Mandy Baskin found her love for Hot Air Balloons after a disappointing date. One ride would drastically change the direction of her life. She is the founder and owner of Monticello Country Ballooning, mother of one, and is the only woman to have competed in all six years of World's Toughest Mudder -24-hourr obstacle race.
Baskin joins the podcast this week to talk about being a female Hot Air Balloon pilot and how she is one of the very few women in the industry. We chat about how one becomes a Hot Air Balloon Pilot, the process and how she went from working in the restaurant industry to becoming a pilot.
We chat about how it feels to be up in the air in one of the original forms of flying and I ask how the industry has changed in the last couple hundred years and what has remained the same. Mandy talks about the challenges as a small business owner in her industry and what it was like to first go to safety conventions being one of the only females in the room.
She chats about being a single mother and how her daughter already wants to work for her mother and currently helps out as a chaser for the balloon. We dive into her other job as a nurse and she gives advice on how NOT to do nursing school.
Finally, we round out the episode talking about her six years at World's Toughest Mudder and what she has learned from each year of racing. Baskin continues to be one of the quiet competitors each year at the race. She shares her wisdom and advice for those interested in trying World's Toughest Mudder.
Website: Monticello Country Ballooning - http://virginiahotairballoon.com/
Facebook: Monticello Country Ballooning - https://www.facebook.com/Monticello-Country-Ballooning-149136418467531/
Instagram: @Monticellocountryballoonining - https://www.instagram.com/monticellocountryballooning/
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