Alumni Feature: Video Editor Jordan Orme ’19 is Learning to Use His Platform to Share His Faith

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

When Jordan Orme ’19 created his YouTube channel at the beginning of the pandemic, he had no idea it would grow so quickly. Orme had spent the previous two years editing music videos for major artists such as Justin Bieber and Post Malone, working on documentaries for celebrities including Demi Lovato and Kylie Jenner, and creating commercials for Amazon and Nike. His channel started as a passion project, with Orme hoping to pass along insights he had gleaned from these experiences into video editing advice. When he began breaking down edits on some of his favorite music videos—especially in the K-pop genre— his following boomed. In the four years since launching, Orme’s channel has amassed more than 873,000 subscribers and his videos have garnered more than 111 million views. While the numbers are eye popping, he realized his work was not truly fulfilling. 

“Last year, I was driving home and I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit convict me that I had been living a life of idolatry. I had been so success oriented. I had put money and popularity first, instead of God,” Orme said. “I started crying in my car and knew I needed to repent. I realized that the only thing I’m going to take with me from this life is my relationship with Jesus. It’s the only thing I’m going to have forever, and all of the personal success I had prioritized was just fluff that didn’t really matter. I was on a bad trajectory, so I decided to turn my life around and try to live more like Jesus.”

***

Originally from Hawaii, Orme’s family moved to a small town in Wisconsin when he was in middle school. As a child, Orme developed two strong passions—soccer and art. Unfortunately, his high school in Wisconsin didn’t have a soccer team, so he decided to become a kicker for their football team. Orme was a talented kicker and received a few offers from colleges across the country to play football. Although he didn’t get an athletic scholarship, he felt called to Azusa Pacific University because of the football team, the excellent arts programs, and the proximity to Los Angeles. While he enjoyed playing football at APU, Orme quit the team after just one year to focus on his studies and his passion for art. “God used football as a way to get me to come to APU,” he said. “It was a tough decision to give it up, but I know now it was the right choice.”

Although Orme had never done any filmmaking in high school, he was interested in the craft and decided to study cinematic arts at APU. During his freshman year, Orme quickly discovered many parts of filmmaking didn’t appeal to him through his cinema production class where he had to make three short films by himself. The arduous process of script-writing, filming, and production challenged Orme, but when he got to the cinematic arts lab, everything changed. “I downloaded all the files to my hard drive, put in my headphones, and started editing. I started watching tutorials around 5 p.m. because I didn’t know how to use the editing software,” he said. “I got lost in editing and when I looked up at the clock, it was already 5 a.m. I had accidentally worked through the night because I was having way too much fun making a movie.” After that night, Orme knew he wanted to pursue a career in editing. 

With his calling realized, Orme found a mentor in adjunct professor Mickey Corcoran. Recognizing his talent, Corcoran took Orme under his wing and encouraged him to begin freelance editing. Corcoran connected Orme with professionals in the industry to help him get his foot in the door. “He basically served as a life coach for me, teaching me so many practical things like how to make a budget for all my monthly expenses, what rates I would need to charge for editing, how many freelance jobs I would need to take at those rates and so on,” Orme said. “Thanks to Mickey, I felt confident that I could be a successful freelance editor.”  

Before graduating, Orme served as a film production intern for APU’s Office of University Relations (now the Division of Strategic Communication and Engagement). He helped create many videos featuring stories of APU students and faculty. Through this internship, he also built a connection with Chadwick Trentham who later founded West Productions. Through this connection, Orme landed his first opportunity to edit a commercial for GameWorks. “Chadwick liked the work I did on that commercial, so he kept giving me opportunities,” Orme said. Trentham also connected Orme with Conscious Minds Productions, a studio founded by APU alumni. “They gave me opportunities to edit commercials for Nike and  Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime,” Orme said. “After I shared the edits I had done on those commercials on social media, people started reaching out with projects and it just kind of snowballed.”

With this work under his belt, Orme decided to reach out to Arrad Rahgoshay, a famous director at Riveting Entertainment. Although it took a couple months, Rahgoshay got back to him and asked him to interview. After the interview, Rahgoshay gave Orme a chance to edit a music video. Impressed by his work, Rahgoshay decided to give Orme another project, then another, and soon Orme was frequently editing videos for him. Orme would go to his office, pick up a hard drive with all the video footage and music on it, drive home, and spend the next two days editing music videos for top artists such as Swae Lee and Becky G, then go back to the office and edit it again with Rahgoshay and sometimes the artists themselves. “As an editor, you just try to execute. During my first pass, I make what I think the video should be. Then it becomes a collaborative experience with the director’s cut before going to the artists and the label,” Orme said. “It was a lot of fun working on those videos. But after a while, I got tired of executing other people’s vision for their videos.” Wanting to start sharing his own story instead of telling others’, Orme began saying no to more and more opportunities, despite the high pay. He focused on his YouTube channel and started getting millions of views for his video edit breakdowns. 

While viewers can learn a lot of tips from Orme’s channel, the editing process involves far more than he could convey through his breakdown videos. So he decided to create an online course called The Editing Formula, a video editing masterclass for any software. In the course, Orme demonstrates the step-by-step process of editing a video from start to finish, explains the decision making psychology behind the edits he made in videos, gives advice that he learned from Corcoran and others in the industry, and provides 8k RAW footage and sound effects for people to follow along and put the instruction into practice. “You come out of the course having edited a full commercial and part of a music video,” Orme said. “I call it The Editing Formula because it’s the same one I use and you can use it every time to make great edits.” More than 1,000 people have completed his course and are using it in their art.

Orme found enjoyment imparting his knowledge through the course and through sharing video edit breakdowns on his YouTube channel, yet he longed for something more. It was around this time he was convicted by the Holy Spirit. 

