Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Mullens.
Hi Scott, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Encinitas from Colorado, following the sale of my textile cover manufacturing business called Equip, Inc. I decided to rent out my house in Colorado and moved to Encinitas to figure out what I might want to do next.
When I arrived in San Diego I got pretty involved in the local startup scene, attending a number of networking events. While I enjoyed getting out and talking to people and seeing what they were up to, I found myself often feeling a bit disconnected. Everyone seemed to have it all figured out, with a ready pitch, or something they were trying to promote, while I was feeling unsure of what was next. I found myself getting anxious when asked the question “what do you do?”, because at that moment I really hadn’t a clue.
At one of the events I opened up and said that I was in this in-between place in my life, and several people shared that they were in a similar unsure stage as well, and that they too struggled attending events and being asked “what do you do?” This opened the door for a more relaxed, genuine conversation, being able to talk about uncertainty without feeling the pressure to have to present as if we had it all figured out.
That conversation planted the seed to create a supportive group for people, like myself, who whether due to a job loss, change of career, early retirement, recent business exit etc, were also in between things. I called it The In-Betweeners Group, and scheduled our first event. I capped the RSVP list to 35 people, and we ended up filling all the spots within a week. The name and theme seemed to resonate with people, and I seemed to be onto something.
At our first kickoff event in Solana Beach I decided to try something new. Instead of just open mingling, where people hope they might connect with the right people but really have no way of knowing, I had everyone gather in a circle to introduce themselves, to share what they had left behind and what they were moving towards. This gave everyone an opportunity to get everyone’s attention, and gave us all a chance to know a little more about each other, and to see how we were all similarly in the process of trying to figure out what was next, making it a comfortable space to embrace that, rather than feel embarrassed by it.
After the event a number of people came up to say how it felt unique and meaningful to them because unlike other social networking events, they didn’t feel the pressure to have to try and pitch, or present a polished version of themselves.
Since then I’ve hosted seven in-person events across San Diego, in North County, Sorrento Valley, and Point Loma, drawing 25 to 35 attendees each time. At the events we get a mix of newcomers and familiar faces. Some of the folks who’ve landed jobs since they started coming continue to stay involved and attend events to help others make connections, and stay connected to the warm community we’ve built.
We also scheduled a webinar, with the topic of how to land more job interviews using AI, and had a couple people from our group present at it.
People have formed new friendships, landed job interviews, even secured new work projects through connections made within the group. Everyone is welcome, from all industries, backgrounds, and ages, the common thread being that everyone who attends is in between something in their life, keeping us all on a level field.
With the help of one of the attendees from the group I created a website called Theinbetweenersgroup.com. We post upcoming events there, as well as on the local event platform, Eventship.com.
Our in-person group events are free to attend and occur every 3-4 weeks.
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We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road! The whole idea for The In-Betweeners came from a place of not having it all figured out, so in many ways that uncertainty has remained a part of the whole thing, in different ways.
For example early on with posting the events I struggled with self-doubt, wondering if anyone would even show up, or if people would relate and find value in it. There’s also been the challenge of doing everything myself: organizing events, updating the website, managing outreach, and trying to keep the momentum going while balancing my own life stuff.
Because I’ve been hosting and promoting the group entirely on my own and the events are free, there’s no financial return on my time investment. It truly is a passion project for me. I started the group because I know how isolating that in-between space can feel, I’ve lived it, and I wanted to help people feel less alone and more connected while they’re navigating it.
The reward has been hearing from members that it’s working, that it’s helping them find new confidence, connections, and direction, and some people have landed interviews and new projects through the group.
I do wonder how to grow it into something more self-sustaining. It would be great to bring in sponsors or funding at some point so I’m not the one running to Trader Joe’s for wine and snacks! And I really want to keep the events free for our members, especially since if people are in-between jobs/making a career shift money can be tight and I don’t want our members to have any barriers or speedbumps to attending events.
Lastly, a couple of amazing members have stepped up along the way to help create the website, brainstorm and plan events, but once they find full-time work, it’s been difficult for them to stay as involved. That’s been another challenge, navigating the natural turnover as people move out of their in-between phase and into what’s next. So yea.. not always a smooth road!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I started out as an advertising copywriter, working for ad agencies in New Orleans and NYC. I left my last copywriting job in Manhattan to start my company in Colorado called, Equip, Inc., a textile cover manufacturing business.
When I launched Equip, I knew nothing about sewn products, manufacturing. or running a business in general, so I had to hit the ground running and learn everything from scratch. Over time, I found new niche markets to press into, built strong long term relationships, and grew the company into a successful operation that I ran for 21 years before selling it.
Most recently I’ve been channeling a mix of creativity and business experience into growing out The In-Betweeners and the volunteer work I do at Coastal Roots Farm in Encinitas. At the farm I help their team to bring in new corporate sponsors and in-kind donors, through targeted prospecting and direct outreach.
I’d say that what I do best is connect with people in an authentic, relatable way that makes them feel part of something meaningful, and ultimately creates buy-in.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I guess the only thing I’d add is that being in transition, whether that’s between jobs, careers, or chapters in life, is something all of us experience at some point. It can feel super uncomfortable, lonely, and scary at times. And it can be hard to stay motivated or hopeful when things feel uncertain or when there’s no clear sense of when life might start falling into place again.
Being in that space also creates an opportunity for reflection and growth, and for moving in a new direction that feels a bit more aligned. We all need support, and chances are that whatever someone is going through, they’re not alone. Others are trying to figure things out too.
The In-Betweeners is meant to help people feel less lonely, more connected, and more hopeful. So if any of your readers are in that place, they’re more than welcome to join us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theinbetweenersgroup.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14726109/
