Mass Appeal: How a Graffiti Zine Turned Entertainment Brand Changed Media

In 1996, Adrian Moeller and Patrick Elasik published the first issue of Mass Appeal Magazine. In the nearly three decades that followed, Mass Appeal would grow from an underground graffiti zine into a culture-defining multi-faceted entertainment brand with a hand in everything from digital conte…

NOAH CLOTHING: How a Former SUPREME Creative Director and an Interior Designer Built Their Own Menswear World

In 2002, accomplished SUPREME creative director Brendon Babenzien took his first swing at entrepreneurship and launched NOAH, a menswear brand born at the intersection of nautical living and skate culture. However, despite critical acclaim and downtown cool, the brand barely made it a few seasons b…

The Crayon Case: How Social Media Star Supa Cent Built a $50 Million Cosmetics Brand

In 2017, Raynell Steward, more commonly known by her social handle Supa Cent, launched The Crayon Case, a cosmetic kit for amateur makeup artists featuring bright, playful colors. In the ensuing 5 years, The Crayon Case would explode into a $50 million business, thanks to confluence of their inno…

Scarr's Pizza: The Best Slice in New York City

In 2016, Scarr Pimentel founded Scarr's Pizza, a classic New York City pizzeria on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. In the years that followed, Scarr's would become one of the hottest restaurants in New York, and be crowned “Best Slice in NYC.” But with these massive expectations would come unexp…

Sundae School: Building The First "Smoke Wear" Brand From Korean Clothes and California Cannabis

In 2017, Dae Lim founded Sundae School, a Korean "smoke wear" brand born at the intersection of cannabis and streetwear. With the help of his sister, Cindy Lim, Sundae School started releasing collections of shirts and jackets filled with weed references and plays on religion. In the years that …

Hillman Grad: Inside Lena Waithe's Powerhouse Fim & Television Production Company

In 2018, Lena Waithe, an Emmy winning writer and actor from Chicago, founded Hillman Grad, a film and television development and production company. With the help of Rishi Rajani, Hillman Grad would go on to become a force in the entertainment industry by offering unique perspectives, focusing on m…

Broccoli City: Starting a Musical Festival From Scratch

In 2010, Brandon McEachern and Marcus Allen threw a hip-hop centric Earth Day celebration for the black community in Los Angeles. In the decade plus that followed, and with the help of co-founder Jermon Williams, that party evolved into Broccoli City, a global brand focused on community, music, h…

Squire: Turning "Uber For Barbers" Into a $750 Million Company

In 2015, Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant founded Squire Technologies, a software company for barbershops. In the years that followed, Squire would grow from a simple booking app to a full-service barber shop backend software with a whopping $750 million avaluation. But along the way, Squire would g…

Ghetto Gastro: From House Parties to a Multimedia Culinary Conglomerate

In 2012, a group of friends in New York formed Ghetto Gastro, a collective of chefs and food enthusiasts. In the decade that followed, Ghetto Gastro grew from a weekly house party in Long Island City into a full-blown global brand offering large-scale events, their own food products, kitchen appli…

Walker Wear: From Fashion Boutique to Pioneering Streetwear Brand of the '90s

In 1988, April Walker opened Fashion in Effect, a custom clothing boutique for the burgeoning hip-hop audience in New York City. In the years that followed, April would launch her own streetwear brand, Walker Wear, and become a pop culture phenomenon, working closely with A-Listers like Notorious B…