***

After the epiphany in his car, Orme read the Bible and other Christian books and spent time with God in prayer every day. “The idea of gaining the world but losing your soul and picking up your cross daily really became real to me for the first time,” he said. “I felt God telling me that he’d given me skills to make art as worship to Him.” Orme decided to create a second YouTube channel called Jordan Kalé (his middle name) which will focus on how Christ is working in his life, including being a loving partner to his wife Ashley ’22, and how he’s learning to be more like Jesus. Orme includes a link at the bottom of all the videos on his original channel to a page on his website called Why Jesus, which shares his testimony and invites people to begin a relationship with Christ. “I used to define success in very worldly ways, like how much money I was making off my edits and how many views my videos were getting. But if I never edited another video or if nobody watched my original channel anymore, that’s okay,” Orme said. “Now I know that if my life looks like Jesus, if I’m following the word of God, and if I’m sharing my faith with others, that’s the most successful thing I can do.”

Josh Holm ’15: Creating a Positive Impact Through Castles & Queens

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

On a chilly Saturday night in February 2023, Josh Holm, ’15, stood to the side of a runway in Milan, watching models show off apparel he had designed for his label Castles & Queens as cameras flashed and the crowd applauded in one of the four fashion capitals of the world. It was one of the biggest moments of Holm’s life, but just a few years ago, it seemed impossible—a dream that might never come true.

Half Korean and half Caymanian, Holm was born to a single mother in South Korea. His mom, Kim, worked multiple jobs to support them, but their financial situation caused Holm to go in and out of foster care multiple times. Then, when he was five-years-old, their house burned down and his mother was forced to make an extremely difficult decision. Friends told her that Holm’s best chance for a prosperous life was being adopted by an American family. She couldn’t stand the idea of letting her son go, but she also wanted the best life for him, so she sent him to an orphanage. Within a few months, an American couple visited the orphanage. “They weren’t even looking to adopt,” Holm said, “but they came across me and after hearing my story, they felt God calling them to bring me into their family.” He moved with his new parents, Joel and Marie, to a suburb of Chicago. Holm’s parents provided an amazing new life for him, and he had two new sisters, Rachel and Lisa. Holm no longer faced the challenges of wondering where his next meal would come from or getting a quality education. While he did well in school, he truly excelled in athletics. Toward the end of high school, Holm was recruited by Azusa Pacific University’s track and field coaches. His family flew to the West Coast and toured the university.

“When I walked onto campus, I felt there was something special about this place and I needed to come here,” he said.

Although he planned to run track throughout college, Holm stopped after his freshman year. “I felt God telling me, ‘this is it for you.’ It was a hard decision, but it made sense because track was a personal dream, but it wasn’t what I was meant to do,” he said. Holm decided to devote his newfound free time to his studies (he majored in practical theology and minored in leadership and his internship with The Dream Center, a nonprofit dedicated to confronting human trafficking and helping foster children and at-risk youth. For the first few months of his internship, Holm helped with whatever the organization needed, mostly running errands, but one night, after the team saw his dedication, he was brought along on an outreach. “We went into Anaheim, just a couple blocks from Disneyland, and gave out resources to runaway children,” Holm said. “It was devastating seeing the reality of what they face on the streets.” This experience ignited a passion inside Holm. After talking with his APU mentors, Matt Browning and Terry Franson, Holm decided to start a student club called Free the Captives.

The club held events on campus to share information about trafficking and connected students with resources to help fight it. Although it started with just 10 people, by the time Holm graduated, Free the Captives was the second largest club on campus. “We had connections with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, the International Justice Mission, and A21, large nonprofits that gave students tangible ways to help,” Holm said. “I was proud of how authentic the club was. We had kids who genuinely wanted to make a difference.”

Holm competed in APU’s incubator program, ZuVenturez. He and a friend created an idea for a jewelry business and pitched it to a panel of judges, in a format similar to Shark Tank. Although they earned second place with a prize of $5,000, the business failed to take off. After the competition, they pitched their company to real world investors, but were met with rejection. “We had people pick apart our business plan right in front of us,” he said. “It hurt, but I learned from it. Hearing no was super helpful for the future when I started my next business.”

After graduating, Holm made a bold decision to sell his most valuable possession—his car—to buy a plane ticket to visit his biological mother in Korea. He spent two weeks with her for the first time in 16 years.

“It was always on my heart to reconnect with her,” he said. “We spent so long apart, but when we were together, that mom-son connection felt so natural. She means the world to me.”

On his trip to Korea, Holm discovered his love for fashion, inspired by clothing from different cultures, and decided to become a designer. “Fashion appealed to me because it’s a powerful platform, a straight line into culture, impacting industries from entertainment to sports,” he said. When Holm returned to California, he found an internship in downtown Los Angeles. “A designer took me under his wing and taught me what he knew. He couldn’t pay me, but made up for it in the knowledge he imparted,’” Holm said. “Working with him was a lightbulb moment for me because I knew this is what I was called to do.” He learned the technicalities of garment making, the cut-and-sew process, and how to run a business from a production standpoint, all while working multiple jobs on the side to support himself. “I’ve always prided myself on my work ethic. I believe hard work brings opportunity.”

Despite his industriousness, Holm faced financial challenges. He decided to live in a friend’s converted van to save money on rent. “I slept in that van for six months. It wasn’t fun,” he said. “But I was so passionate about where I envisioned myself that even if I was uncomfortable for six months, I was determined to pursue what I was meant to do by any means.”

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Holm faced a new challenge, losing his jobs in retail. Instead of being downtrodden, Holm saw an opportunity after finding out that hospitals across LA were in massive need of personal protective equipment (PPE). He began going from one hospital to another, meeting with purchasing departments to see if he could create PPE for them. “I got lucky one day and met with a vice president of medical supplies for a vast number of Southern California hospitals. He gave me five minutes to make a pitch,” Holm said. “He asked me to come back the next day with a sample.” Holm scrambled and went to The Home Depot to buy materials and the PPE garment he created was met with approval. “I went from a 26-year-old who was just trying to wing it to receiving the biggest purchase order of my life.” Holm hired a team of sewers and worked for the next six months to create more than 100,000 units of PPE, helping protect the hospital workers and people of LA.

