This recap has everything from mountains, to blizzards, tents being destroyed, drinking tan (puddle) water, hardships of the mountains, the ruggedness of NZ and what grit, determination and perseverance can provide. There's laughs, lessons and a plethora of information in this relaxed yet informative episode. Please give the lads a look and a follow on the links below:

JE Wilds

https://jewilds.com

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/jewilds

Youtube:

Hunting https://www.youtube.com/@j.e.wilds-hunting

Fishing - https://www.youtube.com/@JEWildsFishing

Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/2JBrqlHzQbbpvX6aLqSu5V?si=a736e6b9958141d2&nd=1&dlsi=840e8d64a4d44ee6

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/j.e.wilds/?hl=en

Hunter McWaters

https://www.thehuntersquest.com

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGVP4F5g3SiOookJK01Jy5w

Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/1bvtyKal41T76jLgPTXp10?nd=1&si=U7FibmwsRv-Fs8puWxgMnQ

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thehuntersquest?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Episode 53 - Ayden Doumtsis

Ayden is a renowned bowhunter and outdoorsman, co founder of Twin Elements & Spotted Safari's and a very close friend. In this 2+ hour episode we discuss all things hunting, outdoors, managing relationships, learning through reflection and accountability, what it takes to be above average, a growth mindset and much more. A very intelligent and powerful conversation with a very intelligent and powerful friend.

As always, feedback is most welcome and I hope you all enjoy.

Episode 52 - Nick Morton

Nick Morton is a bowhunter, fisherman, businessman and entrepreneur. Nick is the owner/part owner in Primabolics, Bow Hunting Only and Nix Broadheads. In this episode, we chat all things hunting & fishing and we get deep on the hardships in business, the judgement of others and trying to improve yourself. We also chat about an epic expo that Flow State is hosting in March this year. One not to be missed.

Feedback is always welcome and I hope you all enjoy. WK.