BONUS EPISODE - Subaru at OEX 2025

[00:00:10] Hello everybody and welcome to a bonus episode of the Subie & You Podcast. This is the bonus episode that I talked about on Monday when I had Kyle on the podcast. So, in this bonus episode, I talk to Joe who is with Subaru of America and we talk about Overland Expo 2025. Subaru is going to be at all five locations this year.

[00:00:35] And I'm super excited because I'm also going to be at Overland Expo. Not every single location because the first location is coming up really quick and there's no way I'd be able to make it out there in time and be able to request off work and everything.

[00:00:51] But I will be at the Overland Expo in Oregon in June for sure. And I'm either going to be at the one in Arizona or Colorado and definitely Virginia.

[00:01:10] So, I might try to make it out to both Arizona and Colorado, but I'm not sure just yet. I need to check my time off from work because that would be a lot of days to take off because I need to take Thursday and Friday off. And then, because I would fly out on Thursday, be there for the event on Friday and Saturday and then come back on Sunday.

[00:01:35] But I'm really, really excited that I am going to have the opportunity to be a part of Overland Expo. If you are subscribed to the Subaru US Media Center news alerts, they announced today, well, sorry, they announced Monday on March 3rd that Subaru joins 2025 Overland Expo as title sponsor with immersive experience, curated workshops, and entertainment.

[00:02:04] Automaker to celebrate the adventurous spirit of Subaru owners at all five events nationwide. Subaru of America Inc. Subaru of America Inc. today, that was on Monday, announced it is joining the Overland Expo as a title sponsor for 2025.

[00:02:20] The Overland Expo, a premier outdoor travel event, will feature the latest Subaru adventure models, including the new 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid, as well as the wilderness editions of the Subaru Outback, Subaru Crosstrek, and Subaru Forester.

[00:02:36] The Subaru exhibit will be a vibrant destination for adventurers, featuring curated workshops, live Subi and You podcast recording sessions, limited edition giveaways, exclusive Subaru gear, and the newest accessories from leading outdoor brands such as REI and Thule. And Thule? Thule? Thule? Thule? How do you say that? I always get that wrong. I know I've heard it said before, but Thule? Is that right?

[00:03:06] Anyway, it's crazy that the Subi and You podcast is listed in the Subaru US Media Center announcement. I would have never, ever thought that starting this podcast would come to something like this, that I would not only be a part of Overland Expo, but also be mentioned in the announcement.

[00:03:35] And there's a link to the podcast, so it'll take you to the website that is still being worked on. So I've changed my website host, and I am still working on getting it revised and formatted properly and getting all the colors sorted out. So it's still coming along, but I'm liking it so far.

[00:04:01] Anyway, I'm just super excited to be here on this bonus episode talking to Joe and excited to be a part of Overland Expo. I started this podcast just as an idea and a fun way to help the community express what we're doing with our cars, with our Subarus. We love to connect with people. We love to build up our cars. We love to get out and explore.

[00:04:30] We don't love it, but we do break them, and then we fix them, and we learn about them. And kind of like me, my CV axles have gone out, and I just had new ones delivered on Monday. And now I get to change out my CV axles because I watched a YouTube video, and I have a friend that has Jonathan Subamu who has done it before. So we're going to be able to do that myself and save me some money in labor.

[00:05:00] But I'm just super excited for this opportunity, and I'm very excited to share this bonus episode with you to talk to Joe and get his insight and information about Overland Expo this year and for him to talk about it more and share the information with you. So we will go ahead and get into this bonus episode now and talk to Joe. And again, I'm just really excited and super, super, super thankful for this opportunity.

[00:05:30] And thank you to all the listeners for continuing to listen and showing up for the podcast. I really, really appreciate it. And if you're going to be in, or if you're going to be at Overland Expo in June in Oregon, I'll be there. And I'll have my mobile equipment. I'll get to talk to the owners that will be there at the event showcasing their Subarus.

[00:05:56] And then I will get to talk to potential Subaru customers. And maybe showing all these people there that might own some other vehicles what Subarus can do, maybe we'll get some conversions and flip some people over to Subaru. How cool would that be? So anyway, we'll go ahead and get into this episode now. I know I said that a while back, but I'm just really excited.