With the money he received, Holm decided to invest in his dream of starting his own fashion company. He launched Castles & Queens in 2021. “Castles & Queens is a contemporary luxury brand that taps into our West Coast DNA. I want people to feel powerful, confident, and capable when they wear our clothes,” he said. “I’m good at spotting trends. I see in visuals and bring them to life.” All of the brand’s clothing is made by hand in LA. In the three years after opening, Holm produced five collections. His designs caught the eyes of people high up in the industry. In the company’s second year, they were invited to New York Fashion Week. Castles & Queens was covered by Vogue and NYLON as one of the top 12 emerging brands. After experiencing success in New York and Milan, Holm landed his first luxury retail account, Wolf & Badger, and was featured in Forbes “30 Under 30: Arts and Style.”

“It’s an awesome journey to see this brand I built get recognition and continue to grow. I want to have a positive impact on the world through Castles & Queens.”

Although he has experienced massive success in the last three years, Holm is still the only full-time employee of Castle & Queens. He hires part-time sewers that produce the clothing in each collection, but Holm comes up with every design and does all the marketing for the brand. In the future, Holm aspires to build a team, to land in more retailers across the world, to open his own storefronts, and to honor his Korean and Caymanian heritage through his designs. He also hopes to represent LA well, since the city hasn’t traditionally been known for luxury apparel, as he competes at the highest level in the fashion capitals of the world. “Our pieces are luxurious, made with extreme attention to detail and high quality fabrics. I recognize that not everyone will want to spend money on them,” he said. “Some of the most positive feedback I’ve received is from people who don’t buy our pieces, but feel like they’re a part of our world. They’re inspired by the brand and identify with our message.”

As Holm grows his company, he stays rooted in his faith. He became a Christian after being adopted and has a close relationship with Christ. “From a young age, God has given me visions of my life, but it’s always a glimpse of what it can be, and never how I’m going to get there,” he said. “As I’ve walked through challenging moments of my life, I trusted God and pushed through. Making it to where I am now shows that God is the realest thing in the world to me.” Holm lives out his faith every day as a leader and entrepreneur. Each decision he makes in his business is based on his values. Although entrepreneurial success drives him, Holm has not forgotten his roots and his passions he discovered while a student at APU. “One of the biggest reasons I hope to be successful is to start a nonprofit one day that helps my community, whether it focuses on human trafficking, helping foster children, or other societal issues,” he said. “As we grow as a brand and create a bigger platform, it provides an opportunity to pour into issues that really matter and spread a powerful message.”

Christina Mansour ’07: Serving Students as an Educational Counselor

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

Christina Mansour (Estafanous,) MAEd ’07, sits at her desk at Buena Park High School (BPHS), helping a sophomore student who has walked in without an appointment and just needs someone to talk to about an issue in class. Mansour patiently provides kindhearted feedback, taking the time out of her busy day to listen to the student’s needs, even though she has another appointment that she now must push back a few minutes. “I love my job. The high schoolers I work with can be very challenging sometimes, but I love them,” she said. “I enjoy having conversations with kids about their futures and what’s going on in their lives. I truly get to know them over the years they’re here.”

Mansour knew she wanted to be a teacher from a young age. She had some influential teachers who made a big impact in her life and realized she wanted to do the same, to help kids learn and grow. After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in math and a single subject teaching credential, she began teaching math at West Covina High School (WCHS) in 2001. “Math has always come naturally to me. I know most kids don’t feel the same way, so I really tried to make it where you may not love math, but you will love coming to my class, more because of the teacher-student connection,” Mansour said. “I knew if they liked the atmosphere I created for them, they would learn and would get a good grade which they had to earn.” Mansour especially loved playing math games to review before tests with her kids which helped make math fun and not daunting.

Mansour had been teaching for a few years when she observed a counselor working with students in her class. “I thought I would like to do that too, so I talked with her and she told me about APU’s educational counseling program,” she said. Mansour visited campus soon after, met with faculty, and quickly enrolled in the program. “I really loved going to APU. It was so different from my experience at a big state school during undergrad,” she said. “The service and accessibility was phenomenal. I wish I had that during undergrad, but I was very glad to have it for grad school.”

Mansour made many friends in her classes that she’s still in touch with. She enjoyed being in a small cohort where she took classes with the same people and grew closer to them each semester. Mansour loved learning about how to serve students and how to integrate her faith in her job in classes with Michelle Cox, PhD, and Leah Leonard, LMFT.

“I work in a public school, so I can’t always talk about my faith, but if a student brings up their own faith, then of course I’ll discuss it with them,” Mansour said. “I’ve found that middle ground of loving everyone because that’s what Christ calls us to do.”

Although Mansour graduated with her MAEd in Educational Counseling in 2007, she chose to stay in the classroom for another decade because of her love for teaching. However, a couple of years after switching schools from WCHS to BPHS in 2013, she received the opportunity to begin counseling while still teaching, splitting her time in half for both areas. After two years of doing both jobs, a full-time counseling position opened and she left the classroom. As a counselor, Mansour’s day-to-day involves many different responsibilities. “No two days look the same,” she said. “One day I might be doing IEPs (Individual Education Plans) all day. The next day I’ll be doing 504 meetings (plans to meet the needs of students with disabilities), behavioral intervention plans with the counseling team, and presenting in classrooms. And of course I’ll meet with students whenever they request to see me or just come in here to talk because they need help.”

Mansour’s school has a large percentage of first generation students, so she often meets with parents who have questions about how to get their kids into college. She also plans the schedules of the more than 450 students she serves, ensuring they get the right classes to graduate on time. Mansour loves when students decide to go to four-year colleges even though they may have never dreamed that was possible when they began high school.

“My favorite part of my job is watching kids grow from the time they enter as freshmen to their senior year,” she said. “You see them mature physically, growing from scrawny kids into young adults, and socially transform from someone who may struggle socially as a 9th grader to a flourishing 12th grader who is ready to take on the world. Watching them cross the graduation stage is incredibly rewarding.”

