If you were to ask Jesse, the founder and CEO of Trash Panda Disc Golf what personal attribute of his is most responsible for him getting so far with his business, the answer may surprise you.
You might answer perseverance.
Having to persevere through years of countless tests and endless hours of research so that he could finally manufacture the first disc that is made from 100% recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable would make perseverance a good guess.
If you said positivity, which he clearly has in spades, and which shines through in his many YouTube videos, I’d be right there with you.
Love of the environment and Earth, is up there in the “good guess” department as well. You would have to possess this to endeavor to do what Jesse has accomplished and plans to continue to pursue.
But, as you’ve already guessed, these answers would be incorrect.
No, Jesse credits a far-less admirable, but equally important attribute for his success.
His naiveté.
Yes, that naiveté. The one that insinuates simplicity of thought and lack of information.
Without his naiveté, Jesse explains, he would never have started in the first place…
Well here’s to naiveté then!
Whether that’s the number one attribute or not, Jesse is taking Herculean efforts to make a line of discs that will put disc golf at the forefront of a push towards sustainability for our sport and our planet…
A Change of Plans
When I first reached out to Jesse and got the green light to go ahead with this article/post, I had an idea that I would document, in writing, his humble beginnings as a guy trying to make a planet-friendly disc in his garage.
I wanted to chart how he went from the person who celebrated his first 100 subscribers to the face of a multi-national, fully recycled/recyclable disc manufacturing company.
And I still want some of that first part…
But now, after having watched ALL of his videos (here) and listened to all of his podcasts (here), the story, in my mind, becomes less about the company and more about the person behind it.
This is a story of perseverance, ingenuity, the power of positivity, patience, the quest for knowledge, and more…
It’s also a story about an individual that was brought to the very brink and came a whisker’s width away from calling it quits (this is also a story about transparency).
And finally it’s a story of the power of community (that’s you), humility, and gratitude.
As I watched, I found myself marveling at some of his aforementioned attributes as well as wondering what take-aways can I/we learn from Jesse’s story and apply to our own lives.
So we’ll start briefly with the story of his company and then we’ll dive into what we can garner from the person behind it all…
Background on a Well-Documented Story
If you are new to disc golf or the story of Trash Panda Disc Golf (welcome!) it really is a remarkable story.
Jesse, just a few short (and very long) years back, finally decided that he would try to make the first fully recycled/fully recyclable disc in his garage in Colorado.
His background on disc making, plastics, business or just about anything you would need to have in order to even think about attempting such lofty ambitions was of course next to nothing.
And naturally, he also wanted to document it all on YouTube for the world to see.
If you were to take the time to watch every video in binge-mode like I did, or more organically like many of his loyal followers, you would see a very non-linear path of a person solving a continuous series of problems (over a long span of time, at a considerable financial cost to himself, with no guarantee of success) until he had finally created his first fully recycled/recyclable discs (and minis), and eventually scaled it to be able produce and ship his discs from his home state of Colorado, all over the world!
But that summary does his story a disservice…
Jesse’s Equation
I’m going to make an attempt to put together an equation that culminated in Jesse’s current business. Just like making a disc from scratch, there are innumerable forces and factors that go into making the people we are and will become.
There’s no possible way to nail this down completely.
Still, I’m curious. What were the key ingredients that were either within him, learned or otherwise, that resulted in a person in his garage eventually getting to where he is today?
In the end I’m going to put it all together and then Jesse can tell me how full of BS I am in the comments (I welcome your comments as well!).
It’ll be fun! Let’s begin!
Mindset on Setbacks
“In my optimistic head this should go relatively smoothly… But I’ve made stuff for long enough to know, there will probably be a hundred problems along the way…”
– Jesse from Trash Panda Disc Golf (episode 2)
It’s one thing to say the word setbacks and list them. It’s another to watch them unfold. And it’s still another level to actually live them.
