I’ve been told many times that I am a visionary. And it’s true, I can see things in my mind before I create them.
When we were in the early stages of planning our launch of Ocean SF, I could see my daughter standing in the red jacket with the Golden Gate Bridge behind her. I could see it in my mind; the ruby red, her dark hair, the fog and the bridge. I knew exactly how it would look, and predicted the atmosphere of that cold January day.
On the day my friend Nick Firestone took the photos, everything magically fell into place. Nick, being the kind soul that he is drove all the way from Half Moon Bay to meet us. As we pulled in and parked, I could see Nick walking toward me. We literally took 100 shots in an hour and they were all beautiful.
After, we went to lunch in Sausalito at a resteraunt called, Napa Valley Burger Company. I’ve noticed in my life that the things that happen easily come with a certain blessing. Anything, I have tried to force or control has backfired. The things that I approach with diligent planning, but a hopeful calm come easily into fruition.
From the beginning I’ve held a big vision for Ocean SF, as has my co-founder Andrew LaCenere. We have taken our time creating our brand. It took us an entire year to research, evaluate and then custom mill our own fabric. We did eight months of research and testing before deciding on the Merino wool fleece that we now use. The weave is tight on the exterior to block the wind, and soft and fuzzy on the inside to trap warmth. We tested the men’s jacket for six months offshore and inshore on three continents. This is not so much a company as it is a calling.
I’m not going to lie, it hasn’t been easy, there have been days when I wanted to turn back and do something easy and safe, but instead persisted in building our vision and our brand. It has slowly taken shape with the help of our many friends, family and trusted advisors.
There is no way to play it safe in this life. We may think we are safe, but we are not. Create your own vision, see it in your mind, and make it as big and beautiful as you can.
Love and blessings to all.
Sydney 