Tag: Miami entrepreneur

Made in Miami: Alex Yanes Draws Inspiration from the Magic City

Posted on by Katherine Doble

Local artist Alex Yanes considers his ever-growing body of work to be his autobiography – a story largely influenced by the culture and colors of his hometown, Miami.

In tandem with his Cuban roots, Alex attributes his pop art style to his observations and experiences growing up in Miami’s street art community.

To learn more about what inspires this “Made in Miami’ artist, read on!

Tell us about your path to becoming an artist.

I draw a lot of my influence from my teenage years growing up in Kendall – skateboarding, listening to punk-rock and hip-hop, fascinated by tattoos and cartoons. I’ve always been creative. I remember winning my first art contest when I was 6 years old.

My dad and grandfather were big influences. My grandfather was a pilot in Cuba and my dad was a tool salesman – they both taught me how to build things by hand. I built my first treehouse when I was 10 years old and wood eventually became my medium of choice. From there I learned to paint.

Now I get to be a professional artist, which is like a dream. I’m so grateful that I get to create every day.

 

How has Miami’s arts scene evolved since you began your career in 2006?, and how does the City inspire your work?

Wynwood was nonexistent in 2006. Art Basel and the Arts District have given artists a platform to expose their work and our community has opened its eyes to the beauty and power of art. In many ways, art has brought even more color to an already vibrant city. My hometown provides great motivation and subject matter. From the pastel color palettes I use, to the recurring nautical themes and the tropical nature of my work, Miami is interwoven as part of who I am.

 

From Red Bull to Sony to Neiman Marcus, you’ve worked with some pretty big brands. What has been your favorite campaign? 

I’d definitely say my campaign with Red Bull was the best project I’ve worked on because of the meaning behind the piece. I created a floating mural on an abandoned boat in order to bring awareness to the importance of preserving Biscayne Bay’s natural habitat. The project hit very close to home and is something I believe in deeply. It’s one of the main reasons I’m supporting Aabad and his team at the Rickenbacker Marina. They see themselves as protectors of the environment, and everyone in Miami has a responsibility to do the same.

 

Are there any places in Miami that you’d like to conquer for your next large-scale work?

I love exploring the intersection of everyday life in Miami and the water, so doing something at Marina PARC would be exciting. Marinas represent access to nature, and we need to do more as a city to bring our community closer to the water. Public art can be a part of that.

 

When you’re not working on your art how do you like to pass the time?

You’ll find me outside, probably somewhere on or near the water, with my wife and three little girls.

Made in Miami: Jose Goyanes is the ultimate urban pioneer

Posted on by Nick

When Jose Goyanes isn’t casting a line off-shore or cruising Biscayne Bay, you’re likely to find him holding court at Churchill’s Barber Shop in downtown Miami.

A pioneer in Miami’s urban revitalization, the native Goyanes was a downtown business owner before owning a business in downtown was considered ‘cool.’

Today, Churchill’s is the go-to spot for well-groomed gentlemen in Miami, and Goyanes’ Metro Beauty Center is one of the top-performing retail shops in all of downtown.

He’s the original downtown Miami entrepreneur.

You’re a life-long Miami resident and a longtime downtown business owner – how has the community changed over the years?
Miami has become a big city with big city issues. The changes to the skyline are beautiful and the city has grown culturally with new museums and theaters. We now have a thriving food scene as well. More people want to live here than ever before, especially in downtown, and that has led to fast growth and the growing pains that come with it.

How did you get your start as a downtown entrepreneur?
Having lived and worked in New York after college, I saw downtown Miami as a mini version of New York with better weather. We had foot traffic on the streets and there was opportunity in the real estate market at the time with more tourists and residents arriving. Opening a business in the area was a no brainer, but I needed to figure out the right product and services to offer. That led me to open Metro Beauty Supply and Churchill’s Barber Shop.

