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Featured Guest:
Mark Augustyn Co-Founder, Mimi and Moto Motorcycle Industry Advocate Published Date: January 6, 2026 In this episode of Wisdom for Wannabes, host Jackie Morreale interviews Mark Augustyn, co-creator of the beloved children's motorcycle series Mimi & Moto. They discuss the inspiration behind the series, the importance of community in motorcycling, and the therapeutic nature of riding. Mark shares insights on getting kids involved in motorcycling, the future vision for Mimi & Moto, and advice for aspiring authors. The conversation emphasizes the significance of outdoor activities for children and the role of storytelling in fostering a love for motorcycles. Listen to/watch the full podcast recording, or read the transcript below: |
Full Interview with Mark Augustyn:
"One thing we can control is our creativity. The more prolific we can be, the better for the brand. The push will be to scale this thing to that next level."
- Mark Augustyn (Wisdom for Wannabes episode 31, 33:40)
Great quotes from the interview:
(More great quotes throughout the transcript in blue below.)
- "You have to enjoy the process."
- "Go outside and ride something!"
- "Motorcycles are just plain cool."
(More great quotes throughout the transcript in blue below.)
Mimi & Moto co-creators Nancy Gerloff and Mark Augustyn with their daughter
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Key Takeaways:
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Mimi and Moto branded booth appears at motorcycle industry events nationwide.
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The Mimi and Moto mobile!
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Tables and tables of Mimi and Moto books and merchandise for sale at the Motorcycle Expo in West Palm Beach, FL.
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Interview Transcript:
Jackie Morreale (00:00)
Welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that seeks to discover inspiring words in the areas of business, beauty, and betterment. I'm the host, Jackie Morreale. I'm excited to welcome today's guest, Mark Augustyn. Thank you so much for being here, Mark.
Mark Augustyn (00:16)
Thank you for having me.
Jackie Morreale (00:18)
Mark is a storyteller, safety advocate, and one half of the creative force behind one of the most beloved children's motorcycle series on the market today. Along with his wife and co-author, Nancy Gerloff, the Atlanta-based couple are the creators of the Mimi and Moto brand, a vibrant family-friendly universe that's been inspiring young riders since 2016.
Together, they've sold more than 24,000 books introducing kids to the joy, freedom, and responsibility of motorcycling. The couple's mission also goes far beyond storytelling. Through Mimi & Moto books and merchandise, school visits, and motorcycle events, the Mimi & Moto brand champions safe motorcycle riding for kids and young people, helping families emerge with the sport in a fun, positive, and safety-first way.
Fun fact about Mark, Mark was a valedictorian of his class at the Business School at UCONN many moons ago.
Mark, welcome to the show. Let's start with some background details, including your full name, your hometown, your current location, what you do, and what is your passion?
Mark Augustyn (01:19)
Thank you. Great to be here.
My name is Mark Augustyn. I was born and raised in Connecticut. I left there when I was 23. A couple years in Los Angeles, a pit stop in Hawaii, then ended up in Atlanta in 1996. The weather is good. The people are nice.
So, we're here in Atlanta doing our thing trying to get more kids excited about motorcycles.
Jackie Morreale (01:45)
How long has this been your passion?
Mark Augustyn (01:46)
Nancy and I got the idea in 2015 to do something for our daughter, really. Like yourself and probably millions of people on planet earth, kids have a really interesting way of inspiring parents to do things that they didn't think they would do.
Having a toddler, we were curious to see if we could find a book for her. We started looking around. Back in 2015, the motorcycle industry has really been working on trying to figure out ways to get more young people interested in the sport.
Between being inspired by the daughter and then wanting to get into the motorcycle world, that's what fueled that whole thing. At the time, we were receiving (and still do to this day) two issues of the American Motorcyclist Magazine from the AMA.
When our daughter could start to walk, we would walk her to the potty. If you can walk, go to the potty. Anybody listening, as an aside, if you have a kid, the minute the kid can walk, they can walk to the potty, start that process off immediately. If you wait, it's just a hassle.
Jackie Morreale (02:42)
Oh man, words of wisdom.
Mark Augustyn (02:43)
When those two magazines would come in, we would throw one into the bathroom. She would sit down, I'd sit down, we'd have meetings. She'd be flipping the pages and said, 'Where are the motorcycles?' She's just pointing out the motorcycles. Probably that was the real first moment of, 'Alright, let's see if we can find a book for her.' At that point in 2015, we got online and looked, there were books there. It's not that there weren't motorcycle books for children.
We just didn't see anything that was really good for toddlers. There was nothing there. We had watched the Netflix series about an Italian couple who are designers and they always said, 'We can't find what we want, we make it.' So we went with that attitude. At the end of 2015, we resolved to try to do a children's motorcycle book. Found an illustrator here in Atlanta named Esteban Alvarado, and got to work.
In 2016, we put that first book together, The Adventures of Mimi and Moto. We sold our first copy on Amazon back on October 4, 2016. On the wall over there, I have a printout of the order form framed. That was big.
Those moments are big. You do a book, you sell your first one, that's huge.
When you get to 100, that's really cool. You get to 1,000, that's pretty cool. You get to 10,000. All right, there's something going on here. You've got to do something. That was really when it started.
Then we started doing events in 2017.
Jackie Morreale (03:51)
Good for you. I love that you have your first order on your wall. That's an amazing accomplishment to create something that lots and lots of people want. It sounds like your daughter, as the muse behind this, had motorcycle riding in her blood.
Mark Augustyn (04:06)
I'm not sure she had motorcycle riding in her blood, but she had me. I've been riding since 2004. I was inspired as a kid, but it didn't happen until I was 34. Yeah, she has kind of no choice in it. She rides with me. I don't push it too hard, she'll come to it in her own time.
It’s a lot of fun getting out there doing something when you can say, ‘My kid is the reason why I'm here.’ And ultimately, I give Nancy all the credit for inspiring that idea to have a kid. And we did. Here we are talking today.
Jackie Morreale (04:33)
You sound like a power couple. I can't wait to meet her one day, too. I grew up riding two-up with my dad on his Harley. It's something that you're around and then you like it. It's cool. That's amazing that you took it to the next level. It is visionary, I think, for the industry to get more kids involved.
Mark Augustyn (04:51)
Yeah, I hope so. We're doing our best.
Jackie Morreale (04:54)
Yep, in a very big way. What is your favorite part of your role, Mark?
Mark Augustyn (04:59)
You can't put a value on the feedback. We've been out doing events for nine years. We have four books. There's enough there that you get feedback. When people come up and tell us that their kids grew up with our books... That's a pretty amazing thing to hear from strangers, right? I think ultimately, motorcyclists, this is a community. As we go forward, I don't ever see events not being something we're doing. I come from the music industry as a band guy and musician. What do you do as a band? You make some music, you go out there, and you play it for people.
You share it, and you keep being creative. Creatively, the Mimi and Moto brand, for me personally, works in the same way. Probably more so, because there are so many different facets to the books and the business and all that stuff. Going back, I'm a motorcyclist because I love riding, but I love motorcyclists. That's my favorite part of it.
I am not necessarily that guy's going to sit there and talk to you about the engines. The motorcycle for me is a vehicle to get the experiences I want and to meet the people I can. It's really the people, and really feeling like we are
trying to serve that community of motorcyclists. I always joke with people at the booth. The better we do, the better everything behind us does.
That's the reality of it; if we can reach the point where there is a real impact for the brand among families and kids, going forward, the bigger we grow, the more significant the impact will be.
Going back to the question, it's being around motorcyclists. It's rolling somewhere. You're around a lot of motorcycle people. There's probably music playing because music is such a big thing in the motorcycle world. I like being around motorcyclists. I like the tribe. I love the tribe, actually. I want the tribe to grow and be healthy.
What we're doing business-wise is incredibly satisfying to be trying to do something to make the whole thing bigger.
Jackie Morreale (06:42)
Agree. Whew, I felt something. That was so inspiring. Yes, motorcyclists are amazing human beings. The tribe is amazing and does so much to give back to the communities in which you ride. I see this as an amazing way to pay it forward to the next generation, and keep the tribe growing. Before we get too deep into the writing and the riding, let's do some quick fire questions to find out what you as an author, as an entrepreneur, as a musician, have as your favorite things. You ready for this?
Mark Augustyn (07:10)
Hope so.
Jackie Morreale (07:11)
Okay. We have dirt bikes, sport bikes, choppers, cruisers, adventure bikes, racing bikes, cafe racers, touring bikes, hill climbing bikes, and many other options. What is your favorite?
Mark Augustyn (07:22)
If I had to pick one, I'd be on an adventure bike.
Jackie Morreale (07:24)
Nice. Favorite children's book? By the way, it can be one of your books.
Mark Augustyn (07:28)
Yeah, ours, clearly ours, without a doubt.
Jackie Morreale (07:30)
If you had to pick one for a newbie to get started. Which one would it be?
