Claima Stories with Bimma

CJ McCollum shares story about the origins of McCollum Heritage ‘91

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

On today’s show, we talk to entrepreneur Ajay Bouri, owner of streetwear shop Feature. First generation Indian, Ajay grew up in Northern California. The child of a traditional arranged marriage that didn’t last, his mother divorced his father, but that didn’t stop her from building a life for Ajay and his brother. 

After, Ajay’s mom joined the Air Force, they moved from low income housing in California to the small town of Marquette, Michigan. As soon as they got to the midwest, Ajay began to rebel and got into a bit of trouble. His mother would move a couple of times to keep Ajay safe, even moving them to Tokyo to finish high school. 

While attending college in Reno, and he started bartending and working at an insurance company. Feeling trapped by his day job, he would dive head first into night life and decided to move to Vegas. Despite the hustle and demands of the club scene, he’d return to Reno and help out friends with their business ventures, even opening a boutique turned personal shopping service “the attic” and then transitioned into sneakers. Feature. A venture he pitched to three other partners and opened in the middle of the 2010 recession. 

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

Ajay Bouri shares story about transitioning from nightlife to sneakers

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

Francesca shares a story about serving her community by making feel-good, plant based food more accessible, all under a refreshing new look.

That was Francesca Chaney, Owner of Sol Sips based in Brooklyn, NY.

The Claima Stories with Bimma: Community Stories series is presented by 99designs by Vistaprint, as part of the 99 Days of Design initiative.

Learn more at

99designs.com/99daysofdesign

On today’s show, recorded in our mobile podcast studio storytella, I sit down with Tiffany Tanaka, of Petite Peso. A creative entrepreneur that’s Passionate about Creating businesses that are true to her experience, culture, and how she views the world. =

Born and raised in  Honolulu, Hawaii. Tiffany grew up watching her lawyer parents do things their way. But it was watching her dad leave law to open up a golf shop, which she lovingly calls “a hip pawn shop” that would really influence Tiffany’s future entrepreneurial moves. Although she grew up wanting to be a dentist, She moved to SAm Francisco for art school to study design and fashion. =

When she returned home, she realized there weren’t many fashion careers on the Island so instead she used the internet to her advantage and opened her first business, an eBay store that she’d run for six years. Selling everything from Vintage pennies, breast pumps, cars to nike SBs. 

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 Tanaka shares story about the importance of representing Filipino culture authentically through her food

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

Francis shares a story about creating space for young creatives to overcome obstacles and reach new heights, all while sporting a new look.

That was Francis Santos, Owner of Operation Rally based in Las Vegas.

The Claima Stories with Bimma: Community Stories series is presented by 99designs by Vistaprint, as part of the 99 Days of Design initiative.

Learn more at

99designs.com/99daysofdesign

On today’s show, recorded in our mobile podcast studio STORYTELLA, I sit down with Keba Konte, Founder of Red Bay Coffee in Oakland, CA. Keba is someone who walks the walk and is committed to his vision of doing good in the world. Born and raised in San Francisco/Bay Area, he grew up in a creative household, with his photographer mother. Inspired by activism in school, Keba went to college to study photojournalism using his art to share a message. 

After shooting album covers for Bay Area legend E-40, he’d leave school to capture Nelson Mandela’s historical  election run in Johannesburg, where he learned about the South African hip hop community and the reach that the music has across the diaspora. 

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

Keba Konte shares story about devoting his time to learning coffee roasting

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

On today’s show, recorded in our mobile podcast studio storytella, I sit down with Brenda Equihua, founder and creative director of Equihua, a brand inspired by her Mexican roots. Growing up in Santa Barbara, she was raised in a close-knit Mexican community, but that never stopped her from realizing the affluent white people in her area. 

Her entry to art stemmed from childhood trauma at the age of 4, but therapy wasn't accessible or the cool thing to normalize. But she was also a weird kid who would go outside and envision adventures and talk to herself; she'd channel all of that energy into drawing magical worlds when the everyday world became too much. 

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.