When I had interviewed friends of Zakk's in the past, there was a lot of talk about his business mindset that made him unique in comparison to peers of his that were involved in the same field. Owner of jewellery brand Euphoric Craft, a lot of his work is about learning the creative scene and balancing it with his already strengthened business brain, which was developed from a young age. We recently sat down with Zakk to chat about his upbringing and love for business, the new creative vision for Euphoric Craft, and a strong passion of his, running.
So Zakk, some people might not be familiar with your work, so where does your love for fashion stem from, and why did you decide to rebrand to Euphoric Craft?
My love for fashion started a little while ago. I was about 14 when I started my first brand, which was focused on active wear, and I did that throughout high school. That's kind of where the passion came from, but honestly, it's more centered around business rather than just fashion. I love fashion and I love accessories, but I really love everything to do with business, especially the interaction with people, along with the community aspect and what a product can do for someone else. I always really enjoyed that during high school, and I’ve carried that out through my life up until now. When I started Euphoric Craft, it was just a different time. Fashion was so different. Instagram was so different. Trends were so different. I didn't really understand what I wanted to build, and I think I was just obsessed with that. I really wanted to run a business, but I didn't consider that I need to create my own style and something specific. For example, did my product have longevity? Was it different to things already out there? I think I was just running the gauntlet. Obviously as you do more, you learn things and you realise that you have to have your own sense of style. To create something special, you have to start with something specific. That was the context for the rebrand.
It's funny because Simo [Simon Agosta] is always busting my chops about branding. He goes to me and asks, ‘who's your customer?’ I couldn't really answer that question. That made me really rethink everything. Do I have a specific style, or do I have a specific messaging in my branding? Do I have a specific customer, or am I just shooting into the dark?
You talk a lot about your business mindset. When I was speaking to Dylan [Walsh] and Spencer [O’Leary,] they were both talking about how you're so business driven, and you've got this business mentality. I think I’ve only met one other person that has been so business minded from a young age. You’ve had a couple businesses, one called Prevail, and another called Hyper Supplies. Have you always had that mentality, or was that instilled into you over time?
I think I’ve always had that. It's funny because the boys and I, we always talk about how we all grew up and the way I was so different to them. For example, Simo and Dyl as an example. They’d talk about movies, and they'd watch the whole IMDb top 50 list. Spencer had his records that he would listen to, and Jackson was doing a bunch of different fashion things. I grew up around my family and my mates, so I kind of had to find my own interest outside of my circles. I never had that creative drive that the other boys did when I was younger. A classic time in my life would be when I’d come home, mum's cleaning and she's listening to Alicia Keys. I loved that old 90s-00s feel. That’s what I came from, and then I had to find other creative outlets. I don't think I truly found anything that was specifically creative, but I found an interest, which was business. I grew up watching YouTube videos of people that used to do drop shipping, or those up-and-coming businesses like Gym Shark when it was in its infancy.
I was 14 when I started getting into it. It's crazy that my mom and dad were allowing me to run that business, I would be getting 500 pairs of trackies rock up to the door. I mean, that's a lot of boxes! Prevail did really well back then. Obviously I was a kid, so I had no idea about marketing. I think the problem with me was that I was doing well with everything, but I was very gritty. I was going off my own knowledge and my own little references, but I never had anyone next to me to tell me to learn something specific so I could take it to the next level. I had no conversations with anyone about how to take this into the future. I mean, you're fourteen years old. You kind of live in this little ‘rockstar life’ where you’re just selling trackies and shorts to everyone. It was an interesting time, but I wish I had someone instill that in me.
Did you have mates that were helping you out with it, or was it just yourself?
When you're 14 and 15, you have relations with your friends. Things happen. People want to get involved. But as a kid, it's never a business relationship. You don't even know what a business relationship is! I might say, ‘can you deliver this for me?’, and all of a sudden, they want some cash from it. There were a few friends that were involved in a couple of ways, but it was never a business relationship. We're not friends anymore unfortunately. But I guess that's that immaturity of when you're a kid and you're trying to do something, and you don't have a road map. And in the end, it was all me, and it was my family that helped me. My mum used to help me pack orders. I used to do a pre-order thing, and that would mean I knew what was coming in three days. My mum and I would just go through every single packet and separate them, and then we would pack the orders. Then we would drive. After dinner until midnight sometimes, just doing all the deliveries ourselves. My mum is a hustler. She works hard.
Did you get that hardworking trait from her and the people around you?
