Swenson Mag Vol.02 - English by Kevin Le Goff

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Team

Creative Director Kevin Le Goff Editor in chief Elisa Routa Content Director Charles Fourault

Graphic Design

Jérémie Barlog - BureauW / Maison 172

Contact

Contact principal / contact@swenson-mag.com Propositions / content@swenson-mag.com Publicité / advertising@swenson-mag.com Presse & Partenariats / partners@swenson-mag.com

Sites Web

Swenson Global / www.swenson.global Swenson Magazine / www.magazine.swenson.global

Distribution

Would your shop like to carry Swenson? stockist@swenson-mag.com

Writers

About Swenson

Elisa Routa, Hélène Heath, Darius Foroux, Kim Maroon & Adam Schwartz

Photographers

Morgan Maassen, Maria Midoes, Toni Skotcher, Julien Roubinet, Shinpei Hanawa, Marshall Birnbaum, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, George Evan Andreadis, Paul Bundy, Elisa Routa, Marie Bouhiron, Alex Strohl, Mathieu Lelay, Natasha Roche, Mathieu Lodin, To Mane, Lucia Griggi, Jorge Leal, Bo Bridges, Pedro Miranda, Christian Fischer, Lilo Krebernik, Kim Maroon & Thomas Lodin

Featured

Chad DiNenna, Morgan Maassen, Michael Wystrach, Jeff Rosenthal, Jess Berne, Molly Benn, Alex Strohl, Patrick Dempsey, Garrett McNamara, Benjamin Jeanjean, Kim Maroon & Hélène Chabeaud

Translator

Lindsay King Elisa Routa & Charles Fourault

Special Thanks to

Swenson is an outdoor entrepreneurial community for innovators, creators, and thought leaders who believe that business and passion are tools that should be used to have a positive impact on the world. Founded in 2015 by a group of friends, Swenson swiftly evolved into a company with its very own global community Cover photograph Morgan Maassen Dane Peterson, dancing during the Noosa Longboard Festival in Queensland, Australia. Photo p 3 by Kim Maroon Photo p 8-9 Brandon Smith, chasing barrels in southern California by Morgan Maassen

Advertising

Société Kamate Régie 6 ter, rue Rouget de Lisle 92400 Courbevoie

Disclaimer

Jérémy Barlog, Kamal Jihadi, Angélique Couéraud, Franck Corbery, Marisa Lee, Mélanie Agazonne, Panagiota Drepianiotis, Patrick Long, Sebastian Borowski, Katja Reuther, Ninie Lewis, Lowell Hussey, Nicole McNamara, Greg Puget, Vassili Verrecchia, Elie Denfert-Rochereau, Hélène Chabeaud and all the people who believe in Swenson

The views expressed in Swenson Magazine are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by Swenson and its staff. Swenson Magazine has been careful to contact all copyrights holders of the images used. If you claim ownership of any of the images presented here and have not been properly identified, please contact Swenson and we will be happy to make a formal acknowledgment in a future issue. Printed in France by Courtier Imprimerie.

n° ISSN —> 2497-7063

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Vol. 02 Edito.

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Whatever bastard said one day, “Stay calm, the first edition is always the most difficult to produce”? Jackass. Do I look calm? Note to self...Synonyms for naïveté: Stupidity, like an idiot, like a dummy, like a dunce.

Dear Second Edition, stupidly, I thought that the hardest part was over, that our genius was universally recognized two or three times the world over, stunning half of the globe’s editors, surprising the legendary Jefferson Hack, even going so far as to inspire Penny Martin, the editor-in-chief of The Gentlewoman, and her team. I had convinced myself that we had already become a reference in the uppity little world of independent publishers and that success was waiting to beat down our door with a box of doughnuts on sugar overload as some form of prize. Yep, all of the above up until the second edition (you) rolled around and we were alone with our reflection in the dark screen of our sleeping computer. That is everything running through my mind last night. Yesterday’s joy and outpourings, an intense veil over my eyes, a thick film of whiplash from my skull and the urge to disconnect. So much love goes into a first edition, so much energy, passion and intensity, that we are always a bit empty at its end. It’s like preparing for a trip around the world for months on end, only to go off for a short weekend. The calm between editions is like the unexpected stupor of baby blues, except there are no diapers, just the same ridiculous smile. And let’s be honest my dear second edition, I heard about your reputation. I must say that before I met you, I didn’t like you that much. Your self-importance, your unwarranted pride, your endless insolence, your lack of ambition and the absence of just a little touch of madness have made you the reject of the editorial world. You are, for the most part, more disappointing than a politician and more deceitful than adhesive silicone padding. However, just like a second date, you are decisive and have the power to send people running or convince them to stick around. But it’s hard to set the bar high two times in a row... so with the confidence of a mosquito smashed against a windshield, we set out to conquer you. We were sure of only one thing, which was our ability to find strength in our passions, to set off in the conquest of the people that fascinate us, without

reserve and with the verve of a group of intrepid kids. Fully aware of our challenges, we made challenges the main theme of our second edition. From unusual backgrounds to success stories, we wanted to give a voice to a handful of passionate innovators, who shared an army’s worth of challenges to tackle and risks to take. In the image of Chad DiNenna, the founder of an empire by the name of Nixon, fate sometimes has a way of writing destiny early on, and often with the ink of fascination. Others, like Colin Tunstall with Saturdays, break codes. Others still, like Morgan Maassen, make codes their own. Some use the tools they have at hand to reinvent their talent. In the case of Alex Strohl, his tool is photography. As for Benjamin Jeanjean, he has used his art to give birth to a social entrepreneurial project meant to change the way people look at refugees. CEOs such as Michael Wystrach use their personal experience to create projects with big impact such as Freshly. Like a tight rope strung between two mountains, some talk about the sensation of vertigo, the need for balance and connection with the environment around them, like the communities gathered around the Swenson House or the Summit project founded by Jeff Rosenthal. Each and every one of them participated in Volume 02 of this magazine, and shared with us their thoughts on the energy needed to bring collective projects to fruition, the importance of being in the present, and the demands of discipline, as Patrick Dempsey and his 100 mph life can attest. Dear Second Edition, while you were still nothing more than a second edition, you became a symbol of determination, of a simple resolution, the will to be worthy of the men and women who read us. The break between editions turned out to be short once we made it our mission to be even better, to go forth and meet the groundbreakers, the logical, the impetuous and the most stubborn of people. The box of doughnuts on sugar overload will certainly have to wait a bit longer but we are happy we made it to the end of this magazine. Note to self... so far, so good.

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Elisa Routa Editor in Chief

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Volume 02 01 Volume

Nixon by Chad DiNenna

Maassen Mania with Morgan Maassen

Freshly with Michael Wystrach

Saturdays Surf NYC with Colin Tunstall

Summit by Jeff Rosenthal and Jess Berne

Instagram with Molly Benn

Shoot, shoot and shoot with Alex Strohl

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How to Build a Really Strong Content Strategy

Why I Built a Remote Company Before It Was Cool

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Sommaire Table of contents

106

120

The Swenson House

Discipline and Passion with Patrick Dempsey

Every Year, New Challenges with Garrett McNamara

126

132

140

How To Set Goals That Help You Succeed

True Stories by Benjamin Jeanjean

The Race of Gentlemen by Kim Maroon

152

Footloose Skateboards x Swenson

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01/

THE FRAME / Passionate people Through portraits of entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators, we give deep insight into the faces of today that are shaping the world of tomorrow.

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Nixon: NBD, Never Been Done by Chad DiNenna

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Nixon, Never Been Done. with Chad DiNenna

Who cares that no one’s ever done it before? It doesn’t mean we can’t. In high school, a young Chad DiNenna crafted artisanal watches using electrical tape and small squares of neoprene sold with surf wetsuits. “Out of interest,” he says. As an intern at Transworld, the biggest vertical for Snow, then as an account manager in advertising until 1997, DiNenna traveled the world. At the time, the best waves in the world and the highest of snowy summits were his playground and his source of inspiration. The same year, DiNenna started one of the most ambitious projects of his entire career: he founded Nixon alongside Andy Laats, a mechanical engineer trained at Stanford and a renowned snowboarder. As DiNenna puts it, “...in front of our house were surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders. That’s the language that we spoke and the people that we knew. So the project made sense!” Now sold and distributed in 70 countries, the pioneering brand of specialist watches for skiing, snowing, surfing, and snowboarding is recognized for its long lasting, solid products. Worn by an entire community of athletes, Nixon asks its ambassadors to participate in the creation, design, and conception of each of its collections.

> Chad DiNenna at the Nixon HQ in California

In 1998, Nixon offered 7 different watch models. Today, in addition to backpacks, clothes, speakers and other accessories, Nixon offers 90 watch models. We met Chad DiNenna in southern California to retrace the brand’s history from its humble beginnings to its present day status an industry icon, as well as talk about its outstanding community, one that is not only engaged with the brand but considered a major creative influence at Nixon. Interview & words: Elisa Routa Photos: Nixon

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The Frame

Tell us a bit about your background. So, there’s two of us, as you know. Andy and myself. I grew up in California, and Andy grew up on the East coast, outside of Boston. I’m the kid who > Nixon SoHo worked in a surf and skate shop during high custom bar school and college. While working there, a friend of mine was already working at >> Kelia Moniz TransWorld, and we started discussing options there. That lead me to intern at TransWorld. I worked there until my final year of college, then I was ready to move to New York where I worked for MTV. At that point, TransWorld asked me if would be interested in working full-time for them in the advertising department. I thought, “Hey, the water is much nicer and warmer in California. So let me try this!” So, in 1992, I started full-time at TransWorld. My time at TransWorld was magical because skateboarding and snowboarding were growing. It was like being in an MBA focused on the surf, skate, and snowboarding industry. I worked on the advertising side, so I met and dealt directly with the owners or CMOs of different shoe, clothing and sunglass brands, or even different snowboard brands, for boots and outerwear. Andy was still on the East coast, working as a chemical engineer at Burton Snowboards. Is that how you got the idea to create Nixon? No, actually. I got the idea while working in skate shops and surf shops in college. When you would buy a wetsuit, it came with a larger piece of neoprene that could be used to patch up the holes you might make later on the underside of your wetsuit. I would take all those from a brand new wetsuit, and cut them into straps, staple them, and then tape them together with electrical tape. Then I would sell them at the front corner of the shop to make extra money for myself. It was just a “make your own watch” brand. So, why watches? I’m fascinated by watches! I’ve always worn a watch. When customers came into the shops I worked in, they would look for a good brand but after a while, the watches they bought would get stinky, smelly, and kind of nasty. My neoprene ones were soft, they were something different...and they helped me make money when I didn’t have much! So, there I was, talking to owners and founders of all these amazing

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different brands and selling my watches. I started having a good amount of income that first year, ^ began paying off my student loans Curren Caples and all my living expenses. I wanted > to get myself a nice watch, but I was Rob Machado only 22 at the time and I wasn’t ready to get a Rolex or an Omega, or one of these brands that have that heritage, that have been around forever and that cost thousands of dollars. I wasn’t ready for that. I wanted something more than a G-Shock. I was stuck in the middle, but what I realized is that the brands were most important to me. I had a cool pair of sunglasses, I had cool shoes. Brands were important to me, I was interested in where these products came from, who made them and who I was supporting. It was important to me. I wondered, “How come nobody is making watches?” During that period, I was travelling the world with TransWorld, and was paid to go snowboard and surf. So I started to look at these other companies in the industry through a lens of “How would a watch brand work?”. I spent about a year doing some homework figuring out what I would need, what I knew how to do, what I didn’t know how to do…

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Chad DiNenna What were you looking for in a business partner? I think I’m a person that knows how to market a brand and I know how to sell it. I realized I’d need someone who knows how to run a business and knows how to make products. So, one night, I told my friends about my idea. The next day, one of those people called me and said “I’ve been thinking about what you said about your watch idea. You should talk to Andy!” I didn’t really know him! After 8 years at Burton, Andy had left to attend business school at Stanford. I reached out to him, and we had actually run into each other at a snowboard industry trade show. I shared my idea with him. He had another year to go in his MBA, and I was having a blast travelling the world snowboarding, so I wasn’t very interested in stopping that. At that point, we started doing our homework. One conversation, maybe once a month, then once a week. We started to create a list of things that we had to do and figure out. He looked at it from a business school perspective, and I looked at it from the industry perspective, talking about it with my friends who were shop owners, distributors and pro athletes. It became pretty clear that we were onto an idea that made a lot of sense to both of us. In America, we say chocolate is good and peanut butter is good, but chocolate and peanut butter together, that’s something special! That’s what you get with Andy and I. We both address the business need together, collaboratively. I think that’s important! You mentioned earlier that you are fascinated by watches. Why watches for skating, surfing, or snowboarding? That was our world! I grew up snowboarding and skateboarding. I lived two blocks from the beach. My community, my friends, my business associates... that’s how we all live. That’s the world we know. When we started the brand, when we started to think in terms of business, we saw an opportunity in passion sports and action sports. But you’ve gotta start somewhere. As a kid in America, you might start your first business selling lemonade out in front of your house. Maybe to be successful you have to move a little further away from your house and you’ll have to work where there’s more people, more traffic. For me, it was simple: I didn’t have a lemonade stand because the people in front of our house were surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders. That’s the language that we spoke and the people we knew. So the project made sense. From day one, the language of our brand and the

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blend of surf, skate and snow was important, right down to the name. We didn’t want to have a name that was only specific to just one sport. We landed on Nixon because it was different, it wasn’t obvious. It created more questions, more curiosity around the brand automatically than if we had said something like “We’re a cool surf watch brand!”. We didn’t want the brand to focus too heavily on one world. That’s why we started with watches. Nixon then. Where did the name come from? We were brainstorming and I thought of ‘Surf, skate, snow,’ but then I thought of of one of our first presidents, Jefferson. Then somebody just said ‘Nixon.’ We kept writing it down. We wanted to be sure it was right. Something recognizable, but without a particular meaning. No specific association with surf, skate, or snow. It couldn’t be a word that had a different meaning in different languages. No awkward definition or meaning. A name that could be trademarked. We went up to a summer camp for snowboarding on Mount Hood and asked a bunch of 15 to 20 year olds. We wanted to determine what people really wanted, that the company was something people really wanted. At first ^ John John Florence we asked a lot of product questions and word association games. The 15 to 20 year olds were really opinionated! We would say “Swatch!” and they would respond ‘Lame!’ and so on and so forth. Then we blurted out “Nixon” and everyone sort of paused. One kid said, “I think my mom said he did something wrong once,” to which we responded, “Your parents won’t like it but you do. You like it even more now, don’t you?’” Then we realized we had a name that was recognizable!

< Nixon Custom Bar, London

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The Frame

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always have to do more but you can always get better with things you do

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Chad DiNenna

Andrew Reynolds

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The Frame Is that when things started getting serious? Yes, that was in 1997. He moved out to SoCal, I quit my job, and we ran a business plan, but we didn’t have any money. The athletes were there, the media outlets were there, the trade shows, the events. We didn’t have any rich aunts or uncles to lend us money. We did it the old-fashioned way. We wrote a business plan, and sent it to friends and friends of friends, people from the industry, people that Andy knew from business school. We ended up raising nearly 1 million dollars! Then we put our heads down trying to figure out how to make the watch, what it would look like, how we were gonna sell it, when we were gonna ship it. All the things you need to do when launching a new business. We were able to capitalize on our backgrounds to establish relationships outside America, focusing on action sports. We knew shops at home in North America but also abroad, in Europe and Asia. So, in some regards, it was quite easy to connect with the right people in the right countries to take the brand global and not just stateside. Passionate is a word that seems to define the community gathered around Nixon. How else would you define it? Our people are creators. It starts with our team at the company headquarters in Encinitas, California. They’re very inclusive, very collaborative, but also highly passionate about creating great things worth sharing for our community of friends and fans. It might be a detail on that special new watch, or a compelling backstory on how we developed one of our latest products. What our teams share with our friends and fans is that creativity and sense of openmindedness. We all push ourselves whether in work or play. We’re very honest about who we are and what we’re trying to create: a custom-built product that people connect with. We’re not trying to make a Rolex. We won’t pretend we’re a luxury brand. We’re not cheating. When it comes to creating, we sit down, work on our products with our athletes and our ambassadors, and designing these products from the ground up. People appreciate that. When we make a watch, we try to capture that spirit.

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Is that how you would explain the enthusiasm people have for Nixon? I think the best way to explain it is to go back to the whole metaphor of selling lemonade out front of your house. When you start selling lemonade with your siblings, with your parents, your friends, your neighbors, when people start a venture with you, they invest in you, they’re your biggest fans. Your friends are cheering you on, they support you. I think of it that way. The athletes that support us were our friends before they were our team riders. They feel like this is their brand. We give them the opportunity to experiment and try things out, so they take a lot of pride in Nixon. As we grew, our friends and fans spread the word about us. We were like a well kept secret, shared only amongst friends. In your shops today, you offer a workshop-style bar, not only for repairs but also for watch customization. Do you feel it’s important to offer services in addition to your product? At Nixon, we believe the experience is important. If the store is just the physical representation of the website, people might come once but maybe not twice. If everything in-store is right on the website, I’m not getting anything special, different, or new. If there’s nothing compelling in your store, as a customer, I’m not going to give a shit about what you’re doing. I can just go online, order whatever I need, and go on to my next thing. Our services give people the opportunity to know more about the brand, feel the brand’s identity, see, touch, pick-up and choose the product they like, interact with our watches. One of the most interesting thing about Nixon’s fans is that they care a lot more about how they spend their time than how they spend their money. Their time is more important than their money. Spending time to shop for them is a big deal, so it had better be compelling. It had better be a memorable, positive, experience. We created that experience by capitalizing on a key insight, which is that watches are products that have been around for hundreds of years, and they’ve always been symbols of personal expression. A watch might match your favorite jacket or your favorite shoes, or maybe it’s something special that your parents gave you. Maybe it was your grandmother’s watch and she gave it to you. It’s often a connection to your heritage. We have a connection to watches that we often don’t with a lot of other products. As a brand, our responsibility and our opportunity is to elevate personal expression, to allow people to express their creativity. It’s a process modeled on what we do with

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Chad DiNenna

The goal for Nixon is not to grow just to grow, it’s to do things well.

the athletes, ambassadors, musicians and artists we work with. These people travel all over the world and get loads of cool stuff for free by lots of companies, they get new things all the time. What we give them is a creative process. If they say, “Oh, I saw a rad fabric on a backpack,” we listen and we create an amazing watch inspired by that with them. We try to create an environment where they can experiment and take all those creative ideas and have them out live. That’s fun! Who cares that no one’s ever done it before? It doesn’t mean we can’t. “No one’s ever done it before. It doesn’t mean we can’t.” Is that the advice you would give to entrepreneurs? Yes. We say something in action sports: NBD, Never Been Done. As an athlete, you’re always striving to do a new trick that has never been done before. When you learn a new trick or create a new trick, it’s special. That’s what we’re trying to do. We had never started a brand before, we had never built a watch before, we had never opened a shop before. Now, we have! And people can relate to that!