[00:06:20] And I hope you enjoy this conversation with Joe from Subaru of America. Welcome to this bonus episode of the Subi and You podcast. We're talking to Joe about Overland Expo 2025.

[00:06:48] And, you know, there's information that I wanted to have you on here so that you can share and let people know about Overland Expo and about Subaru being there because Subaru has never been at Overland Expo before. So this is really, really exciting to have them there. So why don't you just start off by kind of explaining what you did last year with Overland Expo? Yeah, for sure.

[00:07:14] We heard about Overland Expo from a few ambassadors that had expressed interest in bringing their vehicles to the event and participating. So we got them on the phone. We talked a little bit about what Overland Expo was all about and what they were hoping to accomplish. And they really were hoping to come to the Pacific Northwest location in particular to show off their custom Subaru builds and engage with the community.

[00:07:42] So we were really sure how it was going to go or really what we wanted to accomplish. But we figured we'd set up a small booth at the expo, display some ambassador vehicles and really use it as a research opportunity, not just for marketing to see whether or not this event makes sense for us to participate in long term, but also for our accessory team to go and learn about all the other third party aftermarket accessories that are out there for cars.

[00:08:11] So that's why we went and we were small. We were scrappy. It was really kind of embarrassing to look at the Subaru booth and then go see what Toyota and GM and all these other big brands had. But I think in many ways that really embodied our brand beautifully because we weren't doing what everyone else did. And we were just having really honest, true conversations with people and nothing scripted, nothing corporate. It was very, very genuine.

[00:08:40] And so we walked away with that knowing that this was an event we needed to be part of long term. This is a place for us to connect with current Subaru owners and it was a place for us to capture potential Subaru owners and make sure they make sure they really knew what our products were capable of.

[00:09:23] Yeah. What she asked a long time ago and I've been asking all my guests now is, do you prefer waffles or pancakes? Always pancakes for me. I love making pancakes. The only exception is if I'm at a Hampton Inn or one of those chain hotels and they have the waffle making station. I 100% will use that. And it's probably the best part of the stay. So that's the only exception for me. Okay. Okay. Yeah. No, I get that.

[00:09:52] And it's great to have another pancake person on the podcast because there's a lot of waffle people, but that's okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I just, I love the, I guess waffles are pretty versatile too, but I'll do all sorts of different things, whether it's fruit or chocolate chips and a good maple syrup on top. You just can't beat it. Yeah. You can also make a waffle burger. That's really good. Waffle burger or chicken and waffles.

[00:10:18] I've had that, you know, even here on the East coast that seems to be popping up on menus a lot, but I don't know. I just, that's really not my favorite dish. I don't, and I definitely don't like waffles in that, in that form either. Yeah. Hey, to each his own, you know? So what is your role with Subaru? And now, especially with Overland Expo coming up this year? I'm the owner loyalty and engagement manager at Subaru of America.

[00:10:45] My main responsibility is overseeing the ambassador program, which you're very familiar with that. That's around 6,000 of our most loyal and enthusiastic Subaru customers that are scattered across the U.S. And there truly are boots on the ground advocating for the brand. So I oversee that program and we're in the middle of revamping and redesigning that. So there'll be some big updates and news on that coming in the next couple months, which we're really excited about.

[00:11:15] And for my role, you know, it was always focused on ambassador and that was it. But when I stepped into it about a year ago, I was really keen on figuring out new ways that we could expand what this role focuses on and really try to uncover some other opportunities. And so for me, it really came down to finding events and activities where we can engage with our owners in new and unique ways.

[00:11:44] And a lot of that the past year has revolved around test drive experiences where we get our current owners behind the wheel of products, not at a retailer, but at somewhere like SubiFest, where they're already there. They're already having a great time and we give them this great chance to try a new product that maybe they're not ready to go to the retailer to experience. Maybe they're not ready for that sales pressure, but we can come and give them that experience and answer all their questions. Very low pressure.

