Lonely Wrist: All Things Watches & Horology
Lonely Wrist is a podcast that goes inside the movement, bringing you inside the world of watches through candid conversations with the people who drive it forward.
Each episode features in-depth interviews with industry insiders including Executives, master watchmakers, designers, collectors, content creators, and historians offering rare insights into the passion, precision, and business behind every timepiece.
From legacy brands to innovative microbrands, from movement architecture to marketing strategy, we explore the many layers of horology through the voices of those shaping its past, present, and future.
Whether you're a seasoned collector or just beginning your journey into watches, Lonely Wrist offers a unique perspective on the artistry, culture, and the industry of watches, one episode, and one insider, at a time.
Tune in bi-weekly and hear the stories ticking behind every Lonely Wrist.
Lonely Wrist: All Things Watches & Horology
Veterans, Valor, and Timepieces: The Anti-Watch Watch Club Story
What happens when watch enthusiasm meets a passion for service? The Anti-Watch Watch Club (AWWC) is redefining what a watch community can accomplish by focusing on those who protect us every day.
Cody Fite, Head of Business Development at AWWC and 20-year Army veteran, takes us inside this unique nonprofit founded by veterans and first responders who initially connected through their shared love of watches. Unlike traditional charities bogged down by bureaucracy, AWWC delivers immediate help to veterans and first responders in need – whether that's emergency transportation, housing assistance, or specialized training that saves lives.
The conversation reveals how military experience shapes both their approach to watches and community building. For these veterans, watches aren't status symbols but tools that mark time – something they understand is precious and irreplaceable. Their Blue Guardians Program sponsors law enforcement officers to receive advanced training their departments can't afford, while their collaborations with watch brands fund scholarships and housing for homeless female veterans with families.
Beyond philanthropy, Cody provides powerful insights into the challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian life. "That's your identity, that's all you know," he explains about military service. "When you retire or get out, that's a big part of your identity just gone." AWWC creates a community where veterans find the camaraderie they miss while navigating civilian careers.
This episode goes beyond typical watch talk to explore how timepieces can bring people together for greater purpose. Whether you're a veteran, first responder, watch enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates authentic community building, you'll find inspiration in how the Anti-Watch Watch Club is using their passion to serve those who serve us.
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Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Lonely Worse podcast, and today we have a very unique guest tuning in from the Anti-Watch Watch Club. I know that sounds funny, but the Anti-Watch Watch Club is a 501c3 nonprofit organization here in the lovely city of Las Vegas who's actually rooted in purpose, founded with a mission to serve those who serve. The AWC is a veteran and first responder powered community that uses the symbol of the watch not as a luxury status marker but as a bold expression of resilience, rebellion and identity. More than just a club, the AWC is a movement built by those who protect for those who protect and committed to honoring the service through storytelling, camaraderie and authentic connection. Everyone, please welcome the head of business development in today's epic podcast guest, my buddy Cody Feige. What's up, brother?
Cody Fite:What's going on. I don't know if I can follow up to that intro, but truly thank you, blake, for allowing me to hop on your podcast. I basically listen to every single episode you do on my way to work or on my way home, like this morning with Skylar, skylar home. Like, uh, this morning with uh.
Blake Rea:Yeah, I listened to with uh Skylar, yeah, yeah, that was a good one.
Cody Fite:Um, I was like all right, like I can't wait for it. So truly thank you. I'm humbled and honored to be be on your guest. Thank you, yeah, we let I love it.
Blake Rea:I really did love it you know, like I guess not a lot of people are talking about all the the stuff that happens in the back rooms of the watch industry, the back dealings, like we felt like it was pretty important to make something kind of like that you know, yeah, I mean there's.
Cody Fite:There's truth and transparency and y'all really hit the nail on the head with during that whole episode.
Blake Rea:So thank you, thank you, yeah, we got. We've got some more great guests coming up, obviously, including you. Uh, let's please start off with you guys. Shift the spotlight here, um, tell us about I mean, I know it's hard to follow up. I did my best, um, but tell us the early days of anti-watch Watch Club Like what does that mean as an insider, and tell us how it all got started.
Cody Fite:So I guess I'll go back in time, tell you, tell the audience, how we all started. So all of us kind of found ourselves in the singing owners Facebook group page. We all had singing intimates, we were buying them and pretty obsessed, and went down the rabbit hole from what Jake does with singing and just by miracle, we just you know how it goes. You start to talk in the same post and you're slowly replying to each other and then, before you know it, you're DMing each other and then all of a sudden you're inviting all your other buddies and brothers and sisters into your chat and it's like, hey, what if we did something? And that's literally how we started Alex, our CEO, who's in Vegas, north Las Vegas. He was able to be like, hey, boom, boom, boom. Tony, joey, alex, zach, cody, a bunch of others. Like we kind of found ourselves talking more directly to each other versus everyone else on the same page and then through weeks turns into months and before you know it we're, I guess, throwing around the idea of hey, how can we give back to the community that we have served in?
Cody Fite:Three out of the I want to say about 90% of us has either served in the military, served in law enforcement or as a first responder. So, yes, there are so many charities that we know specifically of because we serve, so we know. But with those big charities and they do great work there's nothing wrong with what they do, but there's a lot of red tape. So we literally wanted to cut the red tape out. We're like, fuck it, we're going to help our brothers and sisters. You just give us, you know the who, what, when, where and why. Hey, this person needs help. We're going to help our brothers and sisters. You just give us, you know the who, what, when, where and why. Hey, this person needs help. We kind of talk to each other about it, get everyone's thoughts and ideas and we're like, yep, this is how we can help and we instantly are allowed to help that service member or that law enforcement officer.
Cody Fite:That I mean, yeah, pretty epic that was like a what two minute, five minute elevator pitch, I guess no, that's.
Blake Rea:I mean, hey, like I said, we're we're pretty uh gloves off here um everything that we like to do. I mean we, we're just trying to cut through it right, cut through the bullshit yeah, um, we I think our our very first year.