I guess yes, I did get that grit from my parents. My dad has always worked really hard, which is something that he mentions every time. But he's very humble about it! I guess he says it so he could instill that in us to work hard. He’s always worked a lot of jobs. Fortunately, he’s in a better position so he doesn't have to do that now. My mum has always worked a lot of jobs too. They always went without so we could go with, and I guess that was the biggest thing that I learned through my upbringing. I think I subconsciously implement those things within my work now, which is good.
Let's talk a bit more about Euphoric Craft. I saw you rebranded two months ago, and on the first post I think you said that you had a new vision and a direction that you want the brand to go into. What is that new vision of the brand? Is it something tangible like success, or is it something like being creative and becoming your own person?
It's kind of just answering the question of what I have created, and what am I creating. I always think I'm making pieces that are the best possible quality so everyone can wear them. I love when I can see my mates wear a chain, and literally everyday they tell me they haven’t taken it off since they've gotten it. I know that's the answer, but when they say it, they're so shocked and that really touches me. I really love that. So when I was rebranding, I was thinking, what am I trying to create? What type of pieces am I inspired by? Why am I making this specifically? It all has a little bit of a history. For me it's about making pieces that are sentimental. At the moment, I'm getting into a lot more into the heritage gold style and I'm looking at references for that. My packaging is changing, and it's becoming leather instead of plastic. It all ties together, and I really want to start to articulate that these pieces last forever, especially since I'm trying to make so many more different styles. I always thought one chain is enough. Now though, with my sense of style, it seems like stacking jewellery for a specific outfit or even wearing a single chain when you go to the gym and workout is just as effective. I want to start articulating to people to get creative with how they wear their things, because a lot of people just wear it and that's it. They'll wear their same pieces every day.
I can recognise that different pieces resemble different things, like when you get a cross for your baptism and your mum just hides it away because she doesn't want you to lose it, or when you get a gold chain from your nonno and you hold that for life. I want that same sentimental feeling with the things I create.
You talk about this world that you want to create with this brand. I think that's really interesting because you want people to be a part of the brand itself. I don't think many jewellery brands have that sense of community about them like you are trying to foster. They just try to sell their product only, and they don't try and have a relationship with the customer. What is this world that you’re trying to create?
The customer relationship is super important to me. As I said, when my mates say the same things over and over again about the quality, and every single time it has the same effect on me. If I could describe what I'm trying to create in just a couple of sentences, it would be that summer feeling when you go to the beach, and you're wearing your beach shorts or beach outfit. Whatever it is, you're with the family. You're enjoying the hot sun, and you're going to a dinner later on with everyone. You come back home and you have nice feeling that you're refreshed, and you get all dressed up in your leather jacket, your shirt, and you've got this nice summer wash. For me, jewellery is that thing that makes you just feel really good about yourself and elevates your style. You feel different wearing your first chain, you feel different wearing your ring or a bracelet. It's like an undiscovered super power when you first get into wearing jewellery, to make you elevate your dress sense and style. I felt that when I first started playing around with how much jewellery I wear, and to be honest, I probably first got that from my sister because she's a heavy jewellery head, her jewellery box is stacked with both pieces from Euphoric Craft and other jewellery brands. But my point is when you get that first piece of jewellery on you, it's always a 100% chance you'll be taking a second look in the mirror every time you pass one. That's when the addiction hits and you say 'oh, I could stack two chains, or I could do this.'
Are you going to do more of those videos on your Instagram? They're fantastic. Are you going to do more videos trying to show that vision that you have, like the beach scene, or the dinner scene?
I definitely want to play on that community vision a lot more. The next video that I'm coming out with, I shot a little while ago. It plays on that family sentimental feeling. We went through all my old family photo albums and went back into my own history. The most important thing is that we all come from somewhere, and we all have specific character traits because of specific reasons. At the start of this conversation, I said to you that Simo and Dyl grew up watching movies, while I grew up watching specific people on YouTube. That's why we're two different people. You might like a specific style because that’s how you grew up. I guess my next video reflects on how I grew up and how I see things. It plays on that sentimental feeling that this is my family.
Jewellery is a bit different to clothing, because I think a lot of clothing brands just slap on a logo, or any design. But it's always a bit different with jewellery, right? You have to spend more time designing jewellery, and make it stand out in a saturated market. What is this design process for you?