[00:12:12] So that's been one example of owner events that have been really successful. And then Overland Expo, like I said, was really a new opportunity that we weren't expecting. But I saw this as a great way to connect directly with our owners and give them a new experience if they didn't already know about Overland Expo. And there was no one really at Subaru that had the bandwidth to take on this event. So I raised my hand and my team is taking it on this year. Yeah, that's good.

[00:12:40] Because I've known of people that have gone to Overland Expo the last few years, especially since doing the podcast and getting connected with more people. And I've heard people say, man, Subaru really needs to be at this event because you've got all these other big brands doing things. And, you know, especially since Subaru is rolling out the wilderness editions and there's so many people that are modifying their Subarus to go off road.

[00:13:04] I mean, it's, you know, Overland Expo is, I've never been to one, but just from what I've seen and what I've heard, it's, you know, a big outdoors event for people that like to hike and bike and that like to hit trails and modify their vehicles. You've got Enko Camping. There's all sorts of outdoor activity events and vendors. And so I think it's, you know, it's a perfect fit for Subaru. It really is. It makes so much sense for us to be there.

[00:13:32] And we're not trying to come in and tell owners that are already going how to enjoy Overland Expo. We just want to meet them while they're there and show our appreciation for them. And if they're a new Subaru owner, they don't quite know what to do with their car. We think this would be a great way for us to help them learn how to modify their car in some really simple ways to make it even more capable than it already is. Yeah.

[00:13:54] So when you are, so there's going to be five events this year and I know you're going to kick it off in LA, but what are the other locations for Overland Expo? And then also where can people find out more information about the event other, other than this episode? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. We're going to have the kickoff in Los Angeles in the middle of next month.

[00:14:21] That's coming in real quick, which is all new. Overland Expo has not activated in Los Angeles before. So they're really excited about that. Then we're going to be in Flagstaff, Arizona. That's middle of May. That's probably the biggest of the stops. I think they have the most attendance there. So we're really excited for that, especially because there's going to be a camping available for all attendees.

[00:14:45] After that, we head to Loveland, Colorado for the Mountain West activation. Then we head to Overland Expo Redmond, Oregon. That's in June. And then we wrap it up in Arrington, Virginia. That's going to be sometime in August. So really nice coverage of the U.S.

[00:15:11] And we have all of our information on Subaru.com slash Overland Expo. You'll find the full schedule there, links to the Overland Expo websites for each of the stops where you can purchase tickets. And then there's a brief overview of all the different things and activities that we're going to have in our booth on that site. Okay. Okay. Yeah. It's going to be great for Subaru to be there.

[00:15:37] And for people that have been attending Overland Expo and who will most likely be there again to see Subaru have a presence there. And be able to, you know, meet some people from SOA that maybe they've never had a chance to meet before. And just show the other vendors too and the other car manufacturers that Subarus are a very capable vehicle.

[00:16:02] And that we have like such a great loyalty base of people that are buying them and really, really enjoying them. That's our hope. And we think there's a lot of people that really don't know what Subarus are capable of. And so for us, it's really going to be important to show off those capabilities and especially what the Wilderness products can do. Because we think we'll impress a lot of long-term, hardcore Toyota and Honda fans that have maybe had their products for decades.

[00:16:31] I think they might be surprised at what Subaru has to offer this year. Are you going to have any sorts of screens where you're going to be showing videos of like what the Wilderness editions are capable of? And then maybe like videos from owners that have modified their vehicles showing what they're capable of. Because I think that would be like a really good thing to show, you know, people that are coming by. Like you said, you want people to know what Subaru is capable of.

[00:17:02] Yeah, definitely. So a few things. We are going to have at least two of our latest products on display at each of the stops. LA, I'm really excited about because we're going to have the all-new Crosstrek Wilderness. But then even more exciting, we're going to have the just released 2026 Forrester Wilderness that debuted at the auto show a couple weeks ago. So that car's not even out yet, but we're going to have that on display.

[00:17:29] Both those vehicles will have these freestand displays with all the vehicle specs and capabilities. We're going to have product specialists there to actually speak to the vehicles and what they're all about. So there'll be plenty of opportunities for attendees to learn about those products and really all of our cars. We will have in the education center, as we're calling it, a display where we're going to have some workshops going on.