Cody Fite:We we knew we had it coming out the gate swinging. We had some hoodie shirts made and then we were like, hey, let's come up with our very first strap. So we all shot back and forth, had prototypes made, tested, developed it further and literally within our first year we released our own strap. It was called the Decon Strap and from all those sales we were able to donate $4,000 to the Veterans Community Renewal Team out in Connecticut veterans community renewal team out in Connecticut and their mission is they house female homeless veterans with their families. So right out the gate we did that and we're like, okay, this is our mission, Like this is what we're about. So we're like, yep, it's got to be a nonprofit. We want to maximize our return of investment, If you want to say, from all of our sales, just to be able to give them more, if that makes sense.
Blake Rea:Yeah, no, totally. Um. And then you said you guys got together. Was it on a form? Do I understand that correctly?
Cody Fite:Uh, the lovely facebookcom Yep Uh. Singing instruments owners group. Oh, singing instruments owners group.
Blake Rea:Oh, okay, okay, how did the name Anti-Watch Watch Club? Because I mean, it's a badass name, right? I think I've even seen shirts that people are wearing Anti-Watch Watch Club, and I don't know if they're even affiliated to you guys.
Cody Fite:Probably are. Okay, uh, zach serves as our coup uh for the non-profit, so he was kind of tasked to come up with the name. So he took the whole anti-social social club and right on it.
Cody Fite:And then we're like, hey, anti-watch watch club. Um, there's more meaning to it, obviously, because you know as well as I do there's. There's a lot of toxic culture within the watch enthusiast world, watch collectors, so it's like a play on them, right to To be like, hey, we don't care, like screw you, go, sit in the corner with your precious watch that you're not willing to wear or enjoy or to create memories with. That gets transposed into the watch and that watch goes to you know, son, daughter, wife, boyfriend, whatever the case is right, we wanted that to be told from the get-go. So we were like, hey, those people great, they exist, they've got amazing watches, but they're missing the whole point of a watch and life and what it means to be able to give something back and pass time, because time's something you can't get back yeah, I, I can't agree more, um, especially with sanjan.
Blake Rea:Um, I mean, it's a really kind of utilitarian purpose-built, you know, mechanism right, it's a tool, right. And I've talked I've talked before about like there's watches that that you have to keep up with, and then there's watches that like keep up with you right yes, absolutely and uh in the latter is the case here.
Blake Rea:I mean, um, it seems like you guys, I think, even as these watch brands grow and start embracing their community and I mean, I know, you know it's more of an independent brand, but you know, you start to notice that the owners of those watches are kind of they're very much the same type of archetype, you know as as as the independent or micro brand owner, whatever you want to call it um. But it's weird how I know um friends that have some of the same watch brands as me and and they're, we think, a lot alike. It's so weird how we're all attracted to these little wrist marvels, um, yeah, I mean it's.
Cody Fite:I mean the cliche saying is right, like, hey, we, we came from the watches, but we stay for the people, right, but like, yeah, if you think about it, like we don't need an antiquated piece of equipment, right, to be able to sell date time. We got a phone, we got smart watches, yeah, but we literally do come together because of the shared obsession that we have and then we're able to create groups and we're able to create groups that are able to give back, like awwc, there's, uh, you know, sketchy boys watch club um, that's another military first responder law enforcement group out there. You know, you've sketchy boys watch club um, that's another military first responder law enforcement group out there. You know, you've got all the red bar groups. You've got, you know, liberty watch group out of north carolina.
Blake Rea:So it literally is that that really means something to us as watch enthusiasts and how did you guys, just how did you guys, decide to focus on, like veterans, like first responders, like le, like what? Where did you see the need within those, those communities, or service oriented communities?
Cody Fite:uh, so for sure. Um, three out of the like, no, four out of eight, four out of nine of us founders, you know, we were all active duty at some point in our lives. So I did 20 years in the Army, tony did you know 20 years as well between the United States Marine Corps and the Army. Alex, our CEO, he was Army as well. So we have so much of that direct connection to our military brothers and sisters. And then when Alex got out, he became a law enforcement officer. So now that's how we tied into law enforcement.
Cody Fite:There's a lot of charities that really focus on the veterans and that's great, but the law enforcement first responders kind of get taken care of, but not on a scale that we do as veterans, right. So we really wanted to focus on law enforcement and first responders, because they're doing this day in and day out, whereas during my career I'd go away for six months, come back for six months, so I'd have a good six months break, but our law enforcement first responders it's every single day. So we wanted to focus heavily on those, those core groups who protect us. Because, face it, if, if you're need, you're going to call 9-1-1. Yeah, I don't care what you think or what you say on social media. You're, you're going to call 9-1-1, yeah, and you're going to call 911. Yeah, and you're going to want them to show up. So we felt it a duty and an obligation to really take care of them. So we started a program called Blue Guardians Program. Sorry, let me take a drink of my IPA.
Blake Rea:There you go. We have to full screen that.
Cody Fite:So Blue Guardians program is a program that we wanted to start because Alex he's a law enforcement officer, so he sees it every single day. So, typical police recruit, you know, they go through their training, they get qualified. Now you're a police officer. That's kind of all the training they get, from first aid to. You know non-lethal force to lethal force, you know how to protect themselves, their partners, civilians around them.
Cody Fite:That academy is really all they get unless the police department has a massive budget In the military. You got the budget, you got the money. You can go to school, completely different than our first responders and officers. So we will literally sponsor a first responder or a excuse me LEO to go to an advanced first aid class, say wilderness EMT, right, where maybe they are paramedic but yet they may be a big skier, mountaineer. Well, wilderness EMT teaches very specific skills to enhance that EMT, but in a wilderness setting. Or we will sponsor police officers to join a mixed martial arts gym and with that, you know they owe us reports because we're not just going to pay for something and not see anything in return. Yeah, so you know they send us photos, they post on social media, they tag us. You know that way it's.
Blake Rea:People are seeing it, their friends and their officers are seeing it, and then now they're applying to the program or they might be able to advance themselves ahead of their peers well, we'll have to link up kind of here off podcast, because I actually have a friend that runs some CQB courses which I mean, as I'm sure you're probably aware, is a big, important role in the job. I mean, here you are in the streets. I mean, if Alex, I think, is he in Metro, is he in Metro, las Vegas Metro?
Cody Fite:No, he's not. He's not not Metro, he's a, he is a federal LEO.
Blake Rea:Oh, okay, okay.
