Meet Mark Devlin | Editor/ Publisher/ Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Devlin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have been an entrepreneur my whole life. Starting a business is easily. Making it work and making it profitable, that’s harder. To make my business work, i just never gave up, constantly striving to improve my product, and always keep the focus on making a difference and not just a profit.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
free2funLA grew out of a need and a desire I had to spend more time to spend my first child. But living in LA, money is always an issue. And I was out of work for the summer. My son had just finish Pre-K and he want to go to Toys-r-Us to buy a bunch of stuff. I said, NO! He started crying, it was a mess. 🙁

I immediately made the mistake most young parents would do, I promised something that I knew I would never be able to deliver, just to get him to stop crying. I told my son I had created the the greatest summer ever called the “FREE SUMMER OF FUN” . Every day of summer vacation the two of us would do something different, that even Daddy had never done before. But there was on rule… Daddy has to leave his wallet at home. Everything must be free. ( gas and parking was ok )

And I delivered. Parks, museums, fishing, movies, concerts, games and more.

As word got around, parents reached out to me to see if they could join us on our adventure. “Any suggestions on way to do with a teen?” Young people looking for love asked if there was anything for singles. Husbands going through challenging marriages were searching for way to reconnect with their wives. Seniors were looking for something purposeful to do. And the LGBQ+ community was searching for places for love and support.

At the time, I was reading the book “Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie, the owner of Tom’s Shoes. At the end of the book he challenges his readers to “do one thing before you die, that makes a difference in your community”.

I have always been a poor starving artist. But I am also one of the most open minded, well travelled, creative, and happiest people I know. I felt that sharing the free2funLA experience, could be my “ONE THING” that could fill a need and make a difference in my community today.

Making money is great. But knowing that you made another persons life a little better today is priceless.

free2funLA believes that the most important things in life, are friends, family and making moments together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Only in LA can you go from beach, to snow, to desert, to city, to mountains and island in the Pacific.

Day one: THE BEACH- Morning The Santa Monica Pier, Aquarium, Pacific Park. Afternoon in Venice Beach, start for lunch at Placho Tacos. walk the Venice Historic Canals. Walk the boardwalk muscle beach, basketball courts (location for White Man can’t Jump) skate park, walk the boardwalk. Stop by the Green Goddess for a bit of herbal relaxation, the watch the sunset for HIGh, outside on the roof of the Erwin Hotel, Dinner and drink on Abbot Kinney Blvd. The back to the hotel jacuzzi to rest those feet.

Day 2: HOLLYWOOD/ BEVERLY- Selfie of the Hollywood sign at Griffith Park Observatory. Hike to the Bat Cave, The Hollywood Walk of Fame, become a member of the audience at your favorite TV show, take a walk down Rodeo Drive. End the evening a a free comedy show or live music.

Day 3: DOWNTOWN- Take the metro the CA Science Center to see the dinosaurs, Kelp Forrest and the Space Shuttle Endeavor up close, Stop by the Colosseum, CA African American Museum, Museum of Natural History and the Rose Garden. Afternoon start downtown at Grand Market for lunch. Take the Angeles Flight Railway up Bunker Hill to the Graham Sculpture Garden at Halo, The Broad and MOCA Art museums, walk through he architecture and garden at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Enjoy wading in the the fountains at Grand Park. Take the elevator to the top of City Hall ti the observation deck. Enjoy, freshly made ramen in Little Tokyo, visit the JAMM Japanese American National Museum. Enjoy Karaoke and dancing in Chinatown or K-Town

Day 4: The Wild West- Visit the Autry Museum of the SW, learn about local Native American Indian history. Visit the Statue of John Wayne on Wilshire in Beverly Hills. Hop on a vintage locomotive at Travel Town. LA back in the Day at the Santa Monica History Museum.

Day 5: The Mountains- Take a ride on Mulholland Drive. Hike to a local waterfall. Try “Trails LA County” App for a wild west trek adventure. Go swimming in a water hole at Malibu Park.

Day 6: Latino in LA- Visit Olivera Street for a taste of Mexico, Latin Sounds Saturdays at LACMA, MOLAA Museum of Latin America Art.

Day 7: Malibu- Sunday’s Cars and Coffee at Malibu Bluff. Fish for free at Malibu Pier (no license required.) Bikers, bikers and more bikers at Neptune’s Net and the Rock Store, drive Mulholland Drive, cruise Hwy 1, watch the sunset at LA’s most beautiful beach El Matador State Beach.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Recently, my journey allowed me experience a series of unfortunate events which led me to realize how important are family and friends.

I was introduced to the book “Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie, the owner of Tom’s Shoes.

At the end of the book he challenges the reader to “ Do one thing, before you Die, that makes a difference in your community.”

free2funLA is my one thing!

free2funLA believes that the MOST important things in life are family, friends and making moments together..

The website features over 15,000 events per year, to help you enjoy time with the people in your life that meant the most. Best of all?!? It’s all FREE!

Website: https://www.free2funla.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/free2funla/

Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/free2funLA

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@free2funla830