7 minute read
Kris Krug, Future Proof Creatives | PORTFOLIO.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine | Volume 2 | Issue 4 | 2024
Kris Krug is a boundary-pushing Creative Explorer, an intuitive Tech Whisperer, and a tenacious Culture Hacker In the fabric of the digital era, where technology often overshadows humanity, Kris has taken it upon himself to chart a different course.
He is on a relentless mission to humanize technology, to infuse it with empathy, ethics, and emotion.
Kris is not just tinkering with gadgets and algorithms; he is reprogramming the very core of our interactions with the digital world to resonate with the heartbeat of human experience.
Kris is also in the ring, gloves on, ready to battle the creeping villain of apathy that threatens to numb our society. He challenges indifference with passion, confronts disconnection with engagement, and replaces the passive consumption of media with active creation
Kris stands firm in the belief that art should not be a rarefied luxury but a common language for all. By democratizing art, he aims to unlock universal creative potential
Art is a right, not a privilege, and Kris strives to make it accessible to everyone, everywhere - breaking down the walls that confine creativity to the few.
In parallel, Kris is a champion of communities, believing in the colossal power of collective action. Empowering communities is not just about giving a voice to the voiceless; it is about amplifying that voice until it echoes across the globe. It is about lighting a fire in every individual to contribute, connect, and collaborate.
Additionally, there is sustainability - the drumbeat to which Kris syncs his work and life. Championing sustainability for him means more than just advocating for green policies; it is about instilling a mindset of longevity and respect for the resources we share. From digital to carbon footprints, Kris is dedicated to a vision of the future where technology and ecology dance in harmony, not discord.
These core tenets drive Kris in every keystroke, lens snap, and conversation. As Kris Krug, his identity is wrapped in the relentless pursuit of these ideals, forging a path for others to follow into a future where technology, creativity, and humanity converge in a symphony of progress.
IN HIS WORDS
"I have been up to entrepreneurial things since a very young age. I used to be really into the school fundraisers they would do, or they would give you a little catalogue, and you would go door-to-door selling things I would always win the bestseller in the whole school, no matter my grade. Also, around that time, we were talking five, six, or seven, and I started a business of knocking down wasp nests in the eaves of houses in my neighbourhood.
"I would go around with a three-foot-long, one-inch piece of doweling and these long rubber bands my dad used for a Sunday newspaper delivery I rigged up a little cannon and would shoot them down, even the two-story and three-story ones, no matter how big they were.
"I would put them in my red wagon and had a little sign with all the different sizes of wasp nests and their prices. I would knock them down, go up to the front door, show them all the nests and my price chart, and then tell them how much they owed me.
"I also sold golf balls back to golfers over the fence of my backyard. They would always hit them in my yard, so I collected them. Later, I did not have enough golf balls to keep up with demand, so I wandered around the courses at night, swimming in the ponds to grab balls.
"My dad, who really is the reason I am good at entrepreneurship, instilled it in me in so many ways from an early age. Once the customer was there, he showed me I could be selling Cokes and candy bars, and why not sell used golf balls with a higher margin on new ones?
"I had a paper route too, with special bonuses when they had triple pay for new starts I would go around, get everyone in the neighbourhood signed up, and make a killing.
"I bought my first car early with money saved up from paper routes and other ventures I have always been passionate about new businesses, entrepreneurship, creativity, and technology.
"My father got me to have my own bank account when I was about five years old. I think I had $62 saved up from birthday cards, odd jobs, and shooting down wasp nests. He always made me pay for half my summer, church, and sports camps. He would sign me up, but I had to pay for half. It took a big part of the summer when I was younger, but he always encouraged me to do it.
"My dad skillfully navigated a bureaucratic career working for both the US government and the state of California. He always had interesting side hustles, from flipping companion tickets and free passes on the airlines to reselling used cars and beta-testing early technologies
"I think he instilled in me what he really wanted to be doing. I am really good at math and creative when it comes to making business work. I am interested in understanding customers and maintaining relationships over time.
"In university, I co-founded Bright with Boris Mann and Roland Tenglau, which was acquired by Rain City Studios in 2007, and I became president for a few years. We were onboarding people into the web 2.0 and social media world with a community hosting platform based on Drupal.
"I have many mentors and supporters In the Vancouver AI community, Dr. Patrick Pennefather from the Emerging Media Lab, professors Steve DePaola and Felipe Pasque from the SFU AI program, Dr. Kate Armstrong from Emily Carr's Living Labs, Northeastern University's Marana Papa, and Dennis Chouinard have all been supportive and instrumental to my success.
"My collaborator, Matt Astifan of Internet Masterminds, has been very generous. We have an international AI backer in the form of AugX Labs and their project, Augie.
"Over the years, I spent a lot of time on the road I worked for National Geographic, Rolling Stone Magazine, and other top publications and festivals.
"My camera was a golden ticket into every backstage door. The pandemic hit, and I hunkered down at my place on Galliano, pretending to be a farmer. AI grabbed my imagination and pulled me back into the world. I moved back to Vancouver and started Future Proof Creatives with training, workshops, and meetups
"I got accepted into the Google Media Accelerator and spent ten weeks developing a business plan for Motley Crue Media and Future Proof Creatives. "We also have an idea for the Fatal Festival, an avant-garde exploration of the future of art, technology, and alternative living.
Future Proof Creatives has grown leaps and bounds, holding sold-out workshops and our get-togethers at my studio in Olympic Village grew from 80 to almost 150 people.
"I have gone through a transformation from rockstar photographer to rockstar CEO. I feel more responsible, productive, creative, and powerful than ever, amplifying my strengths and shoring up weaknesses with cool tools and assistants. The creative technology community is bouncing back from the pandemic, with new projects and companies starting up.
"I am watching a bloodbath as AI comes for creative industries. Writers, designers, photographers, filmmakers, creative coders, and marketing strategists are all feeling the pressure.
"I am building a lifeboat with Future Proof Creatives, and sell training, workshops, keynote speaking, and guest appearances at festivals and events.
"We need continued support from our community and partners to expand our workshops, meetups, and projects. We are applying for grants to build out our organizational structure and taking a slow road to grow sustainably.
"By the end of 2025, I see Future Proof Creatives as a leading community for integrating AI and emerging technologies in creative industries. Five years from now, we will have expanded our reach globally, hosting major events and festivals and fostering a network of creative leaders."
KRIS KRUG, FUTURE PROOF CREATIVES
@KRISKRUG