Cody Fite:Okay, yep, so um you know, we partnered with GBRS group out of Virginia beach um you know, DJ Cole, you know their former dev group, you know so they put on their own course where it's. You know anyone can attend, right, but we've sponsored officers to go to those courses just because we want to better the officer and we know the standard that GBRS is going to teach and uphold. So yeah, but yet we just enhanced that officer's ability to protect himself or herself or their partner or you and I, you know. God forbid that time ever come right.
Blake Rea:What branch did you serve in?
Cody Fite:So I was in the Army. Okay, 2003 to 2023.
Blake Rea:I know this is kind of cliche too. I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing this, but I also appreciate your service. Thank you.
Cody Fite:Well, literally, thank you, because without your support, right, it would be a bad time for us. So thank you for supporting us.
Blake Rea:Thank you for also the care package that you sent me, of course, the straps that I mean. I wish I probably should. It would be more appropriate for me to be wearing it right now. Um but uh. But man, those things work really well on my speedy and my Seamaster and I don't think that I've ever even taken it off my uh, my Seamaster. It's like it fits perfectly, it's comfortable. So I'll have to we'll make sure we plug these guys. And I'm curious I'm sure there's probably a time in your past life, maybe as a service member, that made you think like or gave you the first full circle moment to bring you into this mission you're doing now. I'm curious, maybe if you could touch on that.
Cody Fite:Yeah, so there's a lot of programs in the United States Army that are for immediate assistance of all sorts of types for service members, this is not sponsored by the.
Cody Fite:DOD. I'm just speaking from my own experience dealing with them. So let's say you call me, right and you're in dire financial needs. You're on your vacation and you got four flat tires, baby screaming, you need to find a hotel, or you need funds, right, because maybe you really don't make a lot when you're starting in any military service. Okay, so let's say I'm your boss. You'd call me like hey, what's up? Blake Cool got it.
Cody Fite:Let me see what I can do for you, us as leaders. That's when we start calling our resources and start coming up with solutions and answering their questions and providing them the required information in order for you to get these funds. But the clock's already ticking right. So then I have to get my bosses involved, and that's more time added that you're stuck on the road. So it's a process, and so it's a process. I mean, it's a great process, but we know, uh, this guy's daughter's taken to the er.
Cody Fite:Can we provide the meals? Yep, hey, here's, you know, gift cards to provide a family meals in a matter of minutes, right, versus the time it takes for you to explain the situation to me, me to start calling the bosses and start calling to resources and regurgitating what you told me to them, but it may not warrant their need. They could be like, nope, sorry, we wanted to cut that all out completely. So we've done everything, from provide countless rides for veterans going from their place of residence to a va clinic. We provide them, you know, basic sanitary. We're very big on meals. Like just Alex will go buy all these meals and just hand them out. Nice, right, um. So much so that we even started our own scholarship. From what, uh, jack Mason, with Peter.
Blake Rea:Oh cool. Yep so good person to team up with.
Cody Fite:Yeah, um, we, that was our second launch collab that we did, uh, we did. Our first one was notice and Wes and Colin and their amazing team, and then, um, we, uh, our second collab was with Peter and his team. So, yep, so, um, scholarship program is it's, it's growing, it's all set up financially and the accounts and all that stuff. So those who may have fallen maybe that $100, lost their mother or father, they can apply and we can at least help them with some type of cost towards their education. Right, yeah, we can't cover everything, but something is better than nothing.
Blake Rea:Yeah.
Cody Fite:So we are super proud of that, because this is only going on year three for us.
Blake Rea:That's crazy. Seems like you guys accomplished a lot in three years crazy.
Cody Fite:So seems like some of you guys accomplished a lot in three years.
Blake Rea:Uh, you, you know there's, there's a lot of people that will listen, that you know, you, who are probably veterans themselves, right like you, can't tell us no, yeah, well, you give us a problem, we'll we'll solve it that now that I'm actually like I guess I'm like absorbing this right now too, because you know we've talked briefly and you know, obviously doing a little bit of research for the pod, and then thinking back now that you've just literally like kind of like dropped that bombshell. Working with, I mean, the VA is a nightmare. Like working with a VA is a freaking nightmare working with any type of like veteran oriented non-profit I mean applications, applications, um and and there literally is just so much freaking red tape. And a lot of times, like, based upon my experience and a little context, I'm sure you probably know Actually I don't know if I ever told this story on my podcast, but I told it on another person's podcast but August of last year my dad passed away and he was a vet.
Cody Fite:I'm sorry to hear that.
Blake Rea:first of all, Thank you, yeah, I appreciate it. And so you know, as I was going through this whole process, you know I'm doing like the estate I'm dealing with, my brother, I'm dealing with, like all of you know, what's left of his assets. You know, um, you know, try to take care of the service, all this stuff. Um, somebody had mentioned to me, like in this whole process, that, um, you know, if you're a veteran, like the va will cover you know your, you know your, your, your like, your, your service right, your cremation, or you know memorial service, or you know whatever. Um, so there there I am sitting there filling out all this va paperwork, um, you know, trying to get all this shit covered and and no, like I don't know if I just filed it incorrectly or what, but they denied to help my dad with his cremation, exactly so like it's better than nothing.
Cody Fite:Right? The VA, it is what it is. Yeah, yeah, it's always going to be this way. But if there's something that you know nine dudes can do, five of it who really do it actively. If there's something that we can do like we're going to do it Literally, like we've sent just flowers and balloons and cars to, you know, new fathers or new mothers who are posted in our Facebook group like with a. You know new fathers or new mothers who are posted in our Facebook group like with a you know wrist shot with their newborn. Like that's something right. Like these people took the time and created that instant moment with that picture that watch that newborn right, like, and they're choosing it to post it on our facebook page. Like it's truly humbling.
Cody Fite:Like it's awesome, right like you can't beat that um and so it sounds like you guys to va. Right like it. It just goes to if there's something we can do, we want to do it to the best of our ability and to as much of it we can do for them, and it's a couple thousand dollars, or hey, I just need like an Uber ride from my residence to the VA clinic. Right Like, okay, that's easy.
Blake Rea:Yeah, I was under the impression too that the VA was supposed to even take care of stuff like that, but I'm sure it was a huge process to even get involved or to get paid for.
Cody Fite:Yeah, it's just, and it's. You know, states have their piece of the pie too, right. So you know the state. And then also in all the VA centers, they need their piece of the pie too right. So, yeah, the state. And then also in all the ba centers, they need their piece of pie. So, like it is just, I don't know how many ubers alex has provided for, you know, people just going to their appointments. Yeah, it's not even like a thought to us.