Mark Augustyn (07:35)
It's so age-specific. I'm going to say the first one, man. It's like the first album from a band. The first one always has that thing about it. I think the first one is it, in terms of somebody who doesn't know about the brand. The first one's designed for kids who are zero to three, in that sort of pocket. Yeah, without a doubt, the first one, that's an easy answer.
Jackie Morreale (07:52)
The breakthrough book. Love it. Favorite musician or artist? By the way, it can be you.
Mark Augustyn (07:57)
No, I'm not going to say me. The band that got me into music was Led Zeppelin. That's what got me started. A big Randy Rhoads fan as far as guitar playing.
It's so amazing now to have access to everything on your phone. I usually have chill EDM playing when I'm working here. But Led Zeppelin is the first bit. That's what opened the door, and it's never closed since I was 12 years old.
Jackie Morreale (08:17)
Do you have a song that you play or maybe sing to yourself while you ride?
Mark Augustyn (08:21)
No, I don't actually. I'm an earplug guy. I know it would be cool to be listening to music while I'm riding, I've, yeah, know, but I've done cross-country trips. I'm quite content in that helmet, with just myself, to be honest with you. There was some study out of California.
Jackie Morreale (08:27)
Get your motor running, something like that.
Mark Augustyn (08:37)
Years ago, talking about the way the brain is working when riding.
I think it's very similar to when you're meditating as far as how the brain is working.
I don't want to disturb that to be honest.
From a safety thing, if you're paying attention to a song, you're probably not paying as much attention as you might need to be to what's going on around you. So, no, I haven't gone there yet. I'm not saying that I won't.
At the moment, I put those earplugs in and see what's going on around me and try not to die. Yeah. Yeah.
Jackie Morreale (09:04)
Be present, exactly. Try not to die. Well, I love that you took it there that motorcycle riding has the same brain effect or similar brain effects to meditation. That's an amazing concept that I didn't know before a moment ago.
Mark Augustyn (09:17)
It might be a UCLA study. I would have to dig up that information, but I know that it was out there and it's pretty eye-opening.
Goes back to that line, 'You never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.'
There is a healing quality to it. I think all motorcyclists would say the same thing. I don't think there's anybody out there listening to this that doesn't understand that sensation of popping the helmet on, getting on the bike, and just going, right? You don't have to think about anything. You could figure stuff out.
The one thing about what we're doing is it certainly cuts into my own personal riding time. There are certainly no shorter times when I get back from a trip, and I just have to go ride. I just have to go experience what I am seeing all around me constantly.
It's certainly therapeutic in a lot of different ways.
(Continued below)
Welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that seeks to discover inspiring words in the areas of business, beauty, and betterment. I'm the host, Jackie Morreale. I'm excited to welcome today's guest, Mark Augustyn. Thank you so much for being here, Mark.
Mark Augustyn (00:16)
Thank you for having me.
Jackie Morreale (00:18)
Mark is a storyteller, safety advocate, and one half of the creative force behind one of the most beloved children's motorcycle series on the market today. Along with his wife and co-author, Nancy Gerloff, the Atlanta-based couple are the creators of the Mimi and Moto brand, a vibrant family-friendly universe that's been inspiring young riders since 2016.
Together, they've sold more than 24,000 books introducing kids to the joy, freedom, and responsibility of motorcycling. The couple's mission also goes far beyond storytelling. Through Mimi & Moto books and merchandise, school visits, and motorcycle events, the Mimi & Moto brand champions safe motorcycle riding for kids and young people, helping families emerge with the sport in a fun, positive, and safety-first way.
Fun fact about Mark, Mark was a valedictorian of his class at the Business School at UCONN many moons ago.
Mark, welcome to the show. Let's start with some background details, including your full name, your hometown, your current location, what you do, and what is your passion?
Mark Augustyn (01:19)
Thank you. Great to be here.
My name is Mark Augustyn. I was born and raised in Connecticut. I left there when I was 23. A couple years in Los Angeles, a pit stop in Hawaii, then ended up in Atlanta in 1996. The weather is good. The people are nice.
So, we're here in Atlanta doing our thing trying to get more kids excited about motorcycles.
Jackie Morreale (01:45)
How long has this been your passion?
Mark Augustyn (01:46)
Nancy and I got the idea in 2015 to do something for our daughter, really. Like yourself and probably millions of people on planet earth, kids have a really interesting way of inspiring parents to do things that they didn't think they would do.
Having a toddler, we were curious to see if we could find a book for her. We started looking around. Back in 2015, the motorcycle industry has really been working on trying to figure out ways to get more young people interested in the sport.
Between being inspired by the daughter and then wanting to get into the motorcycle world, that's what fueled that whole thing. At the time, we were receiving (and still do to this day) two issues of the American Motorcyclist Magazine from the AMA.
When our daughter could start to walk, we would walk her to the potty. If you can walk, go to the potty. Anybody listening, as an aside, if you have a kid, the minute the kid can walk, they can walk to the potty, start that process off immediately. If you wait, it's just a hassle.
Jackie Morreale (02:42)
Oh man, words of wisdom.
Mark Augustyn (02:43)
When those two magazines would come in, we would throw one into the bathroom. She would sit down, I'd sit down, we'd have meetings. She'd be flipping the pages and said, 'Where are the motorcycles?' She's just pointing out the motorcycles. Probably that was the real first moment of, 'Alright, let's see if we can find a book for her.' At that point in 2015, we got online and looked, there were books there. It's not that there weren't motorcycle books for children.
We just didn't see anything that was really good for toddlers. There was nothing there. We had watched the Netflix series about an Italian couple who are designers and they always said, 'We can't find what we want, we make it.' So we went with that attitude. At the end of 2015, we resolved to try to do a children's motorcycle book. Found an illustrator here in Atlanta named Esteban Alvarado, and got to work.
In 2016, we put that first book together, The Adventures of Mimi and Moto. We sold our first copy on Amazon back on October 4, 2016. On the wall over there, I have a printout of the order form framed. That was big.
Those moments are big. You do a book, you sell your first one, that's huge.
When you get to 100, that's really cool. You get to 1,000, that's pretty cool. You get to 10,000. All right, there's something going on here. You've got to do something. That was really when it started.
Then we started doing events in 2017.
Jackie Morreale (03:51)
Good for you. I love that you have your first order on your wall. That's an amazing accomplishment to create something that lots and lots of people want. It sounds like your daughter, as the muse behind this, had motorcycle riding in her blood.
Mark Augustyn (04:06)
I'm not sure she had motorcycle riding in her blood, but she had me. I've been riding since 2004. I was inspired as a kid, but it didn't happen until I was 34. Yeah, she has kind of no choice in it. She rides with me. I don't push it too hard, she'll come to it in her own time.
It’s a lot of fun getting out there doing something when you can say, ‘My kid is the reason why I'm here.’ And ultimately, I give Nancy all the credit for inspiring that idea to have a kid. And we did. Here we are talking today.
Jackie Morreale (04:33)
You sound like a power couple. I can't wait to meet her one day, too. I grew up riding two-up with my dad on his Harley. It's something that you're around and then you like it. It's cool. That's amazing that you took it to the next level. It is visionary, I think, for the industry to get more kids involved.
Mark Augustyn (04:51)
Yeah, I hope so. We're doing our best.
Jackie Morreale (04:54)
Yep, in a very big way. What is your favorite part of your role, Mark?
Mark Augustyn (04:59)
You can't put a value on the feedback. We've been out doing events for nine years. We have four books. There's enough there that you get feedback. When people come up and tell us that their kids grew up with our books... That's a pretty amazing thing to hear from strangers, right? I think ultimately, motorcyclists, this is a community. As we go forward, I don't ever see events not being something we're doing. I come from the music industry as a band guy and musician. What do you do as a band? You make some music, you go out there, and you play it for people.
You share it, and you keep being creative. Creatively, the Mimi and Moto brand, for me personally, works in the same way. Probably more so, because there are so many different facets to the books and the business and all that stuff. Going back, I'm a motorcyclist because I love riding, but I love motorcyclists. That's my favorite part of it.
I am not necessarily that guy's going to sit there and talk to you about the engines. The motorcycle for me is a vehicle to get the experiences I want and to meet the people I can. It's really the people, and really feeling like we are
trying to serve that community of motorcyclists. I always joke with people at the booth. The better we do, the better everything behind us does.
That's the reality of it; if we can reach the point where there is a real impact for the brand among families and kids, going forward, the bigger we grow, the more significant the impact will be.
Going back to the question, it's being around motorcyclists. It's rolling somewhere. You're around a lot of motorcycle people. There's probably music playing because music is such a big thing in the motorcycle world. I like being around motorcyclists. I like the tribe. I love the tribe, actually. I want the tribe to grow and be healthy.
What we're doing business-wise is incredibly satisfying to be trying to do something to make the whole thing bigger.
Jackie Morreale (06:42)
Agree. Whew, I felt something. That was so inspiring. Yes, motorcyclists are amazing human beings. The tribe is amazing and does so much to give back to the communities in which you ride. I see this as an amazing way to pay it forward to the next generation, and keep the tribe growing. Before we get too deep into the writing and the riding, let's do some quick fire questions to find out what you as an author, as an entrepreneur, as a musician, have as your favorite things. You ready for this?
