Welcome back to Bill Goldstein - this is Part 2 which I’m excited to share. I wanted to make time for what I knew would be a deep dive automotive discussion, and I’m thrilled to also share an amazing look into Bill’s Koi Pond hobby.

Links:

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

https://waltgracevintage.com/

@waltgracevintage

Given my affinity for Porsche, Adam Golden of Menta Watches told me ages ago about Walt Grace Vintage, the vintage guitar and automotive gallery and cafe in Miami. He graciously connected me with its founder, Bill Goldstein, and I was incredibly fortunate to share the space for an event last month.Though Bill is one of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people in the guitar and car world, I later learned he was into watches as well, which made him only more appropriate to be featured on this show.To me, his story is mesmerizing, and even from across the country, seeing him go from strength to strength has been inspiring. I’m thankful to host Bill today, and please note this is actually part 1 of 2, so I’m excited to share it with you.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

Walt Grace Vintage

https://waltgracevintage.com/

@waltgracevintage

It’s highly likely you either know who Jeff Hilliard is, or you’re familiar with his work. And if you’re still coming up short, your favorite people in the style community have worked alongside him. Jeff’s one of the mainstays and brains behind many of the Limited Editions watches from Hodinkee, while he also moonlights as somewhat of a NYC fashion staple as one of the 3 J’s in Blamo!’s JJJ Show. Together, he and I chat about style, his journey with clothes, what will never leave, as well as his approach to watch collecting. Lastly, even though he brings it up, Jeff happened to pen my favorite article in HODINKEE history called Finding My Father in His Watch. You’ve probably read it. We didn’t go into it, and that’s mainly because we ultimately decided to make this a two-part conversation, so without further ado…here’s Part 1 with Jeff. 

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

Jeff Hilliard

@jhilla

His older friends know him as DQ, but Dan Quigley has deeply evolved from his tagging days of two-letter graffiti. I met him 3 years ago where he was working at the Duane street location of The Armoury, however, you will now find him managing the newest location uptown on Madison Avenue. We talk about Dan’s youth in what was a crime-ridden Brooklyn, creating art while his father was trying to stop it - though not Dan’s - he was actually proud of Dan’s. We get into some music chat by way of his experience playing bass and the bands he’ll always love. And of course we talk about what brought us together as friends, which is our mutual appreciation for the retail industry. We dip a toe into Dan’s relationship with depression and how he’s manifested a grateful life full of optimism, love and compassion (my words not his because this is how I see & know Dan) and also the wonderful second coming of his art career…because it’s far outstretched the characterization of “Hobby.” I absolutely love what he’s doing. In fact I recently purchased my first pieces from him and I can’t wait to receive it. This one was an absolute pleasure.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Dan Quigley

@danquigley_art

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Mark Greene and I have a ton in common. We have ties to San Diego - he was born here whereas I relocated here, we’re both Porsche fanatics, we both have sales and retail blood running through our veins, and we both host podcasts. In fact, Mark was kind enough to host me on his podcast, Cars Yeah, as his 1,899th guest. Clearly Mark’s been at the podcast game a lot longer than I have, so I certainly appreciate his professionalism, but it was his upbringing and his career that led me to want to return the favor. Mark shares how important family is as well as some really wonderful insights on how to keep one’s family together and at peace…something never really explored on this podcast before. We chat about guitars & music, how he scraped together the money to buy his first Schwinn bicycle, and of course we chat about Porsche - Mark has in fact owned 12 throughout his automotive journey. We wrap things up with what would be his ideal road trip, so stay tuned for that.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Cars Yeah Podcast / Mark Greene

https://carsyeah.com/

@carsyeah

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I meant to meet today’s guest during my trip to Denver for Outdoor Retailer in August, but sadly, I ran out of time. But the lack of that face to face meeting fortunately didn’t prevent us from connecting for this episode as one of her sales associates kindly made the introduction. Kelli Jones is the founder and owner of NOSO Patches, a Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based business comprised of adhesive patches that assist in the repair of rips and tears in your outerwear. What started out as simply a better-looking alternative to duct tape, NOSO has grown to a staff of 5 in-house and 15 outside sales reps while annually moving tens of thousands of units in just 5 short years. I was excited to hear her story, but I honestly wasn’t anticipating her absolutely infectious joyful nature. She’s a dirt bike rider, mountain biker, wake boarder, hiker, back country skier, and all around bad ass. I really hope to make it back to Jackson where we will certainly be sharing some whiskey. For now, it’s time to share Kelli’s stoke with all of you…

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

NOSO Patches / Kelli Jones

https://nosopatches.com/

@nosopatches

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Brian de Groodt is the founder of Colorado-based Dispatch Custom Cycling Components - a line of bike accessories primarily comprised of anodized headset caps. Those of you who are fans of the STANDARD H Cycle Squad will now know our headset stem caps were produced by Dispatch. I found Dispatch by way of its Instagram marketing strategy, which Brian and I discuss later in this chat. Needless to say the quality of the product is wonderful and I was stoked to partner with him. During my recent trip to Denver, I met up with Brian just before he left town to close the deal on a home purchase in none other than my home state of North Carolina. We discuss Brian’s affinity of the word “why”, his short-lived experience as a guitar player, how Dispatch got it’s start, the unique importance of personalizing your bike, and how it’s recent acquisition of financial partners are contributing towards the growth of this e-commerce-based business. I sincerely appreciate Brian’s insights and candor, and I’m confident you will, too.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Dispatch Custom Cycling Components

https://dispatch.bike/

@dispatch.bike

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Chances are good if you’re listening to this you also listen to The Grey Nato podcast which today’s guest co-hosts alongside friend and former guest, James Stacey. He’s also a longtime contributor for Hodinkee, a Gear Patrol alum, and officially the first Hodinkee editor to be featured on Talking Watches. Of course I’m talking about Mr. Jason Heaton. I’m such a fan of his pragmatic approach to life and all of the above only support my admiration. This conversation was a fun one. We of course talk watches and gear, but we delve into the reasons why we enjoy what we like, and even to my surprise, we take several minutes going deep on the manufacturing process of Oreo cookies. Yes, Oreo cookies. Jason truly is “more than meets the eye” and I was excited to get a peek behind the curtain of his book, “Depth Charge” a fiction novel released 4 months ago and available through his website & the Hodinkee shop. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have Jason on the show and we wrap things up with a tiny bit of travel advice and a shout out segment to his wife Gishani who is awesome in her own right.

