For this week's installment of our ongoing interview series, I got to chat with Angeleno artist Ken Garduno. I met Ken through my friend Fred Guerrero, who was kind enough to sit down for his own 8 Q's interview with us a few months back. You can read that here, if you missed it. Anyway,...
One of Imprint’s portfolio company founders, Levi Maestro of Becomb, had been working with a design agency called Potluck. Through this relationship, we became aware that Potluck’s founders, Eric Lai and Ko Nakatsu, had their own penchant for entrepreneurialism and had successfully launched an incredible business via the Kickstarter community, called Hiya. We...
I got to meet Hawaiian-born, New Jersey-based artist Ian Kuali'i while I was in Hawaii for POW WOW 2013 for Imprint earlier this year. I'd just arrived in town for the massive art summit, and was eager to see all the wall murals in progress. Ian overheard me saying as much, mentioned he was just...
Last year, Imprint's founder, Julia Huang came back from a business trip after meeting YOSH and shared some of her Eau de Yosh samples and brand materials with me. When we finally met Yosh Han last fall, I was immediately struck by Yosh’s presence, openness, passion, and determination as she described the journey of her...
Jason Schroder is a talented Los Angeles-based tattoo artist and tattoo machine maker, who operates under the moniker Mr. Incognito. Incognito Tattoo was originally a tattoo shop in Pasadena, which Jason worked at alongside other accomplished artists, but about two years back he opted to move to the lovely Los Feliz neighborhood and set up...
We met Paul Cunningham through Adam Moyer of Knockaround, who had been exploring a brand collaboration with Paul’s company, Leather Head Sports. His company conceives, designs, and handcrafts beautiful LEATHER HEAD™ footballs, basketballs, medicine balls, rugby balls, and LEMON BALL™ baseballs, all made to order. Paul founded his company from an intense passion and career...
Brian Ulaszewski is the Executive Director of a fascinating nonprofit design studio called City Fabrick, located right here in the heart of Long Beach. "City Fabrick redefines the physical environment for people through urban design, planning and policy that enhance the livability of communities and the health of residents in Long Beach." This includes improving...
I have known Nick for the vast majority of my life as we first met when we were just wee little lads in Boy Scouts many, many years ago. He has been heavily involved in long distance running ever since I can remember, but I really had no idea that this was a full-time gig...
We were first introduced to Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn of Studio 1Thousand through our colleague, jeffstaple, who recommended him as a craftsman for our Architecture for Dogs brand. Studio 1Thousand is a LED lighting design firm working to realize complex architectural ideas and bringing abstract ideas to fruition. Our examination of Kenzan’s work revealed an incredible portfolio,...
I worked with Tom Atwood at a Los Angeles-based agency about ten years ago, as he was an exceptional digital strategist. I didn’t realize that he was also an accomplished photographer until I saw some of his stunning work years later. Tom specializes in portraits of people at home. He has shot over 75 luminaries...