Mark Augustyn (07:10)
Hope so.
Jackie Morreale (07:11)
Okay. We have dirt bikes, sport bikes, choppers, cruisers, adventure bikes, racing bikes, cafe racers, touring bikes, hill climbing bikes, and many other options. What is your favorite?
Mark Augustyn (07:22)
If I had to pick one, I'd be on an adventure bike.
Jackie Morreale (07:24)
Nice. Favorite children's book? By the way, it can be one of your books.
Mark Augustyn (07:28)
Yeah, ours, clearly ours, without a doubt.
Jackie Morreale (07:30)
If you had to pick one for a newbie to get started. Which one would it be?
Mark Augustyn (07:35)
It's so age-specific. I'm going to say the first one, man. It's like the first album from a band. The first one always has that thing about it. I think the first one is it, in terms of somebody who doesn't know about the brand. The first one's designed for kids who are zero to three, in that sort of pocket. Yeah, without a doubt, the first one, that's an easy answer.
Jackie Morreale (07:52)
The breakthrough book. Love it. Favorite musician or artist? By the way, it can be you.
Mark Augustyn (07:57)
No, I'm not going to say me. The band that got me into music was Led Zeppelin. That's what got me started. A big Randy Rhoads fan as far as guitar playing.
It's so amazing now to have access to everything on your phone. I usually have chill EDM playing when I'm working here. But Led Zeppelin is the first bit. That's what opened the door, and it's never closed since I was 12 years old.
Jackie Morreale (08:17)
Do you have a song that you play or maybe sing to yourself while you ride?
Mark Augustyn (08:21)
No, I don't actually. I'm an earplug guy. I know it would be cool to be listening to music while I'm riding, I've, yeah, know, but I've done cross-country trips. I'm quite content in that helmet, with just myself, to be honest with you. There was some study out of California.
Jackie Morreale (08:27)
Get your motor running, something like that.
Mark Augustyn (08:37)
Years ago, talking about the way the brain is working when riding.
I think it's very similar to when you're meditating as far as how the brain is working.
I don't want to disturb that to be honest.
From a safety thing, if you're paying attention to a song, you're probably not paying as much attention as you might need to be to what's going on around you. So, no, I haven't gone there yet. I'm not saying that I won't.
At the moment, I put those earplugs in and see what's going on around me and try not to die. Yeah. Yeah.
Jackie Morreale (09:04)
Be present, exactly. Try not to die. Well, I love that you took it there that motorcycle riding has the same brain effect or similar brain effects to meditation. That's an amazing concept that I didn't know before a moment ago.
Mark Augustyn (09:17)
It might be a UCLA study. I would have to dig up that information, but I know that it was out there and it's pretty eye-opening.
Goes back to that line, 'You never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.'
There is a healing quality to it. I think all motorcyclists would say the same thing. I don't think there's anybody out there listening to this that doesn't understand that sensation of popping the helmet on, getting on the bike, and just going, right? You don't have to think about anything. You could figure stuff out.
The one thing about what we're doing is it certainly cuts into my own personal riding time. There are certainly no shorter times when I get back from a trip, and I just have to go ride. I just have to go experience what I am seeing all around me constantly.
It's certainly therapeutic in a lot of different ways.
(Continued below)
The Best-Selling Books in the Mimi & Moto Brand:
(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (10:00)
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not riding or writing?
Mark Augustyn (10:04)
I'm an avid golfer. I love music. My favorite thing on planet Earth is cuddling with my daughter.
Jackie Morreale (10:09)
Favorite sport, or sports team? Could be golf.
Mark Augustyn (10:12)
I'm a University of Connecticut graduate. The only team that I pay any attention to is the University of Connecticut basketball team.
I graduated there in '93, and at that point, the school had no national championships.
When I was there, things were starting to happen. There was a player named Chris Smith that stayed in Connecticut, played for UConn, and he was the big first in-state recruit that decided to stay. And that's what launched the program.
It's crazy to sit here and go, wow, the boys have won it six times, and the girls have won it 12.
I'm not sitting around, watching football on Sunday. Well, maybe the Superbowl.
But for sure, I watch UConn Huskies basketball.
Jackie Morreale (10:47)
UConn basketball. Go Huskies! Do you play basketball?
Mark Augustyn (10:49)
No, I didn't. As a kid, I was a baseball player. Then that transitioned into the guitar thing. Most of my teenage years were spent trying to be a good guitar player.
Jackie Morreale (10:59)
So cool. I don't know if this has to do with riding, writing, golf, family, but proudest moment? Or one of many proud moments?
Mark Augustyn (11:08)
Man. Birth of my daughter. That's easy. Deciding to have a daughter. I was 45 when Mia was born. So, I was a little bit older. There's nothing that compares. Nothing.
Jackie Morreale (11:19)
Absolutely, I completely agree. Do you have a favorite quote for life, Mark?
Mark Augustyn (11:23)
We'll show everybody the shirt if they can read it.
Jackie Morreale (11:25)
You could just read off your shirt. That's a pretty cool quote, too. Yes! Motorcycle families. Happier, healthier, cooler. That's for sure.
Mark Augustyn (11:36)
I don't have a favorite quote, but the one that I keep reminding myself, 'Healthy people wish for a lot of things, sick people wish for one thing.' Just to keep things in perspective.
We've been doing this for a while now, and I'm still very impatient with what we're trying to do and where I think it can go. But I have to be grateful for the opportunity to be trying to do what we're doing with the brand.
Every day you can wake up and say that everybody's healthy, you have to be grateful for that. I'm a big fan of stoic thinking, that sort of vibe. There's no shortage of good stoic quotes, and I probably like all of them.
Jackie Morreale (12:09)
I totally agree with you on that. Stoic philosophy is an amazing thing to read up on.
Hidden talent?
Mark Augustyn (12:17)
I'm a darn good cook. I grew up in a restaurant family up in Connecticut. Thank you to my pops for getting me started there pretty young. If it's dead, I can cook it, and I can cook it fast. I don't need recipes. Just give me a refrigerator and a stove, and we can make something happen.
Jackie Morreale (12:33)
Nancy and your daughter are very content with that hidden talent. Very happy.
Mark Augustyn (12:38)
Yeah, think I probably more so probably more so Nancy.
The kid will look at stuff and not be that interested in it. But I'm really grateful, man. My mom's a very good cook. My dad, in the restaurant business. I think most of my knowledge comes from operating in a kitchen type environment.
Jackie Morreale (12:54)
Let's talk about when you started riding. How did you get started? I know you said you started a little late, at 34, with your riding. Where were you in your life?
Mark Augustyn (13:03)
Yeah. I'm a big believer that the vast majority of people who ride motorcycles can trace that inspiration back to something from their childhood, whether it's an experience or memory.
My experience was in elementary school. I had some friends that were riding dirt bikes. There's a picture of me in my room. I think on one side was a Led Zeppelin poster, on the other side was a motocross poster. I wanted to ride so bad. I wanted a minibike. For whatever reason, between my parents, baseball, and life, it just didn't happen.
But the seed was there. I knew in my life it was going to come. I just didn't know when.
Back in 2003, I was reading a bunch of books on grief and trying to get through losing somebody. There was a line in one of the books that said, 'Go do something you've always wanted to do.'
It was instant. I read that line and in the spring of 2004, I went and registered for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which you need to do as well. And I got my license. I've been riding ever since.
I rode for a lot of years angry. I just was trying to process what I was going through, to be honest with you.
That's how I got into riding. That was the process. However, the inspiration always went back to my childhood desire to ride. It just expressed itself at the right time.
Jackie Morreale (14:16)
Does riding bring you peace of mind?
Mark Augustyn (14:18)
I needed to move. There's a great book out there. I would highly recommend Ghost Rider, the book that Neil Peart, the drummer from Rush, wrote. I read it when he was still alive, and I reread it after he had passed. There were so many lines that he wrote down, and my brain just goes, 'I could have written the same sentence.' The last thing I wanted to do at that point was sit and play a guitar.
I needed to move. Motorcycle thing gave me that movement. It allowed me to process what I was going through. I'm super grateful for motorcycles and what they did for me.
Jackie Morreale (14:50)
That's amazing.
Mark Augustyn (14:50)
Yeah, it was a tough time, and it got me through it.
Jackie Morreale (14:53)
It sounds like it gave you a better quality of life and helped you get through some tough stuff. What else is there, right?
Mark Augustyn (14:58)
There's a lot of people out there, I think, that could say the same thing.
Again, to strap that helmet on and to just get in and be with yourself. You're not having a conversation with anybody if you're not listening to anything.
It's so therapeutic, and the same way that it worked for Neil Peart, as he rode for a bunch of years trying to process the grief he was dealing with.
I think in a lot of ways, whether it's grief, stress, a divorce, whatever's not going well in your life, you get on that bike and you go ride, it's just special.