Mansour runs an intern program for students studying to become educational counselors. Over the past four years, she has had at least four interns from APU each year. Students in the MAEd program must complete 800 hours with a counselor at two different levels. “I love working with APU interns. They’re so great and are very well prepared,” Mansour said. “APU students bring the love of Christianity. They love the kids like they’re their own and they come to serve. That’s very important to me.” Mansour’s interns participate in the same meetings, practice one-on-one counseling with a caseload of students, and help run the school’s wellness center.

The wellness center is Mansour’s top achievement. She pleaded for one for years, and when the school got a grant in 2021, her prayers were answered. BPHS became the first school in the district to have one. The wellness center provides a place where students can come to reset themselves when they feel emotionally heightened or overwhelmed before going to or returning to class. Students can meet with interns, counselors, the school’s mental health specialist, a licensed therapist and contracted partner organizations who conduct restorative circles, meditation, and substance abuse intervention. The school also facilitates several workshops and small groups in the center each semester.

“The wellness center has changed the way we do our jobs and freed us up to do so many things and offer different services for the kids,” Mansour said. “It has literally saved students’ lives.”

Mansour loves being an educational counselor because it allows her to live out her calling, serving kids and meeting their needs to make sure they are taken care of and able to graduate and move on to the next phase of life. “Counseling directly relates to my faith because Christ called us to serve others. I’m living my faith out every day,” she said. Outside of work, Mansour loves spending time with her husband, Bassem, and her two sons, David (11-years-old) and Andrew (9-years-old). “I love my boys. We are very big about doing everything as a family. It’s really nice to come home to my family after long days of serving the kids at school.”

APU Alumnus Dave Canales ’03 Hired as Carolina Panthers Head Coach

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

After an athlete’s playing career wraps up, the pinnacle of professional sports is becoming a head coach at the highest level: the major leagues. Azusa Pacific University alumnus Dave Canales ’03 reached that pinnacle yesterday when he was named the head coach of the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers. David Tepper, the Panthers’ owner, said “Dave's background is rooted in success. He has an innovative mindset and positive energy that connects well with players and staff. We are impressed with his ability to bring out the best in players.”

Canales will be tasked with coaching last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, and guiding the offense of the team that ranked last in the NFL this year to new heights. Canales becomes the only active Hispanic head coach in the league, and only the fifth in NFL history.

"I am extremely proud of David, and happy for him and the entire Canales family,” said APU Athletic Director Gary Pine. “He is an excellent leader, and he'll do a marvelous job of guiding men, both on and off the field."

Canales takes the helm of the Panthers after serving for one season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator. In Tampa Bay, Canales helped with the resurgence of quarterback Baker Mayfield. Before the season, Mayfield went from a former No. 1 overall pick to a perennial backup. Canales was not daunted by the task of reviving Mayfield’s career. Under Canales’ guidance, Mayfield passed for a career high in passing yards (4,044) and passing touchdowns (28), enhancing his reputation as a quarterback and likely earning a long- term contract.

Under Canales’ coaching, the Buccaneers offense as a whole improved from 25th in the NFL to 20th overall, seeing a sizable jump even after losing the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady, to retirement. Tampa Bay overachieved expectations, not only reaching the playoffs, but also knocking off the defending conference champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round before narrowly losing to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round.

Prior to Tampa Bay, Canales spent most of his coaching career in Seattle under future Hall of Fame head coach Pete Carroll. Canales started as a quality control coach for the Seahawks from 2010-12 before working his way up to assistant quarterbacks coach (2013-14), receivers coach (2015-17), passing game coordinator (2020-21), and quarterbacks coach (2018-19, 2022). During Canales’ tenure in Seattle, the Seahawks made the playoffs 10 times, winning the NFC championship twice (2013-14) and the Super Bowl once (2013).

Canales’ impact on the Seahawks offense and team success cannot be overstated. Former Seahawks star Russell Wilson was a perennial Pro Bowl quarterback with Canales’ coaching, earning nine Pro Bowl selections from 2012-2021 before he was traded to the Denver Broncos, more than any other quarterback in the NFL during that span. Canales also helped revitalize the career of quarterback Geno Smith in 2022. Smith had been relegated to being a backup from 2015-21. But after Wilson was traded, Canales transformed Smith into a Pro Bowl signal caller who achieved career highs in passing yards (4,282) and touchdowns (30) while leading the NFL in completion percentage (69.8).

Before Seattle, Canales served under Carroll for one year as an assistant strength coach and video assistant at the University of Southern California. Earlier, Canales spent three years (2006-08) at El Camino College as tight ends coach, special teams coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. Canales began his coaching career at his alma mater, Carson High School, after graduating from APU in 2003.

Going back to his playing days, Canales was a five-year member of the APU football program (1999-2003), serving as a team captain in 2002 and 2003. During his time at APU, the Cougars posted a 36-15 record and made three playoff appearances. As a wide receiver for the Cougars, Canales caught 27 passes for 298 yards and had a touchdown reception in his senior season. Canales graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in business.

Canales and his wife Elizabeth “Lizzy” (Henderson ’05) have two children. Canales’ younger brother, Coba Canales (’06), played baseball and football for the Cougars, serving as a team captain for both programs; he is currently the dean of students at APU.

"The Canales family is extremely proud and excited about this new opportunity for Dave to continue his impact on lives through football as the Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers," Coba Canales said. "He's been blessed with many coaching mentors who have built him into the man he is today. He leads authentically from his faith in Christ and desire to bring out the best in everyone, which has garnered him success in the NFL in Seattle and Tampa. From starting as a volunteer JV coach at Carson High School and grinding it out for years until finally earning a full-time coaching role with the Seattle Seahawks, Dave and Lizzy have prayed their way through lots of ups and downs, victories and uncertainties, and have trusted God in the midst of it all. We're hoping for wins on the field because that's what keeps you there, but we know for sure that lives will be changed for God's glory."

