My First Boston Made Adventure – Providence, RI

Before Boston Made had a name, a logo, or even a future, there was just a kid chasing a dream and following curiosity wherever it led. That curiosity brought me to Providence, Rhode Island—the first place I ever went with a purpose bigger than myself. Before the brands, before the team, before the self-service dog washes and the storefronts… there was Providence.

It was during President Obama’s time in office, and he happened to be visiting New England around then. The energy in the air was electric. I didn’t have a press pass or a formal invitation, but I did have a knack for finding doors that weren’t locked. That’s how I ended up slipping into the lobby of the Omni Hotel, where the President was staying. I remember standing there, trying to act like I belonged, while Secret Service agents in suits and earpieces tracked every movement in the room.

Every second felt like a scene out of a political thriller—people buzzing, elevators guarded, eyes everywhere. But somehow, I was there. In the middle of it all. It wasn’t about getting close to the President (although that would’ve been wild), it was about the feeling—being at the center of something important, something real. I was wide-eyed, taking it all in, learning without even realizing I was learning.

I eventually walked out the front doors like I was supposed to be there, and boom—right into a sea of cameras and reporters waiting for a glimpse of the President. I kept my cool, nodded like a pro, and disappeared into the Providence streets like I’d just left a meeting with the Commander-in-Chief.

That day was more than just a story—it was my first Boston Made moment, even if I didn’t know what that meant yet. The only Boston experience I had before that was Fenway Park, but Providence gave me something different. It gave me awareness. It gave me clarity. It gave me my first taste of the real world. Providence was where I learned how to read a room, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to follow my instincts.

But more than anything, Providence gave me peace. It became my safe harbor—a place where I could take a breath, sort through my thoughts, and keep moving forward. That city gave me everything I didn’t know I needed at the time. And if I ever wanted to relive that moment—the energy, the risk, the hope—I’d go back to Providence in a heartbeat.

And when I left, I didn’t just leave with a memory—I left a piece of me behind.

My heart.

– Nate

Founder, Boston Made