Jackie Morreale (15:24)
You come back different. How great is that? Now you're advocating for younger people to get started with it earlier and really give them a coping mechanism, because we're all going to go through it at some point, whatever it is. To give them a tool to get through it and have that better quality of life at a younger age, and understand that there is an outlet, they can move their body in this way, they can be super present, and have peace of mind.
Mark Augustyn (15:36)
Sure. There are so many people out there today who are working on getting kids onto a screen, onto an app, keeping them inside.
There's this whole industry that's just robbing kids of their time. I think the studies clearly show: More screen time, less happy. Less screen time, more happy.
Now that we're 25 years into the internet age and technology and phones. I do think there is a growing group of people out there and organizations that are really cognizant that we have got to get these kids back outside quickly.
If something doesn't change in the way we handle kids, it'll allow them access to this kind of stuff. Nothing good is going to happen.
I see us as one part of that process of trying to go outside and ride. Get out there. When you're doing this, you can't be doing this.
Jackie Morreale (16:38)
Totally agree. Totally different kind of adventure, right? When you are on a bike, different kind of experience than watching somebody else do something cool.
Mark Augustyn (16:41)
Yeah. You're outside. Motorcycling teaches them risk management, responsibility, community. Friends, the tribe thing. It's such an awesome tribe to be a part of. I'm grateful to be a part of it. Nancy and I certainly appreciate the support from the motorcycle community.
We've been doing this, going into our 10th year, and we feel great about what we've done. I think both Nancy and I feel like an iceberg; there's still so much more possible for the brand going forward.
Coming from the music industry and being a band guy, the analogy that I always use is, by the time you hear about a band, they've been a band for 10 years. Nothing is overnight.
Building a brand, what we're doing. Even though I would love it to be even farther along than it is, I'm certainly aware that this is a process. I love the process. I always tell people, I'm going to do this until I'm dead. It's just a question of how much I can get done before that.
Jackie Morreale (17:34)
It sounds like you're a ‘journey guy.’ It's about the journey, whether you're on the bike or you're building a brand; it's about the journey and enjoying the journey.
Mark Augustyn (17:42)
Without a doubt. As frustrating as some parts of this journey are, I love it. I'm just going to keep pushing.
Jackie Morreale (17:46)
So far so good!
Favorite place to ride, if you had to pick one?
Mark Augustyn (17:49)
The mountains. That's where the curves are.
We're blessed here living in Atlanta.
Within an hour you're up into some beautiful country, whether it's the mountains in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, North Alabama's got some great stuff.
But if I had to choose it, I love traveling. I love packing up the bike, riding for eight, 10 hours a day. Figuring it out and then just getting up and doing the whole thing the next day. That's a lot of fun, too.
(Continued below)
Jackie Morreale (10:00)
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not riding or writing?
Mark Augustyn (10:04)
I'm an avid golfer. I love music. My favorite thing on planet Earth is cuddling with my daughter.
Jackie Morreale (10:09)
Favorite sport, or sports team? Could be golf.
Mark Augustyn (10:12)
I'm a University of Connecticut graduate. The only team that I pay any attention to is the University of Connecticut basketball team.
I graduated there in '93, and at that point, the school had no national championships.
When I was there, things were starting to happen. There was a player named Chris Smith that stayed in Connecticut, played for UConn, and he was the big first in-state recruit that decided to stay. And that's what launched the program.
It's crazy to sit here and go, wow, the boys have won it six times, and the girls have won it 12.
I'm not sitting around, watching football on Sunday. Well, maybe the Superbowl.
But for sure, I watch UConn Huskies basketball.
Jackie Morreale (10:47)
UConn basketball. Go Huskies! Do you play basketball?
Mark Augustyn (10:49)
No, I didn't. As a kid, I was a baseball player. Then that transitioned into the guitar thing. Most of my teenage years were spent trying to be a good guitar player.
Jackie Morreale (10:59)
So cool. I don't know if this has to do with riding, writing, golf, family, but proudest moment? Or one of many proud moments?
Mark Augustyn (11:08)
Man. Birth of my daughter. That's easy. Deciding to have a daughter. I was 45 when Mia was born. So, I was a little bit older. There's nothing that compares. Nothing.
Jackie Morreale (11:19)
Absolutely, I completely agree. Do you have a favorite quote for life, Mark?
Mark Augustyn (11:23)
We'll show everybody the shirt if they can read it.
Jackie Morreale (11:25)
You could just read off your shirt. That's a pretty cool quote, too. Yes! Motorcycle families. Happier, healthier, cooler. That's for sure.
Mark Augustyn (11:36)
I don't have a favorite quote, but the one that I keep reminding myself, 'Healthy people wish for a lot of things, sick people wish for one thing.' Just to keep things in perspective.
We've been doing this for a while now, and I'm still very impatient with what we're trying to do and where I think it can go. But I have to be grateful for the opportunity to be trying to do what we're doing with the brand.
Every day you can wake up and say that everybody's healthy, you have to be grateful for that. I'm a big fan of stoic thinking, that sort of vibe. There's no shortage of good stoic quotes, and I probably like all of them.
Jackie Morreale (12:09)
I totally agree with you on that. Stoic philosophy is an amazing thing to read up on.
Hidden talent?
Mark Augustyn (12:17)
I'm a darn good cook. I grew up in a restaurant family up in Connecticut. Thank you to my pops for getting me started there pretty young. If it's dead, I can cook it, and I can cook it fast. I don't need recipes. Just give me a refrigerator and a stove, and we can make something happen.
Jackie Morreale (12:33)
Nancy and your daughter are very content with that hidden talent. Very happy.
Mark Augustyn (12:38)
Yeah, think I probably more so probably more so Nancy.
The kid will look at stuff and not be that interested in it. But I'm really grateful, man. My mom's a very good cook. My dad, in the restaurant business. I think most of my knowledge comes from operating in a kitchen type environment.
Jackie Morreale (12:54)
Let's talk about when you started riding. How did you get started? I know you said you started a little late, at 34, with your riding. Where were you in your life?
Mark Augustyn (13:03)
Yeah. I'm a big believer that the vast majority of people who ride motorcycles can trace that inspiration back to something from their childhood, whether it's an experience or memory.
My experience was in elementary school. I had some friends that were riding dirt bikes. There's a picture of me in my room. I think on one side was a Led Zeppelin poster, on the other side was a motocross poster. I wanted to ride so bad. I wanted a minibike. For whatever reason, between my parents, baseball, and life, it just didn't happen.
But the seed was there. I knew in my life it was going to come. I just didn't know when.
Back in 2003, I was reading a bunch of books on grief and trying to get through losing somebody. There was a line in one of the books that said, 'Go do something you've always wanted to do.'
It was instant. I read that line and in the spring of 2004, I went and registered for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which you need to do as well. And I got my license. I've been riding ever since.
I rode for a lot of years angry. I just was trying to process what I was going through, to be honest with you.
That's how I got into riding. That was the process. However, the inspiration always went back to my childhood desire to ride. It just expressed itself at the right time.
Jackie Morreale (14:16)
Does riding bring you peace of mind?
Mark Augustyn (14:18)
I needed to move. There's a great book out there. I would highly recommend Ghost Rider, the book that Neil Peart, the drummer from Rush, wrote. I read it when he was still alive, and I reread it after he had passed. There were so many lines that he wrote down, and my brain just goes, 'I could have written the same sentence.' The last thing I wanted to do at that point was sit and play a guitar.
I needed to move. Motorcycle thing gave me that movement. It allowed me to process what I was going through. I'm super grateful for motorcycles and what they did for me.
Jackie Morreale (14:50)
That's amazing.
Mark Augustyn (14:50)
Yeah, it was a tough time, and it got me through it.
Jackie Morreale (14:53)
It sounds like it gave you a better quality of life and helped you get through some tough stuff. What else is there, right?
Mark Augustyn (14:58)
There's a lot of people out there, I think, that could say the same thing.
Again, to strap that helmet on and to just get in and be with yourself. You're not having a conversation with anybody if you're not listening to anything.
It's so therapeutic, and the same way that it worked for Neil Peart, as he rode for a bunch of years trying to process the grief he was dealing with.
I think in a lot of ways, whether it's grief, stress, a divorce, whatever's not going well in your life, you get on that bike and you go ride, it's just special.
Jackie Morreale (15:24)
You come back different. How great is that? Now you're advocating for younger people to get started with it earlier and really give them a coping mechanism, because we're all going to go through it at some point, whatever it is. To give them a tool to get through it and have that better quality of life at a younger age, and understand that there is an outlet, they can move their body in this way, they can be super present, and have peace of mind.
Mark Augustyn (15:36)
Sure. There are so many people out there today who are working on getting kids onto a screen, onto an app, keeping them inside.
There's this whole industry that's just robbing kids of their time. I think the studies clearly show: More screen time, less happy. Less screen time, more happy.
Now that we're 25 years into the internet age and technology and phones. I do think there is a growing group of people out there and organizations that are really cognizant that we have got to get these kids back outside quickly.
If something doesn't change in the way we handle kids, it'll allow them access to this kind of stuff. Nothing good is going to happen.