Link:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Jason Heaton

https://www.depthchargenovel.com/

@jasonheaton

Grey Nato Podcast

Episodes Here

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Everyone’s entrepreneurial journey is different, and to me, that’s what’s so fascinating about the experience. It’s also part of the reason I started this podcast because I knew no two stories would be alike. Taking this into account one might argue that Dan Mirth’s business started like many others in that he created products he wanted himself only to find out others were willing to buy them. However, this is also where his story differs. You see, Dan built a desk and then his wife Sarah found a product competition to submit it for…and they won second place. Then they submitted the design to another competition and in a week, they branded the business Artifox, built the brand’s website, even shot a video - all in a week! Oh, and then wound up being selected as one of the winners. If that isn’t efficiency at its finest I don’t know what is. I recall a Venn diagram where the three circles were comprised of Awesome Brand, Quality Product, and Cheap (or) Discounted, and the middle where the three intersect stated THIS DOESNT EXIST. Well, I’m here to tell you: Artifox is about as close as it comes to that brand existing. It’s tasteful, it’s cool, it’s very well-designed, it’s functional, it’s timeless, all while being affordable considering the industry in which it exists. We explore Dan’s beginnings including the Thanksgiving soccer matches that occur in his sister’s basement - you read that right - in her basement, and how Dan was meant to be an engineer but decided to apply his understanding of how things function and couple it with his creative outlet of design. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation getting to know Dan and hear what could be described as an ethics-based approach to running his business, who incidentally happens to be a cyclist, as well, but I’ll let him tell it…

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Artifox

https://theartifox.com/

@theartifox

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

This week we’re talking beer! And it’s another example of me having the good fortune of sitting down with an awesome friend and having a conversation about their burgeoning business. Often the feedback from these episodes involves some version of, “I love these podcasts because I feel like I’m right there with you, drinking a beer with you guys.” Well, good news: Matt DelVecchio and I did just that as we discuss the origin story and the ins and outs of his company, Duckfoot Brewery which is based right here in San Diego. Matt starts by schooling us on the different scales that define beer and where Hazy IPA’s fall on those scales, and how a particular wedding gift changed his life. Matt is actually my former neighbor in the Leucadia area of Encinitas, California - I moved; he didn’t - and I’ve had the pleasure of literally tasting his success as his beer business has grown over the last 6 years. We talk about his New York beginnings, his move to San Diego to start the brewery, the creativity behind the brand and Matt makes a solid case for leaving your surfboard at home and taking a hand plane instead. We wrap things up with some insight into Matt’s participation in a Phish cover band and a heart-felt story about a family-owned Jeep Cherokee, which I was super excited to hear.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Duckfoot Brewing

https://duckfootbeer.com/

@duckfootbeer

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I could easily talk to most guests on the podcast for far longer than these episodes allow, and no one sits in the category more than Adrian Barker, and that’s exactly why he is the first guest to be on the show for a second time. The first part of this episode was truly just us catching up and I wasn’t going to leave it in, but when editing our conversation, I felt there was a very honest sense of vulnerability that inspired me to include it in the post. Given the fact neither of us are natural self-promoters in this age of “Look at me”, I wanted to share it as I hope it will help others know they’re not alone in their hesitations. We have an incredible amount of overlap when it comes to the ways we view the world of business and as you’ll find in this episode, the ways we view the world on a personal level, as well. Happiness is something we all strive for, and Adrian and I discuss the process of finding it. We take it a step further by identifying how happiness relates to luxury watches, and things that are otherwise characterized as materialistic. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know Adrian more and more, and it’s fairly obvious given the amount of laughter in this episode, and it was really great to swap stories and experiences as we dive deeper into his Ecommerce business and his overall growth as a content creator. Adrian’s just as real as it gets, and this is exactly why I know we could’ve easily made this episode 3 hours. But a condensed round 2 will have to do for now.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Adrian Barker

https://barkandjack.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvIIb5YF8sUnm1D62jCvVVw

@barkandjack

@iambarks

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I met today’s guest - how else these days but through Instagram - where my budding friendship with him came through a series of domino effects from this very podcast. Charlotte, NC-based Noah Williams is a marketer, videographer and influencer with over 100k followers, and deservedly so given his taste in style, let alone his palette for watches, whiskey & wine. We talk about small towns in North Carolina, feeling like an outsider, skateboarding, and how all of those things often lead to an interest in fashion. Noah tells the story of his early days growing his Instagram account and falling deeper and deeper into the world of watches. Now, Noah is one of several contributors to Crown & Caliber, and in turn, Hodinkee, and he’s also a bourbon fan with a new found interest in wine, so we chat about those avenues as well. And the conversation wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t share some automotive stories, and as a fellow GTI owner, we have fun with some car talk including a dicey speeding ticket Noah acquired in Texas.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Noah Williams

@noahwilliamsstyle

@noahwilliams_pr

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

One of my favorite things about doing this podcast is every once in a while, a longtime friend agrees to be a guest and today’s one of those days. I’ve known Timothy Hogan for roughly 11 years, and I feel the level of comfort in recording this episode is abundantly clear. Tim is an incredibly talented photographer, woodworker and one of my favorite people to surf with though it doesn’t happen nearly as often as I’d like. We discuss his journey from growing up in Connecticut where he failed as a middle school saxophone player to leading the charge to relocate to California and convincing several friends to do the same…mainly in the name of surfing. As a result there’s some surf chat and it’s certainly safe to say, there’s a good amount of nerdy photography chat, as well as some good car talk: Volkswagen vans, specifically. We wrap up the episode discussing Tim’s parents including his mom who does CrossFit. It’s always great to spend some time with Tim, and I’m stoked to share a glimpse into his life and our friendship, so I hope you enjoy it.

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Timothy Hogan

https://www.timothy-hogan.com/

https://www.timothyhoganstudio.com/

@timothyhogan

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Stephen Pulvirent and I haven’t caught up in a while in person - he’s been busy with a newborn, I’ve been traveling and working on production stuff when in LA - so I invited him onto the show, somewhat selfishly, to see what he’s been up to. He recently launched a new venture with our good friend Justin Hast called The Enthusiasts, in addition to his Creative Consultancy, Rime & Reason, so I’m excited to hear more about that. The first half of our conversation is heavy on photography chat and I couldn’t wait to ask what’s up with all the blurry photos?!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

Stephen Pulvirent

@sjpulvirent

https://www.rimereason.com/

If you follow STANDARD H, chances are good you also follow Wei Koh. He’s the founder and creator of Revolution Magazine, a magazine exploring the world of watches, and The Rake, a traditional menswear magazine that’s one of only a handful of magazines I subscribe to. Wei has been very open in interviews, so I strived to ask questions I haven’t heard before. Never a disappointment, Wei does a beautiful job combining his signature self-deprecation alongside sincerity which is one of my favorite abilities of his. We talk about drinking, being a late bloomer, and his understanding of how certain people find success. I ask him how he recommends smaller brands reach a larger audience, and his answer is incredibly insightful. We also go into a bit of car talk and how his lack of interest to play golf is what got him into cycling. Watches, cars, and bikes - to say this man has taste would be a drastic understatement. Wei has served as an incredible inspiration to me not only through his business ethics but also by way of his unabashed embrace of being himself. He’s a trend setter and one hell of a writer. Though I had many more questions, Wei was incredibly generous with his time even as we went longer than he’d scheduled.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Wei Koh

