Sometimes the most rewarding hobbies aren’t about crafting with your hands, they’re about crafting opportunities for others to shine. Austin Holmes discovered this when he turned his passion for helping underdog entrepreneurs into Signal Raptor, a platform that launched July 4, 2025, proving that following your heart can lead to incredible adventures.
If you’ve ever dreamed of turning a hobby you love into something that makes a real difference, Austin’s journey offers inspiration and practical steps you can follow too.
Finding Your True Passion Beyond the Obvious
Austin’s story begins in an unexpected place for a PR innovator: Navy Special Operations. But here’s the beautiful thing about hobbies and passions, they often surprise us by showing up in the most unlikely moments.
While serving his country, Austin developed a deep love for problem-solving and helping teams succeed. After his military service, he discovered something magical: he genuinely enjoyed helping small business owners tell their stories and connect with the people who needed to hear them.
“PR shouldn’t be reserved for the brands with the biggest budgets,” Austin realized. “We created Signal Raptor to give underdog founders the structure, clarity, and tools to earn the attention they deserve, no retainer required.”
That moment when you realize your hobby could help others? That’s pure gold, and Austin grabbed it with both hands.
Turning Passion Into Purpose: The Creative Process
Just like any DIY project, Austin started with a vision and worked backwards to figure out how to make it happen. His “craft supplies” were a bit different from yarn or clay, he used research, technology, and a whole lot of heart.
Austin discovered that 65% of journalists ignore most cold pitches, according to Muck Rack’s 2024 State of PR. Instead of seeing this as a roadblock, he saw it as a creative challenge. How could he help small businesses break through that noise?
His solution was beautifully simple: create a platform that combines professional expertise with community support, all at a price point that doesn’t break the bank. Signal Raptor subscriptions start at $750 monthly and include everything from weekly media pitching to group strategy calls.
The Joy of Building Something From Scratch
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands and heart. Austin experienced this same joy as he built Signal Raptor from the ground up, testing and refining until everything worked perfectly.
During the beta testing phase (think of it as the “rough draft” stage of any creative project), Austin’s clients started landing coverage in major outlets like Buzzfeed, BEVNET, Atlanta News First, and Inside Edition. Imagine the excitement of seeing your creation actually work!
Jesse from Abundance Codes shared the kind of feedback every creator dreams of: “This is by far the best PR company I’ve ever experienced. The whole team is overdelivering more than I’ve ever seen.”
Creating Community Through Shared Passion
One of the most wonderful aspects of any hobby is the community you find along the way. Austin understood this deeply and built community right into Signal Raptor’s foundation.
The platform includes group strategy calls where entrepreneurs support each other, share ideas, and celebrate wins together. DPAK, one of Austin’s clients, captures this beautifully: “With Raptor, I got a community and got to know other people who are now my friends. It feels like we are moving along as a team, and that is a unique feeling.”
Doesn’t that sound exactly like the crafting circles and hobby groups that bring so much joy to our lives?
The Creative Toolkit: What Austin Offers Fellow Dreamers
Just like any good craft tutorial, let’s break down what Signal Raptor actually provides. Think of these as the essential tools in Austin’s “helping others succeed” toolkit:
Monthly Creative Sessions:
- Weekly pitching to media contacts (like reaching out to magazines to feature your work)
- Custom article creation and press releases
- Training calls where everyone learns together
- Access to media contact lists
- Support with podcast bookings and blog content
Community Workspace:
- Group strategy calls for collaboration and encouragement
- Networking opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs
- Shared learning experiences that make everyone stronger
Lessons for Turning Your Passion Into Something Amazing
Austin’s journey offers several heartwarming lessons for anyone thinking about transforming their hobby into something bigger:
Start With What You Love Austin genuinely loves helping people succeed. That authentic passion shows up in everything Signal Raptor does and creates the foundation for real, lasting impact.
Test Your Ideas in Small Ways First Before launching publicly, Austin ran beta testing to make sure everything worked smoothly. This is like making a practice version of your craft project before creating the final piece.
Build Community, Not Just Business The most successful hobby-based businesses create spaces where people connect and support each other. Austin made community a central feature, not an afterthought.
Stay True to Your Values Austin could have built just another expensive PR agency, but he stayed committed to helping the underdogs. That authenticity resonates with clients and creates genuine loyalty.
The Creative Process in Action
Austin’s approach mirrors the same creative process we use in our favorite hobbies:
Inspiration: Seeing small businesses struggle to get media attention Planning: Researching industry problems and designing solutions Creating: Building the platform and testing with real clients Refining: Adjusting based on feedback and results Sharing: Launching publicly and inviting others to join the journey
Making Your Hobby Dreams Reality
If Austin’s story inspires you to think bigger about your own passions, here are some gentle first steps:
Identify Your Core Joy What aspect of your hobby brings you the most satisfaction? For Austin, it was the problem-solving and team-building elements of his military experience.
Look for Ways to Help Others How could your skills or interests make someone else’s life better? Austin saw entrepreneurs struggling and found a way to help.
Start Small and Test You don’t need to launch a full business immediately. Try helping a few people first and see how it feels.
Connect With Your People Find others who share your passion or could benefit from your skills. Community makes everything more fun and sustainable.
The Ripple Effect of Following Your Heart
Austin’s story shows how one person following their passion can create ripples of positive change. His clients aren’t just getting media coverage, they’re building confidence, making connections, and sharing their own important messages with the world.
Signal Raptor serves “bold, purpose-driven brands” including startups, coaches, creators, and entrepreneurs. These are people with big dreams and important messages, just like many of us in the crafting and hobby community.
Celebrating Small Wins Along the Way
One of the most delightful aspects of any hobby is celebrating progress, no matter how small. Austin built this same spirit into Signal Raptor by recognizing that every media placement, every new connection, and every confidence boost matters.
“From day one, we set out to eliminate the guesswork and gatekeeping that make PR so frustrating for small teams,” Austin explains. “Signal Raptor is here to level the field.”
That’s the heart of someone who truly loves what they do, wanting to make the path easier for others following behind.
Your Own Creative Adventure Awaits
Austin’s journey from Navy Special Operations to PR innovation reminds us that our next great adventure might be hiding in an unexpected place. Maybe your love for organizing could help busy families create systems that work. Perhaps your knitting skills could become therapeutic workshops for stressed professionals.
The platform launches fully at www.signalraptor.com, but more importantly, Austin’s story launches a question for all of us: What passion project are you meant to bring into the world?
The Beautiful Truth About Purpose-Driven Hobbies
Austin discovered something many successful hobby entrepreneurs learn: when you combine genuine passion with a desire to help others, magic happens. You’re not just building a business, you’re creating something that feeds your soul while making the world a little brighter.
His military discipline provided the framework, but his heart provided the direction. That combination of structure and passion creates sustainable success that feels good every single day.
Ready to Craft Your Own Success Story?
Whether your passion involves actual crafting supplies or, like Austin, involves crafting opportunities for others, the principles remain the same. Start with authentic love for what you do, focus on helping others, build genuine community, and trust that your unique combination of skills and heart can make a difference.
Austin proves that sometimes the most beautiful creations aren’t things you can hold in your hands, they’re the connections, opportunities, and communities you help bring to life. What beautiful thing are you ready to create?