Blake Rea:You're like, yeah, duh, like if, if you ever, and you, but you may or may not come to vegas. But, um, I know you're back out east, but going to the va in vegas.
Cody Fite:Last time I was in vegas was like 2002. Oh oh, wow shit.
Blake Rea:It's been a while like, yeah right, like it was a world decoding weekend there might have been 2001 you'll, you'll have to come this year for like, like, shot Show or something like that. It seems like a good one to come.
Cody Fite:Yeah, alex will be there, I know that for sure.
Blake Rea:He'll be there, yeah and so. So, vegas, right, and just as an example, like you know, when I, when I lost my job, like I was doing Uber, like just you know, as a side way to make extra bucks to keep some food on the table, and going to the VA in Vegas is a freaking excursion. It's like 45 minutes outside the city, northwest Las Vegas, nowhere close, nowhere close to Vegas. And so, um, you know, I I'm picking up people and driving them there and then, you know, taking people back and that's like another 45 minute trip back. But, um, you know, bringing this a little forward. Um, you know, you guys started the group based on, you know, your, your shared passion for watches. Um, was there ever a concept to wrap it around something else? You know, I mean, you can wrap a community like this not only around watches, but it seems like, uh, you know, all of us are into the same stuff, like guns, cars, edc, stuff, you know, instruments, pools, like, or was this the watch? Just the natural community to wrap it around?
Cody Fite:cars, edc stuff, instruments, pools, or was the watch just the natural community to wrap it around? So anyone who has any career, everything is dictated by time, right, Totally. But you ask any military veteran or active duty service member, you ask him about time, it will literally give us like a full-blown panic attack, anxiety attack. Or, you know, you don't even tell us like hey, we're going to be late, or else like we will pop a blood vessel. Um, it is that ingrained to us from a fairly early start in your branch of service. Hey, you will not be late, you'll be like 45 minutes early to the 45 minutes early to you know, the 10 minutes early.
Cody Fite:So everything is dictated by time. So all of us, of course, wore watches Seiko, sengens, didn't matter. So that core antiquated piece of technology that we love is what brought us all together, because we all knew how important time was to us and our experiences from across the seas. Right, like hey, like time to everything, time to everything. So that core piece brought us all together, that core piece keeps us all together, because time's the one thing you can't get back.
Blake Rea:That makes sense. And I can't give you any more time one thing you can't get back that makes sense and I can't give you any more time. Um, you know, and you guys have given away so much of it to the community as well.
Cody Fite:That's, that's our passion, that's what drives us to be better for our community. Um, so we're always, we're always looking to help out. And how can we help out more? So I think this year we have five more LEOs that are going to start courses in Q4. Nice, so they're all across the states. It's not just Vegas, it's not just Savannah Georgia, it's not just vegas, it's not just, you know, savannah georgia. It's not virginia beach, it's literally like a sheriff in bozeman, montana if he wants to go to a course, just apply like it's that easy so, now that you've flipped this script on, I think what would be what we would call a traditional watch club, whatever that is.
Blake Rea:What are you guys trying beyond the mission? What are you guys trying to communicate to your audience, the community?
Cody Fite:And it goes back. You and Skyler talked about it too, right? It doesn't matter what you're wearing. We literally just want you to rock whatever watch you have and use it to create memories.
Blake Rea:Yeah.
Cody Fite:Use it to create memories that can be passed on, so that when your daughter's walking down the aisle or you know your son's waiting on the altar or whatever the case may be, right like they'll always remember hey, I remember dad wearing his seamaster, his bell and ross, his blow for you, right, his, his doxa, right like, yeah, there, key. And my kids do it right, they know my watches, they know, like, which one I'm wearing, because they have their own watches, but there's memories already ingrained in them with my watches on and those things and scratches and chips. Um, you know, that tells a story and that's a story that should be shared and enjoyed.
Blake Rea:I'm sure you guys inside the leadership team at AWWC have probably talked about maybe, um, you know legacy, right, like you know you just kind of touched on it with with your maybe you know legacy, right, like you know, you just kind of touched on it with your family. But what does legacy mean, you know, for a community like Anti-Watch Watch Club. You know what type of impact, not only in the day-to-day lives, are you guys hoping to accomplish, but you know, for the culture at large. You know what is that If we could echo those into the community.
Cody Fite:So for sure we all of us um, this is something we want our kids to be a part of. This is something that we want the community at large to know that it's okay to reach out for help, because a lot of us are very we're afraid to ask for any type of help and we're very self-aware of how much we are in denial of that. We want the community to grow and know that we're all in this together, because at some point that uniform's going to come off and all that we will have is those memories that should never be forgotten or trashed or looked down upon. Um, we just want to get back to people being people right, like bill and ted.
Cody Fite:You remember bill and ted's excellent oh, yeah, oh yeah, be excellent to each other, right yeah we want that, when we hand this business to, in this non-profit of ours, to our kids, like we want that instilled into that going, you know, 20, 30 years from now yeah, um, let's air some things out, okay, because not not a lot of us I mean your former military, like my dad, former military, you know.
Blake Rea:So, not a lot of us have, you know, a military spouse, partner, father, family member. Um, I want you to air out, you know, some of the there's a lot of struggles that I've seen. You know, I've had a lot of friends in the military. Um, not to mention, transitioning back to civilian life is, I mean, probably more challenging than even joining the military itself. Um, but what are some of the challenges and struggles that you know, you guys see, among the veterans and first responder community and I have a follow-up question for that, but it's so while we were in, it's that's your identity.
Cody Fite:That's that's all you know, right? Um, I'll use myself, for example. So you know, from 2005 to basically mid late 2014, like my life was six months gone, six months at home, but during that six months I'm also gone for you know, two or three months out of the six months and then back again for six months, and that's your identity, that's who you are like. That's that's all you know. And then you move up in rank or you move up, you know, to different units and that's your new identity, right? Like you're always serving and you're always doing something and then, all of a sudden, when you retire or you get out, that's a big part of your identity. That, especially for you know 20 years, but even three years, like it's three years of your life. That's three years of your identity just gone, and you really don't. It's like what do I do? Like I don't know what to do.