[00:17:54] And there'll be an instructor every hour teaching something new about Subaru products and specifically how to use your Subaru in off-roading and overlanding situations. So that'll be another great space for people to go to. And then you talked about, you know, demonstration of current owners and how they're using their cars. We're going to have two Subaru owners and their vehicles on display. And these are going to be unmodified by us.

[00:18:22] These are going to literally be Subaru customers, Subaru owners just rolling up their rigs as they have them configured. And this is what worked really well at our pilot event last year because this gave attendees a chance to talk to a real owner, not a corporate employee, about how they use their Subaru and how they were able to modify it into their ultimate dream machine.

[00:18:44] So I think that's how we're really going to differentiate ourselves from all the other car companies there is that we're actually showing real cars from owners that are scratched up. They've got dings. They've got all the blemishes that you're going to get when you're off-roading. But with that come real genuine stories that we think will really make the experience so much more authentic. Oh, yeah, definitely. And, yeah, I mean, to see somebody there who, you know, somebody might roll up and be like, man, what is going on with this car?

[00:19:13] And, yeah, the stories is like what, you know, the greatest part of it is because I've often said that, like, you know, I try to park in places where hopefully I can park away from other cars so somebody won't ding my door, which has happened. And that, like, gets me really frustrated.

[00:19:35] But if I'm out on a trail and I somehow mess up my car, you know, I have, like, a little dent underneath the corner of, like, right where my fog light is. And I think that was from my son hitting, like, a little embankment on the other side. But it's got this dent in it. And I don't care because it was from off-roading, you know. So if there's something that I do because I was out enjoying it and having fun, I'm okay with that. And I know a lot of other people are, too.

[00:20:03] And because there's so many people that, especially in the Pacific Northwest and up in the Northeast and I'm sure even in Colorado, who have a lot of pinstripes on their cars because they go through narrow trails. And they're just like, eh, it's part of the experience, you know. That's a really good way to put it. These battle wounds, if you will, have memories attached to them, which make us appreciate them versus a ding that happened while you weren't with the car and you were in the grocery store.

[00:20:30] Yeah, those are impureated because there is no story there. It's just, you know, human indecency at its worst. Yeah. Yeah. So I know that, let me rephrase it. I know that Overland Expo in L.A. is going to be kind of like the testing ground for the rest of the events. What is it that you are, like, going to, do you have, like, a plan to what you're going to look for and what you're going to observe and what you are planning?

[00:20:59] To take away from the first event? Absolutely. We are curious how people are going to respond to the kind of education center that we'll have set up with the different training workshops. Because it's hard to wrangle a group with so much commotion happening, so many people moving around the space. And we're curious if that is really going to be successful. And if it's not, that's okay. We can pivot and think of something else to use that space for.

[00:21:24] Maybe it'll be something where people can just come in as they want, sit down and engage with something, whether it's a digital display or maybe it's someone that's just stationed there to answer questions. So that will be interesting to see. We're also curious. We'll have a dog adoption at each of the stops as well. We'll be partnering with a local shelter. And hopefully we'll have anywhere from five to ten adopted dogs that are eligible for adoption.

[00:21:52] They're ready to be taken on the spot if everything goes well. So we're just curious how that goes. Overland Expo has never had something like that before. They're really excited. But it's going to be interesting because a lot of attendees bring their dogs. And so we're just hoping that doesn't cause conflict or any problems. So, yeah, I'd say those are the two big things that I think we're curious how they go. And the good thing is we have two months between L.A. and Arizona so we can make changes if need be. Oh, yeah, that's good.

[00:22:22] Yeah, because it'll be interesting to find out with each of the little – because I know you have several different components. It's not like you just have one big booth. You have several different areas within the whole Subaru setup. So, like you were saying, it'll be interesting to see how that goes and how it plays out and then how you may need to adjust going forward. But I'm looking forward to, you know, how things do turn out.

[00:22:46] And it'd be great to get you back on or somebody else back on after Overland Expo 2025 is wrapped up to talk about how you felt that the event went. And, you know, if we can expect to see Subaru in 2026 at Overland Expo. Yeah, I think we'll have a pretty good idea after Arizona.

