Boring must die

Launching Josephine & Company: a storytelling studio that makes art out of your truth

Cool is dead.
Truth is alive.
Beauty is everything.
And boring must die.

I’m excited to announce my new venture today. Meet Josephine & Company, a storytelling studio that makes art out of your truth.

A few weeks ago, Hana and I were sitting at my kitchen table. We were flipping through the archives of old Playboy magazines from the 50’s and 60’s, looking for references for a project. The pages had so much nerve. From the writing to illustration, even the advertisements — the magazine was playful, opinionated, and shamelessly alive. We kept reading, and growing delightfully scandalized by how much feeling fit into it all. I was invigorated! And then almost disappointed. Why is it so rare to be this amused by a brand?

I have a theory.

Brands today spend far too much time trying to do something ‘cool’. But cool is not what any of us should be chasing. Frankly, because it’s tough to win (big) when you subject yourself to somebody else’s game. Cool is the aesthetic of not caring too much. It’s safe, and the least likely route to a heated, finger pointing situation. It allows companies, and the people within them, to cruise through without too much trouble. I get it. It’s also boring as hell.

Beauty, on the other hand, is risky because it’s specific, embodied, and therefore vulnerable. It takes the bet that if you show your truth, people will have the opportunity to recognize themselves in it. It demands authenticity at a level that simply cannot be manufactured. And makes a claim, saying: this is who we are, what we love, the world we’re building… and you are invited.

I love this first ever, 1953 issue of Playboy because Hugh Hefner was clearly not overthinking how he could best appeal to his hilariously broad target audience of men between the ages of 18-80. He was simply stating his truth when he said:

'We like our apartment. We enjoy mixing up cocktails and an hors d'oeuvre or two, putting a little mood music on the phonograph, and inviting in a female acquaintance for a quiet discussion on Picasso, Nietzsche, jazz, sex.'

I am no expert on brand in the 1950’s, but this was obviously not market-tested copy. Those words are also far from random. He was declaring his worldview with such specificity that it became irresistible. And that’s precisely what the most powerful brands do (think Apple in the 90s, or Patagonia today). They take the time to peer inwards, notice the detail, and then have the audacity to say exactly what they believe. This takes courage.

In the year 2025 building technology is more accessible than ever. Tech is rarely the moat, and I of course don’t have to tell you that this is only the beginning. With some effort, anyone can write code, design interfaces, or create “content” (the scare quotes are there for a reason). But AI can’t create meaning. It can’t build community or a sense of taste. And it certainly can’t inspire people to feel like they are part of a cause they believe in. That’s what movements do. And movements are born from shared truths.

I have many reasons to be excited about launching Josephine & Company, but one that stands out is my conviction that founders are some of the most high-agency, story-rich creatures crawling this planet. On top of that, they have this unique platform called ‘brand’ — and that is just an overly intellectualized term to describe the opportunity to say something… make art… make people feel something.

Today, we’re open for business. If you believe beauty is not optional, truth is timeless, and risk is the only path to originality, give us a call. The freaks shall inherit the earth and I promise you, it won’t be boring x