My early career is fairly typical of most graphic designers: Start with the small design firms, then graduate to bigger agencies, move onward and upwards…and finally one day, I found myself working an in-house job at a large corporation and not getting any creative satisfaction out of it. After years of plodding along the corporate timeline, I realized that I was losing sight of the ideas and creative freedom I had once–and still–cherish. I had spent the majority of my 20s working nonstop–and I didn’t want to spend another twenty doing the same thing. Everything started with just a simple sticker that I posted around town on a day off. The idea for the sticker was inspired by the old mantra, “Stay Gold.” To me, it’s a reminder that all the ideas and experiences that we hold dear are the real gold inside each of us. This is what shapes us, what preserves our sense of self, and what keeps us young. When it came time for me to establish my own brand, I hadn’t wavered from that concept, which is how the Benny Gold brand came to be. I constantly get asked by people about the trials and tribulations of starting a company. And while there are so many reasons not to take the risk, I can say that it honestly doesn’t take much to get started. I started with a sticker, and I am humbled to see the success of Benny Gold as it has expanded to become an international brand, sold in over a hundred retailers around the world, and with a flagship store and design studio in San Francisco. Thank you to everyone out there who believes in this as much as I do – stay young til you die!