Glynnes Pruett
When I was nearing my 25th birthday, I decided that I needed to do something substantial with my life; I needed to make a big decision and pick a direction. It was between going away to Africa to work with lions and conservation and use my recent animal science background to help save endangered animals, or to do something more solidified – something that made me plant my feet. Read More>>
Johan Weich
Born and raised in Sweden, I grew up in a household filled with electronics and art on the walls. My father who is a talented painter introduced me to different types of art at an early age. His passion for different types of electronics and computers has also stuck with me to this day. Read More>>
Maya Reynolds
I grew up in northern California practicing drawing, painting & sculpture throughout all my early years. Nurtured to follow my heart by my working artist parents, I explored every medium I could get my hands on searching for my personal expression. I found that ability to express within creative dressing and turned my love of sculpture to creating three dimensionally on the human form. Read More>>
Valerie Hirsch and Marta Fernandez
We met in San Francisco, where we currently have two other stores. Our collective experience includes buying, styling, and designing, so we feel really equipped as a team. Read More>>
Takayas
I came to the United States from Japan when I was a student at Illinois State. It was a huge change of scenery: wide, open countryside, lots of space to think. Having that environment to think led me to the decision to start creating jewelry. My father was in the fashion industry, so it’s something I was familiar with growing up. Read More>>
Michael Gunn
Ever since I was in high school in South Texas, I’d been working with art and framing and frame design. My mother was the Regional Director for a national frame shop chain in the south, and she made sure I knew the industry. I later moved to Los Angeles and worked as a program manager for many social service organizations including at Men’s Central Jail. Read More>>
Georges Hajjar
My wife Rula and I, we are the owners of Seven Seas Pearls. Pearls have been my passion for as long as I can remember. I am a third-generation pearl jeweler, and we have locations in Canada, Germany and Japan. Read More>>
Eric Carroll
I’m originally from Dallas, Texas. I studied photography in high school but did not pursue it as a career until I moved to Los Angeles. At first, I started small, taking actor headshots and small portrait sessions. 6 years later I’m now taking on larger projects and selling prints of my landscape photography. Read More>>
Liz Park
Marina West Swim was started in 1998 when our family decided to move to Los Angeles from Seoul, South Korea. My husband and I definitely wanted to start our own business but was not entirely sure which industry to go into. One random night when we were at a friend for a dinner party, one of the guests was a fortune teller. Read More>>
Alison Franchi
I come from a very tight knit Italian family just outside of New York City. My grandfather whom I was very close to was immensely passionate about gardening, flowers and in particular gardenias. Immersing myself around his favorite past time, sparked my curiosity and interest in botany from a young age. Read More>>
Carrie Goyette
We planned our entire wedding in 6 months so that we could save money, make it our own, and have a honeymoon before I started into my next teaching year. My husband is very engineer-minded and was adamant that he could make his own photo booth instead of renting one for around $1000. Originally that was all we thought it would be used for. Read More>>
Jordan Kubat
I was an actor before I became a photographer. One day, I had a big audition and I had a friend take some headshots for me. At the time, I thought the pictures this friend took of me were really good headshots. At the big audition, the person I was auditioning for basically said they were awful headshots. Read More>>
Lisa Berman
Sculpture to Wear is my second business and first love (with the exception of my daughter Chiara – but she wasn’t born when I opened the gallery). The gallery represents International Contemporary jewelry artist, fashion / textile designers and wearable art creators. The Gallery has a rich history – the legacy began with the opening of its doors in 1973 in the Plaza Hotel in NYC. Read More>>
Mychelle Mordente
I started wearing vintage clothing in 8th grade. My parents didn’t allow me to spend a lot of money on clothes, so I would look at the editorials in fashion magazines and try to replicate the images I saw from thrift store finds. I became obsessed! At a young age, I realized that vintage clothing was SO much better quality and richer in design than most of the new clothing you could buy…and it was a fraction of the price. My collection started, I spent every dime I made in thrift stores. Read More>>
Dana Ross
The Downtown Photo Collective was started by Jeff Kober as a creative space that member photographers could share in DTLA. It has a well-equipped traditional black and white darkroom, a separate darkroom for alternative processes and a large shooting space for art and commercial work. We put on art shows, workshops and music events throughout the year. Read More>>
Suzanne Sallaj