How do you see Nixon growing in the coming years? I’m going to quote Andy. He has a mantra we try to live by: “If Nixon is the same place in 6 months from now, I don’t want to be there.” We’re always going to focus on creating great products, products you’ve never seen before but always wanted. Great products are what leads us. It doesn’t matter how cool your ambassadors, athletes and musicians are, if your product is bad, people will not want it. We will also focus on getting our products in front of our customers. In the world of watches and accessories, we’re such small guys that if we stay focused and true to ourselves, we’ll continue to find growth. The goal for Nixon is not to grow just to grow, it’s to do things well. Brands sometimes forget what makes them special as they grow. Our aim is to maintain our uniqueness. We worry about that first, and growth second. If you focus on making great products in a great brand in a good company with a good culture, then business is going to grow up. Be honest, be collaborative, be openminded. Be focused. Other than that, we’ll try to make less of the mistakes we’ve made in the past, and make some new ones, so we have broader experience. As we like to think at Nixon: “You don’t always have to do more but you can always get better with things you do.”

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Christopher « Chippa » Wilson

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If Nixon is the same place in 6 months from now, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be there.

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02/ MODERN MINDS / Inspiring stories Daring projects, ambitious businesses, disruptive stories, challenging and timeless adventures led by passion are this magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first commitment.

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Maassen Mania with Morgan Maassen Freshly revolutionizes FoodTech

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24 Maassen Mania

with Morgan Maassen

Pretending to live cooler lives than we actually do. Counting our number of “friends”. Paying too much attention to all the comments on our photos. Reading too much into other people’s hastily written opinions, the words that make or break our days. Believe it or not, this is nothing new. In fact, it began in the early 2000s, or the era of “Skyblogs.” Skyblogs, a sort of virtual diary, or as Wikipedia puts it, a “cyber-notebook”, were home to anything and everything. Skyblogs captured it all. Our tastes in music—especially the kind we still wish we could hide in a shoebox—our party pictures, terrible haircuts, our travels, our mood swings, and our hangovers. We littered them with abundant successions of exclamation points punctuated by a few keyboard symbols, frenetically jaunting from upper to lowercase in the span of one sentence. We were never entirely sure if we were reading the Literature blog, or our grandmother’s text messages. Skyblogs made it possible to perform an autopsy on an entire generation, allowed us to dissect its most minute happenings and gestures. Today, we do on Instagram what we once did on Skyblogs. At just 26 years old, Morgan Maassen is one of the most talented surf photographers of his generation. His poetic shots, imbued with a sharp sense of humanity, have revolutionized our perceptions of surf photography. A visionary, Morgan now has over 250k followers on his Instagram account. Back when computers still overheated easily, he was already sharing his photography on a blog. Thanks to his blog, he was discovered by some of the world’s biggest surf brands. He now counts companies such as Nike, Apple, National Geographic and the United Nations amongst his client portfolio. Never one to sit still, Morgan Maassen has for years been in the thick of the action. Whether on a plane headed to Cuba, on a beach in Barbados, in the frozen backdrop of Greenland, on the steep twists and turns of the island of Reunion, or wandering through the postcard worthy scenery in Australia, Hawaii or Tahiti, he spends about 300 days a year on the road. It’s only fitting that his creativity, his audacity and his authenticity have finally been recognized. It goes without saying that those qualities are far from hype. From Kelly Slater to Stephanie Gilmore, from Sage Ericsson to Sterling Spencer or Coco Ho, Morgan has the trust of the best professional surfers in the world.

> Morgan Maassen by Tosh Clements

While waiting for Skyblogs, or even the Nokia 3310 with its famous Snake game of our formative years, to make a comeback, we met the photographer and director, a native Californian based in Santa Barbara, to talk about the power and grandeur of the internet, and the importance of ethical values in work. Words: Elisa Routa Photos: Morgan Maassen & Tosh Clements

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Modern minds It’s difficult to imagine Morgan Maassen as a small child. However, behind the hundreds of photos that you might have already commented on with a blue heart, an exploding minibomb, or a “knuckle” emoji as a sign of support, hides one big dude. As a teenager, Morgan Maassen spent his time on a board. Whether surfing or skating, the young Californian did nothing else. “I was also a Lego maniac, and a computer geek. At the age of 12, a surfing injury saw me out of the water for several months. This coincided with a mentor program at junior high, so I used the opportunity to seek a family friend’s guidance in making a short surf film. I used our family camcorder to film my friends surfing and adventuring around town. The following year, my family moved to New Zealand, visiting Hawaii, Fiji, and Australia along the way. I filmed everything, thus cementing my passion in filmmaking.”

> Bec Ronald, North Shore, Hawaii

Several years later, back in California, Morgan couldn’t put his camcorder down. “I literally spent all my free time surfing and filming. In 11th grade, I graduated early to work full time doing graphic design for Shawn Stussy. I saved up money until the age of 18 to buy the best equipment possible and travel, but at the last minute my dad introduced me to photography through his own hobby. I was hooked!” A turning point in Morgan’s The ocean is life. He bought a decent DSLR, a few lenses, and hit the road. He learned as he my canvas, went, travelling through Brazil, Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii. “All the while, I was my inspira- uploading photos and videos to my website and blog, which started to get some tion, and the attention. At the age of 19, Patagonia, Billabong, and Surfer magazine started to hire me for small jobs, mostly surf, lifestyle and travel shoots. Since then I’ve fuel to my juggled filmmaking and photography as my professional careers.”

fire.

And so it was that these two equal but opposite universes came to alternate cyclically through Morgan’s daily life. The shade of palm trees would give way to the light of a desk lamp, entire days spent on the most beautiful beaches in the world gave way to entire nights spend downloading dozens of photos. Artists, often known for a certain dignified stubbornness and perseverance, eventually carve out their own path over the years. Morgan is no exception. Thanks to his years of work, he became a world

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Morgan Maassen renowned photographer, described by industry magazines as nothing short of an inspiration and a major influence. His photography, full of sincerity, offers a romantic, poetic aesthetic that departs from the traditional codes associated with surfing, thereby revolutionizing surf’s visual universe. And despite numerous awards, Morgan has remained humble in light of all the recognition he has received from the photography world. “The Red Bull Illume was one of the most monumental points of my career, and the experience of a lifetime. The Pro Photographer Showdown was also amazing. Thanks to it, I got to spend a week snowboarding in Canada. I continuously feel honored to have placed so well in both, and wouldn’t have anywhere near the success I have today without them. However, since 2014, I haven’t entered any contests. I found out I have a tendency to get my hopes a little too high... so amongst other things, I’ve trimmed that out of my passion for photography.”

< Kelly Slater on the Gold Coast in Australia

Morgan captures nature’s eloquence, its passion, its frenetic generosity—the morning light that paints fickle skies, the dancing waves of crashing swell, the sand that bristles from the smack of water on the shore, the lull after the storm. He explains. “I grew up in the ocean. From my dad being a fisherman and providing for us as a family for years, to my passion for surfing, to my career in photography and filmmaking, both artistic forms of expression...the ocean has given me everything. The ocean is my canvas, my inspiration, and the fuel to my fire. I think about it every day. I think about new ways to experience it and capture it.” 304 days. Not just the number of days it rains on average per year in Ireland, but the number of days Morgan Maassen spent on the road in 2015. In 304 days, the photographer from California criss-crossed the globe, from the Americas to Oceania, from the Arctic ocean to tropical waters. There are few waters unfamiliar to him. However, behind these experiences hide a few scares. He remembers a day in Australia where he nearly drowned, and another memorable experience with sharks in the Bahamas. “I had some crazy experiences: massive waves at Pipeline, bull sharks circling me, caught in rips in Mexico... but I never feel fear in those moments. Instead, I feel a distinct combination of alertness fueled adrenaline. I always make an effort to enter these situations with as much knowledge and preparation as possible, and am always trying to calculate the outcome of what can both go right and wrong. However, in Australia, I was so beaten and smashed by the big waves and reef, that I was physically exasperated. At that point, I started swallowing water and choking...and the feeling of hopelessness at that moment was the most dreadful moment of my life. That was truly the only time I felt fear.”

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Kids wave to our boat as we sailed off the Marshall Islands

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Morgan Maassen

Stephanie Gilmore, Mexico

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It’s often said that photos can’t capture reality. I wonder if that’s what spring breakers back from Cancun attempting to share their drunken adventures on a cracked iPhone screen say. When it comes to Morgan Maassen, though, photography seems to render reality sublime. It appears he has the talent to translate the strict beauty of shared moments, at times with John Florence, Taylor Clark, Malia Murphey, Jack Johnson, Josie Prendergast, Stéphanie Gilmore, Will Adler, or Craig Anderson. Professional surfers, musicians, models. The one thing that the diverse crowd gathered around Morgan Maassen shares is their creativity and fanaticism. And even if he is known for his aquatic shots, Morgan makes a point to remind me that most of all, he is a photographer deeply in love with his subject. “While the ocean has always been my main subject matter, travel has been the backbone of my life since day one. Travel bridged my ocean photography into lifestyle, portraiture, architecture, fashion, and so much more. I also love photographing everything, so those subjects clicked because I could relate to them through interest and curiosity.”

I find that people who complain about the internet are the ones who are scared of the changes it represents, and the democracy it brings to the photographic landscape.

At 26 years old and already considered by many as a legendary surf photographer, the artist from California pauses to reflect on the fundamentals of a good career. “I would say that every ounce of success I have enjoyed is the result of working as hard as possible, non-stop, over the last 7 years. From the moment I picked up a camera until now, I’ve photographed non-stop, taken every opportunity that has presented itself, gone out of my way to meet/collaborate with every character imaginable, and have constantly looked for ways to better myself, my photography, and my business.” Conscientious determination, measured doggedness, and committed stubbornness are at the heart of his routine. “Taking photographs is only 25% of the equation. There is so much more to being a successful photographer, from networking with clients and subjects, to exploring the world and showcasing your work.” Morgan defines the modern entrepreneur in a few succinct ideas: be driven by a singular mission; focus on a single idea; give oneself the means to achieve one’s vision; last but not least, use the internet. “I started with nothing but some pocket money saved up from mowing lawns and babysitting. By running a website-blog-social media presence and networking through the web, I’ve been able to work for my dream clients and see the world. The internet is arguably mankind’s greatest resource; anything is possible with a tight website and wellworded email.” Going against the grain and a large part of the photography community’s excessive criticism of the dawn of digital, Morgan Maassen chose to create his own space on the internet. “I find that people who complain about the internet are the ones who are scared of the changes it represents, and the democracy it brings to the photographic landscape.” The internet, though often singled out and accused of disrupting the photography ecosystem, has also given a larger access to the art form to a larger group of people. “Today, with the abiity to create and host a website for free and find an affordable DSL camera on eBay, all it takes is $1000, an internet connection, some motivation and creativity and anyone can be noticed immediately. Some of my favorite photographers right now are only using an iPhone,

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> A young humpback whale off Tahiti > Kyle Albers, Rincon, California

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Morgan Maassen

while others are teenagers who have never left their hometown, and are only uploading to instagram. It’s a wild time to be a photographer. Its tragic to see the print world shrink, but this is synonymous with the proliferation of technology and social media. I personally weigh the benefit of being able to communicate with media on the internet to be more important, than the traditional methodology of print media.” Passionate about the art of photography in its entirety, Maassen doesn’t worry that the Internet will mistreat the medium. Instead, he recently founded a coffee shop-art gallery-boutique in downtown Santa Barbara, in southern California, to celebrate the art form and to connect artists of all kinds. “Painting, photography, cinema, sculpture... I love it all. I wanted to open a community-oriented art gallery and club house to incorporate local and young artists, giving them a place to show their work when they otherwise wouldn’t in Santa Barbara’s ridiculously closed-door scene. I started ‘Breakfast’ as a website and clothing label, and over the last several years, my close friend Tosh Clements and I have grown it to what it is today, adding a coffee element to help round out the building’s day-to-day presence. It has been a wild ride, and we are having so much fun growing this business and using it as a platform to bring people together and showcase amazing art.”

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Morgan Maassen’s adoration for the art world, his exceptional aestheticism, his marked taste for storms, for misty horizons or even soporific calm, as well as his instinctive talent and ethical values, set him apart. “I primarily take photographs for my own enjoyment and passion, which is often tough to blend with my love of business and travel, things that are often enabled by commercial clients. Blending those elements of my life can be tough, and require a lot of mental fortitude to respect artistic integrity and determination,” he says. “Shooting photographs is only a small piece of the puzzle. To be a successful business person, to be able to network with athletes, actors, musicians, and models across the world, and be true to your artistic integrity. It’s all so important. Without that, that, you’ll end up shooting nothing but landscapes.” Today, Morgan Maassen is proud of reaching his goals of traveling the work, opening Breakfast, and of the family that raised him (dog included). “That, and ultimately the fact that every day I wake up to a new challenge. No two days are the same, and I am always growing as a person, through both the bad times and the good times.” A piece of advice? “Take what you love in life, ask yourself how you can engage it, and be the best you can be. To be a business man, and not just an employee of something or someone, you must give it 110% of your undivided passion and creativity. There is no other path to success.”

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Modern minds

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Morgan Maassen

To be a business man, you must give it 110% of your undivided passion and creativity. There is no other path to success.

A lonely wave off North Stradbroke Island, Australia.

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> Bocas Del Toro, Panama v The beaches of Northern California

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Morgan Maassen

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36 Freshly

with Michael Wystrach

Freshly revolutionizes FoodTech. FoodTech. A simple concept conveyed by a somewhat unusual word, that asks one question: what if new technologies could encourage healthy eating habits? For the past several years, a true industrial revolution has been underway in a sector that has long been static. Today, FoodTech is reinventing the way we cook and eat. Freshly, a start-up darling with a sizeable fanbase that delivers healthy dishes to people’s homes, is proof of the swelling enthusiasm for such goods and services. Founded in 2013 by Michael Wystrach and Carter Comstock, Freshly delivers over 500,000 customized dishes a month via its website. By creating an experience, adding a technological advantage, and creating value in an often neglected market, Freshly offers it members a subscription system to encourage them to “eat healthy, feel better, and live more.” Thanks to its technology and innovative solutions, home delivery of healthy dishes is drawing more and more clients, enticed by the start-up’s commitment to quality, the environment, and the fight against food waste. By 2019, the home meal delivery market is projected to reach a 90-billion-dollar valuation, or about 16% of the global food service industry. Suffice it to say that home meal delivery is a major market. There’s no doubt that this is why industrial food giant Nestlé invested in the start-up last June. “Generally speaking, when we eat out, it’s often unhealthy,” says Michael. “I wanted to fix that problem.” We sat down for a chat with Michael Wystrach, a former investment banker turned entrepreneur and CEO of Freshly.

>> Freshly’s co-founder, Michael Wystrach

Interview & words: Elisa Routa Photos: Freshly, Maria Midoes & Toni Skotcher

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Modern minds Freshly was inspired by your own personal experience trying to eat healthier and lose weight a few years ago. Tell us more about that time and the story behind Freshly. I grew up in Southern Arizona, on a ranch about 40 miles away from the Mexican border. My family owned a restaurant, and they still do today. We’ve owned and operated it for 47 of the 60 years it’s been around, so I got involved in the food industry very early from all aspects, as a rancher, a farmer and as a restauranter. After college, I held a few different jobs in various spots around the US, then ended up working in investment banking on Wall Street. Afterwards, I decided to come back to Arizona and, when I turned 30, after working 16 hours a day and eating very poorly, I wanted to get back in shape. I realized I wasn’t in the shape I used to be in. I realized I could no longer get results I wanted from the gym alone. A good family friend started writing to me about what was known 15 to 20 years ago as the Paleo diet. The number one battle we face in America is the way we eat. Of all the things we can do to help our health, the first thing is eating better. I don’t like cooking, so I said, “Ok guys, cook me these meals and I’ll take them home and eat them”... and after 60 days, I was in the best shape of my life. I felt better than ever and it was because I was eating the right food. While it was all motivated by vanity, what I realize is that food is the biggest drug we put in our bodies every single day. Food affects how happy we are, how we sleep, how much energy we have, depression, etc… Food controls all these things. Freshly wasn’t a business idea for me, it was a solution to a problem that I, and many busy people, have. Generally speaking, when we eat out, it’s often unhealthy. I wanted to fix that problem for myself. Turns out that a bunch of people had the same problem because they started asking me what I was doing and if I could do it for them. You founded Freshly in 2013 with your own cash. Does investing your own money in your project raise the stakes? Do you feel like you have to do whatever it takes to succeed? When you start a business, it is always best to know that there’s a real market there. I think seeing the demand for a product before you even decide to build it is always encouraging, it makes you more willing to invest your money and take the risk. Cause it is! No matter what the start-up, there’s a huge amount of risk. Nobody wants to fail, and you will do a lot to make sure your business doesn’t fail, but there’s always that risk.

