Hartstein: ‘All about Aspen’ — Connecting our community, one conversation at a time

In my ongoing mission to find fresh and innovative ways to share the spirit of Aspen with all of you, I recently launched my new podcast, “All About Aspen.” My goal is simple: to introduce you to the fascinating individuals who make this town so special. For my very first episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with a good friend and fellow entrepreneur, Mitch Krause.

Mitch and I first crossed paths years ago while working at the Aspen Meadows. Since then, we’ve both embarked on our own business ventures. Mitch is the owner and founder of Numanity, a company with a powerful vision: utilizing technology to bridge the cognitive gap between people and nature. During our conversation, Mitch shared the journey that led him to create Numanity. It was his pursuit of a Master’s degree in environmental science that sparked the core concept for the company. He wanted to distill complex environmental knowledge into something digestible and actionable for the general public. Through an innovative new app, Numanity gives users a direct line to a wealth of knowledge from leading environmental experts. The app is designed to mimic the success of platforms like Strava, incorporating elements of gamification and social connection. This allows users to track their environmental projects, celebrate collective progress, and, most importantly, take action for the planet. Numanity is more than just an app — it’s a dynamic tool for self-education that seamlessly blends meaningful action with an element of fun.

Mitch and his team are on the cusp of launching the app’s beta as a result of being pre-funded. Their mission is to empower experts to get their niche knowledge out to a broader audience in clear, understandable chunks. As he explained, he wants Numanity to amplify the nuanced perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream environmental conversations. He gave a particularly thought-provoking example of what’s referred to as “the global south.” When I pressed him on this, he elaborated on the collectivist culture prevalent in many of these regions — a unified mindset that allows for a more cohesive approach to addressing humanity’s environmental impact. It was a truly captivating part of our discussion.

If you’d like to hear the entire conversation, the full episode is now available on YouTube under the channel ‘All About Aspen’ EP 28 and 29 Mitch Krause. Please bear with me as this new enterprise finds its footing. It’s a rewarding, though often humbling, process (learned we had audio issues at the end). The show is community supported and made by locals for locals. 

If you want to connect with Mitch in person, you can often find him behind the bar at the Aspen Meadows at the West End Social Club. A hidden gem with one of the best views in town, a fantastic selection of cocktails, wines, and beers, and, as I recently discovered, one of the best coffees in town. I could write an entire article on their coffee alone. While you’re there, be sure to try one of their pastries — that’s a pro tip from me.

Mitch is a friendly face with a huge vision for a better world, and he could certainly use our support. To learn more or lend a hand, you can visit his company website Numanity at numanity.us. If you want to connect with him in person, stop by the West End Social Club over at the Aspen Meadows.

Until next time, thank you for reading my stories and paying with your attention. I hope they make you both smile and think.

Landon Hartstein is the founder of AspenDroneCompany.com, a media production company specializing in elevated marketing and strategic solutions for realtors, contractors, and local business. For aerial and social media marketing or if you want to be a guest on All About Aspen contact him at Landon@AspenDroneCompany.com. To suggest story ideas or just to say hi, contact him at LandonLikeAPlaneWrites@gmail.com.