Today we’d like to introduce you to Domenic Bush.
Domenic, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Currently, I wear a lot of hats. During the day, I am an account manager for CVS Aetna. With the rest of my time, I am an entrepreneur, fashion designer, marketer, social media guru, and interpersonal savant. I am Co-Founder of Dynasti Apparel & Array, as well as Founder of Our Canvas. I am originally from Kansas City, MO. My alma mater is the University of Missouri – Kansas City(UMKC), where I received a bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal & Public Communications. After graduating in 2017 from UMKC, I decided that I wanted a change of scenery. After having spent all of my entire life in one city, I started to get anxious to spread my wings. At that time, I had just collaborated with Jesse Jiles and Smith Gines to launch Dynasti Apparel. Outside of that, I was working for Apple Inc. as a part-time specialist. We all know Apple, the Fortune 500 innovative tech company. 2017 was a rough year for me personally and I felt that I needed a fresh start. I asked for a transfer from my store in Kansas City to a Store in Austin, TX in 2018. I had a goal of moving on to corporate with Apple because I loved technology so much. Apple has a corporate campus in Austin. Austin had that opportunity, so moving somewhere, I didn’t know anyone was worth it.
I stayed in Austin for a year, but after trying for some time, I decided to go back home, feeling a little homesick. Before I had finalized my plans to move back home, I happened to meet a lady named Sally Imig. She was just out on a date with her husband and happened to stop by and purchase some phones. After our interaction, she was kind enough to compliment me on my sales skills. She asked if I had ever heard of Aetna. At the time, I hadn’t. Sally made sure to tell me as much as she could about it, and made me privy to the E.E. Cammack Group School. The E. E. Cammack Group School started in 1924, is a sales development program where talented recent graduates are trained to become members of their client management team. Participants learn critical skills combining product and industry fundamentals with coaching in consultative skills, presentations and public speaking. Participants begin their permanent jobs with the support of the program leaders and the networks they have built through this prestigious program. I applied, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best as I moved back to Kansas City. After having only spent two months back home, I receive a phone call saying I’ve been selected out of hundreds of prospects around the country to be one of 10 finalists. I was delighted to know I’d been chosen to continue on to the program. Summer 2019, Aetna sent me to Hartford, CT for seven weeks of training to establish a foundation of the insurance agency. After finishing training my classmates and I were given our assignments. I was relocated to Houston to start in my new career Sept 1, 2019.
Upon reaching Houston, I had an idea for a new brand concept which is “Our Canvas”. It’s brand new and something I am currently putting my heart and soul into with my graphic designer Rendale Johnson. Stay tuned to see what we have coming in the near future. For now, I’m still collaborating with my Dynasti Apparel partners and we have so many great designs for everyone check out at dynastiapparel.com or on Instagram @dynastiapparel. I love what I do in my day job, but my free time is spent collaborating and creating with talented people. I’d love to highlight and share with you that side of my life.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say it’s been 50/50 as far as smooth vs struggles. The biggest struggle was building brands from scratch and learning about the sales process. You can only learn so much from entrepreneurial classes in business school. A lot of it you learn on the go. We dealt with a lot of ambiguity through the years. There’s a lot of politicking, networking, and finesse involved with running a brand. We’ve come a long way, but there’s always room for improvement. We swallowed our prides a long time ago, with a promise to make our brand the best we can make it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dynasti Apparel & Array – what should we know?
I work with two different clothing brands. One based out of Houston, Our Canvas. The other, Dynasti Apparel & Array based out of my hometown Kansas City, MO.
My first venture started with Dynasti.
When Art meets Design. Dynasti Apparel brings a unique street style that incorporates contemporary artistic designs with an Asian influence. Dynasti is made up of Jesse Jiles, Smith Gines, and myself. We all come from across the Kansas City, Missouri area. We came together in order to bring together different styles and viewpoints. Combining a unique variety of designs and clothing that projects some of our interests, passions, and inspirations that many people can relate to. Our creations bring together a mixture of streetwear, art, pop-culture, anime, music, modern fashion, Asian design, & hip-hop references to bring a new and fresh view through the eyes of Dynasti. We’re known for our fresh takes on popular styles and we specialize in urban apparel, such as graphic tees, hoodies, etc. I believe what makes us most proud of our company and what sets us apart is our creative lens. I believe that it really manifested when we had our clothes in an Urban Outfitters. At that point, we knew. We grew up in city where we’re told from an early age we either pick up a ball or a mic to make it out. In our adolescent years, we were the social outcasts that became cool. It’s almost like our lives came straight out of a movie script. We’re living proof that those people who were labeled as nobody’s growing up can make something of themselves. I think that’s why we have the support that we have gained in the years we’ve been working at this. Some of my friends jokingly call me “Dynasti Dom”. They’ve seen the work we’ve put in and how much creativity means to us. It’s crazy you know? The idea originally came from building something from nothing. That’s the “Dynasti”. We were tired of going into a store and never seeing things we wanted, so we started making our own things. It eventually blossomed and now we’re on our way to achieving our own “Dynasti”.
My second venture is Our Canvas.
Our Canvas is a brand that strives to successfully combine the essence of urban culture, the talents of various creatives, and the ever changing popular demographic through branded merchandise. Striving to use clothing as a way to bring creativity to life. Our mission is to bring together all people from all walks of life. We don’t want to conform to the norms of clothing and branding. Working with creatives of all forms in order to create branded merchandise that shows the expression of creativity. Our merchandise is the canvas of the collaborative process of creatives, whether it be a shirt, skateboard, or poster. The main thing that customers get from our brand that can’t get anywhere else is the collaborative aspect that happens to create our capsules. We partner with various talented individuals and groups to create our merchandise. People you may have never even heard of and people from all over. Our brand isn’t cohesive with one vision, it is ever-changing and can have one approach this week and do a complete 180 the next week. You never know what to expect from Our Canvas. Our Canvas is unpredictable and unimaginable at times, just like the creative process that creates the products you see. I work on this brand with graphic designer Rendale Johnson. We dropped one teaser t-shirt, but we haven’t had an official launch, so stay tuned. Our Instagram page is still under construction, but feel free to follow us @theircanvas.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’d be a liar if I said I was “self-made”. I’m driven, motivated, and a self-starter, but every great success story needs a support system. First, I’d like to give credit to God. Without the man upstairs, none of this would be possible. Second, it would be my parents. Simone Wills and Darryl Bush have given me all the tools in life to succeed, it was just up to me to execute. After that, it would be my circle. I’m very social and have a lot of acquaintances, but my friend group is small in comparison. My friends have always given us constructive criticism and honest opinions. I know I can always count on them for everything. Lastly, I’d like to say my partners. Rendale and Smith are both amazing artists and none of the artistic visions I have could be brought to life without them. Jesse is my right hand in Dynasti, but also one of my closest friends in my personal life. We haven’t always agreed on everything, but working with one of your best friends can really help you learn A LOT. Not only have we grown, but our brand has grown in the process.
Pricing:
- KC “Champions” Hoodie – $40.00
- “Die-Nasty” Tee – $30.00
- Homage Baseball Dad Hats – $22.00
- Dynasti “Tiger” Tee – $25.00
- Dynasti “Midnight” Logo Tee – $25.00
- Our Canvas Champ Swagger Tee – $40.00
Contact Info:
- Website: dynastiapparel.com
- Email: dbush95@gmail.com
- Instagram: domloading
- Twitter: domloading
Image Credit:
Steven Laschever, Micky Fox, Dorian Giles, Jesse Jiles, Darius Griffin
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