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Michael, you and your partner are former investment bankers. How does an ex-investment banker become CEO of a healthy food tech company? It was a big change, but it’s always good when you feel passionate about what you’re doing. The food system seemed so broken to Carter, my co-founder, and me, that it was an easy leap. I don’t understand why the rest of the world just closes their eyes and allows the food system to keep operating this way. No other industry operates with as much consumer distrust as the food industry. It doesn’t make sense to me why we feel like we all have be nutritionists and experts to eat well. Most of us don’t know how to program an iPhone, but we still enjoy our iPhones. But for whatever reason with food, we feel like we have to learn how to read a nutritional label, and then do all these studies. My goal with Freshly is to build the kind of relationship we have with tech companies to food: all the heavy work, the hard work, is done for you so you can enjoy healthy food. Who are your consumers today? Right now, our product is aimed at single people, young couples and older couples. It’s not great for families at the moment, but we’re looking to change that by launching some family plans and shift some of our focus to families. Generally speaking, our consumers tend to value really value two things: their time and their health. And they don’t want to sacrifice one for the other. They don’t want to feel like they have to give up all their free time to do prep and cook healthy means, or feel like they have to give up their health in order to get their time back. I don’t think that feeling is limited to a certain kind of person, I think it’s endemic to our society today. It’s everyone! The sensitive issue with food is price point, and one of our big initiatives is to offer lower prices. As we get bigger and bigger, we continue to lower prices. That’s our plan and the way we want to role model. We understand that there’s a percentage of the US population that can’t afford our product. That’s painful for us, because those are the people who need our products the most and would benefit the most. So it’s part of our mission to continue to lower prices and make our products available to more people. Last year alone, we lowered our prices by 16%. This year, we’ve created a similar decrease in cost. We are constantly asking ourselves, “How can we do this better for cheaper without sacrificing quality?”

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Freshly

In a startup, it’s really important to be very focused. You can’t deviate into other things.

There are a lot of great companies in the food tech space today. In which way is Freshly different and why is it so successful? In the US, food is a massive market, valued at about 1.3 trillion dollars. It’s easy to say “food”, but when we think about food, we interact with food in multiple different ways, and for multiple reasons. You go out to dinner, with a loved one to celebrate and that’s experiential, that’s entertainment. Food is at the heart of that experience. You wake up in the morning, you decide to eat something, that’s not experiential, it’s pragmatic. There are also different use cases. If you look at companies like HelloFresh, probably one of the most successful food tech companies out there, they’re really offering the experience of cooking. It’s a great way to spend time with your kids, with your loved ones. If you enjoy cooking, it’s a great way to spend an hour. The reality is we are limited on time, so we’re helping people get through the week with tasty, affordable and healthy meals without sacrificing convenience. When you get home at 9 at night, you’re starving. The last thing you want to do is spend an hour cooking. Rather than sacrifice your health with take out, or eat a frozen meal that tastes horrible, we want you to throw a great tasting healthy option in the microwave or oven and feel good about eating it. We don’t want you to spend massive amounts of time on meal planning. We want to give you your time back by, so that you spend valuable time doing the things you love and enjoy, or so that when you do cook, it’s an enjoyable experience. HelloFresh brought joy back to cooking. Our goal is to take the mundane cooking out of your life, so that it’s fun again. We want you to have fun with that. That’s why we’ve been so successful in what we do.

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You serve healthy food in non-toxic, recyclable containers. That claim has driven much of your success toady. Do you think integrating food production and logistics by partnering with Fedex have been keys to your success? In a buIt’s certainly been the key for us. It’s allowed us to focus on our core business, siness, which is creating meals that taste amazing, not delivery logistics. I’m no expert, but building a delivery infrastructure costs somewhere between 100 to 200 the best billion dollars. It’s a highly complicated business. We love handing that out to thing you Fedex and letting their guys do all the work. They do a great job. We really enjoy can do working with them. It’s allowed us to bring the world class meals to more people is say “no”, while bringing costs down. In a start-up, it’s really important to be very focused. You can’t deviate into other things. In a business, the best thing you can do is say and often. “no”, and often. The easiest thing we could have done as a start-up is say “Yes, we can deliver our own meals, yes!” That hardest thing to do is then say “no” to that and to remain focused on your core business. Is that the biggest piece of advice you’d give to entrepreneurs? To learn to say “no”? I rarely say “yes”. The reason is simple. Customers will always have specific requests, and often they stray from your core business. You have to stay focused on what you do. If you start saying “yes” all the time, you end up getting very far away from your project. My other piece of advice is to make sure you have a passion for what you’re doing, make sure what you’re making has an impact on the world, because in the end, doing something for money is never a good outcome. Money is a by-product. Make sure you’re creating something that’s important for you because that makes easier to handle the tough days. And in a start-up, there are tough days. Creating a business yourself is always 100 times harder than what you expect, which is great because if you knew how hard it was going to be, you’d have never done it.

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Freshly Freshly distributes extra meals to local shelters. Is reducing food waste part of your mission? Food waste makes you realize the food system is broken. 12% of the world’s population is malnourished, we produce 30% more food than is consumed every year. If we we threw out just 50% less food, we could feed the entire world. So, it’s simple math. Now, there are different regions that lack a strong cold chain, such as Africa. But the US has the strongest cold chain in the world, so there’s no excuse to throw food out. At Freshly, we have a commitment to making sure our carbon footprint and our food waste footprint is the absolute lowest it can be. All of our surplus food goes to a local food shelter. Anything that is over produced, which is very minimal in our business model, At Freshly, goes to local food shelter. Anything that cannot be eaten by humans goes to we have a livestock. Human beings, myself included, are poor managers of our food resources. We go to the grocery store when we’re hungry, buy a ton of food, and commitment throw a lot of it away. Freshly helps to fix this by providing a pre-cooked, single to making serve meal, so you’re wasting less food. If you don’t eat the whole meal, you can sure our put it in a tupperware. That’s where we really make an impact. Great companies carbon footstep up and take responsibility for the ways in which they make an impact. Take Google, take Apple for instance. They’re technology leaders, but Apple focuses print and our on producing computers that reduce energy consumption. Freshly wants to do food waste the same. As a great company, you not only have to provide a great product, but footprint is you have to provide a great healthy product, and you have to be a conscious good the absolute citizen of the world. You have to make good decisions and have to constantly be challenging yourself to make better and better decisions. Are we perfect? lowest it can Absolutely not. I think that mindset of “it’s our responsibility to be a good citizen be. of the world” is always at the back of our mind. You now deliver close to 500,00 meals every month in over 28 states. Is it your goal to expand to all 50 states? And be available to anyone in the US? Yes, that would be natural. Freshly is currently served in 28 states. Last year, we almost tripled our reach, and in the first semester of next year, we’ll be national. That’s really important to us. Once we’re national, we’ll start asking ourselves, “Can we provide our services to other markets outside the US? Can we go international?” The reality is that in developed countries, healthy eating is a challenge for everyone. There are different degrees of challenging, but eating healthy is a challenge. It’s getting harder for everyone. Everyone in the world wants to be healthy. We sometimes make poor food decisions because we’re busy and we get tired and lazy. We don’t have the time to study what’s best for us to eat. If we can help our customers make good decisions without feeling like they’re sacrificing time or taste, then we will have fulfilled Freshly’s mission. We truly believe that the world can be better. What goals do you have for Freshly in the future? What’s your vision? Our big mission right now is to go national. Our second mission is to launch our iPhone app later this year. We think consumers are going to want real information on what they’re eating, they want to be educated in a fun way. The iPhone app will be a pedagogical companion. We’re really excited about it.

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03/

PLAYGROUND / Active Community We take a look into the active community driven by the desire to go outside, and animated by the conviction that creativity comes from within one-of-a-kind community. A society of passionate people has the ability to make things happen.

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Saturdays Surf NYC with Colin Tunstall From an empty land to a creative community by Summit

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44 Saturdays Surf NYC with Colin Tunstall

A lot of our customers are not necessarily surfers, but I think they enjoy the spirit of surf and what it represents. Fire escapes roam the facades of buildings that line the street, like rose bushes stretching forth at the dawn of spring. Tucked between red bricks and scaffolding, Crosby Street seems, albeit unintentionally, as if it were the emblem of all that is New York City. It’s 11am when we meet Colin Tunstall at his iconic boutique, Saturdays, in SoHo. Founded in 2009 by Colin and his business partners, Morgan Collett and Josh Rosen, Saturdays has succeeded in combining two often-antagonistic domains: the art of urban living and an all-consuming passion for surf. Drawing inspiration from urban language, its fashion, and those who participate in urban movements, Saturdays has broken down the rigid codes of surf culture and established itself in New York’s cultural landscape as the favorite spot of an entire community of artists, surfers, entrepreneurs, musicians, creatives, and celebrities who happen to love coffee. Half-boutique, halflounge, Saturdays now counts 8 unique spaces around the world, two in New York, four in Japan, and another two in Australia. At once inspired by Tokyo surf shops of the 50s and 60s, Saturdays also finds creative influences in the buzz of Melbourne’s Central Business District, or even Sydney’s highly prized Bondi Beach. Marked by modernism and minimalism, Saturdays’ identity remains true to its core values, while keeping an eye fixed on the unpredictable swells off the American East coast.

> Saturdays NYC on Crosby Street

Interview & words: Elisa Routa Photos: Saturdays NYC, Julien Roubinet, Shinpei Hanawa & Kazunobu Yamada

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Playground Tell us more about your background. How did you transition from a job as an Art Director to the co-founder of Saturdays? I have a background in publishing. I went to school for graphic design and photography in Savannah, Georgia, where I started working for a magazine. Afterwards, I moved up to New York and started working for a couple of different magazines such as Marie Claire, Esquire, GQ, and even New York Magazine. At that time, I had a small studio on Crosby Street and really liked the vibe of the block and the area. Although my friends were in different fields, we shared a similar lifestyle. Like a lot of friends do, we talked about what was missing in our lives, the kinds of projects we thought would be fun, what the city was missing that we could create. We happened to be at the right place, at the right time. Everything kind of fell into our laps. Since we said “go”, we haven’t stopped. We started with one store, with an empty space, asking ourselves “What are we gonna fill this with?”. Back then, our interest in coffee was growing. We tried different single origins, different blends, and different ways of roasting, pouring, preparing and serving coffee. All these cool places were popping up around the city, so I spent a lot of time cruising around on weekends on my free time trying to find new places. I think our natural curiosity has driven our store and it’s really part of our concept. It brings people together thanks to shared passions. Whether that means being on a surfboard or a skateboard, creative spirits flock here. Natural curiosity is just the starting point.

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You founded Saturdays in the summer of 2009, with your business partners Morgan Collett and Josh Rosen. You three then went on to open your first flagship store in SoHo. How did you all meet? Mutual friends. We spent the winter on lots of trips to the mountains, just hanging out, and in the evening, we went to the same restaurants and clubs. We had a lot of similar hobbies and spent a lot of time together, and through that process, the idea just came to us. It happened on a really fun trip to Long Beach. We were on the Expressway and the idea just appeared, it really formed from there. We emailed one another with ideas, had a couple of meet-ups, and one thing lead to another. Colin, you have a creative background. Morgan and Josh have sales experience. Have your differences been an asset to your business? The reason we chose to undertake this project is because we knew we could all contribute in different ways. If we all did the same thing, it would be more problematic, it < Colin Tunstall, wouldn’t work. 2017 The three of us have similar interests but different responsibilities. When you don’t have any money to start a business, you need everyone to be resourceful, everyone has to bring something to the table. Especially when you invest your own money in something. You can’t fail, you have to do whatever it takes to succeed. When you created Saturdays, what was your goal? Were you trying to meet an unmet need? You know, Josh, Morgan and I have When you all chosen to live in NYC. I came from invest your outside the city in Connecticut, where own moI was born and raised. Morgan is from ney in soCalifornia. Josh is from the Seattle area. We all met here, and we love our mething, you life here. We realized that although can’t fail, there is a long history of people who you have to love surfing, and a community of surfers, here in the city, we didn’t feel do whatever that anybody was getting behind the it takes to NYC surf scene. The issue was that succeed. the surfing we saw marketed by big surf companies in the city depicted exotic surf destinations. It definitely

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Saturdays Surf NYC wasn’t local. Those exotic destinations are places I want to see and surf, they are wonderful, but local surfers couldn’t identify with them. For example, there’s a wall on Austin and Broadway, it’s pretty iconic here in New York. It had this big mural of the Statue of Liberty and the letters “NY” on it, but it was painted over by the surf-inspired clothing shop, Hollister, with a scene of Hollister, California. Quicksilver also had a big mural in Times Square, this huge billboard with a video screen playing big barrels from Fiji in a loop. There was nothing about the local surf scene. I thought that was a little frustrating. People stopped and watched, but it was more about marketing a distant location than it was about getting behind NYC surfers. So we wanted to do something for the New York crowd who lived here, surfed here, and liked that experience.

As Saturdays’ Creative Director, you’re in charge of giving the brand a visual identity. Tell us more about the brand’s DNA and values. We need to work on a tagline…(laughs). But I think as we’ve expanded our retail footprint— we have stores in Japan, Australia, and NYC—it’s gotten harder to sum it up in one sentence. No matter what store you visit, whether Tokyo or Bondi or NYC, you run into some of the same people. You get the feeling that there’s a global community that shares the same passion for travel and culture. Obviously, surfing and coffee are the two biggest parts of our DNA. And a lot of our customers are not necessarily surfers, but I think they enjoy the spirit of surf and what it represents. They can identify with that, even though they’re not in the water catching waves themselves. You mentioned your two shops in NYC. Now, you also have two locations in Australia, and four in Japan. How would you explain the growth of Saturdays? When we started out, we had a store on Crosby Street. A lot of our growth came from opportunities that we jumped on. An example is Japan. Two friends of friends, who happen to be buyers for a big department store in Tokyo, heard we had opened a shop. I had never heard of the department store before, but they were interested in buying some t-shirts. At that point, we didn’t have anything, any clothes. We just had third party brands, our café, some surfboards, accessories, and stuff like that. So I called my two partners who thought the idea was awesome, and we all said “let’s do this!”. We spent the weekend designing some shirts and put together a little buying kit over them. That was the very beginning. From that point on, we saw a lot of interest coming from Japan. Since none of us had been there before, we thought we should go over there to see what the scene was like. We went to Tokyo first and met a lot of interesting people. Tokyo and New York share proximity to the ocean, but a whole new set of people were commuting to the ocean in the morning before work. The Japanese also share the same interests in art, the same interests in fashion or in food. It made us think Tokyo would be a perfect place to open a store. One thing led to another and with the help of a great team we were able to put that together.

When it comes to business, there’s a kind of Yin and Yang. On one hand, you have to stop, think, try to find ways to do something better, and be careful.

You’ve managed to gather a large community around Saturdays, ranging from surfers and skaters to artists, photographers, filmmakers and celebrities. Today, Saturdays is more than just a shop. It’s at the intersection of art, culture, and music. Speak about that a little. That’s my favorite part—the diversity of the people. That’s the reason I live in NYC. When I was in art school, the majority of students were international. That’s what I really like about New York. My friends aren’t from the same town, they’re from all over the world. Which brings me back to our store—each and every person that comes through the door is a little different, whether they have a pop rock background, or a finance background, or you name it. That’s the thing I enjoy most. I’m most proud of seeing people of all different walks of life come through the door and find their own way to enjoy their time at Saturdays.

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Regarding the community, how would you say that the NYC surf crowd is different than those anywhere else? It’s very transient. Obviously, there are a lot of locals and people who live here. But there’s also a lot of people that share my affinity for New York, yet for whatever reason, live in Hawaii, Massachusetts, or even in Biarritz. They come through NYC often. When they come through, they’re familiar faces, and we can catch-up: “Hey, how are you doing? Did you see this?”. They’re in the city for business or another reason, then they head back off to wherever they live in the world. So it’s a very nice mix of people. There are so many reasons to come to NYC, so you get all these interesting characters from around the world that are constantly visiting. You have managed to open the door to a wide range of people. Do you think that accounts for part of your success? I think so. I think the other key part is the timing. When we started, it was right after the financial crash in New York. People were still struggling to figure out what was next, they were looking for something optimistic, exciting, and fun...and it just so happened we opened doors with this kind of positive vibe. So I < suppose we had a lot of luck as well. But no matter what you do, Rear courtyard whether you’re successful or not, to operate a business, you have of the Soho shop to work really hard. We’ve dedicated our lives to this, we’re very passionate, and we feel very lucky to have the success that we have had. And we want to work to make sure we can continue this for as long as possible. You mentioned timing, hard work, passion, and luck. Would that be the advice you would give to entrepreneurs who want to create a successful business? Yes, I don’t think there’s any secret. When it comes to business, there’s a kind of Yin and Yang. On one hand, you have to stop, think, try to find ways to do something better, and be careful. On the other hand, you have to throw caution to the wind, put things out there, and execute. If you don’t do that, you’ll never get anything accomplished. It’s a balance. Time flies, and without sharing, without doing things, no one will ever see what you do. It’s never going to be perfect. You have to constantly be contributing, while at the same time, and when you can, hitting the pause button to think about what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. You have to ask yourself the tough questions. Don’t release something just to release something. Cancel something when you feel it’s not right. You got to find that balance. What have been your biggest challenges so far? It’s been a big learning curve. It’s been a whole new experience for the three of us. We’ve had to figure out everything we’ve done as we go, we didn’t know much before hand. None of us has made clothes before. None of use operated a store before. None of us had really managed other people before. I think that’s been the toughest part: the unknown. That said, you do gain experience over time. We feel a lot more comfortable. You make mistakes and you learn from them, and that’s okay. Just try not to make too many big mistakes.

