The Hatch Podcast
At the intersection of innovation, creativity, and community — The Hatch Podcast shares stories from founders, scientists, and artists shaping the future of Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Produced at Hatch Fairhope, it’s where bold ideas take flight.
The Founders Series dives into the journeys of startup founders building the future of business, technology, and innovation across the Gulf South.
The Music Accelerator combines professional music industry guidance with spiritual mentorship, creating a unique environment where artists can grow both creatively and personally. Hosted by music industry veteran Chris Estes, this series features conversations with artists and insiders who’ve spent years shaping the sounds and stories of modern music.
The Bioscience Innovation Series explores breakthroughs in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental science — with founders and researchers driving life-changing discoveries in labs across the region.
Around the Table features conversations with Alabama’s most forward-thinking companies and creators, from startups re-imagining industry to leaders building stronger communities.
And throughout the year, The Hatch Podcast Network introduces new limited series spotlighting the people and ideas transforming the Gulf Coast economy — one story at a time.
Find out more at hatchfairhope.com
Contact: team@hatchfairhope.com
The Hatch Podcast
LandTrust: How Nic De Castro Built a Marketplace for Outdoor Access | Founders Series
What if you could book a day on a private ranch the same way you book an Airbnb?
That’s exactly what Nic De Castro built — and today LandTrust opens up over 1 million acres of private farms and ranches across 40+ states to everyday hunters, anglers, and outdoor families.
In this episode Nic takes us from the frustration of locked gates in Montana… to the single conversation on a 2017 bear hunt that changed everything… to quitting the big paycheck with a newborn at home… to moving the entire company to Fairhope, Alabama.
“One-month-old baby, no income… five days after launch a seventy-dollar booking came through and we had a five-star review from both sides. That was the ‘okay, maybe this actually works’ moment.”
— Nic De Castro, Founder of LandTrust
💡 In This Episode
- The exact moment the idea was born on a Montana bear hunt
- Why the company name is literally “Land + Trust
- Quitting the big paycheck, launching with a newborn, and the $70 booking that proved it worked
- “Stacked enterprises” — how ranches now make real money from turkey hunters
- Why Bozeman lost its magic and Fairhope won
- The pushback from hunters (and Nic’s straight answer)
- The AI future that turns “That’d be cool to hunt hogs” into a booked trip with one tap
🔗 Links
→ Book your next adventure: https://landtrust.com
→ LandTrust on YouTube & Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@landtrust_hunt
About The Hatch Podcast
At the intersection of innovation, creativity, and community — The Hatch Podcast shares stories from founders, scientists, and artists shaping the future of Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
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🔗 Learn more: hatchfairhope.com
📩 Contact: team@hatchfairhope.com
Produced by Tim Scott for The Hatch Podcast Network.