When you have not done welding since high school shop class, you should probably touch up on that before attempting to weld an injection molding machine in your own garage.
If you are making a flying disc with no prior knowledge of aerodynamics, you should probably bone up on that too.
Wiring your own circuitry? You should look into it.
You get the idea. EVERY aspect of this project needed to be thoroughly researched. And when it invariably malfunctioned, he couldn’t ship it to the “parts and labor” division. He was parts and labor (along with every other division in his one-person company).
So, while watching Jesse’s story unfold before me on YouTube, I found times where I, personally, would have called it quits.
And, unfortunately for me, those moments were not what you’d call “isolated.”
The first I remember, came with Jesse’s first big financial setback (I do NOT like losing money) as well as a big loss in time (not a fan of that either)…
Jesse had just dished out about $500 and waited weeks for his first machined mold to be delivered, only to discover it produced his hilariously termed “Fruity Pebble Rice Cake” (episode 7).
Immediately, he was looking at roughly $500 for a new mold and a lot more time for this new mold to be machined.
My thoughts? Right there I’m out.
His thoughts? He was actually rather encouraged! Since designing his first mold he had come up with other tweaks he wanted to implement.
Jesse is a big fan of quotes. And in this episode (#7 where the first mold was a dud) we get introduced the following quote he appreciates:
“Forward ever, backward never.”
-Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Jesse’s ability to look at the positives on his many setbacks and not dwell on the negatives is one of many attributes that helped him ultimately arrive at where he is today.
And there are more as well!
Patience and Problem Solving!
“Making is learning and anyone can learn.”
Jesse (in his first video and with so much sparkle in his eyes!)
We alluded to it earlier. When a problem presents itself, as it invariably does when you endeavor to innovate, how do you handle it?
In Jesse’s case, we already spoke of the positive spin he could put on issues and problems.
And with his mindset, we also saw that, going into the project he already knew these myriad setbacks would occur. So to some extent, Jesse had already factored that into the equation.
But there is a time component as well. In many cases, each new problem could “cost” him weeks.
Jesse was gracious enough to answer the questions I asked of him. I had millions that I chose to pare down. And one question that got cut was whether the pandemic was a catalyst of sorts that he needed to kickstart his vision.
In a sense, early on in the pandemic, all we had was time. Time can be harder to find in the day-to-day frenetic pace most Americans keep. I wonder if that helped him really zero in on the task at hand and throw himself fully into his project?
Whatever the case, his patience to thoroughly research a problem, send out for parts, scour online forums, and actually put his learnings into action was impressive to say the least. And it definitely deserves to be a part of the equation…
Add “patience” to the list.
But, you probably don’t get to where he is without the next variable either…
Passion!
“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”
-Steve Jobs
This one goes without saying for Jesse.
He clearly has a passion for learning and a drive to always improve.
In addition, though he freely admits he doesn’t quite know where it was borne out of, he also has a passion for sustainability.
If you are not passionate about what you endeavor to do, there’s a far higher likelihood that you won’t see it through.
Passion was absolutely a driving force for Jesse and belongs in the equation! Trash Panda Disc Golf doesn’t happen without it!
And our next one is closely connected to passion! It is what I wish for all of us in our own work as well.
Purpose and Fulfillment
“Most people assumed (and still do) that relaxation makes them happy. We want to work less and spend more time in the hammock. But the results from [the studies] reveal that most people have this wrong…”
– Cal Newport author of Deep Work citing Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s studies
There is a book that I highly recommend for those of us that feel completely inundated and consumed by the insurmountable and seemingly ineffectual tasks that we are asked to complete at our jobs in this day and age.
Emails, reports, documentation, forms, trainings, blah, blah, blah, etcetera…
Slowly, over time, these tasks have crept into our day-to-day responsibilities and frequently leave us feeling frazzled, exhausted, and unfulfilled to name a few.
