Secret Sauce is one of the top-shelf resources for sneakerheads of tomorrow, and Michael Schneider, founder and CEO, is responsible for curating a new kind of community for both the curious and experienced collector. Officially launched in 2020, Secret Sauce has redefined the anatomy of sneaker culture through exclusive, members-only drops that are distinctly inclusive by design. Schneider entered the fashion market with a mission to create space for education and community engagement while offering a sterling, rotating selection of consumer goods to Secret Sauce’s loyal fanbase. From a business perspective, it’s a smart strategy that supports the dedicated hobbyist while routinely hitting the ‘refresh’ button with new and innovative strategies. Through Secret Sauce, Schneider has created a platform that serves as an easy entry point for newbies on the scene while also rewarding devoted veterans of the sneaker streetwear scene. The group’s Instagram page is updated with weekly drops that include the hottest grabs on the docket, including NFT’s, skate decks, and coveted kicks like Salehe Crocs and the Adidas Yeezy Slides. Schneider has expertly driven this passionate industry into a new frontier with exciting partnerships like Berify and lightning fast alerts when new drops hit the grill. With Secret Sauce in your circle, cooking with the best never tasted so good.
In all of its’ forms, art is propelled by intention and the activation of ideas. The Las Vegas-based rapper and musician, Adrian Mancilla, pulls inspiration from familiar art movements of the medieval and renaissance periods and modern strokes like Cubism to craft the imagery that supports his music. The material he writes, records, and whispers over dicey hip-hop beats usually hopscotch over darker concepts that perfectly compliment his artistry, pulling an archaic element of spoken word into the modern age. Having started his music career as early as 16 years old, the young musician has nurtured his songwriting and identity through careful integration on all platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. His first release, “The Calm”, arrived in September of 2020 and embodied the intoxicating qualities of lo-fi ambianism, letting the swirling soundscapes tell the unspoken stories. The following year, Mancilla introduced his first single, “Crown Of Thorns”, which foretold the arrival of his debut, full-length album. At the end of the track, Mancilla imparts a calcifying clue to the forthcoming record by leaving with “immortalization”, which makes up part of the title of “The Saga: Immortalization”. Welcomed in April of this year, the album reveals a lush collection of songs that breathe new life into the arenas of lo-fi, hip-hop, and rap simultaneously, showcasing an emerging artist that delivers his allegories with cool conviction and plenty of room for expansion. Mancilla is something of a prophet who sings for the people, sparking a new kind of fire that warms the soul and the soundscapes of the future.
3. Billy Guan, Sigma Financial Excellence
Established in 2021, Sigma Financial Excellence is the brainchild of Billy Guan, a seasoned financial coach based in California. After navigating self-made success for years, Guan observed the misinformed maneuvers carried out by new entrepreneurs in the heat of COVID-19 and sought a resolution. Noticing a gap in financial education, Guan works with a team of experts to guide these new ventures, along with advice for individuals and their journeys. “Sigma” comes from the Greek letter, meaning the summation of all numbers, or, in Guan’s case, a culmination of experiences. With a team of elite financial professionals that belong to the Six Figure Club, Sigma Financial Excellence provides a platform for education that speaks to generations of people who were taught to keep financial stability on the back burner, and Guan works to correct those narratives, revealing the possibilities unique to each situation. Guan himself has witnessed near to full recovery in financial debt amongst his clients, approaching every scenario from a place of understanding and tutelage. The reality is that most people don’t know what they don’t know, and just as professional athletes take direction from their coach, we should also look to visionaries like Guan and Sigma Financial Excellence to help us play the game correctly and come out with a win.
After her son suffered from eczema causing incredibly dry & irritable skin, Dana McNeal as a loving mother created a homemade cream to help relieve him of his itchiness. What she didn’t realize was that the concoction happened to be the first prototype & product of her now successful business, Silk&Glow. With her mother as a place of knowledge & growth, her husband acted as her formidable backbone supporting her to officially open for business online in early 2021, mid-pandemic. Today, Silk&Glow can also be located at their physical storefront in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Growing up with three other siblings (two sisters, one brother), McNeal considered herself a homebody. Despite a more introverted tendency, she went on to become a certified Dental Assistant & start her own DayCare business. When Dana saw the opportunity to pursue an additional business venture, she capitalized on the moment and began formulating homegrown, natural solutions to achieving optimal skin health. From body butters & body scrubs to soaps & lotions, Silk&Glow boasts an array of products to provide healthy skin to those in need. Having shown promising success early on, Dana began holding her own in-store events teaching those interested on how to make body butters of their own. She’s gone on to coin the occasion as ‘Whip It Up’ events and hosts them periodically as a treat for her recurring clients. Not to mention that her son, who once struggled with constant skin irritation, has now substantially mitigated the uncomfortable nature of eczema, but also the laundry list of prescribed medicines that came with it thanks to Silk&Glow’s remarkable recipes.
