Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Fontes.
Noah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The idea for a magazine begins in a boujee little surf shop called Aloha Beach Club in North Park, San Diego. I used to work here in between classes at Point Loma Nazarene University. I was blessed with bosses who didn’t feel like bosses. They took me under their wings and became friends just as fast as they became family to me. They had friends who were killing it just being creative and making stuff, and that inspired me. I met so many good humans who were just living what they loved. One day I met a guy who had a magazine company all about plants and people. Yup, this dude just tied together with the two things he loved most about the world and created something beautiful for people to enjoy. This made me want to take a deep look inward and see what I could offer the world. I realized that I have always loved the idea of storytelling. In ancient days, it was normal to sit around a table or a fire and pass down stories of information, humor, or adventure to the next generation. Nowadays, storytelling has seemed to have evolved. I look at social media platforms like Instagram and see a generation of people longing for this art of storytelling that people are not getting in their homes anymore. So they go to social media to share a photo with maybe a few sentences about it. I am a man of depth, and this doesn’t cut it for me. I just know there are people out there who want more too. Realizing that I was a designer, photographer, and videographer, I had all the building blocks to create my magazine. So I did. I never made a website or anything to hype myself up too much because I wanted to see if I could sell just by word of mouth. I wanted it to be filled with pages that made people feel something and want to read it. I ended up printing only 100 copies of my first issue and sold out within a week. I guess you could say people liked it. Today, I am almost finished with my next issue and I am so excited to share it with the world. There are so many good people, stories, and photographs that I know people can be inspired by.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There is a massive learning curve in the creation of a magazine. I had no idea about the struggles I was going to be presented with. First of all, I am doing everything. Getting stories, taking the photos, even writing most of the articles. It is a time consuming art when you don’t have the means to hire others. I have also not wanted to do that because I don’t want to ruin the integrity of the magazine. If I did eventually do that, those people would have to see the world through the same lens I look through, or something close to it. In anything, there will always be a struggle, but there is also a lot more fun in doing something you love. I get to travel around, meet inspiring people, click the button on the side of my camera, and play. To me, life would be boring without some form of a learning curve.
Please tell us about your business.
Being genuine. This is a notion that has always resonated in my soul. I love it when I meet someone who isn’t afraid to be exactly who they are. I translate this into the pages of the magazine. I want to reach those who want to let their light shine, but just need that extra little boost to do it. I have found that when you are genuine with people, they have no choice but to be genuine back. So when you share a story out of love, tailored to inspire, people are allowed to respond. Kava Magazine gets its name from the social and ceremonial tea mostly consumed in French Polynesia. Kava is a root that is mashed up and strained into a tea. Its uses are two fold. Often it is used to bring two different groups of people together, as well as bring a sense of euphoria or calming effect when consumed. This is the idea behind the magazine. I want people from every background to be able to pick up this magazine and feel inspired to be themselves.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is the freedom to live life on my terms, while surrounded by both people who inspire me, as well as people whom I love. We live on a giant round playground, and I feel like just being able to play whenever I want to is a success.
Pricing:
- A magazine is $12
Contact Info:
- Email: nscottfontes@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kavamagazine | @noahfontes
Image Credit:
Noah Fontes
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