To be fair, I've only really started doing a real design process as of late. Prior to the last six months, I used to pull references and look at the brands that I was inspired by, and then compare those to older pieces on Pinterest. I've never found myself being a designer; I just know that I want things a specific way. Up until this point I've never had the technical skills using CAD to make specific shapes and measurements, so it's quite a lengthy process when you talk to your supplier or the factory that you're working with. But they support you, because you can always have something in your head, but if you can't articulate it, it's really frustrating and it takes a long time. Now though, I look at the references, I think about who is going to be wearing this piece and why they're going to be wearing it. As an example, I'm making earrings at the moment and thinking about how I can make earrings a little bit different. I mean, you're right, it is a saturated market, and I don't want to be putting the same thing out as everyone else. Everyone is all fighting for a piece of the same pie. If I can't do it in my own way, I don't want to do it because it's purposeless. Otherwise, I'm just dumping money into this big thing that I am saying is different when realistically, it’s not.
As you said yourself, you didn't see yourself being a designer when you were younger. What would a high school Zakk think about all of this?
Oh, man. I don't even know what a high school Zakk would think about all this. The high school me went through three/four different lives! I started off doing business, and then I was really focused on my fitness. I was so sure that I was going to be in the fitness industry and do something within that. I guess as a kid you get wrapped up into things and groups that you're not supposed to be wrapped up in, and you lose focus from what you're supposed to be doing. At that time, I didn't have anyone else to pull me in and say, ‘hey, mate, pull your head in and focus on this.’ From that year nine to year eleven period, I was so focused on doing this thing and I think I lost that vision in year twelve. I think I could have really developed better if I didn't lose that.
I think the year nine to eleven me would think that this makes so much sense. It's not in the same field, but it makes sense. I think the year twelve me though would be thinking, ‘this is different.’ Back then I did enjoy it, and then I went through that period where you have no focus on your ambitions and things that you enjoy doing because there's so many distractions. And then finally, the penny drops again. So part of me would say ‘nice, makes sense,’ and the other part would think this is all very interesting, to say the least.
I like that. Ok, let's talk about your group, because I’ve spoken to Dyl and Spencer about this, but I haven't asked them, how did you guys meet? As you said, you came from a bit of a different upbringing from the other boys. How did you all meet, and when did you all meet?
I met Simo earlier than all the boys. The original story is that Simo owned Milkbar, which was totally different back then, and I was starting out with Euphoric Craft. It was a very early period, and I was running it like I was when I was running Prevail. I wanted this style that only I knew exactly what I wanted to create from a business perspective, but not a creative perspective. Simon hit me up and told me that he loved what I was doing, and we should grab a coffee sometime. Long story short, we ended up grabbing a coffee. Simo was a tough nut to crack back then and we got along, but I was talking so differently to what he was talking about. He's always been very creative, and it was the same when he was in the early stages of Milkbar. That's what I really liked when we caught up. It was different and refreshing because I'd never had any conversations with my mates about business. I was always me doing my thing, and we’d talk about it for a bit and then it would be like, ‘that’s cool,’ and then we talk about something else. This was the first time where I had a stimulating conversation, and it was about four or five hours just talking back and forth. We did that for months on end. I don't think he liked me very much back then, because I think he was still trying to work me out. It took a while for him to get used to me.
It was 2022, which was the year that Simon was training for the marathon. He got really locked in, and I was always a runner, so we connected on that note when he started running. Every Saturday he would do a recovery run and a dip in the ocean during winter. He was doing it with a mate, but his mate couldn't follow through because he had other things. I think eventually he thought screw it; I'll invite Zakk and my mate Dyl. Then Jackson [Cowden] and Spencer got involved. So Simo really coordinated all that. I remember the first time we met, and it wasn’t for a run. It was on Chapel Street, and we just met up and got lunch. The next week, we started running together and we made a commitment to each other that we have to come every single week because we were all training for the marathon. Honestly man, it was grim. None of us really knew each other. We had to prove to each other that we were meant to be there, and it was crazy. We’d all get there at 6am in the freezing cold. Dyl didn't really run back then. Spencer didn't really run. Jackson, Simo and I would always be pushing them on. They did really well in the end. They got so fit. After the run, you'd have to jump in the ocean. It was freezing cold, and it's the last thing you want to do. It ended up being one of the best things we ever did. There was this feeling of togetherness, and our friendship grew week by week. You'd go through the crap together and you'd never consider not doing it. I think that's what we all started to like about each other. Eventually we started talking about more and more things, and here we are now.