@wei_koh_revolution

https://revolutionwatch.com/

@revolution.watch

https://therake.com/

@therake

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I’ve been a big fan of today’s guest for several years, so I was certainly excited to chat with him. Tim Mosso is one of only a few people I watch online for reviews & news within the world of watches. I’ve always enjoyed his straight-forward delivery, his seemingly encyclopedic knowledge and it helps he and I have other interests in common such as automotive racing and cycling. We talk about how his military service prepared him for his current role as “The Watch Specialist” for Watchbox, and how his first 800 Watch-related videos were shot to differentiate his content from that of blogs such as HODINKEE. Needless to say Tim was onto something, and much, much more. I wanted to get to know the man under the Oakley’s and today you will, too. Tim sure has his hands in more horological cookie jars than one can even imagine, and we get into a healthy amount of car talk. I’m excited to have you hear him share it all.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Tim Mosso

@tim_mosso

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Today’s guest is a salesman who has sold everything from phone contracts to cashmere. Davide Baroncini is the owner of Ghiaia, a menswear label based in Pasadena, CA but as you can imagine, the road from Italy to California wasn’t a straight shot. And it was for this reason I was delighted to sit down with him to hear him share his story. Ghiaia is producing some of the best sweaters I’ve come across in recent memory and once you hear the labels for which Davide has worked, you’ll soon understand why...Brunello Cucinelli being the standout for sure. I truly enjoyed this conversation due to the absolute exposure of Davide’s passion. You can really hear how important clothing is, and not at all for superficial reasons, rather how it makes one feel and the emotional impact clothing has on and individual. He’s an Italian and a man of style as redundant as that may seem...and he has an affinity for cars and watches making Davide a prime suspect for this show. We’re becoming good friends so I’m super happy he was willing to take part and I hope you enjoy it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Ghiaia

https://ghiaiacashmere.com/

@ghiaiacashmere

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Del Gregory is a UK-based creative who has certainly led a fascinating life of travel which has historically been driven by his work as a photographer. He began his professional career at the ripe age of 20 as a fashion photographer, but he then found a groove shooting architecture - luxury hotels and exotic locations mainly. As retirement was looming, Del decided to create a new type of magazine called B500, an online-only periodical featuring various cars and people from around the world. Impressive is the word that immediately comes to mind given he launched just before COVID-19 took the world by storm. Like many of us, Del is a one man band and his work now includes 7 issues of B500 - again, an incredibly impressive feat given the last year of our existence. We go into how he’s grown his audience while exploring how he defines B500’s success. We chat about his early days getting into the weeds of photography as well as the equipment he uses. Del even gives us a glimpse into his life being chauffeured in helicopters around islands in the Indian Ocean. What a life that must have been! All that and more in what was truly a fun conversation with Del!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

B500 Magazine

https://issuu.com/b500magazine

@b500magazine

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Today’s guest is Jarnard Sutton. I actually met Jarnard as he was walking down the sidewalk in front of my house while I was checking my mail. It was one of the more random introductions I’ve had in recent memory. We chatted for roughly 10 minutes that day and I found out several things: he lives near me, he enjoys IPA’s and he’s a content creator. This was all the information I needed to realize we’d become friends. And it’s certainly been fun getting to know some of my friends even further through this podcast, and this conversation is definitely no exception. Jarnard talks about life in North Carolina as a black kid listening to rock music, and how he was led down the punk rock road by the most unpredictable source. Jarnard is definitely a hustler. He worked multiple jobs at once to make ends meet, and offers a glimpse into what stress can really do to a person. Meanwhile, as Jarnard was trying to break into radio, he created a podcast in the same way many DJ’s would. He created playlists through the platform that effectively served as his own radio station. His resilience is inspiring to say the least. All of this is what led to his start in the audio/video space for restaurants - a segment I love following along through his social media platforms. This episode is a little different by way of Jarnard turning the tables on me a little bit. It’s definitely more of a two-way discussion after learning Jarnard’s story. It was a fun exercise so I hope you enjoy it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Jarnard Sutton

https://www.thenardcast.com/

@thenardcast

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Today I welcome Watchonista’s Josh Shanks, and we begin in a way I certainly didn’t expect: we talk about the birth of snowboards. We then go into the car culture of Indiana, and then his career which was utterly unpredictable. Josh went from working retail at Apple thanks to an early Mac-specific blog he wrote to then take his technological prowess down the path of Private Equity and Hedge funds. Josh shares a vacation that would effectively change his life forever. You see, he had no idea the rabbit hole he was about to go down when he purchased a Rolex in place of the watch he broke on that trip to the Bahamas. And I’m fairly confident he wasn’t predicting he’d marry a woman from Switzerland that worked for Richemont and encourage him to also work in watches. But life sure does take some strange, serendipitous turns sometimes, and Josh’s story offers no exceptions. In his current role as Editor in Chief of Watchonista, Josh is looking to create Watch content that isn’t what you usually see and read, with an intense focus on the collector community which is a much smaller subset than most would think. Josh also weighs in on hype culture and how it’s affected the watch collecting community, and he even gives us a glimpse behind the curtain of those awesome-looking Oris gatherings in Vail, Colorado. All that and more in what was a really fun conversation, so please enjoy it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Josh Shanks

@joshshanks

Watchonista

@watchonista

https://www.watchonista.com/

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I was introduced to today’s guest probably like many of you, by way of Hodinkee’s Talking Watches. He captivated me by way of his diverse collection, and perhaps more importantly, the condition of said pieces. Extremely well known for his expertise in Rolex, Eric Ku is a watch dealer, the founder of 10PastTen, and in 2016, he co-founded LA Watchworks. Oh yeah, between those two ventures, Eric just so happened to acquire the Vintage Rolex Forum. What’s great is he took it over to satisfy one goal, and that’s to ensure it remains the incredible resource it always has been for those getting into vintage. Needless to say, Eric’s a wealth of knowledge and like many of us into watches, he’s also into iconic cars. More specifically, Eric is restoring an early model of perhaps the iconic sports car. Eric also shares a bit about his latest venture, Loupe This, so definitely stick around for that!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Eric Ku

