Evan Zhou, 24, Web-Developer, Co-Founder of STEEZY (thatsteezy.com)
"I studied mechanical engineering [in college], but I just kind of did it just to do it. I had the vague idea that I wanted to make something that people enjoyed. But to be honest, I was a terrible student, didn’t study hard enough, danced too much. So because of that, I didn’t get a good job. I worked for a lighting company, and I fucking hated it. They weren’t even the cool LED lights you see at raves, they were like, street lights. I wanted to create something people would actually use. So I started looking into startups and thinking of things I could make and put on Kickstarter, and that eventually led me to coding and front end web development. I figured, if I’m going to have all these ideas, I should at least have the ability to prototype them, otherwise they’re just going to stay ideas.
Anyway, I figured intersecting the coding stuff with something I’m passionate about would be a good way to start. So I started looking at different dance sites and I realized there’s a lot of information choreographers have in their heads, that as a dancer, you just kind of pick up along the way. They’re trying to teach you these moves and get this choreography into you, but behind that, there’s all this other knowledge, these other philosophies and ideas. And none of that was available in any kind of centralized resource.
For example, the very first article I wrote [for STEEZY] was, ‘5 Tips on Picking Up Choreography Faster.’ I started as a bboy so I was terrible at choreo, you wouldn’t even believe. But over time, I picked up all these tips and tricks on how to make it easier. And that’s something all dancers need to learn, but it’s never explicitly passed onto you. Even when you join a team or you learn from a choreographer, you just kind of have to figure it out along the way. And so thinking about that, it was like, ‘why doesn’t anyone try to pass on that knowledge?’
And that’s basically how STEEZY was born. I reached out to a couple friends and had some friends reach out to me, and from there we just came up with content we thought dancers would appreciate, but in a way that balances Buzzfeed style with actual substance and knowledge.
I think that’s what’s helped ground us. We don’t try to be the cool kids. If anything, we’re the opposite. We want to make everything more accessible, more ‘human.’ Let’s say we’re writing an article. In that case, the ‘human’ part would be to think, ‘well, why would anyone else care?’ vs ‘I’m just gonna write this thing because I think it’s cool.’ And that’s what our focus is on, providing something that would be valuable to other people, rather than just being a cool name.
So far, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our readership right now is 60% in the U.S., 40% international, which is cool. STEEZY’s still pretty small, and sometimes we can’t churn out articles as quickly as we’d like, but with this, we can still provide a place to showcase what’s good from the community, as well as a platform for up-and-comers to share. So I started ‘Dance Video of the Day.’ Last week, some people from Indonesia emailed us, and were like, ‘we have a lot of interesting stuff happening in the Indonesian dance community, but we don’t really have like a platform to share it.’
And that’s kind of where we are now, experimenting with different ideas, trying to find a way to turn it into a sustainable business so we can continue to provide a good knowledge base for the community. My life is way better now. I enjoy what I’m doing. And it’s crazy. Doing something you’re actually invested in, your growth is so much more exponential than trying to do something just to do it. I’m constantly working, studying, reading, listening to podcasts, audio books. I just consume so much information about startups. It’s great, I’ve become kind of the poster child among all my friends for changing careers. I study harder now than I did in college, which is a great sign because I still enjoy all of it, and I love learning. Which is something I couldn’t imagine saying three years ago.
As for the name, I remember cleaning at GRV rehearsals and David Lim would say ‘make it look steezy and easy.’ I realized that that word epitomizes what the best dancers should be since it's a combination of ‘style’ and ‘ease.’ The best dancers do what they do and still make it look effortless. At first, there were a lot of people who weren't too keen on the name since it's kind of along the same lines as ‘swag,’ but we're working to shape people’s perception of ‘STEEZY’ into what we want it to mean."
Kiera Wright-Ruiz, 22, Semi-Pro Instagrammer, Global Social Multimedia Channel Manager for Uber HQ
"For creatives, I guess the biggest thing I can say is you need to find stuff that inspires you on a daily basis. I like to surround myself by stuff by kind of inspires me. I always have random shit on my desk or at my house, like I have vinyl figures and a cactus plant, and people are always saying 'your desk is so pretty and cute.' Like even my tattoos, this one is for my mom, but it's also a reminder to be creative. It's important for people to find what drives them, whatever makes them feel like they're in their space. 'Cause I mean, having a job where you have to be creative can be difficult. But surrounding yourself by what inspires you, it lets you own something that is like your happy place, your place that no one else can touch. If I just stare at something that's boring, it doesn't really fill me. Being surrounded by stuff I actually like and going off to like, my virtual world, it's just something no one else can force me to do."