You guys should do more press stuff together. I think creative people, they think they have to do it by themselves and forge their own path, but I think it's pretty inspiring to see young creative guys working in close collaboration together.
We always say we're so lucky to have each other. We’re all crazy people, and even without each other we would’ve just been going crazy anyway. I know some people might read that and think it’s a bit cringe, but whatever. Realistically, if you don't have someone to bounce these ideas off, it just stays in your head, and you have no ability to navigate your way to where you want to get to. In Dyl’s interview with you, he said that him and I are two different people, but we have different perspectives that help each other, which is great. When Dyl and I get in the car, it’s on. It’s always one of us talking all the time, or we’re bouncing different perspective of each other. He’ll come to the car with one mindset, and I’ll say one thing and all of a sudden, the conversation shifts.
I found this really interesting when I spoke to Spencer. He said it was so inspiring to see you, as a young person to figure sh*t out and make it work. Do you know what he was specifically talking about? Whether that’s in your work, uni or career?
I loved his article as well. I think when Spencer said that, it's because they all had their specific visions, so it all worked out. For example, Spencer loves music and being creative, and he’s always been great at design and arts. Jackson's the same. He's always loved fashion, and now he's found himself in 3D. Simo, like I said, always creative, great art director, and he's evolved into this businessman that loves fashion and is doing well. Same with Dyl. But for me, I think Spencer hit the nail on the head because I've had my hand in so many different jars. I've mashed everything together in order to figure everything out. Who am I? Am I a business guy? Am I a creative? Am I someone that wants to run a business, or work for a business? I think as time progresses, the boys have come to understand me more and where I want to go, and I think I've understood myself more from them because I see the creative side. I've started to articulate myself better in regards to my career and what I want to do. I've done a lot of thinking the last seven months.
Let’s talk a bit about your other passions now. What is your favourite Brooks running shoe?
I'm in between a few at the moment, because I used to work for them. They do have great running shoes. That's why I say I come from a corporate environment- I used to work for Brooks, and I learned a lot about running and footwear. At the moment, I'm in between the Hyperion Max, and the Hyperion Elite for a long, faster run. I'm also wearing the Auroras, which is a really nice and comfy shoe that supports you on your recovery runs.
One thing about footwear is you just have to invest. It's your feet, it's your ankles, it's your knees. It's so important, and coming from injury experience, the cost of the physio every single week for months on end is a lot more compared to buying the full price shoes.
You ran a really good marathon, though, a couple of years ago now.
That was my first marathon. That was the one we were training for together.
The energy of that day was weird. I was a bit loopy that day because I did an assignment the night before, and I didn't sleep that much because of the buildup. I was so excited, and I was actually doing some of my assignment during the marathon! I was reading through my notes and making sure that it submitted. It was interesting.
When you did that Brooks video, you were talking about how back then, you didn’t have many people to talk about running with. Obviously it’s changed a bit now, but this is a pretty heavy question. Professional runners, they run to make money and win for example. But as an amateur runner, why do you run?
It is a deep question, and you could go deep with it. I'm not one that's going to go deep with it, though. When I started running when I was thirteen, I just went out there. Maybe it was that little sense of freedom that I used to get, because my parents never minded me going out for a run. I just enjoyed it: putting on my music and just getting out there. I didn't know what I was doing, I just went out and enjoyed running around the neighbourhood. Man, I just loved it. I didn't even know about ‘runners high’ back then, all I knew was that when I went out to run, I would feel really good. I never had this exposure to technical, like Zone Four cardio or whatever. I think the ignorance is what got me to the level that I can run now.
I always say that I'm really lucky to be able to go out and just go for a 45km run. Obviously, I don't do that every day, but I think my body's been used to it since that age. I've had that adaptation over time, and I've always gone out there and said to myself in my head, ‘no, it's not enough. I have to do one extra km.’ It wasn't for any particular reason. I always said to myself, I had to. I was really lucky that I started early because I know that when you start something, you get injuries, and it can put you off from doing it. I can't really speak for anyone else within the running community because I think I'm fortunate with my scenario. When I played football, they used to call me Forrest Gump back in the day!
I like it. That's very impressive that you’re running that fast with no coach or anything. That's very impressive.
We have a friend, Sid [Hirsch]. He's always said to me, ‘man, you should just get a coach,’ but that’s not me. It's never been within me to compete, it’s just for enjoyment. I never want to go slow, so I'm always going my fastest, and I'm always pushing myself. I don't need someone to tell me what runs I need to do. If I had a goal in mind, I think I would just try and work it out myself, because that's what I've always tried to do.
