Other Side of the Mic - Sk8LikeYou Podcast Episode 139: Lacey Skates Interviews Mark 'Magoo' Vachon

From Lacey: When Mark asked me to interview him, I told him I would…but only if he was willing to be completely vulnerable and transparent.He was almost shocked that I even asked. In his mind, he had already been incredibly vulnerable through SkateLikeYou.Just wait…because he went even deeper.We laughed. We cried. We both got emotional. Mark opened up about some really difficult parts of his life and, with very few exceptions, almost everything was on the table.We talked for 2 hours and 45 minutes and honestly could’ve kept going. His life is WILD, his stories are so inspirational and there were so many moments where I was thinking, “Wait…WHAT?!” 😂But more than anything, these stories are incredibly inspiring. The things he’s lived through, the choices he’s made, the lessons he’s learned and the way he’s kept moving forward…I truly believe there are pieces of this conversation that could change someone’s life.This isn’t just the story of SkateLikeYou. It’s the story of the life that led to it…the experiences, struggles, not-so-great choices, and moments that shaped the person behind the podcast.If you think you know Mark from watching SkateLikeYou, you may be surprised by what you hear.This one is personal, vulnerable, and DEEP. There were moments when he left me completely speechless…and that is not easy to do. 😂You’ll have to tune in for the rest. ❤️From Mark, Host of the Sk8LikeYou Podcast:I’ve spent nearly 140 episodes sitting on one side of the microphones, asking the questions and giving other people the space to tell their stories. This time, Lacey sat in my chair and I sat in the guest’s.And it was surreal.In a strange way, it felt a lot like recording the very first episode of SK8LIKEYOU. When we finished, I had that same immediate panic. Did I say too much? Did I give too much of myself? Should I have held something back?But I stayed steadfast to the same rule I’ve had from the beginning: just say it all naturally and decide later.We talked about growing up in the rink, why that place became so much more than somewhere I went skating, what happened when skating disappeared from my life and eventually finding my way back. We talked about some of the lowest points, rebuilding my life, finding my confidence again and how all of that ultimately became part of the reason SK8LIKEYOU exists.There were things I expected Lacey to ask. There were things I didn’t. And there were answers that came out differently than they probably would have if I had time to prepare.That’s exactly why I didn’t want to prepare.What hit me immediately after we stopped recording was that the anxiety I was feeling was actually proof of something that has mattered to me from the very first episode to now.I will never expect anything from a guest that I’m not willing to do myself.If I’m asking somebody to trust me enough to be vulnerable, tell the uncomfortable parts, forget the microphones are there and just have an honest conversation, then I have to be willing to sit in that chair and do exactly the same thing.So I did. For one episode, I gave up my chair. Lacey asked the questions. I just said it all.#SK8LIKEYOU #RollerSkating #RollerSkatingPodcast #SkateCulture #SkateCommunity #SkateLife #RollerSkaters #SkateFamily #SkatingStories #SkatePodcast #PodcastInterview #HostInterview #LifePodcast #SkateYourWay #PassionNotPopularity #CommunityOverStyle