"The California Bar Exam has been the great equalizer. High school was a breeze. College was a joke. Law school was overhyped. But then I failed the July 2014 Bar Exam.
I felt pretty lost both academically and personally. Pouring months of tireless studying into a failed pursuit really shits on your confidence. Fortunately, time does heal all. More importantly, I had my friends and family there to keep me sane.
So, how do I feel about the upcoming February 2015 exam? I don’t know, to be honest. At least I've found some inner peace. There's no turning back now. Whatever happens, I can only keep moving forward. I will become an attorney . . . and a damn good one."
Ryan Marsh, 29, Sparky, and Joey Marsh, 27, Household CEO
artwork by Jackson Marsh, 3 and a half
"Our funny story that everyone thinks is crazy is that we got married ten days after we started dating. We knew of each other before that, but we didn't like, date. At the time we were in Lake Havasu and he was like, 'I know you're the one, let's go to Vegas and get married.' And I was like, 'you're full of it, and maybe you feel that way now, but in an hour you could change your mind.'
But we got back and yeah, literally a week later he asked again, 'So, when are you off work next?' And I said 'Wednesday and Sunday.' And he said, 'The courthouse is closed on Sunday, so we should go Wednesday.' And I said 'okay, why not?'
Which is totally crazy and probably the most irrational thing I've done. Normally I'm super organized and super type-A. My lists have lists. And for for me to just say yes. It was completely illogical. I mean, it totally worked out, but I always tell my little sister, 'don't go off doing the same thing I did, because there's only enough luck in one family for that kind of stuff, and I think I used ours up.'
Before Ryan and I started dating, I remember him saying that he didn't think marriage was for him and that it was just kind of like a business transaction. A brings something to the table, B brings something to the table, and that's what it is. And so when he was trying to tell me, 'I know you're the one, we're meant to be,' I was very skeptical. This was the same guy who was saying marriage was a business transaction. That's not romantic at all. But he was like, 'you changed my mind.'
And that's not saying I'm one of those super romantic, fall-in-love types. I don't know what it is, he swears he's charming, but we'll see. It was just one of those, let's go on blind faith things. If you think it'll work, I guess I have no reason to doubt you.
Believe me there were days when I didn't think we were gonna make it, but here we are two kids, two dogs, and a house later, and we're still here. I'm a true believer that everything works out for a reason, and that's just kind of our story. It's a little chaotic, but that's just the way it was supposed to be written, and it works for us."
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Photographer's note: "When you give a child some macaroni . . ."
So the idea behind this shot was to do a twist on those old-timey daguerrotype portraits by letting Ryan and Joey's three year old son Jackson cover the "serious" photo with macaroni art. Originally I'd hoped he'd do something cute like give his dad a macaroni mustache and his mom macaroni hair, but instead we got macaroni legs, weird macaroni blobs, and a couple things that are supposed to spell "mom" and "dad." I actually kind of like it better this way though, more "authentic." Hope you guys like it too. :)
But I don’t want small talk. Text me, and without saying hello, tell me why you got so angry at your sister this morning. Tell me why you have a scar shaped like Europe on the left side of your neck. Send me paragraphs about the time you spent at your grandmother’s house that one summer. Call me when I’m half asleep and tell me why you believe in God. Tell me about the first time you saw your dad cry. Go on for hours about things that may not seem important because I promise that I’ll be hanging on to every word you say. Tell me everything. I don’t want someone who just talks about the weather.
— Jessica, 23, aspiring city planner, Habitat for Humanity Volunteer
"In this photo, [my dog] Molly and I are both being covered by a world map. It’s oddly a very 'me' picture. Since I’m an only child, Molly has really been like a sibling to me. The map represents my desire to travel and go to grad school to be a city planner. I like how we’re both wrapped in the scarf because it represents how my hopes and dreams are indeed intertwined with my family, and how I’m not only viewing these dreams of mine from afar, but have actually already taken steps to pursue them. I love how we’re almost looking at each other and we’re both holding the scarf in place because no matter where I go in live, my family will always be there next to me, supporting me and helping me hold up my dreams."
"The past few years and my limited experience have taught me a few things along the way: Listen. Be kind. Be good. Be especially good to the people who trust and care about you. They’re the ones who will fight tooth and nail to save you when you’re drowning. They’re also the people who will inspire you by their loyalty and their own individual greatness. In the end, that’s what matters most. Being around people you love, who love you and who impel you to appreciate life just a little bit more."