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Saturdays Surf NYC

What have been your most rewarding moments since opening Saturdays? It’s funny, now that we’ve been around for 8 years, we have made a lot of friends and forged strong relationships thanks to the store. Whether it’s an international customer coming in and making friends with our staff or other customers meeting one another and creating relationships that will last for the rest of their lives, it’s cool to see that what we’ve created affects people’s lives for the better. You’ve definitely created a hot spot—not just for surfing goods, but also for appreciating good coffee and good people. Saturdays is striking for its contemporary design, a look and feel achieved thanks to neutral tones, and use of wood and concrete. Tell us about your inspirations for the store’s design? The Crosby Street location is 8 years old now, so the design has evolved as we’ve grown and expanded from the States to Japan to Australia. When we opened in NYC, we had zero money, so we scraped together whatever we could. The store in Tokyo was a bit different. We actually had a budget, and were able to design specifically for the place. We opened it in 2012, with the help of a great architect—Mr. Ohari from General Design. He really listened to us. We were able to incorporate modern elements like concrete and huge design feature because of the earthquakes. He was really able to package all our influences into one store. Our next store in Japan will be in Kobe, then in Nagoya. We will be working with, Kevin Ho from Akin Collective, who we met in Australia. He visited our stores in NYC and Japan and will be able to synergize something else from there. This is why I would say our store design is a natural evolution of our shop at Crosby. Whether it’s the painted boards (which exist in all of our stores, though in different ways) or the floors (they’re beat up and have a warm, natural feeling which is representative of our space in NYC), elements have travelled between stores. We’ve also taken certain aspects of our stores in Japan over to Australia, such as different types of woods. I think, in a near future, we’d like to update our store in Crosby Street and maybe synergize everything that we’ve been through so far and come up with something new and fresh, that represents where we are now and what the collection is now. We’d like to talk about the clothes and the investment that we made to the materials. There’re expensive fabrics that need to be highlighted and shown differently as opposed as when we opened Crosby Street 8 years ago, without a collection. Do you have any future projects for Saturdays? Any chance you would open a shop in France in the near future? I would really love that. In 2013, we collaborated with Colette and had a pop>> up store in Paris. I flew out for that and was able to meet a lot of people that Saturdays is considered the first came by for the event. There was interest in seeing a Saturdays in Paris. For us, surf shop founded it’s about finding the right space. It’s not always the first space we see. We’ve in NYC taken anywhere from 3, 4, even 5 trips to a city to find the right space. For example, we’d love to do something in Los Angeles and have been multiple times, but it’s been complicated. L.A. has a car culture, so we have to find a place with parking. Paris is tricky because we would need help. I don’t speak French, so I’d need help understanding regulation, labor law, inventory, ordering coffee. We have to find someone to help us. It hasn’t happened yet. That said, I’ve been to Biarritz a couple of times and love it there. I love the attitude and it’s a very beautiful place. I know it’s gained a lot of popularity in the past couple of years. I think there’s a lot of people that share the same ideas and passion that we have. If we’re able to set something up in France somewhere, I think we could do well. > Osaka, Japan

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> In August 2009, Saturdays opened its first shop in Soho v Tokyo store

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SUMMIT

From an empty land to creative comm swenson_vol2_exe_v1_EN.indd 52

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54 Part 01 with Jeff Rosenthal 62 Part 02 with Jess Berne

< Inverted Perspective by Griffin Loop in Eden, Utah

to a mmunity

Often described as one part TED conference and one part Burning Man, the Summit Series, founded by Brett Leve, Elliot Bisnow, Jeremy Schwarts, Ryan Bogeyman and Jeff Rosenthal in 2008, has set out to create a better world. Nothing more, nothing less.

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54 Part 01

with Jeff Rosenthal

Built for and by a multi-generational, interdisciplinary community, Summit events are a catalyst for entrepreneurialism, creativity, and personal development. Each Summit event puts diversity at the heart of its projects by bringing together influential actors all looking to bring about real change. From tech billionaire Peter Thiel, the co-founder of Paypal, to Dustin Moskovitz, the co-founder of Facebook, to Russel Simmons, a key player in the hip-hop industry, or even Quentin Tarantino, Kendrick Lamar or Tony Hawk, Summit picks its guests carefully, and pushes them to get out of their comfort zone. From treks to hiking on trails, diving, business conferences, giant picnics, workshops, yoga sessions and outdoor festivals, Summit initiatives surely aren’t lacking inspiration. By blending ethics with creativity, by combining art with science and culture, Summit organizes conferences around the world. And its most ambitious project is currently underway: Powder Mountain, a ski resort dedicated to the Summit community’s values and ideals. Purchased by Summit’s founders in 2013 to the tune of 40 million dollars, the Utah resort sits at an elevation of 3,000 meters, ever an epicenter for innovation. Susan Sarandon, Jared Leto, or even Katy Perry have recently visited the tiny village perched in the mountains, adding a touch of glamour to the spot that’s the talk of the town and remains full of surprises. We sat down with Jeff Rosenthal, one of Summit’s co-founders, to talk about the importance of diversity within a community, the power of human relationships, the need for creativity in the workforce, and the absolute necessity to restore and value confidence, a major advantage that seems cruelly lacking in the work world, within today’s companies.

Interview & words: Elisa Routa Photos: Summit, Marshall Birnbaum, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, George Evan Andreadis & Paul Bundy

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How did you and co-founders Ryan Begelman, Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve and Jeremy Schwartz meet? And how was Summit born? We all met in Washington, D.C. Bret Leve and I were in college there at the same time. Elliot grew up there, and had just moved back to start his first company, and Ryan was there working for Carlyle Group. And our other co-founder and Summit Chief Creative Officer Jeremy Schwartz is Brett’s childhood best friend. We recruited him away from his band, which was on the Warped Tour at the time, to help us build Summit. Essentially, we started Summit out of necessity. It was 2008 and we were all young entrepreneurs who really lacked a peer group. Generally, when you’re young and building a business or project, you learn the most valuable lessons by making mistakes and then hopefully not repeating them. We thought, “Hey, how fantastic would it be to meet, support, and learn from other entrepreneurs, creatives, and non-profit founders building interesting things?” So we cold-called, Facebook messaged, and got introduced to different entrepreneurs and innovators whom we had read about, who were sources of inspiration for us. We explained our idea of cross-disciplinary collaboration and shared learning, and we invited them all to go skiing with us in Park City, Utah. 19 people said yes. Elliott put the entire event on his credit card, and now, almost a decade later, Summit hosts flagship events that gather the preeminent thought leaders of our time. We have over 15,000 diverse members from around the globe. We’re also building a community-centric alpine village, Summit Powder Mountain in Eden, Utah. What have been the models that inspired your thinking about Summit? We have a lot of inspirations! Put simply, when you gather innovative, open-minded people in a shared, intentional experience, amazing things can happen. TED, Davos, Art Basel, Aspen Ideas, Burning Man, artists’ salons like those of Gertrude Stein and Katharine Graham... are all great inspirations. We borrow from everyone, and incorporate different elements into our own immersive experiences. We’re fortunate to be able to stand on the shoulders of what came before us. There’s also a rich, modern history of physical community creators who have served as inspiration for Summit Powder Mountain. Robert Redford with the Sundance Resort, Institute and Festival, or Tony Goldman, who built Wynwood Walls in Miami and was instrumental to the development of the Soho neighborhood in New York, and maybe most influentially Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke who created modern Aspen, turning an unknown mining town into an international ski resort by bringing in Bauhaus-trained Herbert Bayer to help build what is now the Aspen Institute, and made Aspen a place of consequence in the global conversation.

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Summit LA17 will take place in the heart of downtown Los Angeles in November. Tell us more about the agenda and your guests? We believe that the greater the diversity of inputs, the more complex and impactful the outputs. Summit LA17 will gather a widely diverse set of innovators and creators, across disciplines, generations, nationalities, genders and backgrounds. We are essentially building a day and night immersive campus, consisting of hotels, historic theaters, outdoor Summit-built parks and structures, underground restaurants, concert venues, rooftops and much more, across four city blocks in downtown LA. We don’t want to give away too many of the surprises! Our speakers include Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon; Craig Venter, who mapped the human genome; Marie Kondo, author of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”; filmmaker and artist Miranda July; Futurist and philosopher Nick Bostrom; author and detective of emerging subcultures Malcolm Gladwell; Chairman David When you Archibald of the Standing gather Rock tribe, Patrisse Cullors, innovative, co-founder of Black Lives open-minded Matter; Jane Fonda, and people in many more archetypically incredible thought leaders a shared, and world changers. LA17 intentional has many established experience, and emerging artists amazing performing - Jon Batiste & the Stay Human band, things can AlunaGeorge, poet Aja happen. Monet, Rodrigo & Gabriella, Steve Lacy, LA Salami, Lil Buck, Zaytoven, Chances With Wolves and more. We have an equally intentional team of dreamers and doers building out the event environment across the entire campus, from food and beverage to impact programs that will enable attendees to contribute to the city. There’ll be opportunities for our attendees to connect through fun, dynamic shared experiences and forums, designed to increase the unlikely overlaps and connectivity that are the hallmark of Summit events. It’s kind of like if you read about dancing without actually doing it - you truly have to experience Summit to understand fully what it’s all about. Through these efforts, it’s our aim to establish Summit LA17 as the pre-eminent thought leadership event that’s happening in the world today.

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Summit

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re young and building a business or project, you learn the most valuable lessons by making mistakes. < The Summit Powder Mountain Development << Summit Co-Founder Jeff Rosenthal during Summit at Sea

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Playground Would you say that nature is an inspiration for you in the creative process? Absolutely. I personally split time between the beach in Venice, California and the mountains of Eden, Utah, and I couldn’t really imagine being based out of anywhere else at this point in time in my life. Summit has had a homebase in the mountains for the past five years. Before that we generally always chose to live and base our operations in the greenest and sparsely populated parts of whatever cities we called our home base throughout the years. We find that this natural immersion leads to more peace of mind, happiness, and less distraction than traditional city life. Eden, Utah has no streetlights, no stoplights, and we spend our time out in nature quite frequently. I think that a connection to nature and being immersed in the wilderness connects us to the present moment and helps us find a sense of peace and timelessness in an ever-changing and evolving world. We try to be environmental stewards throughout our various projects. At Summit Powder Mountain, our building guidelines have a minimum requirement that brings the homes and buildings to at least a LEED certified qualification, and are working on large conservation easement programs to preserve the natural beauty of our mountain and hometown in perpetuity. For our food sourcing for Summit LA17, we’re working with local farms and organizations who utilize regenerative agriculture techniques, which sequester carbon and increase yield to make the land healthier. We try our best to eliminate all single use plastics, and we work with a number of conservation organizations across a multitude of efforts on an ongoing basis at Summit and through our non-profit arm, the Summit Institute. It will take a constellation of efforts from all of us to preserve the natural places we love the most, and we’re moved personally, regardless of our involvement in Summit, to play our part. You could say the oceans and mountains are in the DNA of Summit, and we look forward to bringing more of that sensibility into the heart of LA through our upcoming flagship event. Today, almost 10 years after your launch, technology, social entrepreneurship, art, culture and creativity are at the heart of Summit. How will you manage to protect this DNA in the future? We’ve been incredibly lucky that Summit is made of an active, participatory, and vocal community that has helped us build and define the values and culture of Summit since the beginning, and that is still true today. I think that part of the draw of Summit is that our community gets to directly participate in the creation and evolution of Summit, shoulder to shoulder with us. We used to use a moniker we took from Brian Eno - “Gardening, Not Architecture” - in thinking about how we would guide the community. We knew there was something incredible growing and building at Summit, and we helped steward, modify and evolve the movement and culture, based on the direct feedback from the Summit community. We weren’t, and still aren’t, Every organizaprescriptive in what it will become - this is an emergent movement tion deals with that is still defining and redefining itself in response to the needs the risk of losing of the community. I think that every organization deals with the their definitive risk of losing their definitive culture as they scale, and Summit is not immune to that risk. That being said, we believe that our deep culture as they connection to our community, their active participation in helping scale. us continue to define who we are, where we are deficient and need to grow, what we stand for, and maintaining our authentic desire for growth is the way we will maintain the culture of Summit.

Gardening,

> Outside the Skylodge >> Inside the Summit Institute Skylodge

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Summit

Not Architecture

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the future for Summit? Right now is a major moment of transition for Summit, as we build our next generation flagship event in Los Angeles for the first time, and are deep in the vertical development process and hosting events this summer and fall at Summit Powder Mountain. We do plan to expand Summit locally into more hub cities, and globally on a more regular basis, though city events, excursions and international flagship events, but all in due time. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hyperfocused on the work we have in front of us for 2017. The future will be there waiting for us. www.summit.co

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Craig Venter, Je Lena Dunham, Miranda July, N Kobe Bryant, A Malcolm Gladw Patrisse Cullors Jane Fonda, Qui swenson_vol2_exe_v1_EN.indd 60

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62 Part 02

with Jess Berne

Summit Powder Mountain: Open-mindedness, creativity and entrepreneurship Regarded as the biggest ski resort in the United States and one of the premiere ski destinations in the world, Powder Mountain is an alpine paradise. Located in the small town of Eden, the ski resort sounds like a mischievous deity. These prosperous mountain slopes are home to no less than 178 pistes that, come winter, are covered in fresh powder upon which the lynx feast, and come summer, welcome with open arms a multitude of eccentric characters and their elan. And there are no lack of things to do. It’s here, in over 3,000 hectares of wilderness, made of velvety valley floors and sharp summits, that Summit has chosen to build Summit Powder Mountain, a city dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship, the arts and altruism. An hour outside of Salt Lake City, Summit Powder Mountain welcomes a community united by shared values and a sense of creativity. “Five years ago, a close friend called me and insisted that I come see what he and a group of young entrepreneurs wanted to build in a spot called Powder Mountain in Utah. I was a bit hesitant to leave New York, but I ended up jumping at the opportunity. Today I work with extremely brilliant people, who share the same vision and desire to build a community from scratch in the mountains.” As Community director and Neighborhood Advisor at Summit Powder Mountain, Jess Berne’s job is to liaise daily with Summit’s community. The neighbors - the term used to designate members of the community - share a remarkable benevolence towards the environment, an interest in entrepreneurship and collaboration. Jess Berne opened the doors to this singular city that towers proudly over the state of Utah.

> Jess Berne, Summit’s Community Director

Interview &words : Elisa Routa Photos : Su mmit, Marshall Birnbaum, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, George Evan Andreadis & Paul Bundy

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67 You’ve been with Summit for five years, which makes you one of the organization’s most senior women. How did you get to where you are today? In August 2012, I packed my bags for what I thought would be a month away. Upon arrival at Summit, I was quickly involved in it all. I was the right hand woman to the Summit founders, designing interior spaces, hosting guests, and even using my love of creating to host arts and crafts and candle-making sessions. As the deadline to finalize the purchase of the mountain approached, we literally called out to the Summit community from the mountain tops about our vision—and they responded. Forty trailblazing community members chose to invest with us, receiving a homesite of equal value to their investment, in one of the most pristine and untouched areas of wilderness, in the largest ski resort in North America. With a giant map and some old school thumb tacks, we parceled out land to our founding investors and their families, creating the first blueprint of our alpine town of the future. It ignited my desire to help build our permanent home. I fell in love with how people were connecting with the mountain. I witnessed what it felt like for a group of people who generally don’t sit still to deeply understand what being rooted could feel like. They were home. Today I am focused on community development and placemaking, which means that I connect community members to the right place to call home. I’m lucky to spend my days meeting the most inspiring, heartcentered people — all who share a common interest to make an impact, to live life a bit differently and co-create a place that embodies the values they live by. To date, we have pre-sold over 125 homes on the mountain. Construction of our Main Street, and over 20+ homes, is currently underway.

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Summit At Powder Mountain, you have managed to gather thoughtful, open-minded, and kind How does the town embody the values of the people with whom you want to spend time. community? Who are the neighbors, and why do you In a sense, we are doing a development think all these interesting people are getting project backwards. It’s not the typical involved? “if you build it they will come” methoThe community is a group of thoughtful dology. This all started with a strong disrupters. They are entrepreneurs, sense of community, so the intention artists, authors, thought leaders, is to permanently imbue the physical environmentalists and educators. We space with the values and ethos set now have over 140 families from all over forth by the Summit community. Our the globe. Our neighbors understand values and ethos are evident in our this is more than just an opportunity unique design styles, vibrant comto build a home here. It’s been obvious munity, partnerships, immersive art from the beginning that Summit installations, and the active, curious Powder Mountain is unlike any other lifestyle here on Powder Mountain. development project. This isn’t about Since the project’s inception, our team having the biggest home on the hill. has thoughtfully designed our MasAbove all, our neighbors consider ter Plan, from the way the road winds who their neighbors around the hillsides in will be, how the sun order to preserve the prisThe intention tine mountain face, to the is going to rise and is to placement of our two new illuminate a room, and how we will respect the permanently ski lifts which make our land we are building imbue the neighborhoods ski in-andupon in everything we out accessible. We continue physical space to prioritize preservation do. Summit Powder Mountain is a place with the values and accessibility and enwhere you not only love and ethos sure we are building with thy neighbor but you set forth by the land rather than on top know thy neighbor. A of it. We are designing our the Summit town to be walkable, skiable place where gathering community. and bikeable to optimize with your neighbors is a regular occasion, and our neighbors’ lifestyle. We where a conversation even capped the home sizes around the dinner table can become at 4,500 square feet above ground to one of your most memorable encourage our neighbors to convene in encounters or be as intellectually the community amenity spaces, or on engaging as your most important board Main Street rather than compete with meeting. their neighbors to host a bigger dinner party. The day that our streets are full of people going about their daily activities < and thriving will be the actualization of Summit Ridgenest an ever evolving dream that five young founding men and a group of us have made our own—a dream come true.

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Partner

«At 360 Possibles, we believe that business and management should be reinvented in order to let everyone’s brilliance and everybody’s intelligence to bring forth the products and services of tomorrow and to do so in a better, more sustainable way. To do so, we believe that experience must be shared, that it is the people who act, succeed, fail, and get back up that must be heard. This is for those who push the envelope, question the status quo, who blaze their own path and are creating the work world of tomorrow.» Every year, Bretagne Développement Innovation organizes a two day conference for sharing and exchange of ideas in an interactive environment. Above and beyond the typical frontiers of management, the 4th edition will focus on passion at work, placing the human element of work at the center of debate. Join the conference on November 15-16th, 2017 at the Ateliers des Capucins in Brest, France.

http://360possibles.bzh

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04/

MANNERS/ Entrepreneursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; backpacks We ask the questions, entrepreneurs give the answers.