Then, when you throw in the constant interruptions that our phones provide, those harmful sensations only compound…
If this resonates with you, I highly recommend you check out Deep Work by Cal Newport, from your local library.
One of the main arguments in this book is that humans find their happiness in a state of deep, uninterrupted work.
By taking on real, deep, difficult and meaningful problems that need solving, and doing so in a way that eschews superficial, menial tasks, we find a flow state that also connects to fulfilment and happiness.
Sound familiar?
If you watch Jesse’s well-documented journey on YouTube, there are countless clips of him sipping coffee and just researching/problem solving.
No interruptions. Just his work.
He’s taking on a real and meaningful challenge (sustainability in disc golf) and he’s helping to blaze the trail into the unknown for others to follow.
And remember his joy, passion and positivity in the face of so many setbacks that we cited earlier?
I’m of the mind (and I remind Jesse to call me right out if he thinks I’m full of it) that Jesse had clearly found that flow state of deep work which helped lead to the happiness, enthusiasm, and positivity he is clearly portraying throughout his journey.
Add sense of purpose and fulfillment to the list!
And there is another big factor we should explicitly name. This factor has probably helped Jesse feel such a profound sense of purpose in his work…
The Disc Golf Community!
“I believe that the disc golf community is perfectly positioned to be a leader in sustainability. Period. Our planet needs us, and if we all take a bunch of small steps, we can do this…”
-Jesse from Trash Panda Disc Golf
You don’t have to watch too many of his videos to understand that Jesse is a massive fan of the disc golf community (I am too and I wrote about it here).
I’m no expert on the matter, but some of the hallmarks of a good community are inclusiveness, looking out for all its members, teaching and learning from one another, supporting one another, encouragement, caring, and the list goes on and on…
Well, after having watched all of his videos and having read many of the comments, it’s abundantly clear that his loyal supporters have provided that rich sense of community for Jesse and helped inform, encourage and fuel his ambitions to give back to the very folks that have always been there for him.
In fact, when Jesse was brought to the very brink of calling it quits, it was the acknowledgement of the people in this community that had supported, encouraged and bolstered him along the way, that was one of the three major factors he cited for not throwing in the towel.
There is a lot of power in that. Add it to the list. And with it comes a deep sense of our next factor as well…
Genuine Gratititude!
“We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success.”
– Michelle Obama
One theme that is pervasive throughout Jesse’s documentation of his journey, is his genuine gratitude for all of the people that have helped him get to where he is today.
Without these people, he fully recognizes, he could not have come close to the altitude he has reached.
Naturally, he thanks his parents for raising him in a loving, supportive environment and helping to instill so many values in him.
Similarly, he thanks his siblings, all of which are older, who pushed him and cared for him.
And, of course, he thanks his loving wife for her boundless support and encouragement.
I’m beginning to see why people don’t start naming individuals at awards ceremonies… So before I go too far down this road, I’ll simply state that it’s so very clear that Jesse is completely and genuinely grateful for all the people that have supported, encouraged and helped him along the way.
Whether it’s information on specs of a specific part he needed, or just a word of encouragement or a click of the like/subscribe buttons on his YouTube channel, you are a recipient of his sincere gratitude.
This gratitude, to me, makes the list and also lends itself well to his style of leadership.
Leadership
“The leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.”
-George Orwell
There are many styles of leadership.
One style that Jesse clearly personifies is the person that leads by example.
And when a person so clearly embodies hard work, perseverance, patience, passion, and vision, it’s only natural that people want to follow them.
We’ve already shown how Jesse possesses these attributes (and more).
And sure, we can point to his over 22k “followers” on Instagram. Or, his nearly 32k “subscribers” on YouTube. But that speaks more to the community he’s helped cultivate.
I’m more talking about the person that was able to take his one-person-in-a-garage operation, and scale it out to the ever-growing, eco-friendly disc manufacturing company we now know to be Trash Panda Disc Golf.
To do that, you need to inspire others to see your vision and want to be a part of it.