I see us as one part of that process of trying to go outside and ride. Get out there. When you're doing this, you can't be doing this.
Jackie Morreale (16:38)
Totally agree. Totally different kind of adventure, right? When you are on a bike, different kind of experience than watching somebody else do something cool.
Mark Augustyn (16:41)
Yeah. You're outside. Motorcycling teaches them risk management, responsibility, community. Friends, the tribe thing. It's such an awesome tribe to be a part of. I'm grateful to be a part of it. Nancy and I certainly appreciate the support from the motorcycle community.
We've been doing this, going into our 10th year, and we feel great about what we've done. I think both Nancy and I feel like an iceberg; there's still so much more possible for the brand going forward.
Coming from the music industry and being a band guy, the analogy that I always use is, by the time you hear about a band, they've been a band for 10 years. Nothing is overnight.
Building a brand, what we're doing. Even though I would love it to be even farther along than it is, I'm certainly aware that this is a process. I love the process. I always tell people, I'm going to do this until I'm dead. It's just a question of how much I can get done before that.
Jackie Morreale (17:34)
It sounds like you're a ‘journey guy.’ It's about the journey, whether you're on the bike or you're building a brand; it's about the journey and enjoying the journey.
Mark Augustyn (17:42)
Without a doubt. As frustrating as some parts of this journey are, I love it. I'm just going to keep pushing.
Jackie Morreale (17:46)
So far so good!
Favorite place to ride, if you had to pick one?
Mark Augustyn (17:49)
The mountains. That's where the curves are.
We're blessed here living in Atlanta.
Within an hour you're up into some beautiful country, whether it's the mountains in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, North Alabama's got some great stuff.
But if I had to choose it, I love traveling. I love packing up the bike, riding for eight, 10 hours a day. Figuring it out and then just getting up and doing the whole thing the next day. That's a lot of fun, too.
(Continued below)
Nancy Gerloff and Mark Augustyn's Mimi & Moto Brand Wins the "Gas Tank" Entrepreneurship Competition:
Nancy Gerloff and Mark Augustyn (right) introduce Mimi & Moto to win the Gas Tank motorcycle entrepreneurship competition in 2019.
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Nancy Gerloff and Mark Augustyn (right) with mentor Frank Esposito (center)
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Mimi & Moto for the win at the Gas Tank motorcycle entrepreneurship competition in 2019.
|
(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (18:13)
Let's shift gears into your writing journey. I know that you first published, October 4th, 2016?
Mark Augustyn (18:20)
Yeah, the book first sale.
Jackie Morreale (18:19)
When did you actually start writing? You said your daughter was born a year or so before you published. When did you start the writing process?
Mark Augustyn (18:28)
The writing process for the first book wasn't that long. It's 11 sentences. We certainly labored over every word and every period. That first one, The Adventures of Mimi and Moto, is basically a picture book designed for kids that are younger. The page stock is a little thicker.
I remember being in a dealership in '17 and I had a book in my hand, I'm going to give it to somebody. Somebody goes, 'Oh, you're the author.'
I laughed. I go, 'Yeah, all 11 sentences, me and my wife labored over.'
Jackie Morreale (18:53)
I love that you know it's 11 sentences. I'm certain that you labored over every single word, every single letter, and punctuation mark. To me, the bigger thing is that you had this vision, that there was a niche in the market and an opportunity for kids like your own, who wanted to see more motorcycles in books and liked it from a very young age.
The bigger picture, beyond the 11 sentences, in terms of transitioning to being an author.
Mark Augustyn (19:19)
If the motorcycle industry at that time was not complaining about the lack of kids and young people riding, I don't think we would have done it. From a pure business standpoint, that's the little spot that we're trying to occupy.
Frank Esposito, dear friend, was a mentor of ours back in 2018 and 2019. A line that he fed to us goes, 'The thing I love about Mimi and Moto, you guys aren't trying to get a slice of the pie, you're trying to grow the pie.'
When Mimi and Moto are someplace in a store, we're not cannibalizing anybody else. We're not another helmet manufacturer, apparel manufacturer.
We're a motorcycle rider manufacturer.
If in 10 or 20 years, see a trail of people that can sit there and say, 'Hey, Mimi and Moto had some impact on why I ride today.'
If we can get to the point where we feel great about the fact that we've sold 24,000 books, that's great.
If we can get it to the point where it's a million, if we can really start to scale this thing out, then things start to get a little bit interesting from a business standpoint.
It all comes down to the same thing: getting more kids excited about motorcycles and riding bikes, because that's what bicycles are: The gateway to motorcycles, as our good friend Ryan McFarland told us from Strider.
Unfortunately, the age of the average motorcycle rider in the United States has just been going up and up and up for many years.
It comes down to families and kids. Everything that we do, if it's going to make them smile, entertain them, inspire them, then we're in and we'll try it.
Jackie Morreale (20:44)
I really treasure our experience meeting you at the Motorcycle Expo. I really will always treasure your signatures on our first Mimi Moto book. It's an amazing thing that you've built, and I love that the motorcycle industry has been behind your efforts since the beginning. I'm excited to see where it goes.
Just remember the little people when you do hit that seventh figure for book sales.
Mark Augustyn (21:08)
It really is about the process. If Nancy and I didn't enjoy the process, we wouldn't do it.
I've been self-employed the vast majority of my life. You have to enjoy the process.
I'm putting the time in. I would say this to any wannabe authors out there or book people. The question is, do you like to lift boxes? Because I've lifted a lot of boxes of books over the last nine to ten years.
Jackie Morreale (21:30)
Check.
Mark Augustyn (21:30)
Somebody should have told us that at the very beginning. So, you want to be an author, right? What do you think about lifting boxes? Because it's coming. You're going to probably lift some boxes.
Jackie Morreale (21:36)
Exactly. Start working out now.
Any take-home message that you want your readers to have with the Mimi and Moto books?
Mark Augustyn (21:45)
The first take home message is go to http://www.mimiandmoto.com and if you're a motorcycle family and you don't have any Mimi & Moto stuff in your house, get some Mimi & Moto stuff in your house.
You're at events, trying to talk to people. Inevitably, somebody would say, ‘I don't have kids, or, my kids are too old.’
I go, ‘Do you love motorcycles?’ ‘Well, yes, I do.’ ‘All right, then that's all that matters.’ Then they ended up getting something.
You're a motorcycle rider, get something and give it away. That's what we do. Motorcyclists figure things out.
In any tribe, the old have to nurture the young, right? That has to happen.
If there's not little people around, eventually there's not going to be any people around.
Anything we can do to try to bring down the average age of motorcycle riders here in the United States.
The other part of it, too, is if we can get these books animated and then start to translate these things, as far as us scaling the business, that's where we think this thing could really start to take off. If we could take the brand to other countries across the globe, we could start to have an impact to get more kids excited about motorcycles.
Jackie Morreale (22:44)
I'm looking at the little figure behind you. I guess that's Moto, right? The little boy and girl monkey figures behind you. There are all the books.
That's all the weightlifting we talked about.
I could see one of those sweet Mimi and Moto monkeys on anybody's bike in between rides. It's just plain cute.
Mark Augustyn (23:02)
Yeah, funny little story. Esteban Alvarado, whom we met on Craigslist back in 2015. This guy knew nothing about motorcycles. That whole first book was sending him pictures, having these conversations, and trying to get the sketches where we wanted them.
I am so happy to report that as of December 2025, we still work with Esteban. He's got his first baby, a little girl, coming in the spring. And Esteban is on his second motorcycle. He rides as a result of working with us. That's always pretty cool that that inspired him, too.
Our last book was the collaboration that we did with Ryan McFarland over at Strider for his All Kids Bike program. Every Monday night, Esteban and I were just sitting there and banging away, let's do this, let's do that. Then pass it by Nancy, get her input on it and then keep going forward.
We have a good system in place for getting these things cranked out. I hope we can get another book out next year. We're going to try.
The books are the foundation for the brand. The books alone would not be a sustainable business model; there's the merchandise part, the event side of it. Obviously, that's where we met.
Get this stuff animated, whether we can do that and get it to our YouTube channel, or if we go ahead and configure out a Netflix or Hulu type of situation. Then, translating these books and starting to open up the brand to other markets across the planet.
Jackie Morreale (24:15)
I can't wait for all of that to come to be. It's just a matter of time. We're on the track to all these amazing things happening along with Mimi and Moto: What is your vision for the future of the motorcycle industry?
Mark Augustyn (24:26)
I have to be positive about it. I don't think we would be doing what we're doing if we weren't positive about it.
Listen, the motorcycle industry isn't going anywhere.
I have a little theory on it. I think at least in the United States, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, were tremendously healthy for motorcycles.
Two things happened - On Any Sunday with Malcolm Smith and Easy Rider. Those two films in the late 60s, early 70s, they culturally shifted things.
It became cool to want to get on a bike and ride out into the desert or ride out to California.
I really think those two films, iconic, provided a lot of fuel for the motorcycle industry for many years. I think in my la la land of dreaming about what we can do.