@fumanku

10PastTen

https://10pastten.com/

@10pastten

Loupe This

https://www.loupethis.com/

@loupethis

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

I was actually familiar with today’s guest’s store prior to even knowing who owned it, and that man is Brian Davis. A close personal friend of previous STANDARD H Podcast guest, Jeremy Kirkland, Brian was among the many of us who were into punk and hardcore in high school only to find our career paths leading us to fashion. We discuss what it’s like working retail at an early age and the role of respect within the profession. He describes his work ethic and how he manifested that in even the most mundane of tasks. Brian founded his vintage apparel company Wooden Sleepers during the menswear blog era and is unofficially, yet almost absolutely, the first vintage menswear company that was offered online, direct to consumer. Brian is a native New Yorker who has an incredible point of view and a knack for finding “the good stuff” when it comes to sourcing, be it a vintage LL Bean sweater or dead stock Brooks Brothers oxfords. He explains why vintage was for him and why it’s worth its weight in gold. He later goes into how the brand began existing on its own enough to spark interest in private label goods being sold in Japan. We have a very meaningful walk down the path of authenticity and how it relates to brands on social media and we even discuss who serves the best slice of pizza in the City, so for you foodies out there, feel free to “at us” in the DM’s regarding what Brian refers to as the Rolex Submariner of pizza. I completely agree with his positioning on the matter. Links: STANDARD H https://standard-h.com/ @standardh_ @standardh_podcast Wooden Sleepers https://wooden-sleepers.com/ @woodensleepers Passion Fine Jewelry https://passionfinejewelry.com/ @passionfinejewelry Independent in Time https://www.independentintime.com/ @independentintime

Throughout COVID-19 I’ve recorded several podcasts in advance knowing they’d be spread out - and among that group was my recording back in the Fall with today’s guest, Yanto Barker. Yanto started the U.K.-based cycling apparel and accessories brand Le Col and how the brand was created is absolutely fascinating. Born in Wales, the child of hippies and far from a life of means, Yanto was plucked by a local bike shop that quickly noticed his talent for riding bikes fast. This not only graced him with free product, but led him down the path that eventually found him traveling the world and riding with the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, the winner of the 2012 Tour de France. Yanto’s story is certainly inspirational, but as well as one comprised of self awareness and incredible clarity. Granted, hindsight is 20/20, however it isn’t often someone lets you cross that threshold in their personal story whereas Yanto graciously grants us that access. For me this conversation was a great experience navigating the waters of appreciation & humility, and Yanto shares what he defines as “real strength.” We then take a dive into marketing including Le Col’s digital strategy and the hows and whys it’s quintessential to their business. I think you’ll find his story to be uplifting and motivational to say the least.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Yanto Barker / Le Col

https://lecol.cc/

@lecoluk

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Chris Considine has had quite the automotive journey. He raced go karts as a kid while working his way up to the open wheel levels of the junior formulas, but that’s not all. He’s worked as a reporter at Le Mans alongside his automotive journalist father. But it was while working in Phoenix, Arizona as a tire technician where Chris built his first racing simulator. That first DIY project was the basis for which CXC Simulations was born and is now responsible for producing industry-leading simulations for professional driver’s & high net worth individuals world wide. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Chris as he exemplifies what it means to grow a small business by way of managing expectations, knowing where the holes are and hiring accordingly...all while creating an amazing product. These are the simple lessons that are far easier said than done, so it really is wonderful to see. CXC produces an unbelievable piece of kit. The engineering, the mechanics and even the levels of their customer service are incredible. Do yourself a favor and visit the website linked in the show notes to see for yourself. Chris and I talk real life cars and he shares why he chose a Golf R as his daily driver, so definitely stick around for that.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

CXC Simulations

https://www.cxcsimulations.com/

@cxcsimulations

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

The latest news from STANDARD H is presented via these "In-Between-isodes" of the Podcast. Today, I discussed:

 

• Cancun
• This Friday - Dallas @ Christopher Ward
• Boosting Posts on Instagram 
• District Time Watch Show - March 8th & 9th
• STANDARD H YouTube Channel
• License Plate Update
• Limited Edition Watch Idea 
• Limited Edition Accessories (Watch Related, Travel Related, and Golf Related)
• Polos - 4th Sample almost done, then onto Production
• Replenishment also coming
• Any Order over $100 will receive a free Black Nato using code SPARTS25

www.standard-h.com

@standardh_

For those with drive, the STANDARD H Podcast is a loose conversation about the lives of entrepreneurs and those who’ve grown companies. Today’s guest has occupied a slot in the latter category. He also happens to be a friend of mine. His name is Brett Weiner, and we discuss his journey from working for his parents construction business at the age of 11 to designing one-off pieces for Nixon watches. Brett shares a common attribute of several guests hosted on this podcast, and that’s a distaste for school, which seems funny given he discovered a way from being a C-Student in college majoring in Economics to becoming a Double Major student with a 4.0 GPA. Brett also shares his foray into working for a division of Burton Snowboards, the importance of being hungry to reach your goals & objectives, and how it shouldn’t always be about the dollars at the end of the day. What I love about Brett is his selfless approach to his work. He thinks about the consumer. And he has a natural bias towards what’s best for the companies for which he’s worked, as opposed to designing what he himself likes, and I find his approach to be so admirable, especially as someone growing companies he doesn’t own. I always enjoy my conversations with Brett because they always exhibit a certain level of quality. We share a lot of the same interests such as surfing, snowboarding, and even cycling, and these are all covered, but there’s also a deeper element whenever we get together that I always leave wishing we had more time, and this episode is certainly no exception, so I hope you enjoy it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Brett Weiner

@jw_brettski

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. If you haven’t already, please visit the website at standard-h.com as several new products have been released over the last month. I’m super excited for 2021 as there are several things to come, including a couple different lines of goods that have been in development for well over a year, so I can’t wait to share them with you. Along with my product enthusiasm comes my pleasure of hosting today’s guest, Aaron Stinner of @STINNERFRAMEWORKS. Aaron is a custom bike builder and fabricator based in Santa Barbara, California and specializes in steel and titanium bike frames. The thing about bikes is, to the lay person, they all look very similar. However, when you’re as talented as Aaron is, you’ll find the beauty is most certainly in the details. Great bike building using steel and titanium involves beautiful welds resembling that of a beautiful garment possessing impeccable stitching. This comparison goes further in that STINNER manufactures bikes similar to a made to measure program offered by a fashion house. Aaron and I discuss his upbringing; how his grandfather taught him to use a drill press at the ripe age of 4, and how he was organically growing his business while living in a friend’s walk-in closet. Aaron walks us through what it was like scaling his business only to back that down to hone in on making a better, higher-quality product. My favorite things about STINNER’s bike’s, aside from being beautiful, functional objects, are they’re being made by Aaron, by hand, and right here in California. My first job was in a bike shop, and though I’ve ridden for years, I’ve never had a bike built for me, so I was definitely excited to learn a bit more about the process. I think what really resonates whether you ride bikes or not, is Aaron’s attention to detail and his thoughtful approach to creating his products.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

