When a friend sent me an Instagram post looking for workshop facilitators for an upcoming youth empowerment event, I didn't overthink it. I applied to a handful of opportunities, not knowing what to expect. A few weeks later, I got the call: they wanted me to lead a workshop on resilience—specifically, artistic resilience from my experience and career perspective. I had a different idea. What if we talked about personal branding instead? I pitched it to them: personal brandi

In 2021, I started working with El Sueñito Brewing Company on their brand identity. A couple years later, they became one of my first retainer clients. Today, I'm managing several active creative partnership retainers—my largest being El Sueñito and Saanj Winery—and I can confidently say: this is where the best work happens. One-off projects are great. I love the intensity of a rebrand, the satisfaction of delivering a finished website, the thrill of seeing a campaign launch.

In 2023, when Kye and Shahron first reached out about branding their new winery, I knew we were building something that had never existed in Washington: a Black and Punjabi-owned wine brand that could redefine what luxury looks like in an industry that desperately needs more representation. Less than 1% of US wineries are Black-owned, and Punjabi representation in wine? Even rarer. We spent months crafting what I call " urban luxury "—the soft richness of Punjabi silks meetin