Earlier this year I got to sit down with a young man who is passionately
pursuing the diversity of his artistic abilities. After meeting him at Arts
Beat and Eats while selling pins and hoodies and then seeing him perform at a
Voices In Power open mic I got to sit across from Terrence Woolford, better
known as “E/\sy,” of Natrl Born Heart Brkers (NBHB) at a small grey marble table in a small café in
Rittenhouse. Although I asked about the nickname
E/\sy, I already knew it had something to do with his laid back nature and his genuine willingness to talk about his
journey as an artist.
We sat there for a little over half an hour and talked about
everything from the day’s events to his run in with Dom Kennedy. We talked about the team behind Natrl Born
Heart Brkers and the consistency entrepreneurship demands.
I phound out a lot about the brand and it being bigger than
its products. I phound out a lot about E/\sy and that he is bigger than himself
and views his work as an entrepreneurs as part of a bigger picture. And I phound out about a lot of other things that you
too can phind out below.
Phreedum: How did
Natrl Born Heart Brkers begin?
E/\sy: Our
inspiration came from the New York City brand “Good Wood”. Myself and three
friends got together in the spring of 2010 and we took that inspiration and
started Natrl Born Heart Brkers. Our first product was the hand painted
customized heart shaped pin.
Phreedum: So
there is a team Behind Natrl Born Heart Brkers. That’s cool. Can you tell me a
little bit more about the team?
E/\sy: Sure.
There’s Brooks who handles the videography for our products and events. There’s
Braheem who does our PR and a lot of the networking on behalf of the brand. Then
there’s Darryl who handles inventory, shipping, and styling. Finally, there’s
me. I handle the graphics and the painting.
Phreedum: Why
Natrl Born Heart Brkers?
E/\sy: We wanted
to take a negative and turn it into a positive. People usually see heartbreak
as disappointment and something
negative. However, Natrl Born Heart Brkers are people who put their hearts into
their work while breaking through barriers and limitations. There is nothing
disappointing or negative about that.
Phreedum: Talk to
me about the name E/\sy?
E/\sy: A friend
gave me that nickname back in high school because he said I’m so easy to get
along with. It just kinda stuck you know. But my real name is Terrence.
Phreedum: What
has been a highlight for the Natrl Born Heart Brkers brand so far?
E/\sy: All of the
love we have been getting has been really great. Recently we have gone to DC a
couple of times as a part of a trunk show series and the people down there have
responded really well to our brand. Last summer we had an event and we got a
lot of love there as well. People bought our products and gave a lot of
positive feedback. I think it’s always a
great thing when you can do what you love and other people love and respect
it. I have a personal highlight too.
Phreedum: Oh
really. Please share.
E/\sy: Dom
Kennedy is one of my favorite musicians. I was on South Street headed to one of
his shows at TLA. While I’m down there I see this guy standing not too far from
TLA with a hoodie and it’s Dom Kennedy. But here’s the thing, I made this pin
that was inspired by him and for him. I took it with me just in case I got that
rare opportunity to meet him and I did. I walked up to him, introduced myself, told
him about Natrl Born Heart Brkers and I gave him the pin. That was such a great
moment for me.
Phreedum:
Definitely cool. Now is Natrl Born Heart
Brkers more than just the pins?
E/\sy: We are. We
started with the pins but we also do key chains and we recently started
designing some graphic tees and hoodies. We want to continue to expand the
brand and products we offer but these are the dreams we can afford right now.
Phreedum: I like the way you said that “These are the
dreams we can afford right now.” It sounds like you guys have learned to work
with what you have to get what you want. What other lessons have you learned as
an entrepreneur?
E/\sy: Be
consistent. We are in this for the long haul so that means consistently working
to create products people will continue to want and consistently finding ways
to build and connect to our consumers. We don’t want our next idea to be our
last.
Phreedum: What
would you say is the ultimate goal for you guys?
E/\sy: Our
ultimate goal is to stay true to our vision and open a store where people can
come in and not only purchase our products but really take in the entire brand
and our vision.
Phreedum: How
does Natrl Born Heart Brkers change the lives of others?
E/\sy: I think we challenge and encourage people to
step up and give whatever they do 100%. We encourage people to not just wear
our brand but be it- do what you have to do to breakthrough barriers and
limitations.
Phreedum: Who
supports you and your vision as an entrepreneur?
E/\sy: Everyone
around me. My team is very encouraging. We all encourage each other. People
don’t always get it but my team gets it.
Phreedum: What do
you think most people underestimate about being an entrepreneur?
E/\sy: Dedication
is a must. If you are going to be an entrepreneur you have to be
dedicated. Your dream is not just for
you. You have to just keep pushing and climbing past what you may feel like
doing, or an idea not working out as you wanted, or the occasional negative feedback. When I wake up I remind myself that I’m not
just doing this for me and that there are people who benefit and grow from the
vision of our brand.
Phreedum: How do
you stay inspired?
E/\sy: I am
inspired by watching others’ progress. Musicians like Whiz Khlifa, Kid Cuddie,
and Dom Kennedy are some of my favorites not just for their music but for their
story. I have watched them stick to their goals and really make it. That
reminds me that I’m no different. I just have to keep at it.
Phreedum: Any
advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
E/\sy: Listen to
your heart and follow. It speaks for a reason. Listen to the good things it
says because anything is possible.
To phind out more about E/\sy and Natrl Born Heart Brkers
visit http://nbhb.tumblr.com/ or follow
on Twitter @TheNatrlBorns and @eazy_sumrz
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