Q&A Interview with Blood Origins VP Cody Heitschmidt
Megan Plete Postol 08.05.21
Blood Origins is on a mission to convey the truth about hunting through conservation projects and storytelling. This non-profit organization brings unique storytelling and conservation together with the goal of increasing positive perception of hunting, and raising awareness of how conservation programs are funded around the world.
They believe in the power of well-crafted, heart-centered stories. They produce a combination of podcasts, live streams, Blood Origins films, episodes, and short form content that showcases the “behind the scenes” work involved. AllOutdoor (AO) caught up with Blood Origins Vice President Cody Heitschmidt (CH) for a quick chat.
AO: In your own words, what is Blood Origins?
CH: Blood Origins’ mission is to “convey the truth about hunting.” We want the world outside of the hunting community to see the diversity and the good that hunting, hunters, and those in the industry do and the people we are.
AO: What is your role at Blood Origins?
CH: My title is VP of Blood Origins, my role is what ever needs to be done. There’s only two of us. If we had an actual office that we went into, the VP would be dumping the trashes and getting coffee. My actual focus is in on the financials and data involved in pursuing our mission. I came from private sector for-profit marketing and sales… same gig… just much more passionate about it.
AO: What led you to be involved?
CH: I met Robbie, the founder of Blood Origins, in a bear camp in Maine and started watching his stuff, then found myself wanting to be involved. My career was at a point that I was able to dedicate some time to the worst paying job I have ever had in my life, just because that’s what I wanted to do. I coerced Robbie into hiring me and been doing it for 18 months now.
AO: Where are you from?
CH: Originally from Kansas, and I live in Colorado now.
AO: What is your background?
CH: I had a pretty typical middle class upbringing. Dad was a cop, Mom was an Administrator in Senior Living. I dropped out of college and joined the Marine Corps for four years, got married, started an outfitting business, learned a lot of lessons that I should have known before I started a business. Then I started some more businesses, had two kids (now 21 and 24), divorced and remarried and now I’m kind of living the dream in Colorado and working a dream job.
AO: What are your favorite outdoor activities?
CH: I kind of have this thing about the word favorite in most situations. I don’t like naming something my favorite very often. I fly fish A LOT for a guy who doesn’t do it for a living and isn’t retired. I love to go bow hunting. This fall I’ll be chasing big game in seven different states: Colorado, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. I also like rifle hunting and hiking and checking trail cams which is quite a chore for a fat old man in the mountains sometimes.
AO: What is your mantra for life (what keeps you going)?
CH: I think the secret to happiness is not a secret at all, its the serenity prayer.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
No matter what someone’s spiritual beliefs, if you can master the three parts of that, you will find yourself living a life that makes you smile. The third part is the hardest to grasp.
