Wow. I’m getting these notifications that 10 years ago tonight I was printing my first photos on shirts. Reflecting on where we’ve been now I know there’s literally no limitations to where we can go with this as we keep moving. I never would have dreamt that we would have reached the levels we took INk Wells. The teams, the clients, the events, the experiences, the wins, the losses, the near losses that became big wins and the hustlers dream come true.
“MAMA I Made It” Shawn Carter – Album Kingdom Come
From field pop ups at youth sports tournaments to the NBA All Star, NFL Draft, MLB All Star in just a brief decade. The levels of movement shocked me. This project has taught me so many lessons and taken me around the globe to showcase this unique touch on product customization. I recognized at some point that this was way more than just printing, This is entertainment. And as soon as I had that recognition, everything changed.
With a team matched for the challenge and sleepless nights designing software while putting by any means necessary details into place with major performances the next day it was like fucking poetry in motion. and I realized as a producer, as a creator, as a human with gratitude and respect, that together anything can happen. The difference is made in how you decide to move. After overcoming challenge after challenge it dawned that for me, this was the performance. The overall balance of continuously solving problems and making shit happen through life.
I feel its important if you share anxiety and fears, you have to go in on them and not much like attach mode but more gratitude mode. And keep going in until you have convinced yourself that you are enough and you realize that this is all here for us. So enjoy it and keep hustling.
Hmmm. Meditate. No, literally stop reading. Come back in 2, 2 solid minutes of breathing and meditating on your gratitude…
There were the events where our customization stations were busier than the open bar (Volcom), the ones where we got to open doors and connect with our youth (adidas James Harden Launch), the heavy ones where I told myself I had always meant to be here and that this moment was waiting here for me the whole time (Def Jam 35th anniversary) and most recently the events that made my Dad so proud (NFL Draft) Take the stage…
As I sit currently with this project; Confident in the authenticity of what we built but now in a 10,000 sq ft facility full of high end production equipment for customization. Engraving, Embroidery, Sublimation, UV Printing, DTF Printing, 3D Sublimation Printing, Large format Printing, Fabric Cutting and Sewing, and with Mobile advertising and utility vehicles Simultaneously routed to NYC, Miami, LA and Chicago. A tech that changes the game and all built on some seriously proud sweat equity.
I literally sit with how my only limitation is myself and that which I can manifest into reality. Through patience and persistence, these in themselves are the lessons that lead the way.
Just a little update, a little mind dump.
Thanks for being here. June 29, 2021
https://inkwells.co