[00:23:09] But, yeah, I feel like at the end of the day, once August rolls around and we're wrapping up Virginia, we'll be – I highly doubt that we'll have any major regrets. But we'll definitely be ready to share some of our big takeaways and some of the big wins from the series. So it'll be an exciting summer ahead. That's for sure. Yeah, so you had mentioned earlier that, you know, Subaru wasn't a part of Overland Expo for a long time. And Overland Expo has been around for, I think, about 10 years.

[00:23:38] So do you know what was preventing Subaru from attending? Or was it just not having enough knowledge of what Overland Expo was and maybe not having the right teams that wanted to tackle it and try to figure it out? I think it's a little bit of everything you just said. On one hand, we definitely – we're really sure what Overland Expo was all about.

[00:24:03] And I think maybe the name was a little confusing for us, or at least the teams in the past. Because while we knew that people used their Subarus in the outdoors, the concept of overlanding maybe really didn't make sense to us and how Subaru fit into that. But then the other piece is definitely, you know, we are a small company. We sell a lot of cars. We probably seem like a big car company. But our headquarters is really small. We're very lean.

[00:24:30] And there's really no shortage of work for us on a daily basis. So there wasn't really a team that could take this on and dive into it like we were able to last year and this year. So I think now we're finally set up where we really understand the event series. We know how Subaru fits into it. We have the people and, you know, budget that we can dedicate towards this. So we finally can – all the ingredients are in place this year, which is great. Yeah.

[00:24:58] And are you going to have like the same team that's going to travel around to each of the events, or are you going to have different people that might circulate through it? There'll be a core team of around five or six that will travel to all locations. Some of the staff we source locally from our regional and zone offices. So those individuals might change. But you'll see me at every event. So I will definitely be the one constant that everybody will see. Okay, great.

[00:25:25] So what are you personally most looking forward to with Overland Expo this year? I'm excited to show off the new Forester Wilderness. It's beautiful. And I think it's going to sell incredibly. So I'm excited to get people in front of that to learn about it because I think it's really going to blow them away. We also have our new hybrid Forester that's launching, and we're going to have that on display at certain events. So similar, very excited to get people aware of that product.

[00:25:55] Current Subaru owners, prospective Subaru owners, they've been asking for hybrids for years. So I think this was really going to check off that box finally. And yeah, I'm just really excited to get these products in front of people and get them excited. And then the other piece is just connecting with owners. This will be such a great time to get together in a casual setting and have just real genuine conversations with people about their cars and what they're doing with them.

[00:26:22] What it's allowed them to do in their lives that maybe they weren't able to do before they bought a Subaru. All these stories, I think, are what I'm most excited to capture. And I think those will help influence what we do in the years ahead. Yeah, and I mean, that was the whole point of the podcast, too, and what makes it exciting for me and makes it exciting for the people who are not only guests but also that are listening is because you have all these people.

[00:26:49] Because there's a lot of people that didn't know about the Subaru community, didn't really know much about Subaru. And then they buy one. They find out you can do stuff to it. They find out there's a community. And then they start using their Subaru and breaking it and fixing it and, you know, just having fun. So there's always a lot of stories to tell. And, I mean, I've had my car for just over four years. And I'm at 123,000 miles because I drive it a lot.

[00:27:18] And I finally, a couple of weekends ago, I did my first brake change. I did the brake pads and the rotors. First time. Yeah. But I also have a manual. So I downshift a lot. So that's probably saving me some of my brakes. That helps. Yeah, no, the stories are what have defined the brand, you know, for the past couple of decades.

[00:27:45] And, you know, we really want to continue to capture these moments and these experiences. And in many ways for me, I'm hoping that I can meet new people that will potentially be part of the new refreshed ambassador program that will launch this year as well. I think this will be a great way to find new folks that maybe weren't in our circle and that will help us be able to accomplish our mission across the U.S. this year. Yeah.