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Eloquent Photography with Molly Benn Shoot, shoot and shoot with Alex Strohl How to build a really strong content strategy The Swenson House Why I built a remote company before it was cool

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Manners

INSTAGRAM

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74 Part 01 with Molly Benn 82 Part 02 with Alex Strohl 92 Part 03 by Hélène Heath Morning. For the Instagram fiend, morning is a ritual that begins with one’s cheeks crushed against a pillow, a numb shoulder, eyes squinted, a stiff hand and a thumb already tense from running across the screen of a smartphone. Launched officially in October 2010 and acquired by Facebook in 2012, Instagram rapidly made a mark, not only on applications, but on our daily lives. Today, over 700 million daily active users around the world use the platform. Instagram is a source of novelty, of inspiration, of new connections, of rare discoveries, a vehicle for sharing one’s secrets and dreams, a way to invent and share...the list goes on. Created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and named “Application of the Year” by Apple in 2011, the platform amasses over 4.3 billion likes and 95 million photos and videos each day. Instagram has done nothing less than redefine the way in which we share our photos, while uniting a multitude of communities around shared values, passions and common interests.

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Instagram speaks in images, an indispensable, inevitable, and unifying language that makes the now famous social network truly borderless and infinite. “Instagram is a window to the world, from one’s pocket or purse. It’s really a privilege to have that available 24 hours a day,” explains Molly Benn, the French community lead at Instagram, whom we met to discuss the importance of visual storytelling on Instagram. We also spoke with Alex Strohl, a French photographer and entrepreneur, considered by many as the most emblematic representative of the Francophone community on Instagram.

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74 Instagram

with Molly Benn

Instagram has redefined the way we share our experiences through images On the 5th floor of a stunning building with impeccable French windows, complete with an astonishing view from the rooftop terrace, sits Instagram’s Parisian headquarters. From here, the Eiffel Tower can be seen standing sentinel over the grizzled, staccato rooftops as the ferris wheel at Concorde bows in reverence. The French capital’s agitation matches the meticulous frenzy of Instagram’s young teams, and so it is here that I meet Molly Benn.

< Molly Benn at Instagram France’s HQ in Paris

Passionate about photography, fascinated by images, Molly recites the names of amateur and professional photojournalists out of sheer reflex, launching them automatically like tennis balls from a machine. From social causes to artistic work, from war documentaries to video games, from portraits to surreal, conceptual images, Molly Benn is interested in both the composition of images, and the stories they tell. “We’re more open, more tolerant, when we become ‘readers’ of images. We understand the world better,” she says. We wanted to speak with her about the impact of storytelling on Instagram’s users, the creativity of the up-and-coming generation of photographers, the tools that help unite a community, as well as Instagram’s mission, that of reinforcing the connections between people, first behind a screen, then in the real world. Interview & words : Elisa Routa Photos : Instagram, Elisa Routa & Marie Bouhiron

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Hi, Molly. Can you tell us about your background? How did you go from studying History to becoming the French Community Lead at Instagram? I studied historiography, which is the history of what we make of history, how that changes over time. For example, the way we’ve explained WWII in 1950, 1970, or even 1990, has differed. What’s behind the different versions of this story? I’m fascinated by that. My third year in college, I did an internship at one of the first websites created for photography online, a digital magazine that was created in 1996. The magazine eventually hired me, which meant that I gained a lot of exposure to the photography world, be it the photography of art galleries from the 80s, or even that kind that brought the Festival des Rencontres d’Arles to fruition. I worked with people who had never stopped innovating. What really hit me, though, was that the people in this milieu were completely unaware of the photography being shared on social networks. They talked incessantly about the rebirth of photography, but no one, and I mean no one, in any conversation, spoke about the elephant in the room. For me, it was impossible not to talk about social media, so I quit. I had a tough time finding what I was looking for, something that matched what I wanted to do. In 2011, I decided to create a blog to share the stories of people who did what they wanted, mostly photographers that I discovered on social media. That’s how OAI13 (Our Age is 13), my magazine, was born. From one social issue to the next, photography crafts a worldview, and Instagram was right in the thick of it all. If you plunge into OAI13’s archives, we were one of the first sites to mention @everyday accounts on Instagram. I also wrote an article titled, “Photojournalist? Don’t Fear Instagram” in which I explained all the photojournalism projects happening on Instagram. It was an empowering moment for photojournalists.

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One project, titled “Selfies Against the Indeed, teenagers seem very, very active on Death Penalty”, really hit me. A large Instagram... number of photojournalists took selfies Yes, the community of teenagers that as a way to protest the death penalty. It depicts teenagers is very strong. What’s was literally the first virtual protest, the meaning behind it all? What’s aside from petitions, and it was entirely driving it? Last April, we held a meetup in Paris. I asked one teenager that image-based. I found that fascinating. I met, “Why is it so important to you @InstagramFR was launched in January to create portraits of teenagers?” And 2016. How have you managed to create he answered that, in the context of consistency and cohesion while leaving a lot presidential elections, that people, no matter what their age or personality, of artistic liberty to users? When we started thinking about @ form a very precise opinion about Instagramfr, we needed—and we what teenagers are and do, what their wanted—to represent the Francophone youth is like. He needed to capture his community. You can’t represent a friends to have a say in all that, to say community without listening to it first. “This is what my youth is actually like.” So for the first 6 to 7 months, I spent an I wondered if this same idea was shared enormous amount of time unearthing by different groups of adolescents, all kinds of accounts in Francophone the ones we meet at different events. regions of the world we were interested Defining one’s generation through in, in order to create a certain mood. portraits of one’s friends sends a The way in which Francophones— strong message, it’s more than just taking pretty pictures. I and in particular the see my role today as giving Fre n c h — ex p re s s We needed voice to that, and more themselves, is quite to ensure that than that, representing the fascinating because, values important to the in all realms possible @ InstagramFR and impossible, had a unique Francophone community. there is always a dose visual identity, of “French touch.” but above all, The French have a rather strong link to that it told spontaneity, a love stories. of travel, and pride in their regions and history. After that phase, we needed to ensure that @ InstagramFR had a unique visual identity, but above all, that it told stories. So, I simply concentrated on the stories while trying to create rhythm. That means looking first in specific domains, then slowly expanding your search perimeter. One domain leads you to another, and so on and so forth. Today, we have a pretty strong balance between values that are important for the French community, and creators— notably, teenagers—that are redefining the way we express ourselves in images.

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Are there any recurring interests and values that the Francophone community holds close? The Francophone community shares a big sense of yearning to breakaway. In general, there are a lot of “travel” accounts, both in France and abroad. For example, a group of Instagrammers with a specific ‘touch’ have chosen to share their images on the same account, @Frenchfolks, and I find that pretty remarkable. Aside from travel, there’s also the idea of “représentation”, or performance. We recently showcased a costume maker who used only second hand objects to create insane costumes in the style of Vivienne Westwood. Her costumes adhere entirely to her artistic vision. Although she isn’t a photographer, she’s succeeded in creating a visual signature that corresponds to what she says, and that’s what we look for in all the accounts we choose to highlight. And the younger generation of photographers have incredible creativity! I’m surprised everyday. A big swathe of the teenagers on Instagram do portrait work, but there’s also the Cosplayers, and they bring to life a whole range of pop culture characters from video games, they’re a very a strong community. Their goal is to recreate—down to the last details, costumes, makeup and all—characters from videogames and manga. It’s an unspoken rule that they have to create their own costumes, they can’t simply just go buy a costume. I often discover cosplayers that have been exploring the same character for 3, 4, or even 5 years or more. They’ll be looking for > the perfect tank top for a Lara Croft costume, or the perfect material to recreate a Instapreneur weapon from League of Legends. Their entire Instagram account is dedicated to Event in Paris, June 2017 one character. Those are some of the strongest themes I’ve seen in the Francophone community.

I see my role as representing the values important to the francophone community.

The community plays an integral part in Instagram’s strategy and creation process. Stories is one notable example. Launched in 2016, it now has 2000 million daily users… Yes, it gave users a new way to share their experiences and their passions. Today, Instagram is such a well-rounded platform that, no matter what your goal or desire, you can use it the way you want. Accounts such as @Unx-passionx post very little, but create an enormous amount of Stories. And while certain accounts focus more on Stories than posts, other accounts are completely crazy over the feed, each with its own sense of story and its own creative freedom. Instagram has redefined the way we share our experiences through images. Instagram is a blank canvas, one that allows you to post, see the audience’s reaction, and simply keep creating. That’s exactly what Benjamin Girette (@Benjamingirette) did for the entire French presidential election. When politicians were on television, he created portraits of them by distorting their faces. If he’d done that as commissioned work, it wouldn’t have been the same. Instagram allowed him to share his own perception of the campaign, aside from his other commissions. Instagram has united not only photographers, artists and athletes, but also corporations and startups. How would you explain this? I think it’s the first time, and the first tool, that gives one complete control over one’s image and story. The first thing we noticed about start-ups is that they shoot their own images because they don’t have the money to pay a photographer. If you go back a year later and ask them if they’ve hired a photographer now that the money isn’t an issue, they’ll still say no. Their Instagram is linked so tightly to the story behind their company and their core identity that they prefer to handle and run their account in-house. That doesn’t mean they won’t work with photographers for campaigns or other external events, but they prefer to handle their visual communication on Instagram. There are a number of companies that handle things quite well, who have incredible creativity. @Coucousuzette is an example of a start-up that’s really owned the platform and has created a super, super unified visual universe for a brand. You just keep scrolling. They’ve understood everything about Instagram. It’s funny to see there are companies that have figured out how to use Instagram as a business tool.

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Instagram

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Manners

For an entrepreneur looking to develop his Instameets are also a way to unite a The rest of the year, it’s completely business on Instagram, what tools would you community and transform a virtual gathering organic, and it’s the community recommend ? into a real-life gathering... members that organize things Above all, Business Tools. All you have Yes, Instameets have existed since the themselves. We held one of our worldto do is activate it on Instagram in order very beginning. They were created by wide Instameets the weekend of to get more information about your community members to meet in real March 25th of this year, and the theme audience and the statistics related to life. When you connect with other was “kindness.” It was incredibly your account. What’s more, you have people on Instagram, it’s almost always interesting. A good number of people to develop your company’s brand and around a common passion or interest, met to create a series of portraits, its story on Instagram, while remaining so the connection is even stronger in others organized Free Hugs, and more sincere and coherent. You have to real life. The Bookstagram community, still organized meetups to help the connect with your community. Other for example, holds international disadvantaged. The weekend took on simple actions include answering meetups to share books. That has an a diverse and sometimes surprising comments and taking advantage of impact in real life. The link to real forms. It was so much more than just Stories. Some companies use Stories life is stronger and richer because you images. to show their fabrication process. They share something that is already very use the feed to show the finished strong. During the Tell us about the event you held on this past product but they also share the It’s funny to press conference 16th and 17th of June for Instapreneurs? fabrication process behind it all. see there are for the launch of @ We held our very first meet-up with It’s super exhilarating for a user InstagramFr, the Instagram entrepreneurs, whom we companies artist Aurélie Cerise call ‘Instapreneurs’, here in Paris. We to have access to what happens that have ( @Au r e l y c e r i s e ) had never seen a gathering of so many behind the scenes. Instagram is actually the only platform where figured out shared that she had Instapreneurs in one location! It was you can truly enter a brand’s how to use met her best friend held at the Carreau du Temple market universe. Stories bring together on Instagram. in the center of Paris. We organized a Instagram communities even more than sort of pop-up market open to anyone as a business Do you have any and everyone. Each Instapreneur had photos because they can truly showcase a brand’s day-to-day tool. Instameet projects this his own space, so she could sell directly workings and its habits. Every year? to her community. Our Instapreneurs day, 200 million people watch Every year, we come from very different milieu, Stories. That’s where the audience is redefine Instagram’s mission. We ranging from accessories to fashion, and Stories hasn’t ceased to grow. decided this year that its mission is surfboards to plants...they will often to reinforce the connections between surprise you with their strength and people through shared experiences. So, motivation. Once more, the event we created experiences on the platform translated what happens on Instagram for them. Our founder, Kevin Systrom, into real life. We are really happy often says that he’s tired of people with the project because there are so thinking we’re just a platform for many stories of entrepreneurs who sharing photos because Instagram is so have discovered, created, or realized much more than that now. Instagram a passion on Instagram, so we were allows you to experience life both on thrilled to gather them in the same and off-line. People really do meet. physical location. Whether it’s knitting Instameets is a community initiative. sweaters, creating creams or designing At Instagram, the only events we rings, it doesn’t matter because there’s organize at are two, annual world-wide a bit of anything and everything. That’s Instameets to give the international how entrepreneurial passion develops. community the opportunity to gather People make their passion their life’s around a common theme. work, and that’s why we really wanted to tell their stories and bring them together with an event.

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Instagram

At the beginning of the year, you participated in a talk about how to transform one’s passion in a business during the Journée du Digital (Digital Day). Tell us more? Absolutely! To grow @InstagramFR, we’re always looking for Francophone instagrammers with strong stories. When you start hunting, you realize pretty quickly that a majority of Instagram accounts grow out of a passion, and the passion leads to something else. Once you’ve figured out what your passion is, it’s difficult to go back. That’s something that all entrepreneurs share. With Instagram, it’s easy to test your idea and get an immediate reaction from your audience. From the moment you post an image, or respond to a comment, or use Direct Messages, that you talk to people who are really interested in what you do, it’s difficult to put that down and step away. What’s funny is that while not all Instagrammers are born entrepreneurs, they are all born creators. You’re encouraged to launch your project, to really live your passion because you get immediate feedback from posting content and sharing what you love on Instagram. For instance, there’s a fabulous story behind @Shantybiscuits. One birthday, she received a cookie stamp with a horrible message on it as a gift. She thought to herself, “I would love to choose the message I put on my cookies.” The service didn’t exist on the market, so she went for it. Everyone threw a wrench in the machine, professionals in the sector discouraged her, even her parents said ‘Keep your day job and make your cookies on the weekend!’. She was working in aeronautics at the time, so she crafted her own recipes in her little kitchen, created her stamps, and after 6 months, quit her job. Today, she’s succeeding brilliantly. Word of mouth on Instagram has turned her idea into a real business. Big brands are ordering cookies from her. So, in a way, the event we held just June was also to pay tribute to entrepreneurs like her. From conception and creation to production and marketing, anyone who has set off on an entrepreneurial adventure knows that it demands passion, time, and energy. How do you see Instagram today and how do you think the platform will evolve? My own vision of Instagram hasn’t stopped evolving! I speak in images, my first language is images, so I consider myself a product of Instagram. I’m Finnish and my first language is actually Swedish, but I didn’t spend my childhood in a country that spoke those languages. Instagram is a natural fit for me because images are the number one medium I use to communicate. Obviously, habits and customs never stop evolving, but photography puts me at ease because of the universality of images. Images are a universal language, but the way they are crafted is cultural. We’re more open, more tolerant, when we become ‘readers’ of images. We understand the world better. I truly believe that.

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Once you’ve figured out what your passion is, it’s difficult to go back. That’s something that all entrepreneurs share.

< View of the Eiffel Tower from Instagram’s French HQ rooftop

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Instagram

< Instapreneurs meetup, Carreau du Temple, Paris

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82 Part 02

with Alex Strohl

Do the most work possible. Once you have more weight, more experience, then you can start turning things over. Alex Strohl is part and parcel of over 800 million users on Instagram. Considered the most famous Francophone photographer on the social network, now based out of Montana, he has amassed over 1.8 million followers on his account alone. We sat down for a conversation with Alex to talk about Instagramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s considerable power, as well as its ability to transform encounters into opportunities to turn oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion into a small business. Co-founder of the creative agency Stay and Wander, Alex Strohl took us on a journey into his life as a connected adventurer.

> Alex Strohl in the Knik glacier in Alaska

Interview and words: Elisa Routa Photos: Alex Strohl & Mathieu Lelay

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Sleeping under a canopy of stars east of the Sierra Nevada

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Alex Strohl Alex Strohl has been a citizen of the world since birth. Born in Madrid, Alex was raised in France before taking off and making his mark on the world of adventure photography while crisscrossing the globe. From the United States to Canada, from Central to South America, from Norway to the Sahara, the French photographer seems to be constantly wandering. “I find taking off on an adventure is a need of mine. It’s easier to do a lap around the world than stay at home idle...but I need to find balance, and I’m still looking for it. I like doing things in blocks. I tend to take off for 10 straight days for a trip in the woods, then come back and stay another 10 days in the studio and finish the photos, handle administrative stuff, spend time with loved ones and friends. Gathering experiences and translating them into the visual language of photography is what motivates me.” For Alex Strohl, the ability to tell a story is at the heart of his work. Stories found in a moment, an anecdote, or even an encounter.

« A well-shot image is a story in and of itself. In my mind, the most important element is the story,” he says. “You can have the best light in the world but if the shot is empty, it’s not really interesting. It would certainly be beautiful, but something would be missing. But if there’s a story, the lighting, the angle, or the perspective don’t matter. I want to capture the stories I see in images, want to make other people feel what I felt, to share that emotion. That’s what drives me. »

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Photos are meant to convey messages, to express an opinion or give praise. Alex’s photos celebrate nature, ever an ode to the wide-open wilderness, to snowcapped summits, to craggy hikes and savage trails.

« The message I’m trying to send is in constant evolution. One night, I think I’ve figured it out and then I wake up the next morning and am back to doubting myself. If I had to sum it up today, I think my message would be that everyone needs to spend more time in nature. Mankind needs it. It’s not a luxury, it’s where we come from. » When we asked him to choose just one spot in the world, it seems as if Alex has already given it thought. “South America,” he confides. “The United States is an incredible, diverse country. It has almost everything, but it’s missing the way of life you would find in Peru, for example, where certain groups of the population live nomadically, without electricity or running water. That interests me deeply because the people I met there are pure.” Already adept in the art of meeting soul-piercing people and breathtaking landscapes, the young photographer finds authenticity indispensable. It’s this sense of authenticity that no doubt pleases his 2 million followers on Instagram. Deeply attached to the purity of his snapshots taken in Alaskan glaciers, intoxicated by the solitude of Iceland’s highlands, dazed by the heights of cliffs in Norway, or stunned by the power of Patagonia, Alex Strohl’s community lives his travels vicariously.