Cody Fite:I applied to so many jobs like because I didn't know what to do. I I applied to so many jobs like because I didn't know what I wanted to do. I knew my end game, like what I would love to do, but like I didn't have a degree at first, like when I got out, I don't know why I didn't, but neither here nor there. But you lose that camaraderie, you lose that team aspect where it's it's all about the team, not the individual, whereas corporate america, right like, it's all about blake, it's all about cody. But what can I? What?
Blake Rea:can you do? You see, it's all about all my corporate profits exactly right like and your controllables.
Cody Fite:Right, like cody manages controllers better than you blake. Why is that? Right, like cody manages control where it's better than you blake. Why is that? Yeah, like it's so that team is completely gone as well. Because now you're like can't we all just work together? Where everyone is else is like nope, I got where's, where's the next ring on the ladder. Yeah, and then you were like man. You also have a very hard time learning how to speak and deal with the civilians. Right, because, like the, the culture and the, the ability to say what we want to say in the military. You know we can't talk like that to civilians, which, yeah, totally understand, but you do it for 20 years. That's ingrained in your brain. Right, like saying hey, good morning, you know f base or whatever, right? Um, like I said, I'm trying to keep it professional do you say whatever you want.
Blake Rea:Say whatever you want podcast.
Cody Fite:I'll make sure we put the explicit content label on this one so, like you could, you and I could be serving in the same squad and live in the same barracks room, a one-bedroom apartment, but we're sharing it. We share the bathroom. We could just talk shit and be like fuck you, Blake, Don't fuck yourself. Blah, blah, blah, blah. But yeah, we got each other's backs, yeah, and when you get out you're like man, like I don't know who to trust. I don't know who.
Cody Fite:My peers that I'm working amongst like have the best interest of me. Does my new manager, my new boss, have the best interest for me and my family? Are they going to, you know, teach, coach and mentor me to maybe apply for that promotion or that new role that's opening up? Like that's all gone, Like you don't know what to do.
Cody Fite:So we want to be there for our community to be like hey, like yep, I did my 20 years. Like I've transitioned to you know my role, corporate America, and this is how I dealt with it. This is what I did. It may not work for you, but at least they're able to hear it from someone who's done it, and that's not for me. It's our 10,000 plus followers. We're an open community because we know that someone maybe in that community don't even have to know each other. Maybe they went through the exact same experience or maybe a similar experience and they're able to relate and now they have that connection, All because they came for the watches. They support the mill, leo world, but they're staying for the people because we missed it. We missed the people aspect of a lot of watch groups.
Blake Rea:Yeah, something that comes to mind too. And you know, obviously, like I said, I grew up with a dad who was in the military and I mean I'm sure that you guys have figured out how to break this wall, but everybody who I've ever met who's been in the military, they have an incredible sense of pride, right, and they're kind of taught, you know, through military training to like get up, like rub some dirt on it and like get back into battle.
Cody Fite:Yes, yeah, absolutely.
Blake Rea:So, with that mentality right, I'm sure you've came up with it being a challenge in itself to even get people from that community to say, hey, I need help.
Cody Fite:Oh yeah, it really is right, like it's. We've all dealt with it. My personal experience like I denied it for so long and then towards the end I was like, yep, something's not right. But luckily, like my wife is, you know, she is my soulmate, my best friend, so she was the one that was starting to recognize it. And she's a veteran herself, so like, she's not afraid to call my bullshit out, right? That's what the whole point of our soulmate is they're our best friend, They'll call us out on our bullshit. She's like you need fucking help. Yeah, you're probably right, babe, but not everyone has that.
Cody Fite:Not everyone has that exact same support system at home. They could be single, they could just be dating, whatever the case may be. But it's hard. But you have to be willing and you have to put yourself out there first for them to see that hey, so-and-so did it, so-and-so came out and said, yep, I've, I've sought counseling, blah, blah, blah. This is how it helped me. I still go, or not?
Cody Fite:But it it all starts with that veteran who is willing to put their ego aside and be like yep, I'm I'm proud to say I'm getting help. I'm, I'm proud to say I'm getting help. I'm I'm proud to say I am this much better because I saw help. So it all starts with leaving the ego at the door. Be humble enough to know that if I don't speak up, if I don't lead, then if I don't speak up, if I don't lead, then may or may not help someone. But the moment they see someone step up with, they know like hey, like yep, he did his three years or 20 years in Marines Navy, whatever the case is, or but they're still able to see that, that they are opening themselves up.
Blake Rea:Yeah. To the other part Step in the right direction.
Cody Fite:Yep, so that's uh, we try and do that and you know we're we're able to have DMS amongst ourselves and to our community. They can DM us all the time and say, hey, I'm going through a bad part, what's up, man?
Blake Rea:Yeah, dms all the time and say, hey, I'm going through a bad part, what's up, man? Yeah, and, and in your experience, you know, not only I mean you talked about, you know, I mean training, right, you know you talked about even uber here their meals, right, um, but in your experience, what do you feel is the most rewarding way to support the community? Is it like emotionally? I mean, have you guys? It seems like you guys are now starting to step into the creative space with watch brands Like what do you feel is the most rewarding way to support the community?
Cody Fite:for me, personally, it's when we get that Thank you or that the person who we ever we helped out right, when they post a picture or you know, hey, get well soon, love you, take care, we're here If you need us. When they post it like, to me that is the most rewarding aspect. Um, yeah, because we just significantly helped this individual during a maybe troubled time or a significant event in their life. That's what's rewarding for me. When they're like yep, we did that. Like when we provided housing for female veterans and their families, we did that just through Facebook, just just through remote, just from a watch strap, that's like that's our reward for us. Like, damn, like we did that. Like, wait a minute, like these dudes, I've never met alex, I've never met joy he's in california, really, wow, um, I've never met Alex.
Cody Fite:I've never met Joy. He's in California, really, wow. I've never met Tony. He's in Virginia Beach. I have hung out with Zach several times. He's in, you know, connecticut. But we're all able to do that remotely through text message emails teams, through text message emails teams, and then we see a massive ROI through a post on Facebook or Instagram or, in the case of the veteran community renewal team, we just help those individuals just by giving them a roof over their family's heads or by sending this you know firefighter to advanced rescue or high angle rescue class. That's rewarding to us and that's what. That's what we want. Yes, the likes and the follows are all great. You know our, our watch collaborations when they sell out, that's all awesome and stuff. But, um, our rewards like when we see our OI, our OI just by the feedback that they're giving us and by posting.