STINNER Frameworks

https://www.stinnerframeworks.com/

@stinnerframeworks

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

The word that comes to mind when characterizing today’s guest, Christian James Hand is “passionate.” Christian is half of the duo that wrote the theme track to this podcast but that’s just an unbelievably tiny blip on the radar when considering Christian’s body of work. He’s effectively held every title imaginable within the music industry and as the host of The Sessions, Christian has certainly struck his stride. Now as a member of none other than John Mayer’s management company, The Session’s reach is growing further and further, and I’m here to tell you, if you care at all about music and you haven’t had the good fortune of tuning in, then you’re truly missing out. For the last several years, Christian orchestrated The Sessions as a traveling show amongst four different major cities where it breaks down some of music’s most famous songs in front of a 200-person audience. Clearly, during the times of COVID-19 this came to a screeching halt, so Christian took it to the Instagram airwaves. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation even as we ventured away from several of the roads I had planned to go down. Christian has spent time living in England, Libya, Botswana, Long Island, NY & Los Angeles. He describes what it’s like navigating the world with Aspergers, as well as shares how he started doing canyon drives in McLarens with Matt Farah. There’s a lot to unpack here, and I think you’ll enjoy it. I can’t stress enough, if you’re not tuning into @thesessioniglive on Instagram every weekday at 11am Pacific, you’re missing out on something very unique, special & musically inspiring.

LINKS:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

Christian James Hand

https://thesessionwebsite.com/

@kingtrut

@thesessioniglive

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Jonathan Ward is best known as the man behind ICON 4x4. If you’re listening to this show, I’m sure you’ve seen his creations clad in matte paint on Instagram, or perhaps at SEMA over the years. At the end of the day, Jonathan considers himself to be a serial craftsman, but I’ll take it a step further and label him an artist. His creativity has led him down several paths alongside his automotive business including wood working, leather goods, and quite literally down paths all over the world while gaining inspiration and furthering his expertise. I’ve met Jonathan several times over the years and I’ve been a huge fan of his work even before meeting him, and I’ll happily add this chat shares information I’ve never heard him talk about on other podcasts or interviews. In an attempt to dodge the child actor conversation, we do chat a bit about his childhood and what growing up was like. He shares a short story that involves falling from 4 stories high, and we talk about the importance of realizing you can’t do it all alone, something I’ve been struggling with a lot lately with STANDARD H. We discuss music, creative flow, of course how TLC & ICON started and why designing within confines is important. Ever wonder why his logo is a lizard? That’s in here. And if you’re wondering what Jonathan’s thoughts are on the new 2021 Bronco, that’s also in here, not to mention the inspiring work he’s doing with his charity, GO Campaign...the list really does goes on. Jonathan and I share so many of the same views on business with respect to design and manufacturing, specifically, so I really hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did. As 2020 comes to a close, as I sat down, editing the episode, it truly felt like the mental road trip of an escape I needed, and I’m confident many of you will agree.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

ICON 4x4

https://icon4x4.com/

@icon4x4

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

As a listener of the STANDARD H Podcast, you may have heard me thank today’s guest at the end of every episode. Jensen Reed not only co-wrote the theme track to this show, he was one of the first people I met when I moved to Los Angeles. Coincidentally, we both moved to California within weeks of one another from the same town of Cary, North Carolina. It’s truly hard to believe it’s been nearly 14 years. We talk about how that all unfolded, while Jensen explains his path from being a solo musician to his successful career as a voice over artist. Though both professions involve microphones, the bridge that connected the two happened to be the sport of tennis. A major takeaway from this week’s episode is the incredible power of networking. We talk about music from the ‘80s & ‘90s, the albums his mom didn’t want him listening to, how he drove a Ranchero as his first car, as well as how he began making viral music videos with millions of views on Facebook. It’s always fun to sit down with someone who is such a close friend and this is no exception. You never know where life can take you, and for Jensen, life is taking him back east to Nashville, but I’ll let him tell it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Jensen Reed

https://www.jensenreed.com/

@jensenreed

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

For those with drive, the STANDARD H Podcast is a conversation about the lives of entrepreneurs and those who’ve been instrumental in growing companies. It’s hard to believe this episode kicks off Season 4, and today’s guest is Damon Jones. Damon worked as an engineer for the likes of Aston Martin & McLaren and then as many of you may know, he served as the Vice President of Operations for Singer Vehicle Design. Needless to say, his resume is impressive but there’s more. He recently worked with Guntherwerks while launching his own company, Engineered by Damon. Though there is a significant amount of car talk, to simply label Damon a “car guy” would be a massive understatement. His interests go far beyond 4 wheels, however. He has a healthy attraction to midcentury architecture, photography, and well, all things beautiful, for that matter. There’s a lot in this one. We talk about the importance of story as it relates to products, as well as a deep dive on his Insta Famous Porsche GT4. We discuss his exclusive LEGO kit called Project Black Brick, one of the many extensions of his business, what he feels was his biggest risk to date, one purpose-driven trip to a tanning bed, and Damon even shares a story of how Lewis Hamilton missed out on getting a McLaren F1 for free. It’s a fun one, for sure.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

@standardh_cyclesquad

Damon Jones

https://www.engineeredbydamon.com/

@damon_jones

@engineered_by_damon

@mad_for_mid

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

This week actually concludes Season 3 of the STANDARD H Podcast, and I will be taking the next month off to focus on the new website as well as the release of several new products so I’m super excited about those. This episode is yet another special occasion where I interview a friend I’ve known for over 20 years. We met in high school, and though we don’t talk every week, or even every month, when we do, we pick up where we left off as if no times has passed. Bradford Philen is one of the people I think of when I think back on my high school days and the times always involve this mental playback of us laughing. He is a teacher in Manila, Philippines but is temporarily in Long Beach, California for the next few weeks so I was so happy to catch up with him via Zoom. He’s an incredibly bright, thoughtful, compassionate person with a great sense of humor, so it was a no brainer to have him on the show. He shares his experience from working for the Peace Corps in Africa, he’s lived in New York City, China, and now Manila as I mentioned. Brad’s life experience while traveling the world teaching and learning has shaped him into someone I consider to be one of the most cultured, open-minded friends I have and I couldn’t be more proud. I’m super excited for Brad as he’s written his third book entitled “When the Color Started” which is due to release on October 15th, so mark your calendars. It’s a collection of fictional short stories - each taking place in different locations and told through the eyes of different characters. I can’t wait to read it and perhaps after listening to our conversation, you’ll feel the same. Thank you so much for listening, and I'll catch you in Season 4!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_cyclesquad