Three more here for you Zakk. I noticed that you love your running literature and magazines. Could you give us some of your favourite books, magazines, podcasts, or anything that are related to running?
I am a podcast person. I don't really listen to many audio books, but I'm starting to get into them now, and I haven't read up until now either. It's funny, because Simo and I have written a list of books that we want to read.
I jump between podcasts because I like specific people, but I'll give you a few. I do enjoy the Nick Bare podcast because it's about mindset and motivation, and it does have a lot of that fitness aspect on it. I really enjoy him as a person because he's a pioneer for that whole hybrid athlete. He runs, and he's huge. I really, really love that. I love The Diary of a CEO. I think Steven Bartlett is awesome. Huberman Lab, with Andrew Huberman. I really love that. Save me a Seat by Elite Eleven. I really enjoy those boys. They talk about a lot of good stuff. Some of it is fitness related, but most of it is business related, which I really enjoy. There's this podcast that I used to listen to called The Blank Canvas podcast, and that's what got me into listening to podcasts. None of them are really running specific. It's all motivation and learning different things. Real AF with Andy Frisella is amazing. Our mates run a podcast which we've all been on, called the Hustlers Hub. I really enjoy when they do those.
We've got a playlist of our guest selections, so we ask the guest to choose five songs that they’ve been bumping during the week, or their favourite songs of all time. For you though, I’m going to ask for your best five running songs that you love to listen to.
I've gone through so many genres of music, but I'll give you my top five currently. Fire in the Twilight by Wang Chung, and it's actually a song from the Breakfast Club movie. Magic Man by Heart is a phenomenal song to run to, and I like that because George Hayden put that on his story once and he said that song came on when he was pushing through a hard set. Every time that song comes on, I now associate it with being able to push through everything. Running on Empty by Jackson Browne. I’ll give you Practice by Freddie Gibbs, because I've always enjoyed my hip hop when I run, and Freddie Gibbs is awesome. The last one I’ll give you, and Simo will be happy about it because he showed me this song, is Sold my Soul by Cut Worms. It's a country folk song, but I have to give a shout out to him because he showed me this song from another friend of his from work. That song lately has been really hitting.
One last question for today: do you have any words of wisdom, people to shout out, or things to promote?
I've got a lot. Obviously, all the boys that I mentioned, but even those beyond our group, Jasper, Max, Evan. The Dead Again boys. They're amazing. Alessia and Massimo from Observe Gallery. Love everything they are doing and have become great friends of mine over the last year. Jimmy and Pat from UpThere also, these guys know the fashion and product game inside out and are always willing to give their opinion to benefit all of us in the end result. I’ll also shoutout the boys from Roasting Warehouse- Alex, James and Johno. For the last six months I've been working for them, and they've been great. We say it's hard to find people that have a similar mindset, or even push you beyond your boundaries, but for the last six months they've been great mentors and friends to be around. We've got each other, and it's been a different perspective. We just connect so well. Definitely them because Roasting Warehouse has the best coffee. If you haven't gone to Marshall Rd, what are you doing? You’re living under a rock. You have to go. It’s the nightclub of cafes. It's like in the movies where they all meet up at the same spot. That's what Roasting Warehouse is. You think you're going to spend five minutes there to get your coffee, but you end up spending an hour there because you end up talking to someone. You say that you’re not going to get caught up, but you know you will. It’s something out of the movies, which is phenomenal. I'll give a little shout out to Sid and Henry. They help us a lot with filming and photography, and they've got their own vision. They're 19 and doing great things at the moment.
Words of wisdom, I'll give you a great quote. I've been on this one for a little while. It's from the dad of the boys from Roasting Warehouse. He said to us, ‘waking up and doing the same thing and expecting a different result is insanity,’ and I think that hits home. It's true, we all do the same thing. We get stuck in this routine and then we say ask ourselves why something isn’t working while we're doing the same things. You need to do that to expect a different result to do better in something, do something that you want to do, or go in a direction that you want to go. Sometimes you need to go in a different direction. I'll pass those on from him because I just think that quote really helped me this year. I’ll actually give you another: ‘You can always think about what you are doing, but what are you not doing?’ Those are the ones the last 2-3 months, that I’ve had my head wrapped around. They're not from me, but I’ll pass that on.
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