If we could continue to push the Mimi & Moto brand up into popular culture, whatever that means, more books, getting it animated, making a movie one day.
There's no reason with the intellectual property that we're working on that those things can't be possibilities.
Could you imagine a moment where you're able to get online and watch these Mimi and Moto animated cartoons? At the end of each one it says, 'Show's over, go outside and ride.'
Imagine one day there's a movie coming out... 90 minutes worth. There's so many possibilities with what we're doing with the brand and even technologically, obviously all the AI stuff.
I think the vision for what we're trying to do, is that we want to be international.
Kids get motorcycling and two wheels on a really intuitive basis. There's not a lot of selling that you have to do.
Motorcycle riders, many of us, have had the experience where you come to a light. You're just chilling there, and you look over, and there's a car full of kids whose faces are just pushed up against the glass, looking at you.
There just needs to be more of that. You really see it in the motocross and dirt bike side, very family-oriented.
Using the sport and the activity as a teachable opportunity for kids, right? Managing risk, putting on the gear, the community part.
There's nothing bad when kids get into two wheels. We're talking to recently one of the guys. He goes, 'I see you guys more of an adventure lifestyle brand. Because you're trying to get kids outside.' Go outside and ride something.
Jackie Morreale (26:30)
Exactly, go outside.
Mark Augustyn (26:36)
The opportunity we had to do the book with Ryan from Strider is huge.
That's a line that he fed to us that we've been feeding to people, bicycles are the gateway to motorcycles. You have got to get them on two wheels, start with the bicycles, motorcycles can follow. The sooner it starts in a human being's life, the more chances are that they're going to connect with it and want to do it for the rest of their lives.
Jackie Morreale (26:51)
I feel an adrenaline rush just talking about it. There are so many potential opportunities. I love that you said, ‘I don't care how, I just want to get kids outside. I don't care how we're part of this creative process, but we're starting the conversation, and we're pushing the conversation, and let's see where it goes.’
It's making waves.
I would agree with your friend who suggested that you've really created a lifestyle brand. You're changing the way that we raise our kids, taking the screen away and saying, ‘Go outside and ride something.’
Let's do something that has so many health benefits, community benefits, to get kids moving outside to benefit them in their future.
Mark Augustyn (27:26)
Can't agree with you more.
(Continued below)
Jackie Morreale (18:13)
Let's shift gears into your writing journey. I know that you first published, October 4th, 2016?
Mark Augustyn (18:20)
Yeah, the book first sale.
Jackie Morreale (18:19)
When did you actually start writing? You said your daughter was born a year or so before you published. When did you start the writing process?
Mark Augustyn (18:28)
The writing process for the first book wasn't that long. It's 11 sentences. We certainly labored over every word and every period. That first one, The Adventures of Mimi and Moto, is basically a picture book designed for kids that are younger. The page stock is a little thicker.
I remember being in a dealership in '17 and I had a book in my hand, I'm going to give it to somebody. Somebody goes, 'Oh, you're the author.'
I laughed. I go, 'Yeah, all 11 sentences, me and my wife labored over.'
Jackie Morreale (18:53)
I love that you know it's 11 sentences. I'm certain that you labored over every single word, every single letter, and punctuation mark. To me, the bigger thing is that you had this vision, that there was a niche in the market and an opportunity for kids like your own, who wanted to see more motorcycles in books and liked it from a very young age.
The bigger picture, beyond the 11 sentences, in terms of transitioning to being an author.
Mark Augustyn (19:19)
If the motorcycle industry at that time was not complaining about the lack of kids and young people riding, I don't think we would have done it. From a pure business standpoint, that's the little spot that we're trying to occupy.
Frank Esposito, dear friend, was a mentor of ours back in 2018 and 2019. A line that he fed to us goes, 'The thing I love about Mimi and Moto, you guys aren't trying to get a slice of the pie, you're trying to grow the pie.'
When Mimi and Moto are someplace in a store, we're not cannibalizing anybody else. We're not another helmet manufacturer, apparel manufacturer.
We're a motorcycle rider manufacturer.
If in 10 or 20 years, see a trail of people that can sit there and say, 'Hey, Mimi and Moto had some impact on why I ride today.'
If we can get to the point where we feel great about the fact that we've sold 24,000 books, that's great.
If we can get it to the point where it's a million, if we can really start to scale this thing out, then things start to get a little bit interesting from a business standpoint.
It all comes down to the same thing: getting more kids excited about motorcycles and riding bikes, because that's what bicycles are: The gateway to motorcycles, as our good friend Ryan McFarland told us from Strider.
Unfortunately, the age of the average motorcycle rider in the United States has just been going up and up and up for many years.
It comes down to families and kids. Everything that we do, if it's going to make them smile, entertain them, inspire them, then we're in and we'll try it.
Jackie Morreale (20:44)
I really treasure our experience meeting you at the Motorcycle Expo. I really will always treasure your signatures on our first Mimi Moto book. It's an amazing thing that you've built, and I love that the motorcycle industry has been behind your efforts since the beginning. I'm excited to see where it goes.
Just remember the little people when you do hit that seventh figure for book sales.
Mark Augustyn (21:08)
It really is about the process. If Nancy and I didn't enjoy the process, we wouldn't do it.
I've been self-employed the vast majority of my life. You have to enjoy the process.
I'm putting the time in. I would say this to any wannabe authors out there or book people. The question is, do you like to lift boxes? Because I've lifted a lot of boxes of books over the last nine to ten years.
Jackie Morreale (21:30)
Check.
Mark Augustyn (21:30)
Somebody should have told us that at the very beginning. So, you want to be an author, right? What do you think about lifting boxes? Because it's coming. You're going to probably lift some boxes.
Jackie Morreale (21:36)
Exactly. Start working out now.
Any take-home message that you want your readers to have with the Mimi and Moto books?
Mark Augustyn (21:45)
The first take home message is go to http://www.mimiandmoto.com and if you're a motorcycle family and you don't have any Mimi & Moto stuff in your house, get some Mimi & Moto stuff in your house.
You're at events, trying to talk to people. Inevitably, somebody would say, ‘I don't have kids, or, my kids are too old.’
I go, ‘Do you love motorcycles?’ ‘Well, yes, I do.’ ‘All right, then that's all that matters.’ Then they ended up getting something.
You're a motorcycle rider, get something and give it away. That's what we do. Motorcyclists figure things out.
In any tribe, the old have to nurture the young, right? That has to happen.
If there's not little people around, eventually there's not going to be any people around.
Anything we can do to try to bring down the average age of motorcycle riders here in the United States.
The other part of it, too, is if we can get these books animated and then start to translate these things, as far as us scaling the business, that's where we think this thing could really start to take off. If we could take the brand to other countries across the globe, we could start to have an impact to get more kids excited about motorcycles.
Jackie Morreale (22:44)
I'm looking at the little figure behind you. I guess that's Moto, right? The little boy and girl monkey figures behind you. There are all the books.
That's all the weightlifting we talked about.
I could see one of those sweet Mimi and Moto monkeys on anybody's bike in between rides. It's just plain cute.
Mark Augustyn (23:02)
Yeah, funny little story. Esteban Alvarado, whom we met on Craigslist back in 2015. This guy knew nothing about motorcycles. That whole first book was sending him pictures, having these conversations, and trying to get the sketches where we wanted them.
I am so happy to report that as of December 2025, we still work with Esteban. He's got his first baby, a little girl, coming in the spring. And Esteban is on his second motorcycle. He rides as a result of working with us. That's always pretty cool that that inspired him, too.
Our last book was the collaboration that we did with Ryan McFarland over at Strider for his All Kids Bike program. Every Monday night, Esteban and I were just sitting there and banging away, let's do this, let's do that. Then pass it by Nancy, get her input on it and then keep going forward.
We have a good system in place for getting these things cranked out. I hope we can get another book out next year. We're going to try.
The books are the foundation for the brand. The books alone would not be a sustainable business model; there's the merchandise part, the event side of it. Obviously, that's where we met.
Get this stuff animated, whether we can do that and get it to our YouTube channel, or if we go ahead and configure out a Netflix or Hulu type of situation. Then, translating these books and starting to open up the brand to other markets across the planet.
Jackie Morreale (24:15)
I can't wait for all of that to come to be. It's just a matter of time. We're on the track to all these amazing things happening along with Mimi and Moto: What is your vision for the future of the motorcycle industry?
Mark Augustyn (24:26)
I have to be positive about it. I don't think we would be doing what we're doing if we weren't positive about it.
Listen, the motorcycle industry isn't going anywhere.
I have a little theory on it. I think at least in the United States, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, were tremendously healthy for motorcycles.
Two things happened - On Any Sunday with Malcolm Smith and Easy Rider. Those two films in the late 60s, early 70s, they culturally shifted things.
It became cool to want to get on a bike and ride out into the desert or ride out to California.
I really think those two films, iconic, provided a lot of fuel for the motorcycle industry for many years. I think in my la la land of dreaming about what we can do.
If we could continue to push the Mimi & Moto brand up into popular culture, whatever that means, more books, getting it animated, making a movie one day.
