An Unexpected Solo Start
It’s May 2024, and I’m roaming the halls of the Kansas City Convention Center, camera in hand, snapping content for an upcoming event — my day job as Marketing and Promotions Manager in full swing. Then, the news hits: I’m going solo with Material Opulence. It wasn’t a dream I’d sketched out; it landed in my lap, a curveball I didn’t see coming. But I adapted, and now, every late night, every hustle, is pulling me closer to owning it. That’s me: a visionary, an artist chasing greatness, weaving stories through fabric and grit. Whether I’m crafting a design that stops you cold or juggling tasks that keep a venue alive, it’s about creating something extraordinary. That’s Material Opulence — and it’s what I want to spark in you.
Chasing Greatness, Not Safety
I don’t coast. I’m a go-getter — designing, marketing, moonlighting as an actor — because I know greatness comes from rolling with the unexpected and pushing every edge. You don’t have to lock into one dream either. Hustle hard, adapt fast, and build a legacy that’s yours. Here’s how Material Opulence taught me that — and how it can light your fire.
Material Opulence started with a fire I couldn’t douse. In 2013, I had a decent gig at US Bank — steady, safe — but it wasn’t me. Late one night in my father’s dining room, I sketched our logo — a sleek, bold mark that roared opulence. That turned into “The MO Original,” our first graphic tee, my story of ambition stamped on cotton. I kept the bank job but never stopped pushing Material Opulence, knowing entrepreneurship was my soul. Now, my day job at the Convention Center keeps it rolling — adding events to the website, scheduling social posts, grinding out reports by 10 AM — all while funding my art and my acting sideline.
Weaving Stories Through Design
Every design’s a tale. That monogram pattern I’m crafting now? It’s not just style — it’s my hustle etched into fabric, set to drop this spring. What’s your story? Grab it, and let your creativity rip. This hustle’s a whirlwind, and I’m made for it. Last week, I’m up at dawn perfecting that monogram pattern — elegant, fierce, all me. By 10 AM, I’m at work, loading events online, queuing posts, and tackling reports — multitasking like it’s my art. Night falls, and I’m in my sketchbook, chasing inspiration. It’s chaos, but I live for it. Once, I hit a creative block — nothing clicked. I flipped through my sketchbook, found a 2022 pitch from my then-partner: the Houndstooth hoodie and the Stitch Patch Collection. They launched that year, and that hoodie became a bestseller — proof that even borrowed sparks can fuel my grind when I make them mine.
Fueling the Hustle
Visionaries don’t wait for smooth sailing. They pivot, remix, and charge on. That’s Material Opulence: my art, my drive, my relentless push for more. Chasing greatness? Here’s how I keep the wheels spinning: Find what drives you. Mine’s storytelling — designs that speak, events that pull. Yours might be vibe, grit, vision. Pin it down, and your hustle finds its beat. Stack small wins — big dreams build slow. One day, I sketch a logo. Next, I tweak a pattern. Since that May 2024 bombshell at work, this solo grind’s stacking — closer to mine every move. Start small, win big. Ignore the ‘shoulds’ — “Stick to banking,” they said in 2013. I didn’t. I built Material Opulence. You’re not here for safe — own your bold. Push past blocks — creative block hit me in 2023, dry as dust. I hit my sketchbook, walked KC’s streets, came back with a line that sold out. Reset, then charge.
Living Boldly, Building Legacy
My day job’s my backbone — marketing fuels Material Opulence, backs my acting, and sharpens my creativity. Designing’s my pulse — every pattern, every tee a piece of my vision. Acting? It sparked in January 2020, at my dining room table, reeling from Kobe Bryant’s death on Twitter — now X. I saw a casting call, poured that shock into an audition, and booked First Day. COVID delayed it, so I made Depression instead — my debut short film, a favorite role you can catch on YouTube. Still, Material Opulence is my fire — it’s taught me to adapt fiercely, turn no’s into yes’s, create with every breath.
To the high schoolers I met in February, to you: Don’t wait. You’re a visionary — wild, unstoppable. Strive for greatness, chase every spark, and build something epic.
P.S. Want to create with me? Material Opulence is hiring summer interns this weekend — March 29 — and we’re pumped to bring bold talent on board. Let’s make art that lasts.