Colby Bauer, co-founder of Thread and creator of the nonprofit Carry On, joins Curtis Morley to share a deeply personal and powerful journey of entrepreneurship, identity, trauma, faith, and healing. The episode begins with Colby’s early spark for entrepreneurship at age 14, which later evolves into the creation of Thread—an innovative wallet company built from a mix of creativity, action-sports influence, and a desire to disrupt a stagnant market.

The conversation shifts into Colby’s upbringing, where he candidly explores the emotional impact of growing up with an alcoholic mother, witnessing parental conflict, and navigating divorce at a young age. He describes how skateboarding, soccer, and creative outlets became his escape and healing medium.

The episode’s emotional core centers on Colby’s journey through his mother’s severe addiction—culminating in a period where he was forced to take her to a homeless shelter for her own safety. Colby opens up about panic attacks, therapy, faith, and the moment that became the foundation for Carry On—a resilience-based nonprofit teaching kids micro-skills (breathing, posture, mindset shifts) through skateboarding.

In the final act, Colby shares the beautiful story of rebuilding his relationship with his mother, helping her enter rehab, and now collaborating on children's books and a kids’ magazine through Carry On Studio. The episode closes with reflections on pain vs. misery, counterfeit emotions, and the one emotion that can’t be counterfeited: peace.

Key Themes & Takeaways

Emotional Resilience & Mental Health

• Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional — misery comes from blame and shame.
• Emotional tuning is a learned skill built through experience, therapy, vulnerability, and faith.

Childhood Trauma & Healing

• Colby’s experience growing up with an addicted parent shaped his empathy and understanding of emotional patterns.
• Healing didn’t come from anger, but from seeing his mom as a human being with pain of her own.

Micro Adjustments in Life

• Skateboarding teaches life: micro adjustments lead to macro breakthroughs.
• Failure isn’t failure — it’s feedback.

Entrepreneurship & Purpose

• Thread began as a class project and grew out of a passion for design, action sports culture, and minimalism.
• Purpose-driven businesses evolve when their founders evolve.

Faith & Peace

• Prayer became the anchor that brought Colby clarity, emotional regulation, and peace—especially in moments of crisis.
• Peace emerges as the most authentic emotion.

Reconciliation & Redemption

• Colby’s mother eventually entered rehab, became sober, and they now create children’s stories together.
• Carry On Studio is now a platform for resilience-based storytelling for families worldwide.

CONNECT WITH COLBY BAUER: 

Colby Bauer:

*LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/colby-bauer-b6636747/ 

Threads: 

*Website – https://www.threadwallets.com/ 

*Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thread_wallets/ 

Carry On:

*Website – https://www.carryon.org/ 

*Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carryon_ut 

LISTEN/WATCH/SUBSCRIBE TO THE “COUNTERFEIT EMOTIONS” PODCAST:

*Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/counterfeit-emotions-podcast-with-curtis-morley/id1815869994

*Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0aGzO1BVLAXyGKfb4absPn?si=8c746decf9514fe3 

*YouTube Podcasts – https://www.youtube.com/@AuthenticCurtis/podcasts 

CONNECT WITH THE “COUNTERFEIT EMOTIONS” PODCAST

*Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/authenticcurtis 

*LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtismorley/ 

*YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@AuthenticCurtis 

*TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@authenticcurtis 

*Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticCurtis 

*X – https://twitter.com/AuthenticCurtis 

*Website – https://www.counterfeitemotions.com/ 

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Recorded at Mindset Content Creation Studios

Produced by Tommy Moore

Brought to you by Vodcasts by Tommy Moore Presents – https://www.instagram.com/vodcasts_by_tommymoore/