Meet Henry Reynolds | Clothing Brand Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Henry Reynolds and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Henry, what role has risk played in your life or career?
“Living on hopes and dreams” is what I used to tell my friends when they use to ask me why I would make rash decisions. From deciding to leave my studies of business administration and enroll in art school from just the idea popping into my head. The same happened when I got a chance to get hired on in an entertainment agency in Los Angeles, California. I said I could start the earliest that they could have me. I lived in San Diego and was betting everything that I could find a place to live in LA, with out doing any research or idea of what I could afford. Any time an opportunity gets me to the cliff edge of the unknown future, and I have to consider taking a risk… I jump, and I jump quickly. I know I’m going to figure out how to fly one way or another as I see the floor getting closer and closer. I might grow wings or make something quickly out of scrap items I have with me like some looney tunes cartoon, but it will happen. The thought process is completely set on how to make it work, and not on what could or might happen as I would safely on the ledge looking down and pondering on the future. For one it would take longer if I did end up going through with it or it might not happen at all if I convince myself that it’s not worth the risk.
I don’t believe every opportunity is one to take, but I do believe that on the path to the edge I probably already have an idea or a feeling that says whether I should or shouldn’t go through with it. So when I’m floating in the middle of the air I really am living on hopes & dreams at that point.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I use to take pride in saying that I was a self-taught artist. I use to spend my money that I would get from financial aid during college and buy all kinds of art supplies, from paint, markers, an airbrush, to canvases. I would be enough of a regular at the art store that I would talk with the owner about the latest arrivals. I just wanted to try out every medium and try different styles of art. I used to be a big sports fan and was into the specs of exotic cars, but once I got into art school I dropped pretty much everything else in my life that didn’t pertain to art. The drive I had narrowed my focus to just creating and that continued after art school into the first position as a JR. Art Director in the entertainment industry. In the part of the entertainment industry that I was in dealt with creating art for DVDs and Blu-rays, Billboards, magazine ads, television and movie posters. The first five years became a blur trying to pay my dues and get up to par with the other artist in the field. It was a shock to me discovering the heights of skill level above my own. It was truly a humbling experience. Through out the intense work I grew as an artist but I did burn out at one point and wanted a new start and moved to a new company. To my luck the expectation of quality of art was higher in the new company and at a much shorter time frame. I spent the entire first year with the fear of getting fired in the back of my mind. That type of motivation becomes a real kick in the butt to improve quick. There is a saying that says to master your craft you need to spend 10,000 hours doing it. It felt like I fast forwarded a good portion of it doing every project in such a rush. With time it got easier, and a new desire to create art for myself arouse, which was when the idea for my own company started. I wanted to create art that I liked without seeing it be pushed to the side because it didn’t fit the particular feel of a movie or show. I began putting my art on t-shirts and began selling them. The art style resonated with the action sports community, and it made complete sense to me since thats the culture that had a great impact on me. Building the brand was another gigantic experience for me that I didn’t realize in the beginning exactly what it meant. I had to learn how to run a business, create a website, do ads, run a social media, marketing, and how to clearly communicate with customers. To do it all in the beginning was such a heavy load, but I wanted to have it done the way I imagined it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Friends and family have always been supportive of me and of course were one of the firsts people buying the merchandise in the beginning. My girlfriend Noemi, for pushing me forward even when I thought things should be accomplished in steps before starting others, and was also one of the contributors to road mapping the journey as well.

Website: 2ztd.com

Instagram: 2ztd.clothing

Facebook: 2ztd.clothing

Image Credits
Photographers: Tristan Frank Luis Morera