From 2012-2016 I submerged myself in music education. I spent all my time and money learning songwriting, piano, singing, and eventually how to produce my own music. Eventually, I was ready to put myself out there with the songs that I considered complete. Read More>>
Kiyan Pourhabib and Ali Guvendiren
Kiyan and I (Ali) are business major students that study at Santa Monica College. Being college students, money isn’t easy to come across. We wanted to do something that is going to benefit us in the future as well. We have both studied photography for four years, we love taking photos and are comfortable with a camera. Read More>>
Vince White
I created my business out of nothing but dreams, chutzpah, and sheer willpower. I’ve been a musician all my life and hated every single day job I’ve ever had (and either quit or was fired from said jobs), so about ten years ago I started teaching music (mostly guitar) full time. About 7 years ago I was hit with a lot of inspiration through tragedy and started writing some great songs. Read More>>
Moe Salamh
Fun Fact, our very first brick and mortar store was located in the suburb of Baldwin Park right across from the very first In-In-Out location. It was always a sweet treat to crack open a tasty IPA with a double and animal style fires. Our love for beer, more specifically craft beer grew as we got involved in the craft beer community. They are so welcoming, friendly, and generous with sharing their personal collection/cellar. Read More>>
Douglas Meeks
I started the business in 2008 directly following the sale of the old family business, start of a divorce/separation and tail end of an alcohol rehab stay. I’ve stayed sober for over 9 years now, have my children in my life and am surrounded by my family, friends and peers. Even though the process was extremely trying, I managed to make positive steps little by little. Read More>>
Riko Weimer
Born in Japan. Started piano at age 4. Moved to US to study at Peabody conservatory. Moved to France to the study of continue piano performance. Read More>>
Robert Smith
I have many years of experience in the moving industry, beginning at Delancey Street Foundation where I resided for 7 years and graduated from in 2005. Delancey Street helped turned my life around from drugs and alcohol. Upon graduating from Delancey, I started working for a moving company as a truck driver and sometimes an estimator. I did this for 6 years and decided afterwards to open RMJ All Around Services, in order to venture out on my own. Read More>>
Steve Marshall
Back in 1979, I started my own business in the field of tree care. Armed with little more than youthful energy, a desire to work for myself and a pair of linesman’s pole-climbing spikes, I was lucky in that I lived in Ventura – home of many a Palm tree – and that, with the passage of Proposition 13 (limiting how much cities could charge homeowners for property taxes), Ventura was out of funds for tree care and many individuals would pay a young tree rat to prune the City-owned Palm in from of their property. Read More>>
Charlotte Giles
It has been said that the two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why. I was born and raised in France and I have been doing photography for over 10 years now. Throughout my life I have been blessed to witness some of the beauty that this world has to offer. From Germany, Australia, Morocco to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, the people and places always inspire me. Read More>>
Mukhande
A few years ago, I was shocked to discover all filtered and even bottled spring water gets sterilized and irradiated for cheaper transport and shelf stability. Similar to juice and dairy products that are pasteurized to save costs. This destroys all the natural probiotics found in raw spring water. Our bodies thrive from these, and they aren’t found in other food sources. Read More>>
Suzanna Zurabyan
I come from a long line of architects, designers and artists. I grew up watching my father and grandfather design buildings and spend hours by the drafting table. I used to love sitting quietly by their side and watching them draw fine lines which would compile into images of structures. It used to fascinate me how their imagination would transfer to paper and in time realize into actual buildings! Read More>>
Ivy Ponce
ivylove was inadvertently born when I was in high school, from 1996-2000. I spent the majority of my high school years drawing on friends’ book covers, designing their prom dresses, painting our school banners in our ASB classroom, or sitting in my bedroom floor, puffy painting tees or hand-painting sneakers for my cheer squad or any other school club. Read More>>
Grisha Nazarian
I’m Armenian, but I was born and raised in Iran. At the age of 7 my dad told me I needed to work and bring in money. So he took me to a cobbler shop near our home and asked if they needed any help around the shop. The shop owner took me in. Read More>>
Juana Najera
Ever since I was young, I used to like rearranging my parent’s home every other weekend or so. I used to move things around and change the drapery played with pillows and added accessories. I actually didn’t really know there was such a thing as an interior designer career. I moved out of LA when I was about 13 to South Dakota because my father became ill and I had to live with my sister. Read More>>