[00:28:10] There's going to be a lot of great opportunities that are going to come from being at Overland Expo and getting to meet new people. And like you said, with the ambassador program, do you have do you already have current owners lined up for each event that will have their cars there at each at each location? We have the Los Angeles and Arizona location squared away in terms of display vehicles.

[00:28:37] But for the other locations, we we don't have everyone lined up yet. So we are actively looking for owners that are willing to show off their car and let it be opened and closed and poked and prodded by the general public, which I know is a big ask. And then in addition to that, we are still going to be on the lookout for owners that want to join us in the camping experience in Arizona, in Pacific Northwest and in Virginia.

[00:29:06] Those are the three locations where I'll have the dedicated Subaru camping. And we're going to try to find 20 to 30 owners that are interested in joining us for that. And that's going to be a really awesome experience. Okay. So if anybody's listening to this episode and you're interested in either having your vehicle at the event, then yeah, there you go.

[00:29:28] So if let's say, are you how are you going about trying to contact people to not not speaking of the campers, but the people to have their their vehicle at the booth to show it off? How are you going about finding those people? We have all of our ambassador contact information. So we typically start with them or we'll email people in a certain radius around Overland Expo with a survey asking them about whether they want to be part of this event.

[00:29:58] And we just ask a few questions about their vehicle, their configuration. We'll have them upload some photos or videos of their rig. And then if they meet the criteria, we'll reach back out to them with with next steps. And then if we feel like we still haven't found the right mix of people or enough people, then we'll reach out to our broader owner base, you know, non ambassadors. And we'll ask the same questions to see if we can identify people that that will be a good fit. Okay. That sounds good.

[00:30:24] Was there anything else that you wanted to share about the event or, you know, any expectations or anything else before we get into this last segment? I really just want people to come and have fun. And my hope is that this doesn't feel like an auto show. It doesn't feel like a corporate event.

[00:30:45] We are going to come in as family and we want to meet our other family members and just really have a fun, engaging time where we can share experiences, get to know each other, establish new connections. So that's that's really what I want people to get out of this. So otherwise, the main booth experience is going to be awesome. We'll have camping available at certain locations.

[00:31:10] We're also going to have some evening parties after the expo where we'll invite all attendees of the Overland Expo into our experience for a dinner and cocktail hour. So that'll be a great chance to connect with not just Subaru owners, but everyone that's at Overland Expo. And so there'll be some musical performances there and a few other surprises to really make that an exciting evening. So that might be where you get your conversions from.

[00:31:37] Yeah, I think besides the good food and good drink, there will be all the vehicles will be there on display and all the specialists will be there to continue answering questions. So it'll be a good time to hopefully get some people behind the wheel of a new Subaru. We'll be emailing people in the Los Angeles area next week as well. So anyone that's 100 miles around Costa Mesa, California, that's a Subaru owner, we'll get a notification about this event.

[00:32:06] And then we'll send a broader communication to everybody else that's around one of the other Overland stops with all the details as well. So if you don't go to the website or you forget about it, you'll most likely get an email from Subaru of America. And if you don't get that, you might even get an email from your retailer because we're going to be notifying them to reach out to their customers to spread the word as well. That's great. Yeah. It'll be the more people you can have spreading the word and the better and hopefully get some really great attendance. And that's our hope.

[00:32:36] All right. So here's this last segment where we get to know you a little bit more, get to know the guests a little bit more. So who is Joseph? And I guess, you know, as in describe yourself. Who is Joseph? Well, you had asked me the other day. I am good with Joe. Typically, I'm Joe. Okay. And I was born outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the suburbs, lived there pretty much my whole life.

[00:33:06] Went to college in New Hampshire for a couple of years for mechanical engineering. I really wanted to be a car designer. That was my dream as a kid was to work for a car company and be a car designer. I failed miserably at mechanical engineering. I failed many of my classes, actually. And long story short, I ended up back in Philadelphia at Temple University in their IT business department. So I focused on a very different topic.

[00:33:34] But surprisingly, I got an internship at Subaru of America, which is right across the bridge from Philadelphia. And so I was still able to work for a car company, even though I had drifted away from mechanical engineering. But yeah, that's kind of my education and work story. Currently, I live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. So not too far from Billy, like 15 minutes. I've got my husband, Kevin. We've been married for almost three years. And our dog, Tuck, who we adopted about four years ago.