Canales becomes the second APU alumnus to reach the pinnacle as a head coach of a major league team. Stephen Vogt ’07 was named the manager of Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians in November.

“To have David leading the Carolina Panthers and his former classmate Stpehen Vogt at the head of the Cleveland Guardians says something about the type of student-athletes who come to Azusa Pacific, and hopefully some of the impact we have on them,” Pine said.

Read more about Canales’ background here.

Dominique Johnson '10: Pouring into the Next Generation

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

Dominique Johnson ’10 is driven to pour into the next generation. After 13 years playing professional basketball in the NBA D-League, for many international teams, and in the Big3, Johnson returned to Azusa Pacific University to serve as assistant coach on the men’s basketball team. “I wanted to share my knowledge and experience,” Johnson said. “I talked with (head coach) Pete Bond and he said I should start here. I’m grateful for the opportunity and it’s been great to be back at APU.” Johnson’s journey back to his alma mater was a long one, filled with lots of life lessons that he hopes to pass on.

A Detroit native, Johnson discovered his love for basketball as a child and began playing for his middle and high school teams. After graduating from high school, he moved to Memphis, and began playing college basketball at Southwest Tennessee Community College. After a standout sophomore season, he was recruited by several schools and decided to transfer to APU.

“When I visited APU, I saw the big God First sign on the wall in the gym and everything just felt right,” he said. “I didn’t even fly back to Tennessee. My friends just shipped my stuff out here.”

The natural fit translated to enormous success for Johnson and the men’s basketball team. In 2008-09, Johnson paced the squad in points at 17.2 per game and three-point field goals with 70 on the season. “Coach (Justin) Leslie broke down my whole game and taught me how to play high percentage shots, spacing, and positioning. I was like a raw piece of clay and he molded me,” Johnson said. “He showed me how to play the right way.” Johnson’s achievements earned the recognition of NAIA All-American third team. He led the Cougars to a 24-10 record and a Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) championship. “It took a while, but when we all started trusting each other, we hit our stride and were almost unstoppable.”

The following year, as a senior, Johnson played even better, earning NAIA All-American first team honors. APU won the GSAC championship again and made it all the way to the NAIA Championship. Unfortunately, the Cougars lost in the final seconds to Oklahoma Baptist. “It was a brutal loss. We sunk a game winning shot at the buzzer, but it turned out the clock had expired literally .1 seconds before the ball left my teammate’s hands,” Johnson said. “That team was special. I’ll never forget that season.”

Although his time at APU came to a close, Johnson’s basketball career was just taking off. He was selected by the Idaho Stampede in the 2010 NBA D-League Draft, but never played a game for them after getting cut right before the season. “That was the first time I had ever been cut from a team. It taught me a lot about the politics of the D-League,” he said. Johnson rebounded, signing with the Texas Legends, where he played for two years. He went on to play with the Canton Charge for a season before deciding to move on from the D-League.

“I received advice from friends and teammates to play basketball overseas, so I found a new agent who helped secure me my first international contract in Poland.”

Johnson’s experience in Poland was a game changer. In his first season, his team won the Polish Cup, even though they weren’t considered contenders. “I didn’t realize the significance of winning the Cup. I thought it was just another game, but everyone was absolutely ecstatic. My agent told me that I had accomplished something most guys don’t experience in their whole career,” he said. That season kickstarted Johnson’s international playing experience. He went on to play for another team in Poland, where he led the league in scoring, then played in Israel, Turkey, Germany, Italy, China, Italy again, Lebanon, France, Mexico, and Egypt. “If I had the chance to stay in one place for 10 years, I probably would have, but having the opportunities to experience all those different countries and their cultures was life changing,” he said. Johnson went on to win the FIBA Europe Cup in 2018 and the Lebanese Cup in 2019.

Although most rules of the game are the same in other countries, Johnson said the way the game was played and the environment were completely different than American basketball. “In the NBA, it’s all about offense. Overseas, it’s much more defense-centric; they’re strategic and more physical to stop you from scoring,” he said. “And the fans are on another level. They’re jumping from start to finish, setting off flares in the gym, and lighting coins on fire. Every game is like Game 7 of the NBA Finals for them.”

Although Johnson had amazing experiences on the court, life off the court could be challenging at times. He married his college sweetheart from APU, Marissa Johnson ’12, but she was still living in the U.S. as her career as an education administrator blossomed. “Marissa would visit me during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring breaks. She was able to stay longer for two stints when I was playing in Venice and Florence,” Johnson said. “I was grateful for those times and I’m so proud of her career.” Johnson bonded with his teammates and made good friends at each stop along his journey. He particularly loved his time in Israel. “My best friend is Israeli. Her family took me in and invited me over every Saturday for Shabbat dinner,” he said. “There were tons of Americans in Israel too. We would have barbecues every week where we would hang out and play cards. It felt like you were at home.” Through all the ups and downs of playing overseas, Johnson’s one constant was his faith. He wears a WWJD bracelet everyday and has Scripture from 1 Corinthians tattooed on him serving as a reminder of God’s provision.

“God has never left me. He’s always protected me. When I have doubts about how I’m going to get through tough times, God’s there for me.”

After playing for 13 teams in 10 countries, Johnson decided to retire from playing international basketball. He decided to pass on his knowledge in a book, Adjusting, Adapting, and Managing Expectations of Overseas Basketball, which gives athletes insight on how to pick an agent, how to read contracts, and how to avoid hiccups in international basketball. Johnson returned to the U.S. and was promptly drafted by the Killer 3’s in the Big3 league. “The Big3 has been a great experience. I’ve gotten to play alongside a lot of former NBA players,” he said. “It’s fun talking to Ice Cube and seeing him at every game. I even got to meet Dr. J. That had me starstruck.”