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Bradford Philen

https://bradfordphilen.com/

@bradford.philen

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Chris Burkard has long since been one of my favorite photographers. His images transport you in a way not many can, and I believe a lot of it has to do with our shared interests of surfing and just being outdoors. The aspect of relatability is unquestionably a role when viewing his work. Chris has sold prints, yes, but he’s also created books; one of my favorites is “High Tide” which features stories behind his images and includes some fantastic photos of fellow North Carolinian Ben Bourgeois in the Caribbean. The book also hosts some cold water adventures, a subject which became Chris’s Ted Talk in 2015 entitled, “The joy of surfing in ice-cold water.” Burkard serves as an ambassador to Sony and sheds a little light on what it’s like being able to work with such a major company and how that partnership formed. He offers some great advice as well for those looking to create similar partnerships. This is a quick one, and I really enjoyed getting to know Chris and it was great he dedicated the time considering he just returned home to California from his 43rd trip to Iceland. I think you’ll find his story to be fascinating.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Chris Burkard

https://www.chrisburkard.com/

@chrisburkard

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Jeremy Kirkland has somewhat of a storied music and apparel industry past which in my opinion has served as perfect preparation for his current role as the host of Blamo! a podcast about the world of fashion and the people who shape it. It’s honestly one of the few podcasts where I listen to every episode. We talk about his growing up in St. Louis as the son of a musician as well as his early days as a musician himself in New York City. Jeremy started Blamo! with the use of a robust Rolodex and a goal to have fun. He now leads Blamo Media which is comprised of multiple podcasts hosting some of the most well known people, well, globally. Many of you listening to this are probably already familiar with Jeremy, so I was excited to offer us fans a behind the scenes look at Blamo! and several subjects he obviously doesn’t discuss during his own episodes. I think you‘ll all enjoy the story behind the man of one of the world’s largest menswear podcasts, and Jeremy even offers some information about a very special narration project he’s working on, so stay tuned for that.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Jeremy Kirkland

@thekirkland

Blamo! Podcast

https://blamopod.com/

@blamopodcast

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

Kyle Snarr is one of the cofounders behind Cantonment, a new accessories line where Kerchiefs serve as their flagship product. We talk about his love of story telling and how his petrol head father shaped his film school application where he ended up alongside the Napoleon Dynamite crew. Years later, after much success in the marketing sphere building award-winning websites for the very car brands that influence STANDARD H, Kyle was plucked and became the head of marketing for Gear Patrol. Kyle and I are nothing if not birds of a feather as we both are product guys through and through. Cars, gadgets, knives, watches. We love it all and obsess over the details. Being a product guy is what led Kyle to launch Cantonment with two friends which started as a side project/hobby 4 years ago only to launch at the beginning of COVID-19. It’s times like these that allow creativity to shine and what I love about Cantonment is their team-driven approach to the business from day one and I think you’ll agree. We close out the show with why the Land Rover Defender is so drooled over and also what might make its way into Kyle’s dream garage.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_garage

@standardh_shop

@standardh_travel

Kyle Snarr:

@kyality

Cantonment:

http://cantonment.co/

@cantonmentco

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

This episode presents a special conversation with my F1 pal, Blake Buettner. As the 2025 Season fast-approaches, Blake and I discuss the new Liveries which were revealed this week in a manner unlike any year prior - from no less than the O2 Arena in London where all teams were present and the seats were full.Blake and I intend on bringing more F1 chat to you this season, so keep an eye out for these special episodes!

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

The Deep Track

https://thedeeptrack.com/

@thedeep_track

Adrian Barker is a content creator behind the brand Bark & Jack, a YouTube channel where he sips coffee and talks about watches. I took to his content a couple of years ago mainly due to his honesty and his candor, and as a result, I’ve been following his wonderfully curated Instagram page, as well. Since our recording, Adrian’s following has grown to 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, he has an online store which you can visit at BarkandJack.shop and he’s also launched a Facebook group where conversations can further continue. Aside from watches, I was super excited to chat with Adrian mainly due to YouTube being such a unique business to delve into and he offers quite an in-depth explanation as to how everything operates. In this episode we really go down the rabbit hole of several subjects; all of which I knew would be great due to Adrians honesty and his openly candid personality. I ask him what he considers to be overrated, underrated and we talk all things business as it relates to what he’s been working on. We chat about getting over the hurdles of limiting beliefs, fighting against our own expectations, and how all of us actually could get more done in our day. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and Adrian is certainly an inspiration when you hear him describe some of his low moments including his dealings with dyslexia. The first 4 minutes of this episode is comprised of what is usually reserved for getting audio levels and just general banter, really, but Adrian and I were chatting about customer service and taking part in what I feel is a topically relevant conversation so I left it in. Needless to say, Adrian and I hit the ground running, and we could’ve gone on all day I think, so I hope you’re able to settle in with your fresh cup of coffee or you’ve cracked a cold beer, because this was a fun one. I hope you enjoy it.

LINKS:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Bark & Jack

barkandjack.com

barkandjack.shop

@barkandjack

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

A couple of years ago I found out about a watchmaking workshop being held here at my good friend and previous STANDARD H Podcast guest, Tim Jackson’s store. Because the class was so great, I thought I’d explore the company a bit further and in doing so, one thing led to another, and the following conversation ended up being among the results.

Today’s guest is Nick Manousos who was recently named Executive Director of the Horological Society of New York. Offering classes and workshops, as well as an extensive library, HSNY has served as the go-to hub for everything from entry level time keeping knowledge to learning to actual assemble a watch by way of their on-site and traveling workshops.

We talk about him growing up in the surf & skate community of Santa Cruz, California, his early days hacking into telephone systems, his contributions to Hodinkee, and of course his time at HSNY and all of the great work they’re doing for us watch lovers and horological history buffs.

Whether you’re into watches or not, you should definitely visit HSNY’s museum-like office space, and certainly check out their lecture series. My conversation with Nick serves anyone who can identify with having a penchant for anything technical, so I hope you enjoy it.

Due to COVID-19, the following is strangely the second consecutive episode featuring a Disclaimer:

Several events mentioned in this interview including HSNY’s Gala as well as all classes were cancelled. Their Executive Director actually retired since our meetup in New York, which is why Nick has filled those shoes. Nick has also informed me that after their usual summer break, HSNY will start its lectures again in September, but they will all be online for the foreseeable future.

LINKS:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Horological Society of NY

https://hs-ny.org/

@horologicalsocietyofny

Nick Manousos

@nmanousos

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

When I first moved to LA I worked in marketing and PR for what was then a three-pronged business owned by Mike Ryan. Mike is a Hollywood Stunt Driver famous for doing stunts with semi trucks, but alongside his driving, he owned a business responsible for sourcing and placing cars in movies and television shows. At the time, Mike was also one of only two guys racing a semi at the esteemed Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb: the second oldest race in America behind the Indianapolis 500.

It was 2007 when today’s guest Brian Scotto founded a magazine called 0-60. I was first in contact with Brian when he reached out about doing an article on Mike. 0-60 was based in New York City and I was going to be there the following week, so I suggested we meet for lunch and talk about it. The article went great and the magazine was awesome.

12 years later, Brian is now living in Long Beach, California and heads up [HOONIGAN], a multi-media company best known for its production of Gymkhana videos starring Ken Block acrobatically driving an arsenal of tire-shredding cars. Collectively the videos have amassed a viewership in excess of 550 million views.