You’ve always been a hands-on advocate for quality of life improvements at street-level. What initiatives are you engaged in today?
When you operate a business at street-level in downtown, you are exposed to the peaks and valleys of an urban marketplace. You are more in tune and aware of the social issues that affect quality of life and the customer experience. Working with the Downtown Development Authority, we’ve created a “Downtown Enhancement Team” which creates job opportunities for formerly homeless residents who work hard to keep our streets clean. We’ve also teamed up with local government to provide bathrooms at the street level for anyone to use – including those living on the street. The mobile bathroom project, “PitStop,” is one of the most innovative programs in downtown Miami history. I’m proud to be involved, both from an entrepreneurial and a humanitarian standpoint.

What are some of your favorite ‘hidden gems’ in Miami – where can we find you when you’re not holding court at Churchill’s?
There are so many interesting Miami neighborhoods, from the Grove to Wynwood and everywhere in between. I love Sapore Di Mare in the Grove and Miam Cafe in Wynwood has the best breakfast burritos in town. You’ll find the best hometown beer at J Wakefield Brewery. The Corner Bar in Downtown has great cocktails, and of course you’ve got to hit Garcia’s on the River for fresh seafood.

You also love boating, so what are some things that Miami can do to become a more welcoming place for boaters?
We need more affordable, transient dockage for boaters and more restaurants on the water. Our local government needs to work with the business community to expand access to the waterfront so that all can enjoy the best that Miami has to offer. The new vision for the Rickenbacker Marina is a step in the right direction, as it will bring new restaurants and more amenities for boaters while also welcoming the general public. The City of Miami was wise to usher in this project, and Marina PARC’s plans for the redevelopment would be a change for the better.

Made in Miami: Nitin Motwani brings a taste of Manhattan to Miami

Posted on by Nick

Nitin Motwani is a man with vision. For nearly a decade, the Managing Principal of the $2 billion Miami Worldcenter development has been a driving force in Miami’s real estate landscape.

But for all the glitz in Miami’s real estate scene, Motwani attributes his entrepreneurial spirit and humble work ethic to his parents, who came to Florida in the 1980s and went on to reshape their adopted hometown for the better.

It seems entrepreneurship runs in your family DNA. Tell us about your South Florida roots.
My parents moved our family to Fort Lauderdale Beach from the St. Louis area in the mid-1980s. We operated a small hotel right on A1A called the Merrimac. I was seven and my brother was six. We basically lived on the beach and in the pool, and while we didn’t realize it at the time, we were learning the ropes of the hospitality and real estate business. My father passed away in 1994 and my mother took over the day to day workings of the family business. My mom and dad are my role models – in business and life. They have taught me so much over the years about entrepreneurship and humility.

Fort Lauderdale Beach has come a long way and today your family is helping to put the area on the map as a luxury destination. What prompted that evolution?
Everything changed when the City of Fort Lauderdale cracked down on the beach’s annual spring break festivities. It seemed like a crippling decision for local businesses at the time, but in hindsight it forced the community to rebrand itself as a family-friendly beach resort. For my family, that pivot meant thinking about our company as much more than a hotel business. We were now in the real estate development and investment business. Since then we’ve seen some of the best names in the hotel business open up resorts along the beach. Our family is currently involved in developing the Gale Fort Lauderdale and the new Four Seasons on A1A.

We hear so much about ‘brain drain,’ but you left South Florida for college, headed to New York and then ultimately returned. What drew you back?
I always enjoyed living down here as a kid, but I loved attending school at Duke and getting my feet wet in finance in New York. I was eventually able to convince my then-girlfriend (now wife) to join me in coming back. At first I focused on helping my mom run our family real estate business, and then I become involved in Miami Worldcenter in 2006. There’s something about South Florida that brings people back. It’s a gravitational pull – some combination of the quality of life that we have to offer and the entrepreneurial opportunity that exists here. I really felt like I could be a part of the transformation that had just begun in our community. Miami is a young city and there’s a sense that we keep improving the city through reinvention.

Tell us about Miami Worldcenter – what does that project mean for our community?
Miami Worldcenter is a 27-acre mixed-use development situated in the heart of downtown Miami. Our first phase alone is valued at $2 billion in private investment. This is a project that has been in planning for a decade, and we’re now under construction. The project will feature multiple residential towers, a high street retail promenade, a 1,700-room Marriott Marquis hotel, and an expo center to land that has sat undeveloped for decades. Our towers are going vertical now and the first phases will begin delivering in 2018. In the end, we’re going to be creating thousands of new jobs, improving the local streetscape with new public spaces, and bringing opportunity to an area of Miami that has been overlooked for too long.