There's no reason with the intellectual property that we're working on that those things can't be possibilities.
Could you imagine a moment where you're able to get online and watch these Mimi and Moto animated cartoons? At the end of each one it says, 'Show's over, go outside and ride.'
Imagine one day there's a movie coming out... 90 minutes worth. There's so many possibilities with what we're doing with the brand and even technologically, obviously all the AI stuff.
I think the vision for what we're trying to do, is that we want to be international.
Kids get motorcycling and two wheels on a really intuitive basis. There's not a lot of selling that you have to do.
Motorcycle riders, many of us, have had the experience where you come to a light. You're just chilling there, and you look over, and there's a car full of kids whose faces are just pushed up against the glass, looking at you.
There just needs to be more of that. You really see it in the motocross and dirt bike side, very family-oriented.
Using the sport and the activity as a teachable opportunity for kids, right? Managing risk, putting on the gear, the community part.
There's nothing bad when kids get into two wheels. We're talking to recently one of the guys. He goes, 'I see you guys more of an adventure lifestyle brand. Because you're trying to get kids outside.' Go outside and ride something.
Jackie Morreale (26:30)
Exactly, go outside.
Mark Augustyn (26:36)
The opportunity we had to do the book with Ryan from Strider is huge.
That's a line that he fed to us that we've been feeding to people, bicycles are the gateway to motorcycles. You have got to get them on two wheels, start with the bicycles, motorcycles can follow. The sooner it starts in a human being's life, the more chances are that they're going to connect with it and want to do it for the rest of their lives.
Jackie Morreale (26:51)
I feel an adrenaline rush just talking about it. There are so many potential opportunities. I love that you said, ‘I don't care how, I just want to get kids outside. I don't care how we're part of this creative process, but we're starting the conversation, and we're pushing the conversation, and let's see where it goes.’
It's making waves.
I would agree with your friend who suggested that you've really created a lifestyle brand. You're changing the way that we raise our kids, taking the screen away and saying, ‘Go outside and ride something.’
Let's do something that has so many health benefits, community benefits, to get kids moving outside to benefit them in their future.
Mark Augustyn (27:26)
Can't agree with you more.
(Continued below)
The Adventures of Mimi and Moto Book Read Aloud:
(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (27:26)
Love it. As a new author myself, I wannabe like you, Mark and Nancy, and I can't wait to see where your own journey and adventure takes you. Any advice that you would give to new authors on getting the word out on their books or writing in a bigger way?
Mark Augustyn (27:43)
Number one, it's not overnight, For the last, nine, 10 years, I can't tell you how many things you think, if I can just get, we can just get this going or that going. Love the process. If you're into it, commit yourself. There are no shortcuts to it.
A lot of folks that I've bumped into at the events, they'll tell me they have an idea to do something.
My advice, why don't you just go do it? It’s opening up a Word document and writing the first sentence down, right? Just start.
Number one, start. I don't care how you start, just start.
The next day when you wake up, do something again.
If you do something one day and you don't come back to it for a week or two, then you're not really doing it.
If you want to learn an instrument, it's muscle memory and you need to throw some time into it every day.
Jackie Morreale (28:26)
Who said excellence is whatever we do habitually, or every day, right? [Aristotle] If you start and then don't do it again for a week, it's hard to move forward.
Mark Augustyn (28:33)
Listen, you’d better be passionate about it. It's not something to jump into. Because there are no shortage of people out there that want to write books. No shortage of people motivated by their kids. As I tell my daughter, you can't teach a kid that you can do anything you want.
What you can do is you can increase your odds of doing anything that you want.
What Nancy and I are trying to do is increase our odds.
How big can we get this thing? How impactful can we be?
In order to get things, you're going to need some people around you who are good at things that you're not good at.
That's one thing that we're really focused on: Trying to put some people around us that see the value of what we're doing, but then can also jump with us.
You've got two arms, two legs, and 24 hours a day.
Try to put some people around you who can bring something to bear on what you're trying to do.
Jackie Morreale (29:21)
You guys have built an amazing team, and I can't wait to see what you do next.
Any tips for actually getting young or new riders on the bike?
Mark Augustyn (29:30)
If you talk to Ryan McFarland from Strider, he's going to tell you a whole bunch of statistics about how kids are not riding bicycles as much as they used to.
That's why our partnership with Ryan and all kids bike, as you saw when we were at the motorcycle expo, we have our 10 x 10 Mimi and Moto tent, and then we have the All Kids Bike thing.
To me, it's like peanut butter and jelly.
The conversation that I have with people about Mimi and Moto, then we start talking about all kids bike and trying to get them interested.
In terms of the motorcycle thing: It's going to have to start with bicycles. It's key.
The e-bike thing has been a tremendous help for the industry in terms of its easy for parents. You just charge the battery, and they go. So that helps a lot.
When you watch a World Cup soccer game, those teams walk out in the field, who's with each player? A kid.
You think that's by accident. That's a real specific thing. The reason why they do it is the optics.
When kids are at home, watching that soccer game, they're like, 'How can I be that? How can I be one of those kids?'
Well, those are the best kids who play soccer in that city. Those are the all-stars.
Kids, they soak in a lot.
All you can do is expose them to cool things.
If you're going to come up with a list of cool things on planet Earth, motorcycles are going to be on that list.
I don't care who makes the list, I don't care where, motorcycles are just plain cool.
Jackie Morreale (30:46)
On that list.
Mark Augustyn (30:47)
It shouldn't be hard to market and promote something so cool. There are motorcycle riders, and then there's everybody else who may not ride. But they know they're cool, right?
If you see it in a TV or film, do you know why it's there? Because a bunch of riders in the room said, 'Do you know what would be cool right here? A motorcycle or motorcycles.'
Jackie Morreale (30:50)
So cool, Agree. No matter what kind [of motorcycle], it's cool.
Mark Augustyn (31:07)
It's cool. We try to incorporate that a little bit into our marketing and promotions. We have it on our shirt.
Kids like things that are cool. They like things that are cool.
Jackie Morreale (31:16)
We all do, really. If we break it down.
Mark Augustyn (31:23)
We're just big kids, right?
My world today, as a 56-year-old, is not much different from it was when I was a kid.
I like motorcycles, and I like golf, and I like music. I still like the same things.
Specifically with the motorcycle thing: Everybody knows they're cool.
We just want to be part of the process of promoting that coolness to more young people.
Jackie Morreale (31:42)
I really respect and thank you for what you and Nancy are doing. It's making huge effects in the industry. I know that you've built an incredible team. Any shout outs to anyone who has helped you get where you both are today?
Mark Augustyn (31:55)
First, Frank Esposito up there in Pennsylvania, who was our mentor back in 2018.
We entered something called the Gas Tank competition, which is run by the Motorcycle Industry Council. At the time, it was their Shark Tank equivalent.
Frank Esposito was our mentor for that. We were paired up with him. We went to Columbus, Ohio, in 2019.
We ended up winning the competition that year.
It was so cool because we won it. Four days, and the gas tank presentations were on Thursday, the first day.
By 1-1:30 pm, it was over, and we had won it.
For three or four days, we just walked around there a little lighter.
Jackie Morreale (32:32)
Walking on air, I'd imagine.
Mark Augustyn (32:33)
Yeah, a few inches above the ground. Frank is a dear friend. Frank is the one who told us that whole pie analogy thing, that we're just trying to grow the pie.
Last week got caught up with him a little bit. Super good guy. He has a huge, huge, tremendous history in the motorcycle industry. Very passionate. Frank's been a supporter of ours and I've learned a lot from him through the years.
Jackie Morreale (32:57)
Thank you, Frank Esposito. Thank you for any words of guidance that have brought you guys to where you are today.
Last question, what is next for Mimi and Moto Books? What is next for you, Mark Augustyn?
Mark Augustyn (33:09)
The plan right now is to go back and do an Adventures [book], Volume Two.
We'd love to do another, actually, a good bit of it is written. I think we're going to go with 14 sentences.
Jackie Morreale (33:19)
14. Wow.
Mark Augustyn (33:20)
Listen, there are little things you can do if you're in charge of stuff. For example, that our daughter was born on February 11th. So that first book has 11 spreads. She was born in 2014. So, this next one will have 14 spreads.
One thing I know we can control is our creativity.
I don't need a sponsor for that. I don't need funding for that.
I know the more prolific we can be, better for the brand.
The push is going to be to scale this thing and really try to get it to the point where the brand is just whatever that next level means.
The animation part and then the translation part are certainly it. We're trying to figure out how to get there in the right way.
Jackie Morreale (34:00)
I can't wait to see the new creative stuff you come up with. I just feel that that's a blessing to the motorcycle community. The more that you could put out there, the bigger and better it's going to get.
Mark Augustyn (34:12)
Well, in return, next time we chat, we want to know that you've gone to take that darn course. Go take the course. You're going to have a blast.
Jackie Morreale (34:18)
Thank you.
Mark Augustyn (34:20)
If you go take the course, it doesn't mean you have to even ride beyond that, but you will have fun for two or three days, depending upon how the program is structured. And you will be around some cool people.