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Manners

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Alex Strohl

The beauty of the Sierra Nevada

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Manners « I like to think of my Instagram account as a way to escape. I don’t think about it as much of a “community”, I try to think of the people behind the numbers. ‘The guy in Mumbai that’s never seen snow, what’s he going to think?’ The outdoors has become a popular theme on Instagram, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s just a reflection of my daily life. It makes me happy to see people respond in a positive way to pictures of nature. I hope it incites them to get out there. »

Often described as the ambassador for the Francophone community on Instagram, Alex Strohl talks about finding a balance between a certain amount of freedom one acquires thanks to Instagram, > and the responsibilities that come with notoriety A warm water on the platform. “It’s a well oiled machine. source near Mammoth Lakes, Sometimes, I’m surprised by the fact that I’m California, with Andrea Dabene almost on autopilot. ‘It’s 9 p.m., I should post,’ has become a reflex. Before, even if I was eating with friends, I would get up from the table and be gone for 30 minutes to post, I was addicted. Now, I’m more relaxed. What’s going on in the present moment, particularly if it’s with other people, is more important,” he explains. “The only snag when I’m traveling is making sure I have network coverage at night. When I’m in the mountains for a few days on end, with no network, I prepare my images and texts in advance and hand them off to my girlfriend, Andrea (@Andreadabene) to post. Having to post everyday is a myth. I do it because I like the constraint. It keeps me hungry, sharp, and in the groove.”

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When your audience sees hundreds of photos a day in their feed, how do you satisfy and entertain them? How do you stand out and tame the voracious masses yearning for images that transport and teach when over 100 million people use Explore each month on Instagram? “It’s a rather innocent process,” admits Alex. “It’s a mix of good timing followed closely by a rigorous obsession with adventure. As far as timing goes, it was the beginning of Instagram and I was living in Quebec, in Canada. During that period, there were very few users in Canada. That meant I was at the forefront of the platform and I started off on the right foot. That’s when my determination grew. I’ve always loved working on my photos. I was a photographer before Instagram and already had a taste for sharing my work, so doubling my effort for Instagram came naturally.” Alex’s thirst for adventure, his neurosis for exploration and his design studies led him to acquire extraordinary technique in the art of photography. While director Wes Anderson builds his shots symmetrically, Alex Strohl talks about height and determination. “In design school, we were given lots of tools, like the rule of thirds, complimentary colors, or even to think about looking at images upside down. I don’t think I think about that on a daily basis, but I do think it’s burned into my brain now. My first reflex is to get as far above a shot as I can, I like taking shots from a summit, a tree, or even a rock...it’s as if I wanted to just witness a shot,” he says. “I’m a better traveler than a photographer, but traveling without taking pictures seems empty to me.”

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Alex Strohl You can be an average or so-so photographer and have a super career if you have all those things. So at the time, I wanted to help photographers and Maurice wanted to educate brands on how to work with us.” It was just after the 2007-2008 crisis and Maurice Li was working in a hedge fund. He wanted to stop everything to pursue photography.

In extreme, intimidating conditions, often stuck in isolated spots, Alex shares a few fears, the quid pro quo of an adventurer in the modern era. “I’m lucky enough to have selective amnesia. I forget my moments of fear! I once pulled an all-nighter because we had spotted a grizzly in the vicinity when we arrived. Then there are crazy bus drivers in South America that barrel through dirt roads hanging over cliffs 2000 meters up with Reggaeton blasting...And that’s not to mention the terrifying helicopter flight in a storm. Over time, though, they almost become fond memories…” Over time, Alex not only learned to tame the storms but to negotiate contracts, work on his image, and speak with clients. In 2012, he created Stay and Wander, a digital agency, with his business partners Maurice Li (@Maurice) and Rishad Daroowala (@Rishad). “2012 was the beginning of influencer marketing. I don’t care much for the term ‘influencer’, but the idea’s there. At the time, we were in Vancouver with a small group of friends, a group of about 20 photographers, and we realized that we were all being approached by the same brands,” he explains. “Our friends produced great work, they were really creative, but they didn’t know how to sell themselves, so brands took advantage of them. That killed the market. It’s not by accepting a free hotel stay for a night or a sweater in exchange for great work that the photography industry will make progress. That’s why we created an agency. There are tons of photographers much more talented than me, but very few people know how to negotiate well or put themselves in their client’s shoes. Photography is 40% good work and 60% marketing: working on one’s image, communicating with one’s clients, knowing how to read a contract, having an attractive web-site.

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« That’s how we met. I had just arrived from Quebec. I was 24 years old. Maurice became my mentor. Now, Stay and Wander is a digital agency that creates content for brands that people want to see. I often talk about the ad on YouTube that interrupts the video you’re watching. All of the sudden you’re interrupted by an ad that usually has nothing to do with what you’re watching, it’s not well targeted. The moment is interrupted. We want our agency to work against that. » Rishad Daroowala, on the other hand, was working in marketing for the Canadian bureau of tourism. He was Maurice and Alex’s first client before joining the project. “We had barely launched and we found ourselves working for the government on an Instagram campaign for the country. When you work for the government, other brands trust you,” Alex says. “As far as Rishad goes, he had a great job, a stable future, a big salary, everything he needed. But he left it all behind for photography. That’s what binds the three of us together.”

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Manners

Nature is not a luxury, it’s where we come from.

Now five years old, Stay and Wander counts prestigious clients such as BMW, Land Rover, or even Google in its portfolio. However, Alex Strohl draws a firm line in the sand between the agency’s work and photography as an art form. “Today, I try to keep my Instagram for personal projects. I do very little sponsored work. It bothers me to see Instagram as a business.” Which begs the question: How does one combine authenticity and sincerity with a brand’s universe while producing a coherent piece of content.

« The simplest thing to do is to work with brands that speak to me, whose values coincide with mine. It’s certainly a privileged position, one that’s easier said than done when you’re offered projects left and right. But I only work with brands that I already use and respect, that have meaning. Paid or not, these are brands that I will still go and buy. I won’t sell myself to the highest bidder, I’ll pick the brand that has the most meaning for me. That’s not the advice I’d give to others, though! »

For all of his 29 years and his 2 million followers on Instagram, Alex has a few words of advice for photography apprentices. “If I had to start over today, I would do everything, I’d say yes to everything. That’s just how it goes now in a lot of industries. Shoot, shoot, and shoot. Do the most work possible. Once you have more weight, more experience, then you can start turning things over.”

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Alex Strohl

> Matthew Tufts, Joshua Tree, California

Early morning at a camp in the California desert

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92 Part 03

by Hélène Heath

The one thing standing between you and marketing success could be your lack of a strong content strategy. Follow our 6 essential pointers to remedy to that situation. The constant flow of information that we’re bombarded with every single day can be overwhelming. Keeping up with it is often exhausting, but let’s be real: if it were to suddenly go away, we would likely cry foul. We don’t know how to not be connected anymore, simple as that. We’re living in a time where visuals have become one of the most important forms of communication. People consume images to be entertained, to learn, to discover, to stay informed, to stay connected, to keep up with their loved ones. It’s also how they remain on top of their favorite brands, courtesy mostly of social media. This new requisite from consumers translates to businesses being held to higher standards and a necessity to hone in on that direct line of communication. Really strong content output is required from companies to be able to reach their consumers via all of these visual touchpoints. Failing to do so can render them obsolete faster than you can say buh-bye. With so much competition on the playing field, it’s a simple question of sinking or swimming. And the great ones lead the race.

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How to Build a Really Strong Content Strategy We see brands missing the mark on content all the time. It can be difficult to understand how a seemingly great business can get it wrong, as it’s meant to be an integral part of their identity. Wanting to telegraph how amazing your brand is to the world comes naturally to most, but here’s the caveat: the thin line between success and failure is drawn by companies that don’t have a firm grasp on who they are. This results in disjointed messaging, non-representative imagery, and off-target direction. Translation: no bueno. Businesses today need a robust game plan to connect with their consumers on every touchpoint, and with meaningful purposes. Seeing as people are increasingly savvy and demanding, there is very little margin for error. Approaching digital and social content with an authenticity is the first step to rockstar execution. As for the rest, below are 6 pointers to follow for establishing a strong content plan that will be applicable not only to your social media strategy, but to each one of your visual customer touchpoints.

1. Examine Your Brand Values

Time to scrutinize what your brand stands for. The core values on which your business is based should act as the foundation for all the content you produce, serving as the proverbial guiding light. These are the principles that need to be reflected in all of your initiatives.

2. Get Cozy With Your Company’s Core Strategy

Every B2C company should have a brand strategy. There are no two ways about it, it is the number one pillar of all marketing activities. If this statement confuses you, you’ve got some soul-searching to do, my friend. It’s time to get über familiar with it because it should live through your content master plan. Everything you publish must derive from your brand strategy to avoid confusing messaging.

4. Establish a Vision

What is your brand’s aesthetic identity? If you’re new and it doesn’t really have one yet, this is your chance to mold one. Every creative’s dream! Your vision is not the why, it’s the how. It sounds abstract, but it’s actually what you work towards to concretize. What do you visualize your content to look like, to sound like, how it’s formatted and delivered? What’s your aesthetic vibe, what topics do you want to broach, what hues are you keen on using? Vision.

5. Determine Your Voice and Tone

Developing a brand tone of voice is of utmost importance. In short, it serves as your business’ character. The voice is your personality and the tone is your delivery. Two incredibly important pieces of the puzzle to add dimension to your marketing efforts.

6. Identify Content Pillars

Let them be the foundation of every physical piece of content you release out into the world. Do this for each one of your touchpoints to ensure that you always stay on message and never stray from your strategy. The goal of conceiving a content strategy is to align all of your messaging. Each of your visual touchpoints serve as an opportunity to connect with your consumers. It’s your chance to prove to them that you can add value to their lives, all while conveying your business’ point of view. Gotta be an authority in something to hook potential customers. When it’s all said and done, spreading your company’s message by executing a thoughtfully concocted strategy that cultivates your brand identity is the best thing you can do to catch people’s short attention spans. Exactly what this generation needs. And soon you’ll actually be able to identify which photo or video will garner the highest performance on what visual touchpoint.

3. Establish a Mission

Consider your mission to be your whole raison d’être. Your purpose. Your brand’s life meaning. Every single piece of content you publish must be consequential to your mission. How will your content bring value to your audience as well as add value to your company? The answer lies in your mission statement.

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REMOTE WORKING

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96 Why I Chose to Build a Fully Remote Company Before it Was Cool Words: Adam Schwartz

Ok, I admit that I didn’t choose to build a fully remote company. Not at first. I founded Articulate in 2002 as a remote company out of necessity. I’d scraped together just enough money to bootstrap the company, but not enough to secure office space in high-rent New York. Plus, it just so happened that the technical experts I needed to hire to create our first product lived in Mumbai and Missouri, not the Big Apple. When new acquaintances asked me at cocktail parties where my fledgling company was located, I responded with a simple, “here in the city.” I prayed they wouldn’t press for detail because the truth was that I was operating out of my one-bedroom apartment. In those days, that was hardly legitimate, somewhat embarrassing, and definitely not cool. Within a year, Articulate was healthily in the black. Several more people joined, taking a leap of faith that the company was real, even though they couldn’t visit it or even meet me in person. I conducted interviews, engineering meetings and sales calls from my living room. But by the time we had enough money to get an office, I was pretty sure I didn’t want one. Turns out, the benefits of being remote outweighed the legitimacy of having an office.

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Build a fully remote company

1. We were highly productive

It didn’t take long for me to realize that working remotely actually fostered a culture of productivity. After all, the only way I knew people were working was when they delivered tangible work product. I couldn’t peek around the office to see which employees were planted at their desks, and which ones weren’t. People didn’t punch in and out. They proved they were working by producing deliverables! And if they didn’t produce deliverables, they didn’t last long.

2. Talent trumped geography

Finding great people who fit into your culture is a real challenge for any company. It’s all the more difficult when you’re limited to the cities where you have offices! I could pick and choose the best talent from anywhere around the globe, and I did. I couldn’t imagine limiting us to even a large market like New York.

3. We collaborated and communicated insanely well

We had to be very intentional about how we communicated, and we experimented with it constantly. In the early days, we found that talking things through live via Skype worked better than simply emailing questions or deliverables. We’d sometimes augment communication between calls with screen recordings, and even developed our own screencasting tool to make it easier. For quick questions, we used Skype instant messaging. The communication flowed constantly, easily, and deliberately. It had to for people to stay unblocked and productive. Today, we’re heavy users of Slack messaging, Zoom video conferencing, and our own screencasting (Peek) and feedback (Articulate Review) apps.

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4. We freed people to do their best work

I never cared what hours people worked. I didn’t care whether they worked from a home office, a patio, a coffee shop, or a campsite. I cared about deliverables and whether employees helped others with their deliverables. If people had an internet connection and could communicate with teammates at some point in the day, then they could work wherever and whenever they wanted. People who want this type of autonomy are great employees. They feel a sense of ownership over their lives and their work. They are responsible and self-motivated. And they tend to have a creative, problem-solving orientation. They’re people who do their best work when they’re free to do it the way that they want.

5. We invested in connection, not overhead

One benefit of having an office is that it provides a space for people to build more personal connections with each other. No matter how good your video conferencing tool, there’s really no substitute for face-to-face interactions if you want to forge real relationships. So, we use the money we’d have spent for a chic New York office on annual company-wide retreats and in-person team workweeks instead. Our retreats are 95% socializing, 5% company meeting. And while our in-person workweeks are typically sprints toward a tough deliverable, we create strong bonds eating meals together and unwinding at the end of the day. With more and more companies recognizing these benefits, Articulate is no longer an outlier. While IBM calling remote workers back to the office might seem like a setback for the remote model, many predict the move will backfire, noting that remote work is the new normal. Even so, I did bring my son to our company meeting at a recent retreat to prove that dad does, indeed, have a real job.

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The Swenson House

Founded in 2016, Swenson Magazine’s mission is to bring to light the strong relationship between creativity, passion, and entrepreneurship. The magazine caters to a demanding, innovative, and independent audience, one representative of an entire generation that is driven by the need to reinvent the way they life and work, through portraits of entrepreneurs, artists, artisans, and athletes. Swenson believes in listening to its community. To this end, we have created a workspace that reflects our people. Located on the waterfront in Audierne in the Southern Finistère region of France, The Swenson House is atypical. “The Swenson House is a place for a new generation of creatives and entrepreneurs who approach work in a completely different way,” explains Kevin Le Goff, Swenson Global cofounder. “Generally speaking, remote work is becoming more and more frequent, even within big Fortune 500 companies. However, up until now, work spaces outside of big cities have been almost non-existent. At The Swenson House, we wanted to create a spot in which people can work in optimal conditions, outside of big cities and closer to nature to create a sense of authenticity. Above all, we wanted to create a lifestyle space where we could blend people of different backgrounds, both professional and personal, according to different needs.” At over 250m2, The Swenson House offers offices, conference rooms, and a coffee and juice bar. “Up until now, self-employed independents, entrepreneurs and creatives have worked in separate spaces that haven’t always met their needs. With The Swenson House, our goal is to bring together diverse profiles around shared values and help them grow in shared environment that catalyzes their development.” Interview and words: Elisa Routa Photos: Nomades (Natasha Roche & Mathieu Lodin)

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Changes in the pace of work and trends in digital transformation have lead numerous stakeholders to rethink workspaces over the past several years. The rise of digital nomadism, among other work habits, has put pressure on traditional models of work. More and more professionals are opting to become individual entrepreneurs, or to consider slashing, or exercising multiple professions. As the needs of an always-on-the-go generation looking for balance between creative stimulation and well-being have burgeoned, Swenson has understood those needs and sought to meet them. “We see The Swenson House as the flagship of a new, enthusiastic generation. We offer our community an integrated experience, ranging from inspirational talks to outdoor film screenings, from yoga and pilates sessions to surf lessons, expositions, and concerts… Striking a balance between work and play is of the highest importance. It’s a new way to approach work, but it’s also an opportunity to pull one’s head out of the sand and to take a breather from work projects in a beneficial way.” Entrepreneurs face myriad challenges, one of which is finding a way to balance both personal and professional life. This is precisely why Swenson has put benevolence, conviviality, collaboration, professionalism, and serenity at the heart of all its endeavors. The Swenson House is a subtle, neutral toned temple spun out of a former boat house that spans the length of the Goyen. “The Swenson House’s environment allows members of the community to balance work and play. Community members can surf during lunch, or take yoga and pilates classes at the end of the day, week in and week out.” According to Kevin Le Goff, The Swenson House is an auspicious place to concentrate, or to find inspiration. Groups and individuals are welcome to step into this space dedicated to the communal values of innovation, passion, nature, technology, creativity and craftsmanship. “The Swenson House’s mission is to create a meeting place. We welcome creatives, entrepreneurs, or the self-employed. Work is no longer a question of place, but of ambiance and space.” Companies, teams, and freelancers can take advantage of Swenson’s accommodations and range of outdoor activities for a team building session or multi-day offsites in an environment that encourages creativity. “We host numerous small businesses and startups looking to come to the countryside for a few days. They come on their own or partner with one of our experts (an entrepreneur or consultant) to work on a particular problem or issue.” More than a house, The Swenson House offers a home and a roof for emulation, inspiration, and collaboration. Guests collaborate with the space to rethink the way they work. Above all, the house encourages individual freedom, gives life to ambition, stimulates exchange and supports the development of spectacular projects, the kind which many are afraid to discuss, but in which we all secretly have faith. A uniting, consolidating, coordinating force, The Swenson House is said to breathe life into projects, and is often described as a parenthesis in company culture. www.swenson.global/house

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The Swenson House

It’s a new way to approach work, but it’s also an opportunity to pull one’s head out of the sand and to take a breather from work projects.

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05/ RECTO VERSO/ A recycled life When we flip a coin there are two sides. Decades ago, jumping around from job to job was rare. Today, we talk about a recycled life.