And that takes leadership.
When I asked him about his leadership, he mentioned a mantra, among other things, that goes through his head when he thinks of leading others.
“They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Put leadership on the list as well…
Support Jesse’s Mission!
“The biggest manufacturers on the market are in this to make the best discs on earth. I’m in this to make the best discs for the earth.”
-Jesse from Trash Panda Disc Golf
One other attribute of Jesse’s that I appreciate is how non-judgmental he is in his approach to promoting sustainability in disc golf.
Plastic production and management is a monumentally important issue facing our planet.
Naturally, it’s not a reach to see how the production of plastic discs that aren’t labeled for recycling and use virgin plastics, in a rapidly growing sport, would only add to this problem the world faces.
And while Jesse recognizes this, he also understands the excitement many of us get from getting a new disc in our hands.
Fortunately, you can still get that sensation, by purchasing his 100% recycled/recyclable discs. This includes seconds and other things, at his website found here.
But the mission for Jesse is not only to get people to buy Trash Panda discs. It’s to make disc golf a far more sustainable sport. With that in mind, Jesse frequently tells us about other manufacturers and their efforts to grow the sport sustainably. To date, the most comprehensive video he’s made on the subject can be found below.
Give it a look and watch Jesse lay out the efforts put by other manufacturers as well!
The Realities of Capitalism
“The environmental problem our world is facing will take teamwork, not competition.”
-Jesse from Trash Panda Disc Golf
I’m no economics major.
But I’ve been around the block enough times to have a general idea of how capitalism works.
For example, when my town first implemented recycling, a smattering of people did it.
When my town then started charging for trash bags, while keeping the recycling free, we became one of the greenest towns in the state.
No judgement. It’s just how things work.
Bringing it back to disc golf, the idea is the same. Jesse reminds us that if we want to get companies to continue making sustainable discs, we need to support those efforts by purchasing them.
Then, once companies see the demand for sustainable discs go up, they’ll begin turning more of their efforts towards creating and innovating even more sustainably.
From there it steamrolls.
This is part of Jesse’s vision and how we can help support his and many other’s mission.
It’s not just about his bottom line. It’s something bigger than that…
Other Things We Can Do
“What’s the cost of enjoying something we hold so dear when future generations may not be able to?”
-Jesse’s Brother
Apart from making a conscious effort to purchase discs made with eco-friendly plastics, there are other things that Jesse and his team at Trash Panda Disc Golf have highlighted for us to consider.
They are as follows:
Recycle Old Unused Discs
At the time of this post, there is a new development at Trash Panda Disc golf.
They know us disc golfers well. They know we have that stash of unused discs lying around our basement. Now, you can give those discs new life by recycling them.
Your old discs will either be:
- Ground down and made into a new disc.
- Be used to make FlighTowels.
- Donated to kids who will use them.
And on top of it, for doing so, you will get discounts off your next purchase at Trash Panda Disc Golf that are not insignificant.
For more information on their disc recycling program, check out their link here!
Join The Trash Panda Disc Golf Holiday Disc Exchange Program
You’ll have to wait until December to get this going. And from the looks of it, this thing is taking off. You’ll be sure to get a nice disc with a cool story behind it as well.
In addition, you still get that rush of dopamine and excitement from opening a box of new discs. Except this time the “new” just means, “new to you”.
Basically, when it opens up for the new season, you join the exchange. Then, you end up shipping some of your lightly used discs that you no longer use, in exchange for the lightly used discs of others.
No new discs made in the process, and everybody gets new discs! It’s brilliant!
For more information on their holiday swap, go here.
Buy Used
Just because someone no longer uses a disc, it doesn’t mean you can’t.
With so many discs being manufactured (Jesse’s site listed the number at 13 million in 2022 alone), it stands to reason there are a lot of used discs to be had for your bag.
So, whether it’s online, or at a brick and mortar like Play It Again Sports, for example, you can help the environment, and your wallet, by buying used.
