The Early Shift Series: Sean Tully of Forward Screen Printing Talks the Pursuit of Happiness and the Key to Success

October 20, 2025

For our second episode of The Early Shift, we spoke with Sean Tully, a Southern California loca...

Mark Bell of Sur Coffee and OB Beans Believes in "Doing Good" Through Coffee

September 18, 2025

By hosting monthly SIP & RIPs up in Huntington Beach, a wonderful partnership has been born ...

Surfing the Great Lakes: Giles Schlehuber on Community, Culture, and Five Lakes Surf Club

August 24, 2025

Over in the Midwest, we at FLSC caught wind of another FLSC – the Five Lakes Surf Club. A shared...

Surf Lisbon: The Surf School Embracing Community in Portugal's Capital City

August 04, 2025

This month, we're taking our spotlight overseas to international waters, landing in the historica...

How a $450 Million Ponzi Scheme Accidentally Launched Interim Coffee

July 22, 2025

We featured Ray Orate, owner of Interim Coffee in Episode 1 of our Early Shift Series. In that co...

Brewing Community: High Tide Coffee's Rise from San Clemente to Oceanside

July 13, 2025

  Well on their way to becoming a Southern California coffee community staple, High Tide Coffee ...

Spotlight - Sierra // Surf For Life

May 20, 2025

In this Spotlight, we sit down with Sierra Brasher, Director of Volunteer Programs at Surf For L...

Spotlight - Inside Grandview Surf Shop with Josh // Leucadia

May 08, 2025

Just steps from the lineup at Grandview Beach, you’ll find Grandview Surf Shop, one of the newes...

Spotlight - Kingsley / Portland Surf Co // Jamaica

April 02, 2025

This next Spotlight takes us to Portland, Jamaica, where we connect with Kingsley, a health prof...

The Early Shift // Coffee, Surf, Family: The Passions That Fuel Ray Orate's Interim Coffee

March 11, 2025

Welcome to The Early Shift, a series about people who make the most of their mornings before th...

Adriel Mendes on Surfing, Representation & Building the Black Surfer Crew Community

February 16, 2025

From skateboarding in São Paulo to surfing at Tourmaline,  Adriel Mendes's journey is one of inc...

Exploring Great Lakes Surfing: A Cold Water Adventure in Michigan

February 04, 2025

Discovering the Great Lakes Surfing CommunityOne of the most rewarding aspects of being part of ...

A Ride Of Passage - The Story Behind First Light Surf Club

December 26, 2024

For this Spotlight Session, the tables were turned and this time I, John Hall, was the one being...

Through the Lens and Waves: Banna’s Journey of Resilience, Water Photography, and Community

December 08, 2024

In this Spotlight interview with Oceanside's Banna, she shares her story; a powerful testament of...

Collin Bosse: Overcoming Paralysis, Returning to Surf, and Finding Strength in Community

October 22, 2024

In this Spotlight interview, we chat with Collin Bosse, a lifelong surfer from Santa Barbara who...

First Light Spotlight - Hunter Lohman // Michigan

September 26, 2024

In the overlooked world of Great Lakes surfing, Michigan surfers Logan Vegh and Hunter Lohman...

Spotlight Sessions - Ep. 04 - Ben Weilend

August 20, 2024

Welcome to the First Light Surf Club Spotlight Session Episode 04, where we dive into conversati...

First Light Spotlight - Laura Brock

July 29, 2024

In honor of the Olympics, for this Spotlight we'd like to introduce you to Laura Brock, Australi...

First Light Spotlight - Carl // SoCal

July 01, 2024

Carl is a welder and fabricator for the biotech industry in San Diego, CA. He starts his workday...

First Light Spotlight - Yannick // Brittany, France

May 31, 2024

This next spotlight takes us overseas to France where we catch up with Yannick. Despite growing ...

First Light Spotlight - Jill Manos // Nova Scotia, CAN

May 09, 2024

This Mother's Day, our spotlight brings us to Nova Scotia, Canada, where we catch up with Jill M...

First Light Spotlight - Anastasia Ashley

April 20, 2024

We had the opportunity to catch up with Anastasia Ashley and ask her some questions about life a...

Spotlight Sessions - Ep. 03 - Corey Colapinto // Kookapinto

March 12, 2024

Welcome to Episode 3 of the First Light Surf Club Spotlight Sessions, where we dive deep into th...

First Light Spotlight - Ed Hartel // SoCal

February 07, 2024

Allow us to introduce you to Ed Hartel, better known to some as Drone Dude Ed. If you're a surfe...

First Light Spotlight - Tobias // Toronto, CAN

January 08, 2024

Meet Tobias, a Toronto resident, Great Lakes surfer, and cold water enthusiast. We sat down with...

First Light Spotlight - Nathan Fluellen / World Wide Nate

December 08, 2023

We had the great privilege of meeting up with Nathan Fluellen and showing him around North Count...

First Light Spotlight - Harrison // Texas

November 20, 2023

This spotlight brings us to the Gulf Coast of Texas where we chat with Harrison McNeil. Despit...

First Light Spotlight - Jonathan // New Hampshire

October 09, 2023

For this spotlight, we are focusing behind the camera lens to Jonathan Kohanski - a New Hampshi...

Spotlight Sessions - Ep. 02 - Mario Ordoñez-Calderón // Un Mar De Colores

September 07, 2023

First Light Surf Club will be donating 100% of proceeds made on FLSC merch sales now through Sept...

First Light Spotlight - Lena // SoCal

August 31, 2023

For this next spotlight we want to introduce Lena. Residing in North County San Diego, Lena work...

First Light Spotlight - Logan // Michigan

August 15, 2023

For this next spotlight, we venture to America's Third Coast, to a small beach town on the shores...

First Light Spotlight - Mike // SoCal

July 24, 2023

Meet Mike, the Doctor of Physical Therapy that rips harder than any other doctor we know. We sat...

First Light Spotlight - Rachel // Nova Scotia, CAN

June 02, 2023

Yoga, Surfing, Mindfulness & Motherhood on Canada's Atlantic Coast This next spotlight bring...

Mother's Day Spotlight - Necia // SoCal

May 12, 2023

For Mother's Day we are spotlighting a rad mom who rips! Residing in San Diego, meet Necia, a wi...

First Light Spotlight - Alex // Massachusetts

March 08, 2023

For this next Spotlight, we are staying out on the East Coast but traveling north to Massachu...

First Light Spotlight - Will // Georgia

February 27, 2023

Mindfulness, Yoga & Surfing For this spotlight we are venturing out of Southern California ...

First Light Spotlight - Tyler // SoCal

December 03, 2022

Meet Tyler, the medical device sales rep who surfs before work and whose stoke level is higher t...

First Light Spotlight - Ashley // SoCal

November 03, 2022

Meet Ashley, the nine-to-five sales rep who doesn't let an hour-long commute keep her from surf...

First Light Spotlight - Alec // SoCal

October 10, 2022

Meet Alec, the High School math teacher that dawn patrol surfs before class. I've surfed with Al...