Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandro Gonzalez.
Alejandro, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up in Huntington Beach and living by the beach was a dream. I would spend hours near the pier and catching waves. Mixed with that beach life, I was always around the Hiphop movement. Breakdancing, graffiti, dj’s and emcee’s freestyling in a circle around each other, to me, there was no better feeling.
As a former emcee, graffiti artist and subpar breaker, the adrenaline and emotion I felt being around that was exhilarating. It’s hard to describe. And when I think back to that time, there was always this intense creativity surrounding the art. I was always bummed that these two creative elements were never meshed together. Seems like you had to either choose one side of the street or the other. If you were pumped about Hiphop then beach culture, catching waves and chilling out surfing was not your deal. I felt some companies through my years have attempted to collaborate the two but fell short. I have always been a creative person. “Living my life like a captain of sinking ship”- Atmosphere. One day while thinking of ways to express myself, I was reminded of this dream I’ve kept since I was a child. I have always wanted to be a CEO. I have always dreamt of running a business – really any business. And I’m not talking about a side hustle, a quick thing that dies or a business for the sake of telling people I am running a business. I’ve tried in the past many times and this time, I was going to make it work.
The problem is – I know nothing about running a legit business or really any business if I’m being honest. I have some artistic talent. I love Hiphop and I adore the beach, catching waves and enjoying that California life. I have no business school background just a drive and want to see it happen. Thus, 8th Vision Art is born. It started with a very crude website to host my art for free and shirts but my return was very minimal. From there, I decided to do it all on my own source the shirts, website design and marketing. Each and every day, I’m learning and leveling up my knowledge of the business. It’s been such a fun ride. Sometimes I think I can’t lose, I got this. And in the next moment, I’m lost, this was the worst idea and I’m in over my head. The progression is dope. I can see where I started from – my first official pop up with a table and some shirts to now an actual pop up with various shirts for men and woman, keychains and stickers. Regardless of the outcome, I am truly living my dream building something out of an idea in my head.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Jumping in headfirst and figuring out the ins and out of running a business has been very eye-opening. Branding, marketing and accounting are all concepts that I never thought of as its own individual animal. I thought I would create art, slap it on a shirt and sell it. I’m learning there is so much more to operations. And being a good storyteller through my products is key. The challenging part has been learning when to celebrate, to take a step back and breathe, and when to give myself grace and move on. Progression in my eyes is always better than perfection.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about 8th Vision Art?
The blend of both elements Hiphop and surf culture resonate in my heart and is reflected in my art. Not only do I source some of the comfiest softest, pre-shrunk Cotten blends but the style and sheer creativity that goes into each shirt is enormous. One void I see in this space is the lack of creativity. As the business progresses, I’ve diversified and now also offer creative designs and competitive pricing for bulk orders. Whether corporate shirts, shirts for your company, restaurant, barbershop, etc. I can help you bring an idea to life.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
With this business, I’ve tried to study fashion and dive deeper into trends. I see more and more companies being built that started with an idea to keep culture alive, or small companies wanting to bring a piece of themselves or their history into the clothing. Big companies may recognize this and try to mimic this authenticity. Heart driven art- is what I see happening in 5-10 years. Designs will be made that represent more than what fashion is but what the clothing stands for.
Pricing:
- $20.00 shirt
- $23.50 shirt
- $25.00 shirt
- $14.00 shirt (on sale)
- $2.00 stickers / $3.00 key chains
Contact Info:
- Website: 8thvisionart.com
- Instagram: @8thvisionclothing
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