EpicurrenceEpicurrence No.2 – North Shore, Oahu
Getting inspired in Hawaii
When it comes to surfing, the famous 7-mile miracle stretch of sand on the North Shore of Oahu, HI is generally the first thing to come to mind. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world. It is one perfect break after another. Knowing this and the feeling I get everytime I’m there, makes absolutely no better place to host the next Epicurrence, the non-conference for creatives, than on this grand stage of surfing. This enchantment where land meets ocean, and travelers experience Aloha. It’s where surf legends were born and beaten, and it’s the one paradisal setting where this event had to go down, no matter what, Nothing else could compare. Nothing.
Hosting Epicurrence, at Banzai Pipeline, Backdoor, and Off-The-Wall, the main stages of surfing, was the impossible, most unworkable, unattainable dream that I had to fight for reality. It was a constant combat with hardships and mishaps and the so many unknowns. My dream “surf event” was tiresomely slipping further and further through my fingers everyday with people telling me “NO!” and “not possible” constantly or flat out ignoring me. Little did they know, I’m partially here today because of the drive I get when people tell me things are not possible, and I’m following a huge dream.
Ultimately, it was the determination I had to share this special stoke and build the “impossible” along with the help of incredible friends (Jason Murray, Toby Grubb, Jared Fitch, Austin Neill, Marc Hemeon, Daniel Burka, Stephen Olmsted, Andrew Verboncouer, and many others), and the welcoming locals that believed in me and the idea around this event that made the impossible become possible. Not to mention, the incredible 70+ friends as well that really brought it together by opening up and becoming vulnerable to new experiences and ideas. Because of all of these phenomenal human beings, we were able to experience this memorable event at seven, literally side by side homes on the most famous stretch of sand, in the most famous homes in surf history, in my biggest inspirational playground. A true feat in its entirety and an accomplishment above all projects I’ve touched. It was a success made only possible by the humans that came together over those few months and that final week, a success only measured in the hardships conquered, relationships gained, and the memories ingrained.
People often ask me, why are you so stoked on creating a conference? Well, I’m not at all actually. I can’t stand conferences — they’re my nemesis. What I am passionate about however is sharing the same raw stoke and inspiration that got me so far in my life via outdoor adventures that I actually do, such as surfing and snowboarding. My conference, non-conference event, or whatever you want to call it, is just my product that enables this. This is why you’ll see a clear pattern on the people I invite to come lead discussions. They’re all inspiring people that live beyond the keyboard and influence my inspiration one way or another.