It's that tribe thing, man. It's the tribe.
Jackie Morreale (34:31)
Mark, you are so inspiring. I'm so thankful for you and what you're doing, and thank you for sharing your wisdom for wannabes like me.
Mark Augustyn (34:41)
On behalf of Nancy and me, we really do appreciate the opportunity. It's fun to connect with the folks who are paying attention to what you're doing.
Also, look forward to seeing you riding your own motorcycle.
Jackie Morreale (34:52)
Oof, can't wait. Thank you, Mark. I wish you a wonderful day. Take care.
Mark Augustyn (34:56)
You as well. My pleasure.
To learn more about Mark Augustyn and Mimi & Moto, visit: https://mimiandmoto.com/
Jackie Morreale (27:26)
Love it. As a new author myself, I wannabe like you, Mark and Nancy, and I can't wait to see where your own journey and adventure takes you. Any advice that you would give to new authors on getting the word out on their books or writing in a bigger way?
Mark Augustyn (27:43)
Number one, it's not overnight, For the last, nine, 10 years, I can't tell you how many things you think, if I can just get, we can just get this going or that going. Love the process. If you're into it, commit yourself. There are no shortcuts to it.
A lot of folks that I've bumped into at the events, they'll tell me they have an idea to do something.
My advice, why don't you just go do it? It’s opening up a Word document and writing the first sentence down, right? Just start.
Number one, start. I don't care how you start, just start.
The next day when you wake up, do something again.
If you do something one day and you don't come back to it for a week or two, then you're not really doing it.
If you want to learn an instrument, it's muscle memory and you need to throw some time into it every day.
Jackie Morreale (28:26)
Who said excellence is whatever we do habitually, or every day, right? [Aristotle] If you start and then don't do it again for a week, it's hard to move forward.
Mark Augustyn (28:33)
Listen, you’d better be passionate about it. It's not something to jump into. Because there are no shortage of people out there that want to write books. No shortage of people motivated by their kids. As I tell my daughter, you can't teach a kid that you can do anything you want.
What you can do is you can increase your odds of doing anything that you want.
What Nancy and I are trying to do is increase our odds.
How big can we get this thing? How impactful can we be?
In order to get things, you're going to need some people around you who are good at things that you're not good at.
That's one thing that we're really focused on: Trying to put some people around us that see the value of what we're doing, but then can also jump with us.
You've got two arms, two legs, and 24 hours a day.
Try to put some people around you who can bring something to bear on what you're trying to do.
Jackie Morreale (29:21)
You guys have built an amazing team, and I can't wait to see what you do next.
Any tips for actually getting young or new riders on the bike?
Mark Augustyn (29:30)
If you talk to Ryan McFarland from Strider, he's going to tell you a whole bunch of statistics about how kids are not riding bicycles as much as they used to.
That's why our partnership with Ryan and all kids bike, as you saw when we were at the motorcycle expo, we have our 10 x 10 Mimi and Moto tent, and then we have the All Kids Bike thing.
To me, it's like peanut butter and jelly.
The conversation that I have with people about Mimi and Moto, then we start talking about all kids bike and trying to get them interested.
In terms of the motorcycle thing: It's going to have to start with bicycles. It's key.
The e-bike thing has been a tremendous help for the industry in terms of its easy for parents. You just charge the battery, and they go. So that helps a lot.
When you watch a World Cup soccer game, those teams walk out in the field, who's with each player? A kid.
You think that's by accident. That's a real specific thing. The reason why they do it is the optics.
When kids are at home, watching that soccer game, they're like, 'How can I be that? How can I be one of those kids?'
Well, those are the best kids who play soccer in that city. Those are the all-stars.
Kids, they soak in a lot.
All you can do is expose them to cool things.
If you're going to come up with a list of cool things on planet Earth, motorcycles are going to be on that list.
I don't care who makes the list, I don't care where, motorcycles are just plain cool.
Jackie Morreale (30:46)
On that list.
Mark Augustyn (30:47)
It shouldn't be hard to market and promote something so cool. There are motorcycle riders, and then there's everybody else who may not ride. But they know they're cool, right?
If you see it in a TV or film, do you know why it's there? Because a bunch of riders in the room said, 'Do you know what would be cool right here? A motorcycle or motorcycles.'
Jackie Morreale (30:50)
So cool, Agree. No matter what kind [of motorcycle], it's cool.
Mark Augustyn (31:07)
It's cool. We try to incorporate that a little bit into our marketing and promotions. We have it on our shirt.
Kids like things that are cool. They like things that are cool.
Jackie Morreale (31:16)
We all do, really. If we break it down.
Mark Augustyn (31:23)
We're just big kids, right?
My world today, as a 56-year-old, is not much different from it was when I was a kid.
I like motorcycles, and I like golf, and I like music. I still like the same things.
Specifically with the motorcycle thing: Everybody knows they're cool.
We just want to be part of the process of promoting that coolness to more young people.
Jackie Morreale (31:42)
I really respect and thank you for what you and Nancy are doing. It's making huge effects in the industry. I know that you've built an incredible team. Any shout outs to anyone who has helped you get where you both are today?
Mark Augustyn (31:55)
First, Frank Esposito up there in Pennsylvania, who was our mentor back in 2018.
We entered something called the Gas Tank competition, which is run by the Motorcycle Industry Council. At the time, it was their Shark Tank equivalent.
Frank Esposito was our mentor for that. We were paired up with him. We went to Columbus, Ohio, in 2019.
We ended up winning the competition that year.
It was so cool because we won it. Four days, and the gas tank presentations were on Thursday, the first day.
By 1-1:30 pm, it was over, and we had won it.
For three or four days, we just walked around there a little lighter.
Jackie Morreale (32:32)
Walking on air, I'd imagine.
Mark Augustyn (32:33)
Yeah, a few inches above the ground. Frank is a dear friend. Frank is the one who told us that whole pie analogy thing, that we're just trying to grow the pie.
Last week got caught up with him a little bit. Super good guy. He has a huge, huge, tremendous history in the motorcycle industry. Very passionate. Frank's been a supporter of ours and I've learned a lot from him through the years.
Jackie Morreale (32:57)
Thank you, Frank Esposito. Thank you for any words of guidance that have brought you guys to where you are today.
Last question, what is next for Mimi and Moto Books? What is next for you, Mark Augustyn?
Mark Augustyn (33:09)
The plan right now is to go back and do an Adventures [book], Volume Two.
We'd love to do another, actually, a good bit of it is written. I think we're going to go with 14 sentences.
Jackie Morreale (33:19)
14. Wow.
Mark Augustyn (33:20)
Listen, there are little things you can do if you're in charge of stuff. For example, that our daughter was born on February 11th. So that first book has 11 spreads. She was born in 2014. So, this next one will have 14 spreads.
One thing I know we can control is our creativity.
I don't need a sponsor for that. I don't need funding for that.
I know the more prolific we can be, better for the brand.
The push is going to be to scale this thing and really try to get it to the point where the brand is just whatever that next level means.
The animation part and then the translation part are certainly it. We're trying to figure out how to get there in the right way.
Jackie Morreale (34:00)
I can't wait to see the new creative stuff you come up with. I just feel that that's a blessing to the motorcycle community. The more that you could put out there, the bigger and better it's going to get.
Mark Augustyn (34:12)
Well, in return, next time we chat, we want to know that you've gone to take that darn course. Go take the course. You're going to have a blast.
Jackie Morreale (34:18)
Thank you.
Mark Augustyn (34:20)
If you go take the course, it doesn't mean you have to even ride beyond that, but you will have fun for two or three days, depending upon how the program is structured. And you will be around some cool people.
It's that tribe thing, man. It's the tribe.
Jackie Morreale (34:31)
Mark, you are so inspiring. I'm so thankful for you and what you're doing, and thank you for sharing your wisdom for wannabes like me.
Mark Augustyn (34:41)
On behalf of Nancy and me, we really do appreciate the opportunity. It's fun to connect with the folks who are paying attention to what you're doing.
Also, look forward to seeing you riding your own motorcycle.
Jackie Morreale (34:52)
Oof, can't wait. Thank you, Mark. I wish you a wonderful day. Take care.
Mark Augustyn (34:56)
You as well. My pleasure.
To learn more about Mark Augustyn and Mimi & Moto, visit: https://mimiandmoto.com/
Mark Augustyn with Jackie Morreale and family at the Motorcycle Expo in West Palm Beach, FL:
Motorcycle Expo in West Palm Beach, FL | November 2025
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Mark Augustyn with Jackie Morreale and family at the Motorcycle Expo in West Palm Beach, FL.
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Co-author Mark Augustyn signing a book at the Motorcycle Expo.
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Continued reading and watching, recommended by Mark Augustyn:
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. June 1, 2002. By Neil Peart (Author).
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Easy Rider (film).
Rated: R. Format: DVD.
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Mimi and Moto's Magical Meteors: First Gear. February 23, 2023. By Nancy Gerloff (Author), Mark Augustyn (Author).
|
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