Food for Thought: Toronto

Toronto | February 15, 2016

Toronto – A live city growing in cultural relevancy and gaining importance in our market. I was really surprised to see how busy Toronto was during All Star Weekend. After speaking on the Shopify panel Sunday afternoon I felt indebted to the 300+ people that showed up to hear Bryan Espiritu and myself. It was fucking cold. I've been putting off speaking engagements for the last year trying to concentrate on the brand's next stage of growth. I want to have more to speak on. More information and more motivation for the next generation. I guess I was happier with the outcome partly because I was more comfortable than usual sitting next to Bryan, the young OG in Toronto. After passing by the Legends League shop I understood why Bryan has such a following and it was clear why his growth has been exponential in the last few years. We share some of the same business morals in terms of personal retail experience and building a team that really lives and breathes the brand.

One thing is definite – I will work with Bryan in the near future. I've been a fan of his work since ‘09 but now I think the timing is right to work together. It's really amazing how these things happen. Traveling to Toronto for All Star happened last second, and speaking on a panel with Bryan all came together 2 days before I arrived. It's important for me to tell it as it happens. People always wonder how things come together. These are the untold moments. Unplanned conversations that end with mutual respect, learning and respecting the vision, and just appreciating his all-around taste level. There is no formula for how we move forward. There are no rules. Those are the most beautiful differences between working a corporate gig and owning a brand. I'm not knocking the corporate gig; I almost ended up with one myself. There are perks that come with both. But the reason for this post is simple – I don't know how self-fulfilled I would feel if I couldn't act on those unplanned moments when they occur. When things just feel right. It's just a mindset. Nothing we do is based on projections or budgets. I just do what feels right. All of the projects we work on as a brand are very personal, no matter how detached they may sometime seem. The decision to keep the process off social was a tough one. But today information comes cheap and has too short of a life span. One of the most important observations I've made in the last five years is that great product is great product. Today and one hundred years from now, that will remain a constant.