Meet Derrick Oshana of Coast and Company in Altadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Oshana.

Derrick, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I didn’t think that I’d be doing this. I was looking for a new way to make a living. I had been paying my way working in restaurants for too long. I decided I wanted to up my quality of life and that starts with getting paid doing something I actually enjoyed. So I decided to look for it… I first started DJing around town but grew aware quickly that it wasn’t the right fit for my life. Then I thought in a different direction and studied web development since it seems to be such a great job. But that wasn’t the right fit for my life either. I knew I wanted to work from home, work for myself, and get paid doing something I actually love. Then one day, my brother sent me a picture of a lamp. All of a sudden my brain went off like Dustin Hoffman’s in the casino scene of Rain Man. Since that picture, my mind hasn’t stopped thinking in this direction. This felt like the right fit for my life.

Then a couple of friends had a vacant garage they’re graciously letting me use for the year.

This all started back in January.

Since then, I’ve assembled a workshop, acquired the necessary tools, learned how to calibrate and operate said tools. I’ve been designing new items, restoring old items, and also taking in custom requests.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been moments. And there have also been moments and periods of time where I could barely sleep because I had to find my way around so many things, mainly the steep learning curve ahead of me because everything I was doing was brand new to me. And I’ve also dropped my income by half to have the time to learn. But this process is necessary. And I knew it going in. So with that in mind, patience was important for me to learn. My goal has been to make work with quality I can stand by as soon as possible. To expedite this process, I searched EVERYWHERE and all the time for knowledge and tips so I wouldn’t have to make those mistakes. But I did anyway. And so many more that I never saw coming. But even in those times, I still wanted to be doing it. I had to buy a watch because I was losing track of time. That was a good sign for me. And I already know what its like on the other side. I’ve gotten sick and tired of being sick and tired, mostly, so I welcomed the challenges in learning something new. They were unavoidable anyway. I just wanted to get over them as soon as possible.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Coast and Company story. Tell us more about the business.
Coast and Company is a designer & custom furniture and decor company. It’s currently located in Altadena. We specialize in designs to serve the California lifestyle. We’re separating collections per ecosystem.

Our Thousand Steps Collection boasts eye-catching plywood pieces that’ll reminisce circa 1969 in 2019. And we are now happy to be a grain on the Etsy beach with our Valet de Jefe. It’s a valet tray and much more. You can find it on Etsy by searching “Coast and Company”. Surf and skate racks coming soon.

Our Topanga Collection is where you’ll find hard, soft woods, and materials that elicit mountain getaways. Our Sevilla Later Planter Box, only available for locals, decorated in oh so appropriate redwood. Delivery is also available.

Our Revive Collection takes pieces from the past that are presented to us or pieces that stumble upon us. Uncovering history and reincarnating antiques is something everyone should at least try once.

Future plans for our city and desert line in queue while we try to find some more time! Have you seen any?

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck. I love the saying, “It’s better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than it is to have an opportunity and not be prepared”. Sometimes luck is the opportunity when you’re ready. And other times your friends offer their garage to get study. I’m lucky enough to say that I’ve experienced good luck. I have also experienced bad luck and I’ve experienced hitting many many walls. Technical issues, in my mind, that shouldn’t be happening. But they were. And then finally figuring it out after digging. As big as luck is, it’s just one aspect of gittin’ r dun.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.coastandcompany.com
• Email: info@coastandcompany.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coastandcompany/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CoastAndCompany

Image Credit:
Valet de Jefe, Lion by Lion Desk, Copper Head Lamp – Photos by @eugeneshoots; Seville Later Planter Box – photo by O; Bio Headshot – Mark Skeens

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.