Vapor Digest #3 The Trade Publication For The Vapor Products Industry
Issue link: http://vapordigest.epubxp.com/i/442928
11 Patrick V*: Do you remember the first you saw someone vaping? if so, what was your reaction? Lance: I found vaping through a random google search online, it wasn't that big when I started so I wasn't really exposed to much of it in person. Patrick V*: What do you remember about your first vaping experience? Lance: It was terrible, I was using a horrible little cigalike product from a head shop. At one point I was taping 2 of them together (Hah, I invented the dual coil!) just to get enough vapor and nicotine out of them. I started upgrading very quickly and making my own devices and juices. Patrick V*: What would you say are your 3 favorite flavors to vape? Lance: I can't really answer this one without sounding like a marketing piece. I love the juice we make and I vape a wide variety of flavors. Patrick V*: When someone starts a new venture and is trying to build an audience, there is usually a "things are really starting to click here" moment. What was that moment for you? Lance: I'll let you know when it happens. I'm in a perpetual state of trying to improve so I tend to miss my own successes when they happen. Patrick V*: What was the reaction from your family and friends to this new venture? Lance: Very supportive. I'd converted most of my smoking family to vaping already so they were excited for me. Patrick V*: Who were some of your early supporters, encouragers and mentors? Lance: My wife was behind me 100% from the start and really helped me get through it as well as being amazingly patient as I worked a full time day job AND ran Steam- Monkey in whatever 'free time' I had. Patrick V*: More than most, you have the "ear" of the vaping community. What is the best part of being an influential vaping enthu- siast? What is the most frustrating part? Lance: The best part? Hrm… I'd have to go with seeing myself misquoted. I know that sounds weird, but everytime someone quotes me wrong it means they most likely got the info at least 1 degree separated from me "I'm in a perpetual state of trying to improve so I tend to miss my own successes when they happen." directly. So, it means people are talking about the things I've said. That gives me a feeling of reach and lets me know that I can have an impact and actually help people. The most frustrating part? Hearing myself misquoted. Patrick V*: Both Gabe and I can report that it often is difficult to find a balance between our obsession with vaping and the rest of our lives. What are some things that you do to help strike that balance between vape stuff and the other aspects of your life? Lance: My wife does that for me… Patrick V*: One of my favorite hobbies is to make predictions about the future of vaping. What, in general, do you foresee on the vaping horizon for 2015?. My predictions are often a bit wacky and ridiculously specific . Is there any wild-ass prediction that you would like to make for 2015? Lance: Phil and Demi finally get married, Zen shaves his beard and Evolv launches a new product called the "Punch" Patrick V*: As a true pioneer in the world of vaping, in 2015, I would like to put your name on the ballot (with your permission of course) for the Vaping Hall of Fame (if you are unfa- miliar, it's at www.vapinghalloffame.org). As a youngster, you obviously didn't dream of being in the Vaping Hall, but most kids do dream of being considered "great" at some- thing someday, what was it for you? Lance: I'm fine with being on the ballot. What I wanted to be great at… Everything. My life long goal is to know everything and be able to do anything. Patrick V*: What is something people in the vaping community probably don't know about you that you are willing to let them know? Lance: I play a variety of musical instru- ments. Saxophone, guitar, bass, accordion, penny whistle, mandolin, and a bunch more. I also have a 4lb Pomeranian that I snuggle with when no one is looking. Note from Patrick V*: The first time I met Lance was at the Steam Monkey booth at VCC-Tampa in early Feb 2014. I learned from him that we were both from Fort Worth, and I learned from everyone else that Mr Wallen was a legend on Reddit. Below is a quick article I wrote for DFW Vape Scene. One of the USA's Leading Authorities on Electronic Cigarette Devices is someone known as SteamMonkey. When the Advanced E-Cig Commu- nity discusses Vaping, they discuss it on the Electronic Cigarette subreddit on Reddit.com. When they have a question about Advanced E-Cig Devices or Technology, they seek the expertise of SteamMonkey. On Reddit, SteamMonkey has 1,286 Link Karma Points and 8,700 Com- ment Karma points (as of 12/19/14), and if you aren't familiar with this point system, it equates in general terms to "SteamMonkey is a Badass". Advanced vapers in the DFW area definitely know SteamMonkey, but what they might not know about SteamMonkey is that he is Fort Worth's own Lance Wallen. In December 2012 Lance established his own online E-Cig Product Com- pany and named it, very appropri- ately SteamMonkey.com. In late 2014 Lance opened a brick & mortar loca- tion in Fort Worth, TX.