Clean Your Local Course!
You don’t need to organize some massive clean-up effort (though hats off if you do).
One thing that I took from Jesse is just to employ that unused slot in my disc golf bag to stash some trash found on the course and bring it out with me.
Then, I’ve left the course a little better than I found it.
And if we all do that little bit, there’s some serious progress to be made!
“Many hands make light work.”
Join Trash Panda Disc Golf’s Patreon Community
When I was fishing around Jesse’s YouTube Account I found his Patreon link. (Right here).
Here are his words: “If you’d like to join a community of people committed to growing the sport sustainably, consider joining us on Patreon!”
I don’t know about you, but I trust that guy implicitly. If you’re not sure how to have your money make the most impact, this seems like a great choice.
Check Out This Post!
I’ll link to this at the bottom as well. But basically, because I was so inspired by Jesse, I went ahead and made a post on simple things all disc golfers can do to be eco-friendly (apart from less purchasing of new discs).
Give it a look (here) and see what you think!
Jesse From Trash Panda Disc Golf – In Summary
“I fundamentally believe that no one is a self-made person, and we all stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. And Trash Panda is the exact same. The Trash Panda story isn’t mine. It’s all of ours. We all support one another, stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and I am so grateful to offer my shoulders to future generations…”
-Jesse from Trash Panda Disc Golf
There you have it folks. It’s a recipe, if you will, for the making of Trash Panda Disc Golf.
You take good values and strong role models. You add in hard work, humility, perseverance, and curiosity. Then you mix it with passion, patience, purpose, leadership and gratitude.
Perhaps, as a catalyst, you throw in a pandemic.
Finally, you surround that person with a rock-solid community of fervent supporters and voila!
And of course, let’s not forget our very first, and according to Jesse, our most important ingredient.
We need a healthy dose of naiveté!
And to that end, I leave you with one final quote from Jesse.
“If I knew how hard this would be, I never would have started… Thank God I didn’t know how hard it would be.”
We’re thankful too Jesse…
Thank you all for taking the time to read. I had a lot of fun creating this look into one of disc golf’s many personalities. In the future, I hope to do many more as well.
For content like this and plenty more (I have many ideas), please consider subscribing to my site. It’s free, and there’s no spam. All you are signing up for is a monthly email from me highlighting my latest content.
This has been the second such post highlighting a cool story in disc golf. If you would like to read the other I wrote on Tyee Rilatos, it can be found here.
His story is equal parts interesting and inspiring and I hope you enjoy!
Also, as promised, here is the post on eco-friendly disc golf if you are interested.
Until next time. thank you again, and enjoy disc golf’n around your local courses!
The thoughtfulness that went into the time, research, and writing of my story is humbling to say the least. Thank you for your generosity and support Mister Disc! ♻️🥏
Jesse! It was my absolute pleasure! Even before I dug into it, I knew it was a cool story. Then, after getting into it even more, it was even better than I could’ve hoped! Thank you for being so giving with your time, answering my questions and being so genuinely supportive. Like I said, it was an absolute pleasure and I look forward to continuing to follow and support your ongoing story/mission as it unfolds!
Great article and summary of Trash Panda. A few years ago I spoke to a manufacturer about the potential of making discs with recycled materials. They said that it would be impossible to use more than about 10% recycled materials in a disc in order to maintain good feel and durability. Jesse found a way to do much more than that with great feeling fully recycled discs.
Thanks Alan for the kind words for this article and your general support as well… That’s really interesting the manufacturer said that and how far the thinking has come in such short order. I’m glad Jesse didn’t even know about these stats, cuz we’re all better off for it!
This is a great story about eco-entrepreneurship at its finest. Thank you, Jesse, for your extraordinary efforts to make the best discs for our planet, and thank you, Mister Disc for sharing a glimpse into Jesse’s remarkable story and distilling and illuminating the ingredients for success that all aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from!