All Experts

My brother Mark and I have a passion for creating great products. We come from a family of artists and like to spend our time designing, mountain biking, skiing, and climbing. During college we both found Industrial Design, with the dream of gaining the tools and skills to invent amazing new things and bring them to the world.We spent a combined 30+ years designing products for great brands including YETI, Lenovo, crankbrothers, Black Diamond, fi’zi:k, Weber, and Salsa Cycles. While it was a lot of fun designing for other people, there was a latent desire to start our own company. It was time to design things that were completely our own.We are driven by a curiosity to make things better. No matter what the problem is, there is always a way to improve. We love to debate, analyze and labor over every aspect of the problem and potential solutions. We thrive on the uncertainty, excitement and risk of not knowing where a project will take us. We create a ridiculous number of prototypes until we get something that we think is wonderful. We aren’t interested in just making more stuff to put out into the world, we are interested in making things that are actually better.We started Twilla for a very simple reason: we couldn’t find a pillow that we liked, so we created a pillow to empower customers by being able to customize it.

My brother Peter and I have a passion for creating great products. We come from a family of artists and like to spend our time designing, mountain biking, skiing, and climbing. During college we both found Industrial Design, with the dream of gaining the tools and skills to invent amazing new things and bring them to the world.We spent a combined 30+ years designing products for great brands including YETI, Lenovo, crankbrothers, Black Diamond, fi’zi:k, Weber, and Salsa Cycles. While it was a lot of fun designing for other people, there was a latent desire to start our own company. It was time to design things that were completely our own.We are driven by a curiosity to make things better. No matter what the problem is, there is always a way to improve. We love to debate, analyze and labor over every aspect of the problem and potential solutions. We thrive on the uncertainty, excitement and risk of not knowing where a project will take us. We create a ridiculous number of prototypes until we get something that we think is wonderful. We aren’t interested in just making more stuff to put out into the world, we are interested in making things that are actually better.We started Twilla for a very simple reason: we couldn’t find a pillow that we liked, so we created a pillow to empower customers by being able to customize it.

Growing up as a Queer first-gen South Asian American in the Chicago suburbs, craft was a core part of my life and how I expressed my identity. As a kid, art was my creative outlet and how I made some of my closest friends. After leaving my tech job, art became a way for me to connect to my own culture. During a life-changing trip to India, I discovered the expansive world of South Asian craft and the incredible organizations that were trying to preserve them. I was able to travel to Rajasthan, experience the local culture, participate in craft workshops to study regional crafts, and learn from villagers that held generational wisdom on the art form. I felt incredibly privileged to get this rare glimpse into such an ancient art form. It inspired me to think of ways to bring this experience to more people within the South Asian diaspora and beyond. Then came the idea for Hamesha Project. My dream for Hamesha Project was to find a way to preserve and honor the full breadth of South Asian crafts, but make experiencing them more accessible. Finally to use what I was so passionate about to bring people together. When I'm not hosting craftworkshops and ideating my next South Asian craft kit, you can find me enjoying the farmers markets and community events of San Francisco, on a run, drawing, or enjoying a nice restaurant.

Hi there! I'm Jiya. My journey into the world of jewelry started in the quiet corners of Columbus, Georgia, where I would often lose myself in sketching intricate designs, even as a young girl of ten. With every pencil stroke, I imagined jewelry that wasn't just captivating in appearance, but also carried a story and purpose.By 14, with the unwavering support of my family and driven by my vision, I took the bold step of transforming my sketches into tangible jewelry pieces. Saurin Jiya was born out of this dream. But for me, aesthetics and design are only half the equation. I am also deeply passionate about our planet, and I wanted Saurin Jiya to reflect a commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing.Today, I am proud of the pieces we create and the values we stand for. And I'm grateful to have you accompany me on this inspiring journey. Let's redefine luxury, together.

An Italian and Swiss national who speaks French, Italian, English, German and a little Japanese, Aldo does the majority of photography and design for all IKKYU products. I started drinking green tea back in Switzerland more than 12 years ago as a way to relax. I enjoy the preparing time of a good matcha while listening old records.Thanks to my deep interest and love of green tea, I have been able to visit all the main production areas on Kyushu island. It has been a privilege to talk and work directly with city and government officials, and most importantly, build strong connections with the many producers and their families.It took several years to build a network covering all of Kyushu. I have been blessed by the richness of encounters, friendship and discoveries of the Green Tea universe.

Neena Pandey is a mother, wife, and multi faceted businesswoman who was born and raised in India. She has spent the majority of her career in male-dominated tech industries. Before immersing herself in fashion, she was a successful, outspoken marketing executive in Silicon Valley. Despite her success in this role, Neena always dreamed of being an entrepreneur, specifically in the realm of women’s apparel. “I’ve always been infatuated by color and design,” she recalls. “I had a keen eye. I was always intrigued. When I was young, I was the designer for everyone in my house.” Neena has infused her enduring confidence and passion into every string, thread, and unique look designed for String Code.

Prior to co-founding FURB, Colleen founded Lulus, an affordable luxury women’s fashion brand. With 25 years of industry experience, Colleen delights her customers by relentlessly focusing on quality, value, and style.