Given I’ve been a big fan of effectively everything he’s produced, I reached out to Brian about me now interviewing him, and he kindly obliged. His story is a fun one and we conduct some serious car talk as you can imagine. I thoroughly enjoy how he goes into what’s been easy for him as well as the challenges that opportunity can bring. We also get a back stage pass to what goes into making those incredibly viral videos.

What I thoroughly enjoy, and frankly get inspired by, is other people’s passion. And it’s fair to say you can hear Brian’s passion in this conversation. He’s well on his way to building an empire, but at the end of the day, he’s as curious about what you have going on as he is about how he’ll attract millions of eyeballs on YouTube.

I truly had a blast seeing him again, and I’m certainly excited to see what they have coming, so stay tuned to hear about it.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

@standardh_shop

@standardh_garage

@standardh_travel

Brian's Instagram

@brianscotto

[HOONIGAN]

@thehoonigans

https://www.hoonigan.com/

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

12 years ago, I was still fresh from my move to Los Angeles when I started a fashion and lifestyle blog featuring mostly menswear, surfing, and really, just life in Southern California. One day, while strolling down Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach, I came across a row of about 5 bikes on the sidewalk, each hosting the name LINUS across the top tube in a timeless, San serif font. But these weren’t just any bikes. They weren’t mountain bikes, nor were they road bikes requiring a kit of spandex. Interestingly enough, they weren’t beach cruisers, either. They were (and still are) simple, really well-designed city bikes. Pre-dating the “Commuter” craze of the last decade, Linus bikes were often sold as single speed bikes, with swooped back handle bars, which made the riding position more upright and comfortable, and they came in colors far more interesting than just black or white. To this day, I get complimented on mine which I soon purchased after featuring Linus on my blog which is actually still in existence though all but ignored since 2013 and can be found at: www.screamingmouth.com. When I would feature brands, I’d email a link to the post to those companies, so my first interaction with Linus’s founder, Adam McDermott, actually took place over email in 2011. Funny enough, he and I had never met until this interview. Adam was born in South Africa, though much of his childhood was spent in Malibu as apartheid provoked his mother to move them to California. Adam started Linus through motivations predicated on lifestyle changes and environmental impact, something certainly resonating even more so today. I stand by the notion that Linus makes the most comfortable bikes on the planet, and also serve as an incredible value-add given their price point, so I was excited to sit down with Adam. What I love most is this is really a story of someone wanting something that they couldn’t find and they decided to just figure out how to get it done. I think a ton of entrepreneurs can absolutely identify with this mentality - with the motivation to keep pushing until the mission is complete. Today, Linus is carried in over 200 stores worldwide and is bolstered by quite a large assortment of bikes and accessories. This past Christmas, I actually bought my wife a Linus which has been instrumental during the time of COVID-19, as we’ve been exploring much of San Diego as a way to switch up our exercise regimen. I guess I can’t say enough about the bikes really, so I’ll leave it to Adam to share even more.

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

Linus Bikes

https://www.linusbike.com/

@linusbike

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

For those with drive, the STANDARD H Podcast focuses on the lives and stories of those who have started or contributed in the growth of companies. This episode’s guest easily fulfills the latter category, and has done so in a major way. He’s a watch journalist, an automotive journalist, he cohosts one of my favorite podcasts, The Grey Nato, and he’s certainly no slouch in the photography department. Of course I’m talking about James Stacey. During what can only be described as HODINKEE's meteoric rise, James has contributed to some of my favorite HODINKEE segments, so I was looking forward to hearing a bit more about his background. As a writer, he discusses the importance of developing your own voice. We absolutely talk about his fascination for gold watches. And since he’s hosted a few episodes of Talking Watches, HODINKEE's flagship product, James offers us a backstage pass into what filming an episode entails. We go fairly deep on some car talk as well as photography including what gear he’s been using as well as how he typically captures watches. We wrap things up on a more personal note and James shares his weakness for female singers. James and I caught up several weeks ago making this episode a STANDARD H Podcast first by way of recording over Zoom. We each settled in with some bourbon so perhaps you’d like to do the same. This was a fun conversation, so I hope you enjoy it.

LINKS:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

James Stacey

@jestacey

The Grey Nato

@TheGreyNato

HODINKEE

@hodinkee

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

Any car person loves a new car. The smell, the shine...it just makes you feel great. Today’s guest is Wes Walz, owner/operator of Elite Finish Detailing - a full service automotive detailing business supporting their tag line “Making First Impressions Last.” When it comes to cars, what beats that?! Prior to COVID, Wes and I sat down where I thought we’d chat about his upbringing and how he’s grown his business catering to some of the most lust-worthy cars on the road today. We quickly jump into car talk only to come to a screeching halt when he mentions his days of competitive horse jumping and rocking cowboy hats. The foray into detailing really sprung about due to a neighbor admiring the degree to which Wes cleaned his own car. Wes was working in the mortgage business when it crashed a little over a decade ago, so his then weekend side hustle quickly became a way to pay the rent. We discuss the value of relationships as well as a tiny yet very effective marketing tool he utilizes all the time. We of course delve into what services Elite Finish offers, as well as what questions are good to ask your local shop when vetting detailers in your area. Additionally, we chat about what not to do, and even some easy tips for you to take better care of your cars at home. This was a fun and truly informative conversation and I think many of you will appreciate the education. I know I did.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

Elite Finish Detailing

@EliteFinish

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

Over the last 8 weeks or so, we’ve all been tested. These weeks have been labeled “strange times”, “uncertain times”, “unprecedented times” the list goes on...and that’s why I felt today would be a good time to release the following conversation I had with guest, Elliot Aronow. We discuss a topic that isn’t al that easy to talk about, and it can often feel like a buzz phrase, however, it certainly makes it no less important, and that’s Mental Health. I feel as though many of us experience pitfalls in life and they can certainly lead to deep depressions for some. Elliot knows all about this. As a self-described preppy punk with a childhood he labels as idyllic, Elliot became somewhat of a ring leader of “cool” in New York City in the early 2000’s. However, this was all ironically followed up by his darkest days which included starting businesses that ultimately failed. His latest business, Our Show (@ourshownyc) is a multi-pronged fork which involves one part brand consultancy, and other parts focusing on the mental health of men through its newsletter, workshops and group meetups now orchestrated through Zoom. I really enjoy Elliot’s ability to balance these heavy topics with his self-deprecating humor, allowing for a much more approachable glimpse into what can obviously be difficult topics to breach for most people. He’s an incredibly creative mind so it was especially interesting to talk about facing fears and how to over come them.

[Please keep in mind none of this serves as medical advice, rather a very forthright and honest bit of story telling.]

