CAPTURING CREATIVES DESIGNING THEIR OWN JOURNEY.
Short-form video interviews with creatives who design their lifestyle on their own terms, from Milwaukee to Tokyo, one minute at a time.
Read more about Walter below!
The Series
1MinStorys started as a bridge — connecting underserved creative talent with the industry they belonged in. Every conversation opened the same way: "What's your favorite curse word?" — a small ritual that cuts through the formality and gets to the real person fast.
The series followed CarmelloVision to Tokyo, where the lens turned to include diverse creatives navigating Japanese culture and building an identity on their own terms.
Mark Fairbanks
Executive Director — Islands of Brilliance
A student named Adam dropped gems on his creative process — and in doing so, illuminated everything Islands of Brilliance stands for.
DeChazier Pykel
Executive Creative Director — Contender
Always has a plan that grows his lifestyle and makes waves. His People's Flag design put Milwaukee's identity on the map.
Hideyuki Watanabe
English Teacher • Bluegrass Artist
A Japanese bluegrass player living in Korea. Hide is designing his life by living in the space between cultures.
Ashley Chase
English Camp Counselor
An LA native running English camps across Japan dropped four words that reframed everything: Kids know your heart.
Yuri Nakajima
Founder — Fukushima Knit
The story behind Fukushima Knit — a personal brand built with her sister that carries meaning far beyond the craft.
Shota Ishihama
Financial Control Officer
Hear the story of Shota, Japanese, who returned to Japan with his family during high school after growing up in New York. Culture clash meets new beginnings.
Evan Williams
Freelance Writer
Crossed paths in Tokyo after a stint at a Zen monastery. He draws on lived experience — because that's the only kind that matters.
Walter Matthews
Founder & CEO — Smart Start Up
A 20-year business veteran from Milwaukee sat down and taught me that stillness isn't passive. It's the move that makes every other move possible.