Blake Rea:Yeah, it sounds like you guys are really kind of peeling back the curtains on the philanthropy. Are there any brands or maybe even people out there that, like you've, you've, like you look to you as maybe like inspiring your form of philanthropy?
Cody Fite:Yeah, I mean, oh man, there's a lot. So me personally, sean Ryan, right, like his podcast, I'm a huge, huge fan of what he has done and the layers of the onion he has peeled back. He's not afraid to call it bullshit either. He's not afraid to call out the bullshit either. We just want to be like him in the fact of our outreach and our ability to say like, hey, he's not the only one, or she's not the only one. These 5,000 other Facebook followers of AWWC, they saw the exact same thing. So it's I don't know. It's a tough question, blake, that's a good one of.
Blake Rea:AWWC. They saw the exact same thing, so it's I don't know. It's a tough question. Blake, that's a good one, yeah.
Cody Fite:I try to ask some hard ones. So we don't. We don't want to be the norm of the male LEO nonprofit organization. We want to be. We want to be the creative aspect of what a military leo non-profit can actually do without the political stuff, without the red tape.
Blake Rea:Let's talk about the future of AW and, yeah, that shirt is sick, I'm going to have to. You have to send one, Send one, yeah, you have to send one. I'm sure you guys have talked about I mean, you talked about, you know passing it down. You know, through the generations, right, Maybe your family, or you know the families of you know, your co-founders, your friends, your colleagues, the community stepping forward. But is there any milestones that you guys have set, saying like, hey, this is like a big, like notch on our belt that we want to accomplish? You know, like, and that's anything that you guys are working towards, you know, obviously, you know we talk about aspirational goals and dreams. You know a lot of it is just putting it out there, right, Putting it, talking about it, thinking about it, feeling it. Um, is there anything out there right now that you guys are talking about, thinking about, feeling that you hope to accomplish in your tenure at awc?
Cody Fite:uh, yes, yes and yes, um. One thing is under embargo for us, um, but it is happening within the next, uh, 90 days, but we'll say that, um, that is, this is going to be very, very, very, what, very, what's the right word? It's going to be fucking awesome. It's just going to really, like you said, it's going to be a notch on our belt with what we have going on and what's planned. And next year we want to be able to, or no, we don't want to, we will. We're going to sponsor some events with Wildlander 6 and her team, if she's down. That's something we tried to do last year. We just couldn't happen.
Cody Fite:Make it happen for some, whatever reason, it was, um, but I don't know. We just we take it quarter by quarter, like fiscal year by fiscal year, and, um, you know it's not easy, especially being remote, um, across, you know, several different time zones, but I think the end game for us would be like if we could have our own building, like we all worked there, like our kids, our colleagues, our peers, our, you know, future AWWC members, team members, like they have all one location where they come, work out, shoot, have a few cocktails, um, while they came paying for. You know, the next collab was, you know, said brand watch or whoever the case may be is. Or, you know, maybe open up our own va clinic. I, I don't know. The sky's the limit for us, but we're literally just taking it day by day and trying to learn this nonprofit world as we can.
Blake Rea:Yeah, it's a challenging world. It's a really challenging world.
Cody Fite:Businesses fail, nonprofits fail. It's a challenging world. It's a really challenging world. Businesses fail, nonprofits fail. So we're very cautious and very diligent in everything we do. That way we don't make mistakes, or if we make mistakes, we're able to learn from them and prevent them to not fail.
Blake Rea:Basically, yeah, let's talk about the community real quick and then we'll wrap things up here. Um, beyond purchasing some of the merch you guys have six shirts, you have six straps um, beyond purchasing the merch, you know how can people get involved in the community, how can people support the mission that you guys are?
Cody Fite:working on. You literally go to antiwatchcluborg. You can literally donate through our website right then and there, like you said, you can buy some merch site right then and there, um, like you said, you can buy some merch um, or even just join our facebook page, or or follow us on instagram or shoot us a dm, or just you don't even have to, I want to watch, like it doesn't matter to us. Um, you serve, you serve. You wear the uniform. You wear the uniform. Um, well, yeah, anti-watch cluborg. You can straight donate to us, or, you know, you can always reach out to me through our social media, um, to see if you want to work with us or collab with us, or whatever the case may be, or even if you'd like to donate via e-gift card to said emergency. That may or may not hasn't happened yet.
Blake Rea:we can absolutely take care of that too yeah, something, something that I, I think, um, you know, really gets misunderstood, as you brought it up to you, like this community is so rewarding in the sense that watch enthusiasts like even if I don't know you and you're a watch enthusiast and maybe we've talked on the internet or would you you just have an incredible connection, if you're a watch enthusiast, to the community and, uh, I mean I haven't seen any other you know, organizations or non-profits maybe I'm just I'm blind or ignorant, or maybe maybe both um that are doing what you guys are doing and that are accomplishing what you guys are accomplishing and that are, you know, giving back to the community in a unique way and helping to kind of break down those barriers. Um, you guys obviously have have a huge, you know, challenge ahead, like, like all of us and you know that are, that are in the media or or in you know, in some some type or in some type of sense, trying to make a change make an impact in the community.
Cody Fite:One ripple right, that's all it takes now to be able to create that ripple. That's the challenge that we face every day, really.
Blake Rea:Yeah, yeah yeah. We went through a lot here. Obviously, I'm going to plug them in the link here. I'm going to link them in the podcast. You guys definitely need to visit them, engage, check out their community and, if you can contribute in some type of way. But is there anything that that maybe you were hoping that we were going to talk about that.
Cody Fite:I didn't get a chance to ask no, I mean like, like if I could turn my platform over to you right now um, no, I mean, like we, you know, trying to cram awwc and all of its, you know mission intent and statements and everything we've done into, you know just 60 minutes, not even 60 minutes because you know we've gone down some rabbit holes. Yeah, you know it's hard, it's it's it's hard to capture. You know what, what we have done and what you know. The other military watch communities, what watch groups, what you know. It's hard to capture what they have done as well. Um, but I mean, we're all in this space together. There's and there's room for more, but we just want to grow and just be the best that we can and serve our community the best stewards that we can.