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

Our Show

@ourshownyc

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

Today’s guest is Paul Croughton, the Editor in Chief of Robb Report magazine. I believe I first came across Robb Report some 25 years ago as a teenager in Raleigh, NC, dreaming of one day owning the finer things in life: expensive cars, yachts, beautiful real estate, and of course high end tailoring and accessories. I’ve never been one to obsess over these types of things for their superficial qualities, but rather their design, function, and their deliberate executions. As a sucker for details, I’ve long since been fascinated by items appreciated by people for whom money is no object. This is where my conversation with Paul comes in. Be it categorically filed under birds of a feather or some other such label, at the end of the day, Paul and I are really just geeks about product. However, as we initially journey through his upbringing and early experience, we chat rather retrospectively about house music and Blockbuster video, which then takes a turn into the motivations behind the customization of products. We of course end up discussing his role as the captain of a ship that caters to the psyche as it relates to buying the best of the very best. I thoroughly appreciate Paul’s insights on a multitude of levels and I think you will, too.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

Robb Report Magazine

@robbreport

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

Today’s guest is Bradley Price, who has incidentally always been into cars. As the owner/operator of the watch brand Autodromo, he has found what I believe to be the only legitimate automotive-inspired line of time pieces. I say that bc they aren’t so on the nose, while at the same time representing automotive history in a very direct way.

I had not met Bradley prior to our conversation, and it ticked all the boxes and then some. He couldn’t have been more gracious with his time and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing his story. We actually discussed a wide range of topics from Michael Jordan to Ivy League educations, and of course some car talk involving BMW 2002’s and the complete back story of his very cool Ferrari 208 Dino GT4.

We discuss purpose built design as well as the proliferation of micro brands within the watch industry, a world Bradley describes analogous to trees competing for light. It’s a really open and honest dialogue that I think you watch nuts will enjoy. Bradley offers a very forthright glimpse into how he began Autodromo and a detailed description of how he began collaborating with the likes of his Ford Motor Company.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

Autodromo

@autodromo

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

As previously stated, season 3 has been prerecorded so amidst these times of COVID-19, please note these conversations all took place prior to Social Distancing recommendations and mandates.

Episode 32 hosts Ryan Babenzien, the founder of the very versatile shoe brand, Greats, which has experienced an impressive rise within the saturated market of footwear. We talk about growing up riding dirt bikes on Long Island, his 12-year stint living in Los Angeles, as well as his return to his native New York to create and organically grow one of the first digitally native brands. Having spawned from the desire to create a line of shoes representing some of the greatest silhouettes ever designed, there’s a lot we unpack including great insight as to what he’s experienced over the last 7 years and why Greats has been able to excel. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation as it‘a the first episode that dives a bit deeper into the business side things. Ryan was incredibly gracious about the ins and outs of everything from start-up to sharing operations-based information of Greats and I can’t thank him enough for being open. We also have some fun chatting about cars and watches, of course, so stay tuned for that.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

Greats

@greats

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

@independentintime

No doubt, if you’ve been into watches for a while, Paul Boutros is a name that’s more than likely come up. His watch journey began as a child, not unlike many of us, but his affinity for the hobby led to a career when he left his job at Lockheed Martin and joined Philips Auction House over a decade ago. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Paul throughout the last several months, and today’s conversation only furthered that fact. This episode is one of those where it twists and turns and arguably starts backwards, which was super fun. Please enjoy my conversation about, you guessed it, cars and watches, and a little bit of missile defense with Paul Boutros.

Welp, here we are: Season 3! For those with drive, the STANDARD H Podcast is a conversation about the lives of entrepreneurs, and those who’ve been instrumental in growing companies.

Season 3 will host episodes every other week: a change in what has historically been a weekly podcast. The reason is due to the pre-recorded nature of my schedule and since we will all be home for the foreseeable future, I wanted to attempt to have these extend for a longer period of time than we will be socially distancing ourselves. Fingers crossed we get back to normal sooner than later, of course.

Given the current climate, I wanted to start the season with someone who often offers so much levity by way of his lightning-quick wit and his overall happy-go-lucky energy he’s exuded via his social media platforms. Of course I’m talking about Phil Toledano or as you may know him on the socials as Mister Enthusiast.

Phil is a New York City-based artist (read: aaahtist) who is an avid car and watch collector. Contrary to his personality, his conceptual art regularly takes a dive into some fairly dark exploratory realms. We discuss the ins and outs of a particular project of his called “Maybe” which also inspired a documentary called “The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano.”

We get into some pretty deep dives of car talk and most certainly watch talk. It was a truly inspiring and a fun conversation to be a part of and I hope you all agree.

I actually did something different for this one: prior to truly beginning each episode I get levels from each guest so the audio sounds ok. I left in our “lead-in” conversation only to give you a glimpse into what it’s like to hang out with Phil and to display just what a crack-up he really is. You’ll see what I mean...

Links:

STANDARD H

https://standard-h.com/

@standardh_

Phil Toledano

http://mrtoledano.com/

"The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano"  (Documentary of Phil's project entitled Maybe)

https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000004653100/the-many-sad-fates-of-mr-toledano.html

Passion Fine Jewelry

https://passionfinejewelry.com/

@passionfinejewelry

Independent in Time

https://www.independentintime.com/

@independentintime

For the final episode of Season 2 of the STANDARD H Podcast, I sat down with Scott Newkirk who grew up in Mississippi only to find out he’d become a proud D Student and a desire for something more. After a bit of time spent freelancing with retail visual work, Scott left for New York City where he quickly immersed himself into the fashion world with the likes of Barney’s & Armani. He quickly created a name for himself as a stylist, and after two decades in the city, Scott decided to take a break. After a stint back home in Mississippi, he was asked to become the Creative Director if Tabor, a menswear boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. I had found Tabor on Instagram and paid them a visit last Fall when I was home. I must say, their merchandise was fantastic given the conservative nature of North Carolina ...and that’s not to say the assortment is even all that loud, however the labels themselves are simply those you don’t see often, if ever anywhere else in the state. So I guess I should say I was, well, proud on a certain level and was quite pleased to see the progression. Scott is incredibly hospitable as is everyone else in the shop, and I really enjoyed chatting about the ins and outs of not only his career trajectory, but also their store breathing so much life into the menswear evolution in the South.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

@standardh_podcast

TABOR

@taborclt

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent In Time

@independentintime

If you’re one of the many thousands on Instagram following this week’s guest David Weiss, then you’ll already know boat design is this guy’s wheelhouse. I use wheelhouse somewhat ironically given his affinity for car design, but that’s kind of where our conversation begins. David is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based yacht designer - something he borderline fell into while wrapping up his time at North Carolina State’s Design School. We talk about his upbringing as the oldest of four kids in a home schooled household, his time working as a valet in order to drive cool cars, and how he found himself designing house boats of the future.

Links:

STANDARD H

@standardh_

@stabdardh_podcast

David Weiss

@jdwdesign

Passion Fine Jewelry

@passionfinejewelry

Independent In Time

@independentintime