Claima Stories with Bimma

Paris Cole is the co-founder and creative director of Outlihers, an artist management company based in Los Angeles.

A DMV native whose bubbly personality, ambition, and hustle put her right in the center of DC’s nightlife scene and managing two of the leading artists in today’s R&B scene. 

Watching her mother wear the premiere fashions of the 90s, Paris was never afraid to be to express herself. She grew up listening to the local GOGO music, Camron, Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige, which unknowingly set on her path. In high school, Paris was able to create her own curriculum that focused on the arts. Where she studied the history of different black artists and culture. But Paris partied just as hard as she studied running the streets and going to different Go-Gos on the weekend.

 After deciding college wasn’t the best route for her, Paris eventually moved into the DC nightlife working the doors at clubs and meeting people, including DC legend DJ Alizay, known for breaking DC legend Wale. She became engulfed in the DC music scene, learning music history, and just making sure the city was having a good time. She would eventually find herself helping manage the careers of Ari Lennoz and Lucky Daye.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Paris shares a story about working with  a world class artist. 

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

 Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Steve “Sweatpants” Irby is a photographer and cofounder of Street Dream Mag based in New York.

Steve “Sweatpants” Irby, a photographer and cofounder of Street Dreams Mag from New York City.  Working with clients like Coach and Nike, and taking some of last summer’s most iconic photos at Black Live Matter Protests, His work finds the beauty in the everyman and champions the black and brown people that make up New York.  

 The son of a paralegal and a master electrician, Steve grew up on construction sites, and was encouraged to take after his father, and join the family as an electrician. Although the family business wasn’t his vibe, Steve didn’t stop working, working 5-day jobs, from McDonald's to Sears, with no real direction as to what he was working for. He was working to live as opposed to finding a career.

 But when the recession hit, Steve got back to the grind. Working more day-to-day jobs including REI. But it was when he took a job at GameStop that his life started to change. From discovering his photography community on Instagram to starting Street Dreams Mag. 

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

 Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Steve shares a story about the origins of Street Dreams Mag.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Tiffany Thompson aka The Plant Mami, founder of Duett Interiors, is based in Portland Oregon.

At an early age, Tiffany set her sights on working in the sports industry. While attending Barry University in Miami, she studied sports management. She would leverage this to work with NBA vets like Alonzo Mourning, the University of Miami, and even landed a job at Nike.

Although Tiffany worked at Nike for nearly 10 years, her dreams of remaining in corporate America started to change after purchasing her first home. She became obsessed with interior design and would ultimately decide to leave her full time job to claim her dreams in interior design.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Tiffany Thompson shares a story about designing (interior) for NBA clients.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Jeff Staple the legendary designer behind the Nike Staple Pigeon Dunk SB, founder of Reed Art Department, creative director of Staple Pigeon, and he’s the host of the extremely popular Business of Hype podcast.

But Jeff didn’t always have it together, nor was anything handed to him. During his years as a student, he really struggled to stay engaged in school. He would rather go to concerts to see Mos Def or sneak into Parsons at night to screen print t-shirts. Unable to meet his parents expectations, he would become a two-time college dropout.

As an Asian American, Jeff has dealt with relentless bullying and hate just because he’s Chinese. When he was younger, he recalls being ashamed and embarrassed of his own culture. There were times when he would even try to hide it.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Jeff Staple the legendary designer behind the Nike Staple Pigeon Dunk SB, founder of Reed Art Department, creative director of Staple Pigeon, and he’s the host of the extremely popular Business of Hype podcast.

About Claima Stories with Bimma: 

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Jose Silva is a photographer who has shot everyone from Wale to Joe Budden and has worked with brands like MTV, Spotify, and Sony. And when we could go to concerts, Jose had the best view in the house. 

Born in Venezuela, Jose grew up playing every sport his mother could sign him up for to keep him out of trouble. But when the streets of Caracas got too much, his mother packed up their life and mom moved to the NY/NJ area when he was 14 years. He first picked up a camera as a way to tackle his shyness in social settings and as a way to document memories for his younger sister. Not realizing he was practicing different techniques with her as the subject. 

A self-proclaimed “Ambivert”. Photography was a way for him to tackle his shyness, shooting at different college parties throughout college. A child of the internet, like so many of us, he started sharing his photos during the early days of Facebook. And this shy kid from Jersey’s popularity started to grow leading to working with creatives like Joe Budden.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

 Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe:  

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Jose Silva shares story about documenting Joe Budden’s career

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories