537 - Benny Gold

Let the bell toll to announce the second coming of Benny Gold. With the pressures of an uncertain future in a soft market Benny Gold has kept true to his roots and fought hard for what he loves and has pushed his brand farther than he ever dreamed with his first sticker. In the face of adversity he has doubled down with a firm belief in his vision and opened a brand new shop in the heart of San Francisco to further pursue his quest to create. This isn't work. This is true passion. Benny Gold shows us how to use your dreams as your life's compass and maintain a youthful outlook even if the odds or your age seem stacked against you. With no signs of slowing and a promising future filled with one on one interactions, lectures, and plenty of coffee there is a whole lot to unpack with this Florida Keys transplant that rose above his lackadaisical upbringing and made a name for himself. Calm your mind. Calm your heart. Take a deep breath and learn from one of the nicest guys in streetwear, Benny Gold.

Talking Points

• Opening up a grown up shop on the main drag.

• Expanding into cut and sew and deciding between domestic or overseas.

• What is Benny's role in the business now?

• Delegation, brand name regrets, and understanding success.

• Staying in the moment piece by piece until the finish line.

• Benny knows there's always a way and to trust his instincts.

• Throwing stability out the window and sticking to your dreams.

• Stress as life's engine.

• Breaking down the Works For Jerks mantra.

• Ringing the bell, youth culture, and maintaining sanity through meditation.

• Age brackets and fighting your DNA.

• Working through your problems without any crutches on the quest for self empowerment.

• A life in skateboarding.

• Gateway friends that deliver you into punk rock and Mr. Gold's solid record collection.

• Exploring your exploratory nature and missing the age of discovery.

• Is success easier to attain these days?

• Staying power, passion, and authenticity.

• For the love of creativity.

• Stand alone institutions and finding your passionate tribe.

• The importance in fighting for yourself and bringing face time back to the experience.

• Separatism and teaching true acceptance to the next generation.

• It's a beautiful world so pick yourself back up when you fall.

• The bosses you accumulate that stand in the way of your vision.

• Enjoying the moment and the varying degrees of success.

• Make it all for something.