Blake Rea:I mean, yeah, it sounds Obviously. I'm a fan and I'm going to do what I can to help spread the word, to support the mission, the objectives that you guys have set out. Hopefully I'll get a chance to meet Alex, cause I think at this point there's there's no excuse, considering he was not I, I cause, you know like we, we both know Jean Carlo.
Cody Fite:So like, yeah, we met, I met you at intersect and you know you y'all started vegas watch society, you know so in that group as well, and it's like damn, like this, like when you plug your events like hey, rsvp, or who's coming, I'm like alex, go, just show up. Yeah, he should okay, so, but he is super busy. I know that. Sure, he wants to and he intends to. By all means, he's a very busy person though, just like we all are, obviously, but you know, yeah, I'm going to force him to meet you.
Blake Rea:We have a bunch of like military in our uh, in our community. Um, one of our newest members I'm sure you've probably seen him in the chat um I mean he's got, he's a fighter, fighter pilot um, and I guess when he's not flying fighter jets he's flying delta jets. So, uh, and, and just seeing some of he, he showed up this last event um with like all of his like, uh, like um, like squadrant watches and shit, and I was like man, like he even showed up with his hunt. I think it was like 150 years, 160 years of delta or something like that. Like they did a delta black bay um gmt with like a delta logo on it, like delta airlines, and it was like 150 plus years or something. But man, I mean just seeing all of his uh, his, I mean a lot of them are brightlings, yeah he's got some I think iwcs and stuff like that.
Blake Rea:So we were kind of talking and and it. It's really cool how you know like everybody, it doesn't matter what walk walk of the world you're from, you know everybody appreciates.
Blake Rea:You know time differently and everybody looks at time differently and everybody you know appreciates watches differently. You know, and that's something that I've come to learn through this, this outlet. You know, just having this, this outlet, you know, just having these discussions, you know, my watches mean something different to everybody, you know. And, uh, absolutely, and that's what I love, you know, because we're all, we're all, we all love him and we're all passionate in our own different ways, but it all brings us together you know it really does.
Cody Fite:And like we've all talked about, like either on your podcast or amongst friends. Right, like like I've got a 55 casio super loomer in my room. Right, bought it off ebay, that's the coolest fucking watch. Like the loom on it, like it's just, it's crazy. Right, I've got, yeah, that's the dial duro. Right, like it's like 58, so that one on ebay like it doesn't matter. Like we all love this passion of watches the same yeah, some of us maybe more than others, and some of us, maybe less, but we all, we all we're all um, we're all glued to it.
Cody Fite:You said your number of collection of watches that you have. I'm just like I don't even know, like how you can even keep up with the amount of watches you have, I don't.
Blake Rea:I get a lot of press. I get a lot of press watches too, so like so how do you do that?
Cody Fite:Like I don't know, I, I, I fall into the like. I wear either like one or two watches and I was like man, I can't get rid of that one. I can't get rid of this one Cause it's an immutable reasons. Sure, I can't get rid of that one Cause I actually really like it. Damn it, Like, okay, like, okay. I'm stuck, yeah, yeah, like with the AR collection.
Blake Rea:It's like man, I don't even know what you'd wear a different watch every single hour and be just fine, yeah, I've been consolidating a lot, because a lot of these watches I've started to realize that it's just hoarding at this point. So I think recently I've parted with maybe like 50 or 60 watches like I've consolidated, I've purged a ton and and now that I I were, I don't even know how many watch brands I work with at this point um I say what is?
Blake Rea:work with. I say I, I'm, I'm and I'm not pay, I'm not on any payroll or anything from anybody um. But when I say work with, I mean like collaborate, discuss, talk to you, know um a lot of times that you know I like the autonomy right I don't think I've ever even talked about this, but I talk about what I want to talk about and I do what I want to do, you know, I mean there's, like you said, there's, truth and transparency uh, yeah and no, no brand has ever reached out to me and said hey, blake, do a review on this watch.
Blake Rea:And if they did, I'd probably be like yeah, go fuck yourself, you know?
Cody Fite:um, so before we go like what is your next? What is on your radar?
Blake Rea:uh, this is not my watch, but since it is on loaner, I just can't take it off. I mean, make it full screen, oh, you're, you're, yeah.
Cody Fite:He posted that.
Blake Rea:Yeah, that's, that's sick yeah, so so I got this watch as a um, as a press loaner, and I'm working on a video right now. Uh, it's like the evolution of the chrono master. So I've been working with zenith a lot and I've got a bunch of projects in the pipeline with them, and they came with this really terrible, like leather calf strap that was embossed with like these little. I'm sure you probably saw it in the in the group.
Cody Fite:Yeah, I saw it terrible.
Blake Rea:Um, it's so that, so that, so that I reached back out to the pr agency and I was like, hey, do you guys have that fabric like, like, like, uh, like hook and loop that like it comes with? And they're like, yeah, we'll send it. So they sent it, right, and it came without the hook or the the loop system, right. So I'm like, fuck, I can't even wear this right. So I've been having fun.
Cody Fite:I'm sure you've probably seen because, you're in the group, you see every like pretty much what I do every day um, I've been having fun with a 3d printer.
Blake Rea:So then I, I jumped on my computer and designed this little and printed this little hook for it. Nice, I know, it's not the cleanest shit you ever seen, but, uh, it works, it works, it works. Yeah, at least I can wear it, because I was. I was not wearing it because I hated the strap so much and I would love to have the bracelet for, because they have all carbon bracelet. But, um, a lot of times I, I mean, if I could go back and say, like I wear my wcs a lot where my panerais a lot, I've been on a vintage kick like zenith. Um, I wear a lot of, like, um, my doxa.
Blake Rea:I mean, it's hard and as I'm as I'm, as I'm growing and evolving as a collector, I'm starting to realize that having this many watches is is more of a liability and it's it's uh, it's just not worth it. Right, like, why? Why do I deserve to own all these watches? You know, like, like I need, I need to like, you know, and I guess, I guess, in a weird way, maybe this is my brain thinking, but you know, I've accumulated this horde of watches and maybe and I hope to God, this isn't the case, but maybe me owning this watch is keeping somebody else from owning their grail watch. Does that, does that seem like that's even possible?
