Nicole Dean
KOLLO was conceptualized as a product line while I was studying for my MBA at Rady School of Management (UCSD). As someone who was working at Biotech company and going to school simultaneously, I had a constant need for a caffeine pick-me-up throughout my days, but I wanted an alternative to coffee as I do not tolerate it well. Read more>>
Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan
We met at one of the first design firms we both worked at after graduating and not only did we became fast friends, but we quickly realized we both shared an entrepreneurial spirit and the ambition of starting our own design firm (something we later realized very few people wanted to embark on!). Read more>>
Elizabeta Betinski
I landed in LA in 1999 from Belgrade, former Yugoslavia, via a brief stint in Washington State where I spent my undergraduate college days. My first years in LA were spent working for local artists in Venice, primarily the infamous OG of street art, Robbie Conal. Read more>>
Celia Esguerra, Jim Winstead
The neighborhood came first for us. All three founders – fine artist/curator James Adams, fine artist/filmmaker Celia Esguerra and software engineer Jim Winstead – are longtime Downtown Los Angeles residents. It all started when Celia wanted to paint a painting but realized there was nowhere downtown to shop for art supplies. Read more>>
Carmela Tunzi
Well, in my own words..I became interested in the connection between the Mind and Body through a series of abseving a very serious illness to a close family member and then my own. I became fasinated when noticing how symptoms within myself could be turned around or even reversed just by changing some thoughts and moods within. Read more>>
Elizabeth Peterson-Gower
My love of community, art and music landed me in the hospitality and night life industry early in my career. By the late 90s, I became a night club operator, booker, and partner, and had the pleasure of working at a number of well-known venues including At My Place in Santa Monica, St. Marks in Venice, and the Hollywood Athletic Club. Read more>>
Romeiro Davis, Victoria Ansah
“The idea came after a series of events I encountered over the years which intensified around 2016. Repetitive verbal and physical harassment from folks like the police and random by-passers on the street drew me to my wits ends. For example last year, a man once ignored me while asking for directions and physically shoved me out of his open business, while others non blacks were permitted to walk in freely. Read more>>
Lisa Taylor Powers
I began my journey as a freelancer straight out of college! I took contract work at start ups in San Francisco and learned how fun and scary it was to be on your own. I would do that for a few years and end up in various corporate jobs. I was in event planning, then moved onto corporate marketing departments with global reach. Read more>>
Libby McCarthy
I never aspired to work in the non-profit sector. I fell into my first role at the Library Foundation by chance, and slowly but surely the organization and its awesome mission got under my skin. Let me move back a step: like so many, I was a little aimless after graduating from college. I moved to the mountains and worked in communications at the chamber of commerce. Read more>>
Sara Montano
My passion for hair and makeup began at the tender age of six years old. I recall watching my mother getting ready everyday. She was always well-dressed, always had her hair styled perfectly and wore her usual classic red lipstick, mascara, blush and groomed brows. Read more>>
Andy Bales
About 30 years ago Andy was teaching at a Christian School in DesMoines. He decided to teach his students about the lesson in Matthew 25: 31-46 where it says “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Andy strongly believed this lesson was timely being that some of students had been picking on their fellow students. Read more>>
Jose del Carmen Martinez
Dominican Republic native Jose del Carmen Martinez is an accomplished filmmaker,camera operator, gaffer and Director. Jose numerous production work includes TV Director in various shows,News magazines,Sport Transmission, Music Videos and TV spot in his native Dom. Rep. In 1991. Read more>>
Isabelle Fournet
Isabelle Fournet is a Film & Digital Creative Director. Currently Creative Director of Mosaic of Change (UNESCO partners), a universal storytelling platform presenting a visual language through immersive design experiences that spur intercultural dialogue and understanding to inspire peace, sustainability and foster change. Read more>>
Tom Jermann, Toby Yoo
I had early design aspirations from visuals of record albums from my favorite bands, some of the most influential being KISS and the Beatles. What better place to follow my dream than Los Angeles? From my native homeland of Switzerland, I packed up to attend Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Read more>>
Fabien Ayoun
I’am a musician and a photographer, I ve been playing guitar since I’m 12 year old and I’ve played with a lot of band since then, i’v been sponsored by brand as Yamaha, Burton and google and always been fascinated by California. Read more>>
Dani Bonnet
I have always been deeply in love with science & art. I graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and have always aimed to find ways to combine the two disciplines. It started out with formulating my own quirky lip balm line. Then I started noticing how much neon there is present in LA and became fixated on the science and craftsmanship behind it. Read more>>
Miguel Mendoza
I have a baseball background and passion that started at the age of four. Played little league and travel ball in various cities in Los Angeles. Continued playing baseball through high school, junior college, university and professionally. I played professionally for parts of 3 summers in minor leagues across the country. Read more>>
Ty Neff, Jackson McGovern
We started Lucky Wheels with the thought in mind that you shouldn’t have to own thousands of dollars worth of tools to work on your own bike, and that motorcyclists need a common gathering point that focuses on community, learning, and hard work. Read more>>
Soul Full
Photography didn’t become part of my life until the summer of 2015. I started taking photography classes in college, and learned the art of photography and fell in love with creating photo projects. So many have gravitated towards the work I create, and I decided to make it a business that means more than photography. Read more>>
Rick Wagner
I have been encountering spirits since I was 6 years old growing up in Buffalo, New York. It wasn’t until my near death experience on a motorcycle that I learned how these spirits can affect our lives on a daily basis. I began to study why they are here and what they are trying to tell us. Read more>>
Sage Dammers
I really started getting into health and nutrition in my late teens, looking for ways to have more energy so I could stay out in the ocean surfing for longer. A local friend turned me onto my first “superfood,” which was a mix of hemp protein, spirulina, chlorella, and some western herbs like milk thistle. Read more>>
Laniea Dominguez
In 2010 I was dared to try stand-up comedy & I fell in love with it! Then one day while at church, my pastor was talking about the recession and how he wasn’t able to make payroll for some of the employees.. I immediately thought about doing a comedy show fundraiser at my church to help raise money. Read more>>
Tigren Dorian
I have lived in Los Angeles my whole life. Both my parents are artists, but I had no interest in following their foot steps when I was younger. Like most kids, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. After leaving my first job at AMC theatre I went to work for the family business. I started off sweeping floors with an old school broom and dustpan. Read more>>
Catherine Asanov
At the age of 16, I was thrown into a magical darkroom by my high school art teacher. Wanting to study computer science, I was enthusiastic about photography and never knew that it was a potential career choice. After winning at regional and national levels in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, I was offered multiple scholarships to top notch art schools. Read more>>
Karen Muranko
I believe I had the ability to talk to animals as a child but it was pushed off as my over-active imagination. Approximately 10 years ago, I started to hear voices and wondered what was going on. Is it my imagination? No. I walked into my vet’s office to pick up my cat. Read more>>
