By Antonia Rainey | WeINSPIRE Journalist

AUSTIN, Texas— The impact a person leaves in this life can cause a big difference in another life, no matter how small. Shane Tomlinson, with his ecstatic and go-getter personality, was one of these people. Tomlinson’s memory inspired Travis Peterson to create the Forty9 — A Lifestyle Brand to build a community using the same drive Tomlinson encouraged within him. 

While the idea of Peterson came to him in summer 2020 after his job at the Marriott went through a furlough due to the effects of COVID-19, Tomlinson was the one who planted the seeds for him to create his brand. The two were college buddies, and Peterson was immediately drawn to Tomlinson from his boisterous, loud laugh to the determination he threw into every one of his passions.

“Anytime you walked into the room, he was the light,” Peterson recounted fondly. “He was the voice. He was the laughter. He was the comedic relief. He was the shade. He was all of it, and he just had this way about himself that he ignited any space he was in, and I had the fortune of being one of his close friends.”

Moreover, Peterson admired how Tomlinson was deeply passionate about putting play into action; whatever Tomlinson had in mind, he went out and did it. Tomlinson, for instance, wanted to become a singer, so he quit his job to create Frequency—a cover band which grew popular in South Florida. Unfortunately, Peterson’s time with his best friend would come to an end with the events of the Pulse nightclub shooting. On June 12, 2016, at 2 a.m., a gunman fired in Orlando, Florida’s well-known, popular gay nightclub, Pulse. Around fifty people were injured during the shooting and 49 others, including Tomlinson, sadly lost their lives. 

The death of Tomlinson deeply affected those close to him, with Peterson included. However, before Tomlinson’s died, he had left Peterson with some encouragement of stepping out and going after his dreams—something which Peterson reflected on weeks later.

“He challenged me to take my corporate mask off and show the world the real me, and I didn’t really appreciate it at that moment. But then, a couple of weeks in his passing, it kinda hit me… he was telling me to step out on faith and take a chance,” Peterson said.

Tomlinson’s words stuck with Peterson. Taking a chance, Peterson launched his brand in honor of Tomlinson and the 49 lives lost at Pulse. 

The Creation of The Boards

According to the March 2020 Employment Situation News Release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate during that time rose from 0.9 percentage points to 4.4 percent, making it the largest monthly increase since January 1975. Increase in the unemployment rate, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics explained the results came from efforts to contain COVID-19, such as business closures. Further reporting revealed that the total nonfarm payroll employment number fell by 701,000, with two-thirds from leisure and hospitality.

Unfortunately, being employed in the hospitality industry during the time, Peterson’s employment at the Marriott was hit with furlough in 2020, thus putting Peterson on furlough too. With more time on his hands, Peterson looked to how he could sustain himself. Food has always been an element in building a community, from his background in the hospitality industry, participating in family gatherings, to hosting dinner parties with him and his friends. 

Therefore, implementing food would be an excellent centerpiece in building up such a community and thus, The Boards were born. According to the Forty9 lifestyle brand website, the Boards— the cultivation of various delicious food items all arranged and served up on boards— is meant to be a creative visual representation of comforting and connecting others, empowering others to go after their dreams.

Additionally, the creation of the Boards and the whole brand, consequently, for Peterson, was less about being self-centered and more about building an environment that highlights other small businesses in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, especially Black-owned and LGBTQ+ businesses. According to a February 2020 report from The Brooking Institute, even though Black people make close to 13% of the U.S. population, only around 4% of businesses out of around 96% are Black-owned. Conversely, around 1.4 million of businesses are LGBTQ+ owned, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, small businesses tend to hire those in the community, creating new jobs and generating wealth for others.

“I want my business to be about uplifting other, specifically Black and LGBTQ+ businesses. For me, we cannot continue to have these carbs in a barrel mentality, and that’s one of the visions of the Forty9 lifestyle brand,” Peterson said.

Supporting businesses, especially businesses from marginalized communities, is essential to Peterson as it not only builds camaraderie but showcases how businesses can work together. As such, Peterson partners and highlights other businesses—both food and non-food centric— in the community, such as using cookies from Char’s Cookie Jar in one of his food boards. Peterson is currently creating another part of the Forty9 Lifestyle Brand called the Curator’s Nest, which will pull other businesses in the area, allowing them to share advice and resources.

Ultimately, cultivating a community serves as a remembrance to Tomlinson, who impacted so many that he created an inter webbing community of people all connected through him.

“He’s still living on us through his spirit of being able to connect the community; therefore, the brand has no other option but to create a space of community and growth from that perspective,” Peterson said.

Writings Worth Sharing

The influence of Tomlinson also led Peterson to share his struggles going through furlough and financial hardships. April 3rd, 2020, was when Peterson’s employment at the Marriott went through a furlough. 

Devastated, Peterson was already experiencing some financial troubles from 2019: he owed the IRS tax money due to the incorrect filings caused by his account years prior, had to move out of his apartment due to not being able to afford rent, and got his car totaled soon after. However, being on furlough gave Peterson time to reflect, and he wanted to share his experiences of his 2019 financial difficulties via a blog post. Initially, he was scared as it would change the button-up image he presented to the world, but after praying to God one day, he realized the importance of sharing his story.

“In that moment, I knew that my story of what I was going through, what some of the things I had overcome, were not only meant for me. They were truly meant for other people, even if it was just one other person,” Peterson said.

The launching of his blog, ‘Furloughed back to Reality by Travis’ in 2020 allowed Peterson’s authentic self to shine through, which in turn resonated with many of his supporters, family, and friends. Now knowing the effect his voice has on others, Peterson is currently working on his book, ‘Why Did I Get Married,’ which details experiences from his adult love life as a Black gay man in the South. Like his blog posts, Peterson hopes to relate with others about marriage, energy, and identity.

The Future of Peterson and His Brand

Currently, Peterson is expanding his brand by hiring more staff, adding a spice collection, and incorporating different cultural and holiday themes to the Boards. Peterson hopes people will see how believing in one’s passions can lead to something beneficial with his story. 

In June this year, during the 5th anniversary of the Pulse shooting in Orlando, Tomlinson’s parents hosted a gathering in honor of their son’s memory. Recounting how Tomlinson’s parents connected with the LGBT+ community that weekend with so much love and compassion choked Peterson up. Tomlinson was able, both in his life and after his death, to build deep, interpersonal relationships with others, something Peterson wants to continue doing.

Photo Credit to C.A. Bridges from USA Today Network

“That was Shane’s legacy. And that’s the everlasting legacy that I think that I would love to be able to have. To be able to connect people in the world the way that he did in his passing,” Peterson emphasized. “Not when he was living, but in his passing, and that’s how his memory and his life will forever be remembered for.”

For more information about Travis Peterson and Forty9 — A Lifestyle Brand, visit his website at 49lifestyle.com or Instagram @theboards49.