Cody Fite:I mean yes and no Right, but like, like all of your watches right, they tell a certain aspect of your life. Whether that's your hard work that allowed you to get all of them, you know that's your blood, sweat and tears that you did no one else, you, just you. Um, that's allowed you to get all those watches right. Um, there's all sorts of hobbies that you know, girls and guys. Like they've got hundreds of pokemon cards. Or you know they've got a hundred different bottles of bourbon right. Or you know their golf club or golf balls from, say, every master's tournament from the past 10 years, I don't know right, like it, that's your passion, like that's part of who you are. So it's not hoarding, it's just like this tells the story of blake and his crazy obsession that we we have for who blow. Um, I don't know how you have that, but that's another time.
Blake Rea:Um, but that's no, don't think of it that way I, I, I also think like of uh, you know, in a weird way, there's watches out there that, and so I'm starting to come full circle, right. So full circle for me is, first of all, loving my watches, right, appreciating them, and then, you know, I want to stand out as a collector at some point, like I want people to. You know, I don't I don't want to have the rarest of everything, like some of these other guys do, but I want people to see the watch that I'm wearing and immediately know that I'm a watch enthusiast, right. And there's plenty of outlets out there that sell you shit, right, that sell you, that talk about watches, that sell watches, you know, or they're profiting off. You know discussions like this, oh yeah absolutely.
Blake Rea:And to me I just felt like being on the inside. I mean, and you, you heard the conversation with skylar that literally just dropped, but there's not. I don't know if there's a lot of honesty anymore. And and I'm not just talking about the watch community, but I'm talking about in a lot of communities, with the rise of online influencers or whatever the fuck you know the social media influencers?
Cody Fite:yep, yeah, they, some of them are good, really great, but there are there are some phenomenal for sure influencers there's, there's some really shit ones that it's all about the flip, it's all about the dollar, it's, I got this, I got that, like blah, blah, blah, blah, no one cares. Yeah, it's, it's hype, right, like, I'm sorry, I, I will drop a. You know a six hundred dollar singing instruments that has a seiko quartz movement or swiss ronda quartz in it or seiko movement, and drop it and be like, huh, do, that's here, twelve thousand dollar. You know rolex or a tech, like see if, see what it has. I'm not, I know it'll be fine, but they're not willing to do. They're like, uh, sorry, I can't protect this precious rolex that I waited 20 years for on the local ad or whatever the case is yeah um, or the royal oak right, because that's all that they will ever make and be known for.
Cody Fite:But they're not going to do that something to watch.
Blake Rea:Something I've noticed too, which is very weird and also a very toxic like frame of mind, is people associate being more enthusiastic with watches by how much they've spent on watches.
Cody Fite:Oh yeah.
Blake Rea:And that's never the case.
Cody Fite:Or even the latest and greatest from said release that Watches and Wonders. Right Like, oh my God, like, there's so many watch brands that do watch releases that are not covered, that will outperform or better made more tech. Right Like, they're the ones that are advancing watch technology, right Like, but yet the shining light is on.
Blake Rea:You know the Holy Trinity that's the way the brands want to do it man Exactly Right Like, and we're at fault for allowing them to do it. So I mean blame us, but uh we got to take back the watch community bro.
Cody Fite:Um, yeah, it's all for me, it's. I've. Initially it was like Tudor Swiss or Tudor Omega, rolex, fuck Rolex. Now I don't want one. Okay, omega, love Omega, but now it's like wait a minute. Who's ever going to go diving 300 meters realistically? Who's ever going to realistically need a helium escape valve in 2025 when they're on their vacation? Yeah, and the bahamas, they're just going down. You know, 18 feet, it's. It's. I love the watch, don't get me wrong. Um, but I think there's more value in a lot of more of the independent brands. There's more connection to those brands because you know, like being able to talk to the the crew of norcane, us, right, for example. Or west's colon peter, you know, mike from chris ward, right, like you're not going to get that anywhere else. But the independent brands.
Blake Rea:Yeah, and they listen. You know I've said before that the whole micro brand independence, whatever you want to call them. I know micro brand has become a derogatory term in some type of way in some communities, but you know that whole community was built off brands not listening to us yeah, we see it right now.
Cody Fite:Right, like they're. They're bracketing themselves to a newer demographic who wants the latest and greatest release, just like probably all of us with the freaking iphone. Right like, yeah, oh, the iphone 16 came out. Man, I need that. I don't know why, but I never, never, understood that. Um, that's, we see that today. Right, that's the demographic they want to go after and that's their business model. Great. But like, if I only own one notice, right, I know I can go to west and colon, be like man. Like, this notice is killing it. It's 30 years old or 10 years old. It's been through X, y and Z scratches and it's been kicking ass. Right, I think you're not going to get that.
Blake Rea:I think that's going to be the most rewarding part of what I'm doing. Maybe you know, but you know, watches have put me in conversations, hundreds of conversations like this, maybe, maybe thousands at this point, giving me a platform, giving me a voice. You know, empowered, you know me, through a community. But to watch a brand like notice or Jack Mason, you know even Sal like I, you know sal, like I, you know, I think, alan and sal baltimore, like super underrated, um, but to see those watches become, you know, instruments or tools or you know hair looms that get handed down, shit dude, that will be but it.
Cody Fite:But it's more than that. It's like they're all supportive of each other. They are, they are, they're going to support each other because they have those relationships. It's not brand X versus brand Y, it's like, hey, that's a solid release, I need one, I want one as a watch enthusiast, right like you. You can't get that anywhere else other than those brands who actually care what the consumer, the enthusiasts, actually want and are driven by right, because the common man, right like, five hundred isn't a lot of money, it is, $100 isn't a lot of money these days.
Blake Rea:Yeah.
Cody Fite:I can make a killer say modded out Seiko for $75.
Blake Rea:That's all you need too.
Cody Fite:That's really all you need. You can't get that anywhere else other than the independent brands.
Blake Rea:Yeah, I think that's a good way to end the podcast. Everybody, thank you so much for listening to Just Over an Hour with me and Cody from Anti-Watch Watch Club. We are going to leave a link in the description for Anti-Watch Watch Club. We are going to leave a link in the description for Anti-Watch Watch Club. I would encourage you, guys, if anything that you heard resonated with you, if you want to contribute to your local first responders, law enforcement, military veterans or just the watch community in general. I think by the end of this podcast you probably know how to do it. So with that we will leave you and until next time, we will see you on the next episode. Peace out.