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Discipline, Focus and Passion with Patrick Dempsey

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Discipline, Focus and Passion with Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey. A name synonymous with the famous white coat he wore for nearly 11 years in the corridors of Seattle Grace Hospital as Dr. Derek Shepherd, alias “McDreamy”. Since then, the 51-year old actor has invaded the big screen. From his 2011 appearance in Transformers 3 to his recent role alongside Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth in Bridget Jones’s Baby, released in 2016, Dempsey has taken on his role as a cinema star with gusto. Dempsey’s parallel passion for motorsports and his fascination for Porsche have made him a seasoned racecar driver, and now the head of the Dempsey-Proton Racing stable alongside his partner Joe Foster. We met Dempsey—family man, successful actor, experienced race car pilot, and attentive manager—at the 2017 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Aside from 100°F heat wave, far above average for the month of June, we had one thing on our minds: getting through the race track security to speak to him about his massive investment and performance as a team player at the service of his crew. “My motivation is looking for richer, deeper experiences,” Dempsey says. On the hunt for an adrenaline rush, always looking out for ambitious new goals, Patrick Dempsey revealed his need for balance with such a fast paced life, the inevitable compromises success demands, as well as his obsessive work ethic in obtaining his goals.

Interview & words: Elisa Routa Photos: Porsche Illustrations: Kamal Jihadi

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In the television series Grey’s Anatomy, you played one of your most iconic roles as Doctor Derek Shepherd...but more recently, you’ve turned to cinema, particularly in Bridget Jones’s Baby. What did it feel like to jump into a movie after doing TV work for so long? Cinema is a different process than TV. There’s a clear beginning, middle and an end. TV is on-going, it’s about endurance in a way. You have to be very careful to pace yourself because there’s no end in time. Like racing in many ways, it really forces you to be in the moment. It’s a much stronger way of approaching life. You’re a successful actor, but you’re much more than that. You’re a devoted race car pilot. In your mind, what do acting and motorsports have in common? Motorsports, like acting, demands awareness and presence. Maintaining a sense of presence in the moment is a big challenge in both endeavors. More than acting, though, racing demands situational awareness. You can’t have noise in your head because it distracts you. It doesn’t allow you to be present. For me, working with Porsche, not just their philosophy but also their company culture, is all about that presence, about being in the moment and making necessary adjustments to the set-up in front of you. When you’re racing in multiple classes, you have to be aware of what’s in front of you, what’s beside you, and what’s coming down the road behind you. There’s something that brings you In order to back to your breathe and it becomes a religious experience and an emotional experience because you’re so connected to your breathing. That sense of living succeed, you you get on the track has become my addiction. It’s a great place to live. You’re need to be so present that that feeling of lightness becomes a place. It’s a challenge and focused 100% the risk on the track is so high. People seek out that risk in motorsports, they’re on your goal. willing to sacrifice a lot to achieve that feeling. But you can’t get there without presence, and that’s a mental muscle. That mental muscle is portrayed in motorsports, but it’s also translatable to my experience in Hollywood, to film and television.

> Porsche 911 RSR (77), Dempsey Proton Racing

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Your number one passion today is cars, especially Porsches. But you also have a lot of commitments outside the racing world. How do you manage to combine your career as an actor and your passion for motorsports? The key to combining the two is focus and compromise. That applies to most anything in my life, whether it’s racing, acting, or even my own family. Focus means setting goals, and then working towards them. Our racing team achieved a win in the Fuji round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), but our real focus was Le Mans, where we placed second. We’re certainly doing well within the whole WEC. It was simple. We made it our goal to do well at Le Mans, and to be able to complete a full season. I knew that would take 100% commitment and great sacrifice to many other things in my life. In order to succeed, you need to be focused 100% on your goal. Collectively, we—Patrick Long, Marco Seefried, Porsche, and the team itself—had a clear approach to our process in achieving those goals. The team taught me that what I really want now is to achieve my professional goals. In my personal opinion, I haven’t achieved the quality of the experience that I’m looking for in my career. It takes a lot of discipline. It means not having too many different activities, and something has to be sacrificed in order to sharpen your focus. With television, you’re always racing to get to a deadline. You don’t have the time to step back and really ask yourself poignant questions. Films and limited series’ give you the time to stop and pause, to ask questions and get answers. It becomes a deeper, richer experiment. I’m looking for those experiments now, and racing has taught me that. But what I’ve learned certainly applies to other aspects of my life, including how I raise my children, the focus that it takes to raise 3 children and to maintain our relationships. All of these things have been enhanced by my opportunity to race, and my experience with Porsche and their philosophy. 2016 was a very important year for you. You focused on your family, your wife and your kids. How important is it to strike a balance between a successful career and a happy family life? It’s about choices. Every choice is a sacrifice, in some way. Spending time at work means time not spent with your children, and vice versa. You have to be able to make those choices, in the best way possible when you have to make them. Racing takes a great toll on those who have families because you’re constantly on the road. These are the kinds of challenges that you encounter. You need time with your family to stabilize it, nurture it and develop it. Then, you go off and something has to be sacrificed in order to succeed, whether it be for your career or for your family. It’s very hard to be able to do it all. You need to have great discipline. It’s the sort of challenge that I’m in right now. How do I balance it

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all? How do I achieve it? I think what I learned from racing, and from the motorsports community, is that sense of discipline and focus, in order to help me strike a balance. You recently jumped into a new adventure with DempseyProton Racing. How does it feel to work from a new perspective, especially in Le Mans this year? It’s really great and incredibly satisfying to stay awake for the entire 24 hours, to follow the race from start to finish. As a driver, you get into the car, you drive a few hours, you rest, you really live the race...but when you’re not in the driver’s seat, you try to recover, calm down, and pace yourself to make it through the race. Going into this season, I wanted to give a number of drivers the opportunity to learn, and to move up the ladder within Porsche. It’s gratifying to see talented young drivers competing in their first Le Mans. The Le Mans course is fascinating because of its sheer size, its history, the special atmosphere, and the level of competition. It’s You want rewarding to be there for to empower them, to watch them, watch their professionalism and people and their presence in stressful allow them in situations. I was amazed be invested in by their maturity. They the mission inspired me. I wanted to know what I could do to at hand, the support them, to help goal, what the them and help the team on team is trying this effort to have the best to achieve results? I think it goes back to being in the moment. together. Of course, we had issues that came up, but it was great! This is a long race. It’s important to never give up. The drivers managed to come back by just keeping their heads down and focusing on the race. That’s what I really enjoyed. Witnessing the entire race across all categories, being involved on a personal level with my own team, gave me a lot of satisfaction. Then, the greater sense of team and family within Porsche itself is what drives us all.

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As a manager, what would you say are the keys to building and motivating a successful team? Providing support. Being sensitive to your team. Being aware and stepping up to help them if you can. Having kids has helped me learn to not not be distracted by other things that you have to do, to try and be there and allow your team to experience things in their own way. That’s a lesson my own son has taught me. I think it’s how we should approach life, allowing everyone to learn and experience things their own way. With Porsche, I try to encourage our drivers best I can. Sometimes, the drivers get out of the car, they have a horrible stead, and you have to point out: “You did an amazing job. Look at the time you were running, look where you are now, look at your position for the rest of the championship.” You give support through encouragement, looking at the positives. What similarities do you draw between driving a racecar and driving a business? Both revolve around teams. It all depends on management style, but no matter what, you want to empower people and allow them in be invested in the mission at hand, the goal, what the team is trying to achieve together. Hiring the right people, allowing them to do their thing and have ownership and investment and passion is essential. My experience with Porsche is that sense of team. There’s a sense of “We’re in this together”. There is unconditional love within it, and there’s a purpose: winning. Not at all costs, but there’s a right way, a methodical approach to it. There’s a methodology. Having people who believe in the idea and empowering them to do the very best work. When they lose direction, you have to guide them back. Would you say passion is the key to it all? I think so. There’s a proverb that says ”Follow your bliss”. When you work hard, when you have a firm belief that you’re on the right track, there’s a hunger to keep going. It’s something you have to constantly evaluate. What’s the quality of this life experience? In that last few years, I’ve tried to evaluate the last decade of my life, both my career in racing and in acting. I think you work hard when you have a firm belief that you’re on the right track, when there’s a hunger to do things. Either as a race car driver or as an actor, you need time to step back, reevaluate and see what is the next passionate thing that comes to you. And not to be afraid of it. It’s very important. It’s all related to the quality of your life experience.

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What’s your next passion project? Now, I’m getting ready to start a project in August. And there’s a lot of boxing in the film itself. For me, to get into the character is really to train properly. I’m going to try to apply all the things that I learned thanks to the racing, all those disciplines, to the acting to see where that result brings me. Hopefully, I’ll find the depths of the experience. As for the film, it’s based on a novel entitled The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker. Jean-Jacques Annaud is an incredible director. I’ve been looking for the depth, the quality of the experience that I had in motorsports, in front of the camera. That’s what I’m looking for and that’s where my passion is right now. That’s what’s driving me: I try to get a richer, deeper experience. Racing with a manufacturer like Porsche is a chance. Porsche is a uniting cause that brings people together. However, it’s interesting to see how Hollywood brings a lot of insecurity. It’s up to other people to validate that experience. How do you quantify success? It’s outside of yourself. That’s racing’s biggest challenge. In racing, I know where I stand because of the clock. Motorsports and racing allow you to quantify success for yourself. You’ve become an important member of the Porsche family. How would you describe your relationship with the other drivers and Porsche team members? They are people who truly care about you. There’s an understanding, there’s a strength there, that I don’t find anywhere in my life, outside my family. It’s very special to be invited into the family and to be a part of the history of Porsche and motorsports. There’s something there that is really special and everybody is aware of that. You want to bring your best everyday. I really love the racing community, I have tremendous respect for the racers who do it as a profession everyday. They sacrifice to do it. I’m just very grateful to be a part of it and, hopefully, bring value in whatever capacity I can. Porsche is inclusive. It’s not exclusive. The community keeps growing, people come up to me and talk about the Porsche experience they have and how passionate they are. There’s no pretense, just real love and openness.

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What I learned from racing, and from the motorsports community, is that sense of discipline and focus, in order to help me strike a balance.

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06/ MONOLOGUE/ In their mind Thanks to quality storytelling, we give carte blanche to a selection of entrepreneurs who push the limits of life, and check what they have in their backpacks.

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Every Year, New Challenges with Garrett McNamara How to set goals that help you succeed

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120 Part 01 by Garrett McNamara 126 Part 02 by Darius Foroux

We won’t be surprised if Garrett McNamara’s life raises your eyebrows. His life is pure madness. It’s more excessive and more absurd than anything you would find in the sports section of the Guinness Book of World Records. Condensing it to just a few moments is tricky, but here are a few highlights. At just 11 years old, GMAC followed in the footsteps of his younger brother, Liam, and headed to Waimea to surf Sunset, where the waves rival those at Pipeline, the most renowned spot for surf on the island. When he was 17, he entered the prestigious Hawaiian Triple Crown championship and snatched his first sponsors. Since then, GMAC has been considered a living legend. From Jaws, on the Hawaiian island of Maui, to Nazaré, McNamara hunts down monster storms and swells. In 2007, alongside his partner Keali’i Mamala, he pursued a tsunami created by a 90-meter (300 foot) calving glacier in Alaska. The experience, a little more than insane, was captured in a documentary entitled “The Glacier Project”. In November 2011, a Portuguese swell propelled him onto an almost 25-meter high wave at Nazaré. Two years later, even though the debate over his record was still raging, GMAC broke his own world record by surfing a 30-meter high wave, earning him a title as the surfer having wrestled “the highest wave ever surfed in the world.” In January 2016, McNamara suffered an enormous wipeout on a nearly 15-meter high wave at Mavericks in California.

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Reputed for his surf exploits, GMAC is set to embark on a new three-year adventure. As the official international spokesman for the Portuguese Olympic team, McNamara will bring the Olympic torch to the 2020 games in Tokyo. There, for the first time in Olympic history, surfing will be included in the games alongside a wave of newly integrated sports that includes golf, karate, climbing, baseball, softball, 7-player rugby and skateboarding, all of which have been approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Inclusion of surfing in the Olympic games has been pushed back over five times between Sydney, Athens, London and Rio, bringing the wait time to over 20 years as the International Surfing Association considered allowing it a place in the games. We met Garrett McNamara as he sets off on his Olympic adventure this year. At 50 years young, the surf legend is challenging himself once again, this time daring to unite an entire nation around a sport that has followed him his entire life. > Prai Do Norte, NazarĂŠ, Portugal

Words: Elisa Routa Photos: To Mane, Lucia Griggi, Jorge Leal, Bo Bridges & Pedro Miranda

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From fearless kid to big wave rider

I recently released a memoire, “Hound of the Sea”, which chronicles quite a complicated story. I was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As a young child, the police found me wandering a mile from the boarding school where I lived. Afterwards, my family moved to Cazedaro, California, where my mother founded a commune. Just a few years later, we hopped in a van with a fellow named Mad Bob and headed to British Honduras, with lots of adventure along the way. Eventually, when I turned 11, my mom announced we were moving to Hawaii. That set off a chain of events that has shaped the life I currently live , and for which I am oh so grateful! At 17, as a senior in high school, I had no clue what I was going to do with my life. I considered flunking out my last year so I could stay in school, but when I made money in the Triple Crown, I was automatically considered a “pro” surfer, so I rolled with it. The universe had answered my prayers, unbeknownst to me.

Pushing the boundaries

In the beginning, it was all about the rush. That rush of adrenaline. But more than the adrenaline, it’s been about giant waves. I’ve never had the desire to jump out of a plane or swim with sharks. It’s always been about connecting with nature and riding the biggest wall of water I could find. After surfing the waves created from a 300ft-calving glacier in Alaska, I can’t get a rush on ocean waves any more. I think I’ve reached my fear limit. It’s literally the only time I thought I might not make it home. Since “The Glacier Project”, I have learned that fear is something we manufacture in our mind. Fear only exists when we are thinking about what could possibly happen. If you stay in the present moment, fear cannot exist.

A new challenge

I’m embarking on a highly complex, 3-year adventure that will end with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It’s all about giving back and sharing the love of a sport that has changed my life, and is powerful enough to change entire countries. As the only internationally renowned surfer to speak fluent Japanese, my role and mission will consist of showcasing surfing and the athletes that will represent all participating countries in Tokyo. Our goal is also to seek out and reveal 4 new waves with magnitude on the same scale as Nazaré. That means we will be watching the weather forecast and studying seafloor maps in search of the next giant wave. We will also be searching for perfect, clean barrels.

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Garett McManara Garrett McNamara

Recognition

The 2020 Olympics will be the first ever to include surfing as a medalled sport. It is the ultimate achievement. Fernando Aguerre, the President of the International Surfing Association (ISA), worked on it for over 20 years and his dream is now a reality. It’s an amazing example that everything is possible. Surfing is no longer just a hobby, it’s a professional sport recognized by mainstream society. After seeing what surfing has done for Portugal, I think it can totally rejuvenate the economy and the spirit of the people. From a professional standpoint, I’m proud of my relationship with Nazaré and what we created together, of giving new life to a small town.

A Custom-built Mercedes board

About 4 years ago, Mercedes Benz came to me and said they wanted more than just to help us get to waves and watch from land. They wanted to get in the water and be part of the action. The Mercedes logo, a 3 pointed star, represents land, air, and sea. So, what better way for them to symbolize land, sea, and air than develop the safest, sleekest, most technically superior tow board. I was able to visit the engineers and designers behind the board and share everything I’ve learned over the years about what it takes to create the ultimate big wave tow board for Nazaré, then SPO took the vision and turned it into the magic board. With all our vision and experience combined, we have truly created the best tow board I have ever ridden.

Advice

It’s never too early and never too late to follow your passion. The only people who succeed are the ones that try. Before he succeeded, Thomas Edison created 10,000 failed light bulb prototypes. I think surfing will become like tennis or any other highly popular sport: culturally accepted and universal.

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Monologue Monologue

Freezing waters near a 90m tall iceberg

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Garett McManara Garrett McNamara

McNamara surfing a giant wave in Portugal, December 2011

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126 How To Set Goals That Help You Succeed Words: Darius Foroux

Passion, an ability to adapt, perseverance, confidence in oneself, vision and keeping a certain amount of balance between one’s mission and ambition. When it comes to the qualities needed to achieve even the smallest amount of success, blogs have long tried to catalogue and document what makes the perfect entrepreneur. Just as Garrett McNamara has an insatiable appetite for new challenges, befitting that of a professional athlete, we wanted to hand the mike over to Darius Foroux, an American entrepreneur and author. He speaks to everyone, both entrepreneurs and dreamers, and shares a few tips to help us unleash our own ability to execute our various projects, above all with a sense of humor, the help of a few citations from Confucius or Michelangelo, and ideas just as critical as they are completely out there. Got ambition? Goals are a way of actively changing your ambition into reality. But before you start chasing your dreams, start by defining your goals. No goals, you say? Then make them up. No, really. Anything is better than having no goals at all Don’t know what you want to do with your life? Well, give yourself a goal! The most important goal of them all: Find out what you want to do with your life. Some people tell me, “I’m just not an ambitious person.” Ah, ambitious people. Ambitious people are not born. They are made. You don’t come out of the womb with a pre-defined goal. Ambition is a set of conscious decisions to pursue growth in life, through either experience or achievement. You may have found your life purpose already…but without a goals to provide a roadmap for advancement, your life will remain aimless. Your destiny may seem far away, intangible even, but goals are about execution and getting you there. We set goals because we can’t just sit around and hope that something good will happen to us. Hope is not a strategy. Hope is for people who have high expectations but are not willing to do anything to make their dreams happen. Here’s a way you can set goals that help you succeed in 6 steps.

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How To Set Goals

1. Start by Thinking Big

Don’t play it safe. Remove all limits you have in your mind and think about what it is you truly want to achieve. But thinking big doesn’t mean you have to be extraordinary. As Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest once said: “You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things — to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals. People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things. »

2. Set A Precise Goal

It’s important to know what you’re working towards, and to see them more as a benchmark for progress than an ultimate state of achievement. To quote Pablo Picasso: “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” And to make a plan, you need to know exactly what you want to achieve. If you want to lose weight, you should decide exactly how much you want to weigh. If you want to achieve financial freedom, you should calculate how much money you exactly need.