We hear so much about Miami Worldcenter, but we don’t necessarily know where exactly you are situated. Give us some context about where your property lies.
Our property is in the Park West neighborhood of downtown, one block away from the Bayfront and within walking distance of Museum Park, the Arsht Center, American Airlines Arena, and the new Brightline train station. Much of our land was vacant before we began construction, so we are literally filling in the hole in the middle of the doughnut. We will be linking the Arts District with the Central Business District. We are where arts, culture, entertainment and transportation come together, and we’ll be providing great public spaces and amenities for pedestrians so that the community can enjoy all downtown has to offer.

If you could take on the role of mayor for one day with an unlimited budget, what would you do to change Miami for the better?
Fixing our transit infrastructure in one fell swoop would be a tough pill to swallow, but we need to tackle our traffic situation and adopt a pedestrian-first mindset. There have been some instances where private businesses and the public sector are making progress. We are widening sidewalks, improving Metromover stations and linking up with the Brightline rail service at Miami Worldcenter. The Marina PARC plan also prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by creating new public spaces on Virginia Key.

These are good examples, but we can do more as a community. The proposed streetcar system running north from downtown is a great idea that would help alleviate congestion. I also think a direct connection between downtown and Miami Beach, through ether a light rail system or a ferry service, would be a welcome addition.

Made in Miami: Morgan Blittner makes a splash with TKS Watersports

Posted on by Nick

Local entrepreneurs Morgan Blittner and Juan Pavan have owned and operated the iconic TKS shop for nearly 13 years. The two met through the Miami watersports scene and together recognized the large need for a kitesurf shop in Miami.

They opened their first TKS – The Kite Shop – in Key Biscayne in 2004 and have been growing their local empire gradually ever since. Today, TKS operates watersports concessions across South Florida and retail locations in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove. Step into a store and you’ll find everything from surf gear and paddle boards, to swimwear and kite surfing equipment.

Co-owner Morgan Blittner attributes the store’s success to the fact that he and Juan surf the same breaks and paddle the same waters that their clients do. We caught up with Morgan to discuss his business journey and inspirations.

How did you get into watersports growing up in New York?
Everyone is surprised to learn that there’s surfing just 40 minutes outside Manhattan. In fact, there are tons of opportunities to get involved in watersports in New York. Growing up in Rockaway Beach, I was raised near the water. Since then, I’ve lifeguarded, surfed up and down the coast of Long Island, and even paddle boarded around Manhattan four times to raise awareness for autism.

How did you get into the surf shop business?
I met my business partner Juan after moving to Miami through the local surf scene. I had been kitesurfing and paddle boarding since the two sports were invented, just as Juan had been, so it was a natural fit and we quickly hit it off.

We both saw a big need for a kitesurfing store, so we combined forces and opened up our first location in Key Biscayne.

What’s the industry like down here?
At both our Miami Beach and Coconut Grove retail locations, the majority of our clients are locals, but people come in from all over the world. Surfing is of course a big draw, but stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking are also popular. We’re seeing more and more people become active through watersports each day, and it’s a great thing for the community.

When not surfing what do you do in spare time?
Glass art has been a passion of mine for a long time. I had been doing pottery since I was 12 years old, and got into glass art when I was studying at the University of Miami. The glass art facility was in the same building as one of my psychology classes and it really caught my interest – it’s actually the reason I stayed in Miami. I went all over the world to study, and for a while I even had a storefront in Wynwood before it was ‘Wynwood.’

What’s next for the water sports business?
Non-motorized water activities have been gaining popularity. Right now TKS operates the only non-motorized concession on Miami Beach and we’ve seen more and more people gravitate towards kitesurfing and paddle boarding over motorized activities like jet skiing. There’s growing demand for activities that get people out on the water and promote wellness, so it’s a matter of finding locations where we can connect with customers.

For example, we’re teaming up with the Marina PARC group with the goal of opening a non-motorized watersports concession at the new Rickenbacker Marina. This would be a huge win for the community, as it will grant the public expanded access to Biscayne Bay and Virginia Key.