[00:34:03] And so that's my small little family here in New Jersey. Nice, nice. Yeah, speaking of dogs, and you said that y'all are going to have adoptions at the event. And that they've never had that before. That's going to be like, I think that'll be really, really cool to see that there. And, you know, it might spark something with Overland Expo to do more of that for other events and in the coming years. So good job on Subaru. Because I know that Subaru at almost all of their events have pet adoptions.

[00:34:32] And I know it's a big deal to Subaru. And actually, so my daughter, you know, you do like sponsorships for the, I guess, like for pet adoptions. And it was Subaru that actually paid for my daughter's adopted cat that she has. Wow, look at that. Yeah. Yeah. Because there's this place right next to the Subaru dealership where I bought my car. And that's where she got her cat. And it was paid for by Subaru. So that was really cool.

[00:35:03] That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. All this ladders up to our Subaru Loves Pets initiative, which we try to do everywhere we can. So you'll find our adoption events at auto shows, at SubiFest, at different retailers. Anytime we can try to connect the community to pets in the evil, we'll do it. So the next question is, what is a favorite memory from your childhood? Favorite memory?

[00:35:30] Well, speaking of New Hampshire, we would always go up there in July for summer vacation. We'd rent a cabin on a lake in central New Hampshire, Newfound Lake. And we did that every year. And that's really my favorite place on earth. It's really magical. Yeah. I want to get up to New England because I've been to New Jersey. I've been to New York and I've been to where else have I been?

[00:35:56] I've been to Baltimore, but I've only been to the cities because I was from my other job. And I know there's some really, really nice areas up there. And one of these days, especially like up in Maine and stuff, I want to go up there sometime. But yeah, there's really nothing else like New England. I mean, Western U.S. is gorgeous in its own way. New England is definitely its own whole own entity. It's absolutely incredible.

[00:36:25] But don't think of New Jersey in the same way as the rest of the Northeast. It's not a good comparison. Okay. Okay. So what sort of hobbies do you have when you're not working for the great car brand that we all know and love? Some good hobbies. When it's nice out, we do a lot of mountain biking and road biking. When it's wintry out, I attempt to be a skier, which I will forever be a beginner skier, but that's okay.

[00:36:55] I still have a lot of fun doing it. And then we do a lot of water sports like paddleboarding and kayaking, canoeing, and just general hiking. So all the Subaru-y things is what we like to do. Yeah, that's pretty typical. But yeah, it's good stuff. I went snowboarding last year with my son. We went out to... Lake Tahoe?

[00:37:21] Yeah, so we went out to Lake Tahoe last year for his spring break and went snowboarding for the first time. And that may be the only time I ever go, but at least I experienced it and it was a lot of fun. I was there last year as well and it hadn't snowed in a few days or even a few weeks and it was pretty warm. So everything was icy and it's just not good conditions for me at all since I'm not an expert skier.

[00:37:45] Then we went to Snowbird in Utah like a month later and it snowed like a foot that day. And it was the most incredible skiing because you really can't mess up. Everything is so soft and powdery that you're just carving down the hill and you have absolutely no fears. It's so much more enjoyable. Yeah, it was definitely a lot of fun. My son really enjoyed it and now he's kind of like, I want to do more of this. So hopefully he'll get a chance. At least he'll get a chance to do it.

[00:38:13] I mean, I'll take him and watch him and go watch him have fun. But yeah, it was a great experience. That's great. Yeah. So what is something that makes you want to get out of bed every day? I think my dog is definitely one of the things. I really like my coworkers too. It's great. It's a privilege to like your job and to like your coworkers. I know that not many people get to say that. I truly like to see my coworkers. And so I'm very grateful for that.

[00:38:43] And that definitely gets me out of bed. That's good. Yeah. What is something that makes you want to stay in bed? Just the world's woes. You know, like the news is exhausting and it's just like, I don't want to, I don't want to know what's happening in the world. Some days that makes me want to just like pull the covers over, especially if it's a cloudy winter day. That's when I'm really not going to want to get out of bed. Yeah. A lot of the answers that I get is when it's cold outside.