Johnson may continue playing in the Big3 next summer if the opportunity arises again, but for now, he’s focused on being a husband and a father to his three-year-old daughter and three-month-old son and coaching at APU. “It’s all about mentoring for me. I feel like I can motivate the students and get the best out of them,” he said. “We’ve got a talented team and they work very hard.” Johnson is excited to learn from Coach Bond. “I’m constantly picking Pete’s brain. He’s a fantastic coach and has already taught me a lot.” Johnson said the team’s goal is to win a national championship, but he’ll measure success in different ways. “I want the guys to develop their skills and learn about life outside of basketball. The ball isn’t going to bounce forever. I tell them to take their education seriously.” Johnson is furthering his education as well, pursuing a Master’s in Leadership through APU. “If the players can grow in their knowledge and their faith, that’s far greater than any championship.”

Micayla Brewster ’17: From Broadway to Digital Nomading and Back

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

For some, social media is simply a platform to share the food they eat or the concerts they attend, while for others, it’s a way to connect with old friends and maintain relationships with family far away. For Micayla Brewster ’17, social media is so much more, a passion that blossomed into a one-of-a-kind career. Just six years after graduating from Azusa Pacific University, Brewster has lived in more than 25 locations across the world as a self-proclaimed digital nomad and she recently launched her own company, The Social Team.

Brewster’s journey into a career in social media began at APU. A communication management major with a minor in public relations, Brewster knew she wanted to go into a communications profession, but didn’t know what that would look like. It was only when she took an introductory public relations class with Allison Oster, ’01, MA ’05, that she began to envision a career in social media. “I spent so much time and energy on social media already, but I had always heard it talked about negatively,” Brewster said. “Allison’s class was the first time I heard social media being talked about in a positive way, as it being a tool to communicate and connect with audiences, sharing important information while also having fun in expressing a brand.” Invigorated, Brewster wrote out a description for her dream job, with a list of things she’d like to do in a perfect world, and showed it to Oster after class one day. “She told me my job description was literally that of an account manager. I couldn’t believe that it actually existed. I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do.”

With a career path in mind, Brewster began getting experience by serving as a social media intern for APU’s bookstore (now the Campus Store), Dining Services, and at New Beginnings Community Church in Silicon Valley. She went on to win APU’s Battle of the Interviews during her senior year, after blowing away the judges with her “breathless excitement” for the hypothetical position (a social media account manager for Netflix). In the past, Brewster had tried to tame her enthusiasm and zeal, but it served her well in that moment and the years to follow.

“My passion and how much time and energy I dedicate toward this thing I love so much is one of my greatest skill sets,” she said. “I’m grateful for that experience because it allowed me to refine my interview skills while receiving critical feedback.”

During her time at APU, Brewster made a pivotal discovery of a company called the Skimm. Up to that point, she had mostly tuned out the news because it felt overwhelming. “I absolutely loved the Skimm because they distilled all this information in a way that kept me interested and informed,” she said. Brewster applied to their ambassador program and campaigned for the company on APU’s campus, hosting tables on Cougar Walk. “In hindsight, my enthusiasm may have been a bit much,” she laughed. “There’s a photo of me going to chapel wearing a Skimm sweatshirt with my Skimm tote bag and holding my phone with a Skimm case. I just really wanted to work for them.”

Brewster’s efforts paid off as she won the “Skimmbassador” competition, having gotten more people on her campus to sign up than anyone else at other colleges. One of the prizes for the competition was a letter of recommendation from the CEO of the Skimm. “I said that’s perfect, I’ll just give it right back to you. I’d like to work for you,” Brewster said. She moved to New York City for the Skimm internship in the summer of 2016. However, she found out the internship was only part-time and started looking for another job to work on her off days.

Brewster had seen a Broadway show called Something Rotten and decided to reach out to them to see if they needed a social media intern. “On a kick, I decided to modify the message I had sent to Something Rotten and sent it to my dream show that I knew I had no chance of hearing back from—Hamilton,” she said. “The next morning, I got a response from my future and now former boss at Marathon Digital, who runs social media for Hamilton, asking to schedule an interview with me.” Brewster got the job and began interning for Marathon at the same time as the Skimm. After the summer, she began working contractually for Marathon during her senior year at APU, before moving to New York to work for the company full-time. “It was the greatest experience. It catapulted my career and made me realize fandom marketing, specifically within Broadway, is where I wanted to head.”

Brewster loved her time working on social media for Hamilton. She ran the production’s Snapchat during their popular “Ham4Ham” performances, coordinated content shoots with the cast, and helped with numerous campaigns. The highlight of her young career came when she was assigned to write a tweet for the launch of the Hamilton app, which had to be approved by the show’s famous creator, Lin Manuel Miranda. “I spent hours studying his Twitter and composing a two-sentence tweet in his voice,” she said. “He responded back saying it was a “devastatingly accurate impression” of him and was good to post. That was one of the most exciting moments of my life.”

While Brewster loved her job, she, like many around the country, faced a pivotal moment in 2020 when the pandemic hit and Broadway shut down. She did a lot of self-reflection and decided to let go of her dream job at Marathon to pursue another dream, living in many different places across the world. “I constantly moved around, spending a month or two in each location before moving on to the next one,” she said. “I did freelance work virtually to support myself as a digital nomad.” Brewster started off in New Orleans, then rented a cabin in Montana with friends, before branching out to other countries. She has since lived in more than 25 cities in Ireland, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Romania, Croatia, and Mexico.

“I found digital nomading to be incredibly enriching and fulfilling. Plus, I made a lot of good friends across the world that I’m happy to visit when I have the opportunity.”

After two-and-a-half years, Brewster decided to settle down a bit. She was enjoying dinner with her best friend, Chase, in New York City one night when they came up with a life-changing plan. “We talked about all the challenges of social media management for Broadway shows. As much as we both loved it and wanted to continue doing it, it didn’t feel sustainable,” Brewster said. Many of her friends had burned out of the industry and she wanted to avoid the same path. “We decided to start our own company, where we could run social media for Broadway productions in the ways we wanted to, avoiding pitfalls and being more in touch with individual platforms.”