5. Alec Sutherland, The Phluid Project
Alec Sutherland is a multi-disciplinary queer artist leading the future of genderless self-expression through a kaleidoscope of mediums, most notably serving as the Marketing Director for The Phluid Project, a New York based movement disrupting the creative space. Sutherland is a recent graduate of Northeastern University, where he studied business and marketing while nurturing multiple passion projects in photography, poetry, and music. What truly defines Sutherland across the marketing landscape, however, is an eye for innovation and a quest for change. Sutherland was instrumental in shaping 2019’s “Gender Bending Fashion Exhibit” at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, serving as a creative consultant and representative of the queer community in New England and beyond. The same energy was brought to the table when joining The Phluid Project, one of the leading voices in genederless fashion today. Collaborations with names like Target, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom are creating space for gender non-conforming artistry in retail markets that were previously unavailable, effectively pioneering a new era of accessible fashion for everyone. As an artist, Sutherland strikes with a patchwork of influences that include surrealism, movement, and cosmopolitan soundscapes, weaving together a unique story of identities that are sewn into the fabric of vehicles like The Phluid Project. Sutherland knows how to lead with passion, with experience at We Are Fluide, a gender-expansive beauty startup, putting big names like Walmart at the center of change through community and inclusiveness. Recently, Sutherland expertly curated a live shopping experience through Walmart for Women’s History Month, highlighting the sterling selections of We Are Fluide, a beauty brand that challenges our understanding of what cosmetics can do. Sutherland has been actively sculpting the dialogue surrounding creative freedom and gender expansive fashion since 2010, and if you haven’t been paying attention, it’s time to look at tomorrow’s creators as source material for a brighter, more interesting future.
6. Norel Mancuso, Social House Inc.
Norel Mancuso is the CEO of Los Angeles based Social House, Inc., an award-winning Digital Growth Agency that transforms brands through strategy, content, and influencer campaigns. Norel has an extensive background in Global Brand Marketing, and before starting Social House, Inc. in 2010, she saw firsthand where many internal teams needed help with online marketing efforts. Norel’s vision for launching Social House, Inc. was to help bridge the communication gap between brands and their consumers, which remains the agency’s core mission. With over 15 years of experience working with names like Pepsi, SONOS, and Playboy, Norel remains a leading force in sculpting the digital landscapes of tomorrow, using her platform to both educate and challenge social media standards and how we can better wield them to our advantage. Under Norel’s unique vision, Social House, Inc. designs and curates elevated content to authentically reach consumers and drive exponential growth. Norel routinely goes beyond traditional social media and paid advertising and taps into cultural conversations to help brands reach new and existing audiences. The success of Social House, Inc. is driven by its firm belief in strategy first and content second as well as its unique and priority TriVision Approach to digital marketing. The TriVision Approach activates strategic digital success by igniting three robust solutions portfolios – strategy, content, and paid media. This creates a roadmap to influence opinions, shape purchasing decisions, and enhance brand affinity. Proudly Women and LGBTQ+ owned, Social House, Inc. remains specialized and nimble in providing strategic and creative direction that exceeds its clients’ expectations. Norel’s desire to bring the new, the better, and the different into the fold makes her a leader in the digital marketing frontier.