[00:39:08] Cause I talked to a lot of people that live in cold climates and here it's, you know, we don't get that too much. I like the cold, but it just makes getting your day started really challenging. Definitely no motivation to exercise or definitely no motivation to walk the dog. He doesn't even want to go out there. So it's, it's really no fun for anybody. Yeah. Yeah. What would be your best bit of advice to give to someone about anything?

[00:39:37] This one's been pretty big for me the past few years. And I know this is not the best thing to say since I work for super, I work for a corporation, but I used to take work so seriously and I put my all into work. And I'm not saying that that's a bad thing or that you shouldn't try hard, but your personal life, your family, your friends are truly the most important thing.

[00:40:03] And so I've been saying no to more things at work recently, no to some travels, no to late nights where I really don't need to be checking emails or doing that extra hour of work so that I can prioritize family and friends because you just never know when that's going to be taken away from you. And no one will remember that extra hour you did at work or that weekend that you, you know, flew to Miami to do that conference.

[00:40:28] But everybody will remember the time that you were there with them, sharing experiences with them, you know, living, living life with them. That is one of the best answers I've ever heard. I really, really like that. That's very true. Thank you. And yeah, good. That's very good advice because I think sometimes we do get caught up too much in it. And, you know, sometimes it's hard because there is work that you kind of have to get done.

[00:40:55] But then finding the times when you can say no, I think that's really important. I want to be clear, like I like my job. No, I know. My all. But yeah, I just, I think that comes in time. I think it came more clear to me when I started seeing people retire, when I saw my dad retire, when I saw coworkers retire and, you know, they gave in their all at work. And then, you know, like a month or two later, it's like they're forgotten already. It's like all that work and all that time. And like you're not even mentioned at work anymore.

[00:41:25] It's, it's awful. So I just think prioritizing the things that, that matter most is key. Yep. That's very good. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to record with me and talk about Overland Expo for this year. I know it's very exciting for y'all and it's going to be exciting for people when they find out about it. And it'll be great to know and see that Subaru is going to have a presence this year.

[00:41:51] And hopefully it's something that you can continue to carry forward throughout the, you know, years to come. Yeah. Thank you for, for having me, for, for chatting about this. We're excited to have you there on site and we'll, we'll be excited to chat at the end of the season and recap everything we learned. Sounds good. Thank you so much, Joe. Of course. All right. Have a good night. You too. Take care. All right. Bye. Hello, everybody. Thank you so much for tuning into this bonus episode of the Subi and you podcast.

[00:42:19] And thank you so much, Joe, for coming on here to talk about Overland Expo 2025 and Subaru's presence and what their plan is for the event. It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun and hopefully there will be a lot of people there and you will get to, and I will get to, and everybody at the booth will get to talk to.

[00:42:40] A lot of potential new Subaru customers and, of course, people that already know and love Subaru and enjoy driving them. So go check out Subaru.com forward slash Overland Expo to get the dates and the locations of the events. And also follow Overland Expo on Instagram and check out the website for more information there as well. And I hope to see many of you out at the events.

[00:43:07] I know for sure I am going to Overland Expo in Oregon, and then I will let everybody know which other events that I'm going to. I'm also most likely going to be going to Virginia, and I'm trying to decide between Arizona or Colorado or both. But I'll let you know for sure, so stay tuned for that. Have a great rest of your week. Much Subi love. Raph. The Subi and you podcast is hosted by Raphael in a Closet in Houston.

[00:43:36] Produced by Raphael in a room next to the closet in Houston and edited by Raphael on a computer in the room next to the closet in Houston. With music by Luke Ruiz in another room in Houston. You can find the Subi and you podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more. To support the podcast, please head over to patreon.com slash subi and you podcast. Once you join, you will have access to the discord channel and discord chats with other patrons.

[00:44:06] If you'd like to get in contact with the show, you can find them on Instagram at subi and you podcast online at subi and you podcast.com or by email subi and you podcast at gmail.com. That's all for this week. Bye.