Their company, The Social Team, officially launched in September. Although the company is still in its infant stages, Brewster said they have been in talks with partners on Broadway and are hoping to sign their first major client in the next year. “For now, I’m spending countless hours building a dream content calendar and designing style guides and strategy documents for clients,” she said. “My number one goal is to have social media feel as enjoyable of a process as possible for everybody involved.”

The Social Team is headquartered in New York, where Brewster maintains a residence. However, she now lives primarily in Sevilla, Spain. While her journey isn’t what she imagined when she moved to APU for college, Brewster is truly living her dream.

Stephen Vogt ’07 Named Manager of Cleveland Guardians

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

Today will go down as one of the most significant moments in the history of Azusa Pacific athletics. Stephen Vogt ’07 was named the new manager of the Cleveland Guardians—the first APU alumnus to become a head coach of a major league team. Vogt has big shoes to fill, replacing future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona who led the Guardians for the past 11 seasons. Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations, is certain he’s the right man for the job.

“Stephen earned a reputation as one of the best teammates in the game across his 16-year career as a player, and we’ve greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him over the past several weeks,” Antonetti said in a statement. “Stephen has thought critically about the type of leader and manager he wants to be. His deep care for others, his ability to build meaningful relationships with those around him, and his open-mindedness and curiosity make him an ideal fit to lead our club moving forward. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Stephen.”

A two-time All Star, Vogt played 10 seasons in the MLB, primarily with the Oakland A’s. Across that span, he batted . 239 with a .301 on-base-percentage and 82 career home runs. While he had many big moments in his career, including hitting a walk-off single in the 2013 American League Division Series and winning a World Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Vogt’s most memorable moment was his final game in 2022 when he homered in his last at bat. Vogt is one of only three players in MLB history to hit a home run for his first and final career hits. After Vogt retired from playing, he spent the last year as the bullpen and quality control coach for the Seattle Mariners.

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Life on Film: Stephen Vogt '07

During his time with the A’s, Vogt was a consistent leader in the clubhouse and a four-time winner of the Catfish Hunter Award, which is given to the A's player whose play on the field and conduct in the clubhouse best exemplifies the competitive, inspirational, and courageous spirit of Hall of Fame pitcher Catfish Hunter. He also earned the A’s Dave Stewart Community Service Award three times for his efforts in the community. Vogt was one of the most beloved A’s of the last decade, a hero on and off the field. The chant, “I Believe in Stephen Vogt,” often rang out whenever he would step to the plate, and it can be found on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and many other places. The Guardians even mimicked it in their announcement, saying “We believe in Stephen Vogt.”

Before Vogt broke out in the MLB, he had a historic career at APU, which included:

• Three-time NAIA All-American (2005-07)

• Four-time All-Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) honoree (2004-07)

• Two-time GSAC Player of the Year (2005, 2007)

• Setting nine APU records, including highest career batting average (.451), career hits (294), career doubles (74), career RBIs (199), career walks (158), single season hits (108), and single season doubles (26)

• Leading the Cougars to their best record in program history (51-10) and an NAIA World Series appearance in 2007

• 30-game hit streak

• 84-game streak reaching base

• Inducted into the Cougar Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Athletic director Gary Pine reflected on Vogt’s APU days after hearing the Guardians announcement. “Anyone who knows Stephen well is not surprised that he has risen to this level of leadership so quickly in his career,” Pine said. “He was an outstanding leader even as a young player at Azusa Pacific, and his ability to relate to all types of people was clearly evident even then. He is a terrific man of God, and will represent his family name, his alma mater, and the Guardians with the highest level of integrity and honor.”

When Vogt announced his retirement as a player in 2022, he declared that his next dream was to become a big league manager one day. Today, that dream came true.

APU Honors Cliff Hamlow at Basketball Alumni Reunion

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

More than 90 alumni ranging from the classes of 1955-89 filled Upper Turner Campus Center to honor their mentor, legendary Azusa Pacific University basketball coach and vice president emeritus Cliff Hamlow ’56, PhD, on Saturday, February 4. The group of former basketball players shared memories of their time as Cougars and the impact Coach Hamlow had on their lives.

Kicking off the event, athletic director Gary Pine ’84, MBA ’05, talked about the connection that brought the players together and the man at center court. “We’re celebrating four decades of Cougar basketball,” Pine said. “Cliff is the common bond right alongside the one forged by a team. There’s nothing like playing, battling, and winning together.”

After an opening prayer by Steve Seavers ’78, Pine passed the mic to the master of ceremonies, Ed Munson, who was APU’s sports information director from 1969-72 before becoming the official scorer for the Los Angeles Angels and later the Los Angeles Dodgers. Munson recounted many noteworthy moments throughout Hamlow’s tenure, including seven consecutive 20-win seasons, scoring 155 points in a single game, scoring more than 100 points in a single half, scoring 100 or more points 15 times in one season, and winning the Christian College Tournament four years in a row from 1968-72. “I’ve seen no-hitters and perfect games, but the moment that sticks out in my mind above everything else was watching Cliff get his 300th win as Bob Dickinson made a shot with six seconds left on the clock,” Munson said.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone jump as high as Cliff did in that moment. I thank God for Cliff being an excellent coach, a better friend, and a pivotal mentor.”

Following Munson, Bill Young ’57 talked about how he and Hamlow came to campus together, back when the school was called Pacific Bible College. “At the time, I don’t think there was one person who came to be a part of the athletic program,” he said. “Cliff became a student-coach instead of a student-athlete and developed the program into what it is today.” In the first few years of Hamlow’s coaching career, the team practiced at gyms off campus before a donor provided funds to build the Cougar Dome in 1958.