7. Juna N Joey
Juna N Joey, siblings and Nashville Country Duo, established their claim to musical fame in 2017 when they shared cover songs on their YouTube channel. After generating explosive responses from their charming interpretation of cover songs, their social media following didn’t stop there, they now also have millions of likes on TikTok. Juna N Joey appeared on the television show “America’s Most Musical Family” where they wowed celebrity judges and solidified their place among the greats in contemporary country music today. In 2021, the brother and sister duo were included in Spotify’s Top 100 Artists Of 2021 “Fresh Finds” playlist. Their single, “Til Your Heart Breaks”, was met with critical acclaim then quickly followed by “More Than A Maybe”. It was one of their most recent singles that croons and swoons better than most modern love songs that made the BBC take notice on their summer long European tour; it even has its own line dance. Juna N Joey are a welcome addition to country music’s ever-changing horizons, inviting a youthful energy that is warm, honest, and sincere. Most recently, the duo released a self-titled EP that includes favorites such as “Something Good To Miss” and “I’m So Over You”, with the steady momentum Juna N Joey have sustained in recent years, we can expect more creative expansion down the road with their second EP to be released end of this year. Not only are Juna N Joey songwriters and performers, the young duo is also heavily involved in several causes, including supporting anti-bullying and mental health issues, working to help provide food to local food banks, addressing the environment by becoming ambassadors for One Tree Planted Organization and supporting efforts to save the oceans. Perhaps the most endearing act to break into the country space today, Juna N Joey have already stolen the hearts of millions worldwide, changing the narrative of contemporary country music as we know it today.
Entrepreneur and entertainment personality, Giancarlo Purch, has been making waves in streetwear scenes and pop culture corners since 2014. Based out of New York, Giancarlo maintains a loyal fanbase both on his Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube channel (handles @Blazendary), where his vlogs have generated plenty of buzz surrounding rare streetwear, celebrity features, and daily hustle of a young business owner. Giancarlo makes regular appearances at Sneakercon along with other high-profile events across the country, meeting and greeting fans and collaborating with brands. He utilizes the tools of social media in working Fortune 1000’s, connecting them to his Gen-Z audience. In addition to routine content distribution, Giancarlo operates Blazendary, a resource and marketplace for sneakerheads with a mission to provide high quality products readily available. Blazendary has enjoyed steady growth since its inception in 2014. Giancarlo finds a balance between creative entrepreneurship and authentic community engagement through his primary social outlets and Blazendary, representing a new kind of influencer marketing that takes full control and advantage of its resources. Blazendary has been a household name in digital landscapes for years, but his authority across multiple platforms continues to evolve.
Having just recently been inducted into the Armenian Sports Hall Of Fame, Alex Eskandari, the Las Vegas racer and auto entrepreneur, is a natural addition to the winner’s circle with his warm disposition and passion for car racing. The 22 year old ignited a flame on the speedway in March of this year when he placed third overall, followed by another placement on July 3rd, which ultimately secured a sponsorship with Jim Marsch Chrysler Jeep. Eskandari dominates the Bullring at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and races in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, representing the city’s small but mighty Armenian community with pride. In addition to racing, Eskandari also works at Jim Marsch Chrysler Jeep as a sales associate, interacting with clients and fans alike who are all too familiar with his authority on the speedway. With plans to enter the West Coast Short Track Championship this November, Eskandari is driving home awareness and inclusivity for fellow Armenians nationwide and introducing a youthful energy to the grilling sport of NASCAR racing. Eskandari may be a new face in the arena, but his love for the sport and for his community is something we can all recognize and get behind.
10. Hern Dumas, Overlooked SOB
Overlooked SOB, stylistically referred to as OVLKD, is a fashion and lifestyle brand based in New York with the intention of turning obsolete circumstances into armor that we can wear in the face of defiance. Hern Dumas, founder and CEO of OVLKD, turned his experiences growing up as a Haitian-American into creative utility, using the platform of OVLKD as a vessel to carry his vision for a better world of tomorrow into the future. Change is something that is equally understood and experienced, and through OVLKD’s streetwear collections we can hold success in our own hands. This tangible form of personal growth and development is precisely what drew Dumas to launching his own business, entering college to earn three separate degrees (including his doctoral in finance) while also nurturing an artistic outlet. Officially launched in 2019, OVLKD is a passion project of Dumas that seeks to dismantle our perceptions of inclusivity and break down the barriers that stand before us. Dumas was met with closed doors for much of his young adult life and was determined to open new ones not only for himself but for others who may feel ‘overlooked’ by society’s standards. Through OVLKD, Dumas expertly builds community under a shared understanding and appreciation of doing better for yourself, abandoning expectations and making noise for the silenced through quality garments that are designed with compassion. Dumas is shaking up the fashion world by wearing his heart on his sleeve for all to see, inspiring the rest of us to incorporate apparel with a purpose and lead by example.
