I am…
A different kind of owner for a different kind of “toy store”
First off - it’s hard for me to speak in the first person when I do anything for a brand I work for. I always use “we speak” and talk through the brand - as the brand. I’ve been challenged by “experts” to let the guard down and let YOU get to know ME (yikes). So, here goes!
I’ll admit that there’s weird thing for a guy that owns a brand aimed “mostly” at kids… I don’t really “love” being around kids. Don’t get me wrong, I have three of my own, and I love each of them all the time, and I actually LIKE some of them most of the time (they take turns generally). I’m not one of those people who seeks out kids or really likes other people’s children. I generally treat kids like small adults, but I think that’s one of the reasons LearningCURVE is different. I believe that kids - consciously or not - are capable of WAY more sophisticated thinking than we often give them credit.I believe they deserve product with integrity. I also believe that by highlighting craft and quality, we can raise conscious consumers of tomorrow who will impact the world through their meaningful purchasing decisions - whew - that’s mouthful!
I don’t collect funkopop, and I never really watched Star Wars, so I never had a passion for creating a place for collectibles or the usual toys. I love creativity and learning the provenance of person place and process - thats why I decided that if I was going to do a toy shop - it had to be unlike anything else, and it had to speak to me as a designer and procurer of goods. I spent a lot of my childhood “playing store” and imagining I was the owner of both a theme park, and a department store, so one way or the other, I was destined to create immersive experiences that fully engaged people.
I love a hard hike and a heavy lift. Pushing myself mentally and physically in the weight room keeps me focussed. It also helps me keep up with three kids who insist on getting older each year (as do I). My personal goal a year or two ago was to be in the best physical place by the time I hit 50 last year. I know thats probably NOT the typical (or stereotypical) image of a toy shop owner, and I’m proud of that. I love engaging with my kids and sharing their passions, and mine, together.
The beauty of nature inspires me every day. There’s nothing I love more than throwing on a kilt and hitting the trails close to our home. Exploring all of God’s creation through each season resets and restores me. I always find inspiration, either in what I see, or in the silence that surrounds me, allowing me to gather my thoughts and realize ones I didn’t even know I had!
I love sharing those spaces with my family and instilling that same love and respect for nature in my kids.
I’ve been amazingly lucky to have my wife by my side for this adventure. She both grounds me, and a lot of the product decisions I make for LearningCURVE. Being a 3-6 year old Montessori teacher, she certainly brings a real-life perspective to everything we sell. We’ve been lucky to have a shared vision for this brand.
While our time in the “temporary pop-up shop” is coming to a close, I know that LearningCURVE isn’t going away. It’s a viable concept, and that is thanks to the wonderful people who have supported along the way. I’ve had friends turn out to be only acquaintances, and strangers turn out to be great friends. While its easy to say “show your support with your wallet” it’s really more important to “show your support by just showing up.”
We are looking forward to downloading all of the learnings we’ve had through this process. We are cautiously optimistic as we look for permanent space for our next phase, and I truly thank each of you for helping make a different dream for a different guy start to come true.
We invite you to actively follow us in the social-sphere. Like us on Instagram. Accept the fact that I love images and well chosen words, and I hate making 30 second reels that tell too much, and nothing at all at the same time. Shop our on-line store. Share your love for our products with those you influence. You can still be a critical part of this amazing journey we’ve been on so far. As I like to say… whenever you start something new, there’s always a LearningCURVE!