We recently had the chance to connect with Jordan Haddock-Tauai and have shared our conversation below.
Jordan, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Music (off all kind)! My favorite thing to do is put on my headphones and be trasported into another world. The same goes for finding myself. Sometimes if I feel self concious or maybe it’s just a “meh” day, music will pull me out of it and put me into the best space for me to create. It helps me stay out of my head and allows me to push further without even realizing it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jordan, and I am the creator behind Gremlin Customs. Over the last 4 years, I have brought one of a kind personality into countless custom shoes, clothing pieces and all sorts of accessories. I have also spent some of that time creating headpieces for ballet companies. I have practiced art throughout my life, but always said that I would never try painting. As I got older, I had a desire to feel unique, and that ultimately translated into creating shoes that no one had. This meant I had to pick up a brush instead of a pencil, but after the first pair of shoes, I was obsessed with the entire process. I’ve since spent every chance I can trying to push the boundaries of my abilities to bring my ideas to life.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
When I moved to St. Louis, I got a job as an assistant at an organic production company. My boss, Joi, ended up taking me under her wing from the first day. I was reserved, unassuming and insecure. Joi showed me what being a powerhouse in the workforce looks like. She taught me to trust myself by listening to my ideas and celebrating the good ones and working out the bad ones together. She created a shared space where we worked as a team and built one another up. She trusted me to do tasks that I could barely comprehend but she always knew I could do it well before I did. Once she found out about my creative abilities, she was the first one to get me networking and bringing me into spaces with these other amazing creatives that ultimately led me to being able to create headpieces for ballet companies. Before working with Joi, I had not had great experiences at previous jobs which turned me into that timid worker with no confidennce. Joi showed me what I was capable of and that I too can create a work environment that invites and creates positivity that translates into more than just work.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely! I think most humans deal with self doubt and I am no stranger to it. In todays modern age, social media can make or break your business. Being a small creator, means that sometimes I’ll spend 12+ hours on a single shoe and then when I post it, only 3 people see it and two of them are my realatives. It can be defeating and it’s something I still deal with now. I just have to remind myself that social media doesn’t get to decide if something I make is good or bad. If I’m satisfied with the outcome than that is enough. I’m glad I haven’t given up because I am proud of all the pieces I’ve created and the growth I’ve experienced with Gremlin Customs. It is unqiely me and that is all I’ve ever wanted.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
The older I get, the more the public version of me is the real me. I grew up being very shy and wanting to fit in so I only allowed people see who I thought they would enjoy most. Now that I’ve met plenty of people who are unabashedly themselves and have seen that only good things can come from it, I no longer put on a mask in an attempt to hide. It’s still a work in progess but I would say more often than not, the public version of me is just me. I like who I am and I want others to be able to have the chance to meet that me. Life isn’t a movie, if I say my favorite movie is “Trolls” (it actually is), no one is gonna shame me into oblivion. If they tried, then that person just isn’t for me and that’s okay! That’s life!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I would love to say yes but that’s just not true. I’m an imperfect human who happens to thrive off reassurance and praise. Sometimes when I’m painting tiny details that only I can tell are there, I still want to show my partner and have him reassure me that I didn’t ruin the piece even though I asked him the same question less than 15 minutes ago when he told me I was doing great. Even if I went into everything I did knowing that I wouldn’t ever recieve praise, somewhere in my brain I would be holding on to a shred of “okay maybe just maybe someone will think this is cool”. I feel like that reassurance helps ease self doubt and praise makes my work feel worth it. I do, however, feel like that desire does push me to try harder every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gremlincustoms.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: gremlincustomstudio
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-haddockgs