3. Set A Deadline

It’s important to determine when exactly you want to achieve your goal. A goal is pointless if you will achieve it “someday”. Want to move to New York City? Set a date in your calendar. Otherwise, your goal will float somewhere in the undetermined future. Chances are you will never accomplish a goal that has no deadline. In addition, looking at the date on your calendar motivates you to work toward your goal.

5. Track Your Habits

Habits are the basis of achieving your goals. Achieving success is not about hitting home runs. It’s about doing the right things, every day. What do you have to do daily to achieve your goals? Then, use an app like Coach.me or Way of Life to track your habits. These apps let you set a goal you want to reach and will help you track your daily progress.

6. Review & Adjust

Review your goals at least once a month. The point is not to adjust your goals, but rather focus your daily actions. As Confucius once put it: “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” If you feel like you’re not making any progress don’t be quick to think you can’t do it. Focus on the steps you’re taking. If something doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to change your methodology. In the end, setting a goal can be easy, but if you do it right, the goal itself will help you build habits that help you succeed. As Roman poet Ovid said: “Habits change into character.” And character is what you can rely on the most in life. Set an ambitious goal and start working on it—what do you have to lose? Discover more about Darius Foroux on: http://dariusforoux.com

4. Decide What You’ll Sacrifice

Achieving goals without sacrifice is a myth. You have to make concessions. Think about things that you have to sacrifice. You don’t have to give up everything to accomplish your goals. Commit to what you want to sacrifice and mentally prepare for it. For instance, if you aspire to be a musician, chances are you have to travel to perform. Thus, mentally prepare for not seeing your family and friends all the time. Are you willing to make the sacrifice?

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07/ THE OBSERVATORY/ Extensive view Have a break, breathe and share this journey with us. Throughout stunning portfolios, across a visual escape, we take you on a trip around the world.

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True Stories by Benjamin Jeanjean The Race of Gentlemen by Kim Maroon

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B E N J A M I N

R V C A . C O M

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True Stories by Benjamin Jeanjean

Three years ago, I met a gallerist in Berlin who offered me an artist’s residence in Vienna. I was busy at the time, but I called him up last year. “It’s a bit tricky right now...we are putting up Syrian refugees in the apartment we usually use for artists,” he responded. All I needed was the corner of a couch, or a small patch of floor, so I thought about my reasons for going to Berlin, and asked myself what I could do once I was there. I had heard a lot about refugees, and not all of it good. When you come, as I do, from a small village in the Landes region of Southern France, you don’t have direct contact with refugees, the media you have access to or hear about isn’t very objective, scares you, or leads you to believe that the issue is far, far away from you. One day I was reading the newspaper and came across a fairly dark page. Splashed across the top of it in a huge font was, “There are 45 of them!”, which meant, in other words, “Look out, they’re coming!”. At the village bakery, women in front of me were talking about it all. One of them blurted out, “I guess that means I’m going to have to put my garden tools away…” Her thought process was absurd, but at the same time, almost natural, what with all the media going on and on about the refugees. For the most part, my village is a bubble. It’s sleepy here, with the exception of the three or so planes that take off every summer, so I understand why someone would have said what she said. I don’t condone it, but I understand that with limited access to information, the word ‘refugee’ has a certain connotation, one that creates fear. Refugee camps are all over TV, and the media talks about them in a way that makes the word “camp” scary. It’s easy to conflate the two. For lots of people, Syria and terrorism are synonymous, they’re the same thing. In short, it made me want to meet the refugees, to hear their stories and to ask myself the question: “How can I help them and how can I humanize this issue?” Syrian refugees are people, individuals with their own lives, and even we, the French, could quickly find ourselves in the same situation. I wanted to bring out the humanist side of the issue, rather than talk about its political aspects, since I have absolutely no political science training or skills. It was much more a documentary project than an artistic one. I wanted to illustrate their stories to shed light on them. If I can give their stories a voice and a form, and create a reaction, it’s won’t have a huge impact, but it’s something.

Interview: Elisa Routa Illustrations: Benjamin Jeanjean

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I stayed for 4 weeks in Berlin. The first week, I spent a lot of time with refugees so they could share their story; there was Ali, a 33-year-old Iranian political refugee, or Firos and Simo, 18 and 22 years old respectively, both students and Syrian war refugees. I tried writing their story, but it just didn’t work. From the outset, I was asking for something quite complicated. We didn’t know one another and I was asking them to share their life story with me. They didn’t know what I had in mind. They all answered, “In any case, there’s no bad way to tell our story, it can’t be worse than what we’ve lived through.” It was really difficult at first, but that’s also what I wanted. What had they really lived through? How is the media biased? What’s the real story? What families are they from? What’s happening? It’s the human side of things that really bitch slaps you in Vienna. When you listen to refugees tell their stories, it’s brutal. You listen to the recordings again, it’s brutal. You illustrate, and its brutal. But you get past the shock factor and you just keep going. You transform your reaction into energy to do something. I started illustrating, did a few sketches here and there and the refugees caught on. Soon enough, they dropped the story side of things for the aesthetic aspect, the cool side of it all. They were fascinated by their heads. For kids, it’s always cool to draw skulls! That’s the reason I’ve been doing it for years. With skulls, there are no clothes, no skin colors. Just a cranium, a skeleton, and that could represent anyone. I picked out 4 walls in the gallery to document their story with big sketches. When I put up the first big illustration on the wall, the kids started giving me feedback about what I was doing. It reassured me. “That’s exactly how I feel, it’s super cool.” They thought it was cool to blend art with a documentary. There was less of a barrier, less distance between us. While I painted, the guys behind me break danced. Pedestrians in the streets stopped and tried to understand what I was doing. The opening exhibition was pretty cool, and very different from the others that I usually do. There was a real diverse crowd. During an opening, and as an artist, it’s often hard for me to approach people and explain and sell my work. It’s not something I’m able to do. In this case, I was selling something else, which enable a lot of discussions about the refugees, about initiatives underway, rather than sheer art. In Vienna, most young people want to help. The majority of young people there that evening was already volunteering in a school. A Red Cross group also came. One of the men worked on one of the boats sent out to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean. Since he started working on the boat, he’s saved thousands of lives. The refugees also brought their friends. We ran into people that would never have imagined coming to this type of exhibition. As the evening went on, faded into the background.

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When I came home, I just wanted to keep going. I worked on a book of 15 illustrations to show the personal, intimate side of the story. That’s what True Stories is about. The word “refugee” is large, it encapsulates everyone and no one at the same time. The people I met were fleeting situations that we couldn’t even fathom. They were doctors, architects, artists, or even students. We wanted to tell the story through the lense of individual experiences, so we focused on Ali’s story. 15 illustrations in all. The classes he taught at university, his boat crossing, the break her took at the frontier because his wife was completely shattered, his trip to reach Vienna...His entire story is told in bold images complete with anecdotes. Ali is an Iranian political refugee, but he’s more than that. He’s an architect and an artist. He left because of censure laws in his country. The government has an enormous file on him. As an artist, he wasn’t allowed to broach certain subjects. When he taught art students at university, he couldn’t bring up other religions. He decided not to listen to the government and ended up being followed home by government officials. One evening, his wife called him to tell him that two men had pillaged their home. “Don’t go inside!,” he said. That was the moment they threw out their passports and left. Ali’s past is much closer to a European experience, so if people can relate to him, talk differently about refugees, and feed that back to the media, that’s cool. Today, Ali’s found an apartment, and he works in a retirement home in order to help the Viennese. The teenagers Simo and Firas now have papers to travel legally in Europe. The youngest of them was ready to undertake his same trip in reverse in order to go see his parents, who are still in Turkey. He couldn’t take it anymore. That was hard to hear, especially when he tells you how hard the trip to Vienna was. He’s a teenager just like the rest of them. When something happens to him, he whips out his phone and films it. He showed me a few of them…”That’s when we were imprisoned, that’s the boat, and that’s my friend that was killed…” At his age, I hung out in skateparks. You realize how lucky you are and that’s cool. It’s cool that it’s normal in France to hang out in France and go to college.

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e c a The R n e m e l t n e of G Text and photos: Kim Maroon

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The rev of engines, the smell of gasoline mixed with the salty ocean air, and the constant roar of the Pacific — all elements of a heart-racing experience, one that I would never forget. Ever since I’d first heard about The Race of the Gentleman years ago, I knew I had to photograph the event. The backdrop for the race—the ocean—is an endless source of inspiration and energy for me. I leap at any opportunity to be close to it. Forever curious, I enjoy discovering the stories behind the people and places I encounter. For as long as I’ve had a camera in hand, I have been drawn to photograph the wild, the chaotic, and the free, always chasing after the moments that make me feel alive. Documenting these experiences, telling the stories within them, and bringing others closer in a way that reaches beyond what they imagined, is the heart of my work. I landed in Los Angeles to blue skies and sunshine, hopped in a car, and charged up the gorgeous ocean vista, canyons, and rolling hills of the Pacific Coast Highway. This was my first time in Central California and I was headed to Pismo Beach for The Race of Gentlemen’s West Coast debut.

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The Race of Gentlemen is a unique event that celebrates the heritage of beach racing of the late 1940s and early 1950s. TROG is period correct in every wayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from the structures and banners along the track to the cars and motorcycles. Each authentic detail brings to life this action-packed piece of American history.

realizing the movie is real. TROG is the only place I have been where the present is the past.

At 5am that Saturday morning, I lie wide awake with a case of reverse jet lag, up early enough to greet a storm pulling in to the town of Pismo Beach. Mother Nature was about to test the will of everyone who came to Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to put the race race. An unusually highexperience into words. As tide, brought on by the storm surge overnight, had you step onto the sand, you step back in time. The pushed back the raceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start sight of hotrods and bikes time. Crowds, decked out in ponchos and umbrellas, covered in patina and racers donning attire from lined the access road and the era makes you believe piled into the dune area to watch the cars and bikes you have just exited your time machine and arrived roll onto the beach. Racers in 1940. Imagine stumbling barreled down the hill onto a movie set and then through deep sand, making

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their way to the lineup area. Spectators waited in anticipation as each car took their turn on the hill, cheering them on, hoping they didn’t get stuck. Finally, the tide let out enough and the first flag dropped. From then on, it was wild fun and ear to ear grins all afternoon through the cold rain, fog, and wind. Competitors brought their best to the track and quickly forgot about the weather. With flag-girl Sara and Lindsey’s every leap, cars and bikes took off in a fury of wet sand, disappearing down the ¼ track. Long before their outlines came into focus, I could hear the roar of engines as they came back towards us. Like ghosts, cars

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seemed to float in the fog engulfing the beach. The approaching tide created colorful pools as it swirled seawater with motor oil, a sign that the race was coming to an end. That day, The Race of Gentlemen was not only about the thrill of speed along the ocean. I had just witnessed a band of men and women truly passionate about, and dedicated to, the sport and its culture. And I learned that if you love something hard enough, you fight like hell for it, even through the most unsavory conditions.

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08/

Le clan /

Collaboration We are carpenters, shapers, craftsmen. We are makers, leather workers, inventors, and designers. In pursuit of authentic values, we are inspired by uncommon talents, and expert qualities that combine to create welldesigned products.

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Footloose Skateboards x Swenson

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Footloose Skateboards x Swenson “1647”. That’s the date inscribed above the doorway of the immense mansion that Hélène Chabeaud has been renovating for over two years now. Where others would only see an edifice in ruins help up by a few stones. Hélène saw in it all of her most ambitious projects. The setting was bucolic, the undertaking considerable. A peaceful stream lies next to a dense forest, at once savage and welcoming. A few imposing palm trees tower of the garden. The aroma of fresh mint brings the warmth and hospitality of Moroccan souks to mind. The entire palette of green Pantones seems as if on full display, as if nature had improvised a beauty pageant. Nature seems to guide the garden’s expression, though it is however quite clear that the skilled and passionate hand of the mistress of the house has had its way. The surrounding serenity is a reflection of Hélène’s état d’esprit, as well as her way of living: peacefully, respectfully, and imbued with a singular humanity. Surfboards blanket the living room tiles, wetsuits are hung out to dry in the backyard. Her home is a Surf Shack from another era, whose authenticity and faithfulness to the period, fixed deep with the wooden beams, hung from the red timbering, can’t be overlooked. Ahetze is a small village in Basque country whose only real tourist attraction is the yard sale on Sundays that takes place out on the town square. After years and years of life set to the rhythm of surf competitions in all four corners of the world and lulled by the Basque coast’s ecstatic euphoria, it is here that Hélène has chosen to settle down. As a Roxy sponsored professional surfer, Hélène won silver at the 2003 European Championship. As one of the world’s elite female surfers, she also participated in the Women’s World Longboard Championship from 1999 to 2008 alongside the best female surfers from around the globe. Her benevolence as well as her experience lead her to continue her career as the Roxy Team Manager, a professional reconversion recognized and lauded by the entire community of French female surfers. Drawn more and more to the delicate curves formed by the surfboard’s rails on the waves, susceptible to the spirit of gliding imported from California, Hélène left the world of competitive surfing in 2011 to create skateboards the following year. Footloose was born. Words: Elisa Routa Photos: Hélène Chabeaud, Angèle Debuire & Thomas Lodin

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Today, in her humble abode in Ahetze, Hélène’s workshop is the only finished room. The white walls have placed on exhibit the collection of skateboards, all made in France, with quality materials and wood sources from local forests. Dusty sawhorses stand on the wooden floor while misshapen paint stains have given the central work table a colorful character. Tools, ranging from hammers to pencils, clamps, a silkscreen, and a pyrography torch that would make most handymen happy, are scattered about. From sanding to the final coat of lacquer on the boards, Hélène fabricates and produces all her boards from start to finish, collaborating with local artisans and artists. Her taste for photography and the visual arts is a precious advantage when conceiving her boards’ esthetics. She attempts to retranscribe, through the inimitable purity of her lines, the priceless feeling of gliding that she so loves, in each one of her cruisers. She brings a veritable fascination to the softness of curves and gives life to her values through each one of her creations. Through the association of two creative spirits, we had the chance to create a board inspired by some of the founding elements at the heart of Swenson’s creation. The marble design created by our Artistic Director Jérémie Barlog harkens to the waves on the Basque and Breton coastlines where Swenson lives. The mountainous countryside, the lanky summits, stretched and transformed, are a symbol of the metamorphosing environment in which we grow. Rooted in nature and future focused, we are happy to have married Hélène Chabeaud’s remarkable artisanal talent with Jérémie Barlog’s artistry.

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Product details : Model : Fish Length : 60cm Width : 20cm Grip : Transparent Design : JĂŠrĂŠmie Barlog

Find this product on our e-shop: www.swenson.global/store

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Aujourd’hui, l’artiste californien continue de tirer son inspiration des branches des arbres pour créer des constructions mobiles de qualité artisanale. Le surfeur et artiste imagine ses créations comme un dialogue et une collaboration entre l’élément naturel et l’artisan. « Je n’utilise pas de schéma pour construire, simplement des idées. De là naissent des moments d’incertitude et parfois de désespoir. A mon sens, ces constructions sont le fruit de chemins obscurs et d’un travail dans l’incertitude. » Des camions convertis en maison, un bateau en parfait état de marche surplombé d’une coque en caissons de bois, une sphère sociale, un concept de véhicule dédié au surf, une annexe en forme de sous-marin, une cabine de bois hawaïenne et un van. Instinctivement, Jay Nelson dessine sur papier ces formes originales. « Je m’intéresse

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aux formes architecturales en raison du poids qu’elles pèsent dans nos vies. D’une manière très élémentaire, elles nous fournissent un endroit paisible pour se reposer et penser. Elles déterminent également la façon dont nous interagissons les uns avec les autres et créent un cadre pour le monde extérieur, » explique Jay Nelson « Organiser les pièces d’une construction est une oeuvre infinie et ces arrangements font de nous ce que nous sommes. » En suivant constamment une ligne directrice, l’artiste basé à San Francisco a choisi de réaliser des créations artisanales en opposition avec les produits de masse. En 2014, au cours du programme Worn Wear de Patagonia, le designer a construit une coque de camping-car alimentée à l’énergie solaire à partir de bois de récupération d’une cuve à vin géante, montée sur un Dodge Cummins série ‘91 roulant au biodiesel, appelée

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« The Worn Wear Wagon ». Inspirée de la Zone Autonome Temporaire de l’écrivain et poète anarchiste Hakim Bey, Nelson n’a cessé, au cours de la dernière décennie, de réaliser des constructions éphémères autonomes. Ne se limitant pas à la fabrication de ses constructions mobiles en bois, Jay Nelson a également dessiné une cabane de 18,5 mètres carrés à Haena, Kauai. Artiste accompli, il a fabriqué son premier véhicule modifié au mythique Mollusk Surf Shop à San Francisco, une Honda Civic série ‘91. Plus récemment, Jay a dessiné un Observatoire sur le toit d’un bâtiment du géant Facebook, une création en forme de dôme dotée d’une fenêtre circulaire surplombant la Baie de San Francisco. « Une fenêtre est un moyen de détourner le regard d’une personne vers une vue ou une idée. J’utilise

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des meubles pour influer sur l’échange entre l’espace, une œuvre artistique ou une autre personne. Le toit et les murs garantissent la vie privée, l’intimité et invitent à la réflexion sur soi-même. La lumière attire le regard. » De l’ultime surf shack mobile des années 80 fabriquée pour son ami Rob Machado, au camping-car électrique unique en son genre fait de contreplaqué, de fibre de verre et de pièces de vélo, Nelson est reconnu pour offrir une place à la créativité. « Parfois je mène une expérience pour moi, comme mes constructions mobiles et mes habitations. Parfois je mène une expérience pour le public. » Au fil des années, Jay Nelson a rejoint une génération d’artistes et de surfeurs progressistes à San Francisco et a exposé à travers le monde dans des galeries et musées.

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