As the years went by, Hamlow began recruiting players and strengthening the program. By the end of the 1960s, the Cougars were a perennial powerhouse thanks to excellent coaching and talented players such as Chuck Boswell ’69. Boswell’s freshman season was the year Azusa College and Pacific Bible College merged to form Azusa Pacific. While the players had been rivals before, Hamlow coached them to work together to reach new heights. Boswell fondly recalled his favorite memories, from going on basketball road trips and running out of gas to singing in church choirs. He ended by describing all of Hamlow’s accolades. “Cliff, your greatest award isn’t here. Your greatest reward is that some day you’re going to Heaven and you will see players you brought to the Lord, and through faith they each became a different person,” he said. “Coach, I appreciate that, because I was one of those people. You did that for me. I love you and can’t thank you enough.”

Following Boswell, Dennis Dickens ’70 talked about how Hamlow gave him a chance to develop his skills when few other coaches would have done so. After graduation, Dickens had a brief NBA career before playing professionally in Europe. “My coach in the pros told me the only reason I made it this far is because Coach Hamlow taught me how to play right,” Dickens said.

“Every year as a coach, Cliff got better. That doesn’t happen often. He’s more than a great coach. He put APU’s basketball program on the map. In the basketball world, everybody knows APU all because of Cliff.”

Many players went on to coach after graduating, including Gordon Billingsley ’73 and Gary Johnson ’80. Billingsly said he treasured Hamlow’s mentorship and patience. Johnson described watching the way Hamlow coached, not shouting or getting angry with his players. Johnson replicated this in his coaching, as he went on to win Coach of the Year many times at the high school level in the San Gabriel Valley. “My favorite part was getting to coach the all-star teams, because the all-star games were held at APU,” Johnson said. “I was so proud because Coach could see me walking those sidelines just like he did.”

The final two players to share, Dave Dangleis ’87 and John Hoetker ’89, spoke about Hamlow’s impact off the court and in their lives after graduation. Dangleis spoke about a film session that turned into a prayer session as the team gathered around an old TV to watch the aftermath of the space shuttle Challenger explosion. “Cliff knew we could watch game film anytime; he made sure we stopped to grasp the significance of what had happened and prayed about it,” Dangleis said. “Coach, you taught us a lot about basketball, but you taught us more about being men, and I will always appreciate that.” Hoetker spoke about a moment more than 25 years after he finished playing basketball when he called Hamlow up and asked him to baptize his son and their family.

“I know a lot of this is about basketball and that sport is a wonderful thing because it brought us all together. But more than that, you taught us how to be in the right spot to have the greatest impact, showing us your vision for something more,” Hoetker said. “In my life, I never had a greater champion than you, Coach.”

To close out the ceremony before the group went over to the Felix Event Center to watch the current men’s basketball team beat Dominican University, Hamlow spoke about his legacy and his favorite memories from his 60 years of coaching (33 at APU and 27 at the high school level with his son, Gordon). “When I started college in 1954, I was at chapel and the Lord talked to me. I promised I would serve Him and go anywhere He wanted me to go,” Hamlow said. “Little did I know He didn’t want me to go very far. He put me here to develop an athletics program with the support of then-President Cornelius Haggard.” Hamlow recounted games in the Cougar Dome with a thunderous home crowd, giving players a quarter to go buy their meals on road trips, beating Richard Felix’s Bethel College basketball team at the National Christian College Tournament decades before Felix became APU’s president, and watching as his legacy was carried on by coaches Bill O’Dell, Justin Leslie, and Peter Bond. “It’s been great to see how our coaches have ministered to their players,” he said. “That’s been true of all our coaches here at APU. That’s why I believe in this place.” Hamlow ended by commending his players for making an impact in the lives of so many young people.

“In my 89 years, I’ve learned that we never retire from God’s work. We will slow down, but we won’t retire, because God always has something for us to do and people’s lives to touch.”

Dylan and Cheri Harris ’98 are Fulfilling their Call with Shelter on the Lake

This article was originally published on APU’s website and in the APU Life magazine Spring 2023 issue.

Dylan and Cheri (Hacker) Harris ’98 are spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, or about as close as you can get to that. In 2011, after years of traveling across Asia and Europe and down the Pan-American Highway, the couple settled with their three kids—Ritter, 15, Amelia, 13, and Tobin, 11—in San Carlos de Bariloche, a lake town at the base of the Andes mountains in southern Argentina. Dylan and Cheri decided that this would be the perfect spot to launch a ministry—one geared toward backpackers.

“We spent a lot of time sharing the Gospel with locals on our travels, but they weren’t generally very receptive,” Dylan said. “Backpackers, on the other hand, were much more willing to talk about their faith. They’re searching, exploring, and are open to learning about Jesus.”

The couple runs Shelter on the Lake, which offers up to eight travelers at a time a spot to stay for free. Though lodging is free for guests, most contribute by helping pay for community food and participating in cleaning, cooking, and upkeep projects. Travelers come from all over the world, passing through on their journey north. During the day, guests and volunteers spend time on outdoor adventures including rock climbing, hiking, and paddle boarding.

“We purposefully spend time with them, getting to know their story, who they are,” Dylan said. “It’s when we’re out in this gorgeous Argentine paradise that we talk about Jesus.”

Shelter on the Lake is staffed by a rotating handful of volunteers from the U.S. who spend a few months at a time furthering God’s Kingdom. “When backpackers stay with us, they step into this Christian community where we truly do life together,” Dylan said. “We get to know them and pour into them. They’re overwhelmed by this love in word and deed that they’ve never experienced before.” Before the travelers depart, they’re given a small, lightweight Bible in their language to bring with them on their journey. “Our vision is for them to hear the Gospel, see it in action in the community, and take it with them,” Dylan said.

This ministry is possible because of what Dylan and Cheri learned while students at Azusa Pacific. Dylan worked full-time in the bookstore and helped lead Walkabout with former APU President Jon Wallace. “I was a nobody, but Jon made me feel like the most important person in the world,” Dylan said. “His listening and caring inspired me.” Dylan uses these same skills with guests and while discipling volunteers.

Cheri graduated with a degree in Spanish and Christian ministries and a minor in art. “Our ministry is a direct result of being equipped with the education we received at APU,” she said. Cheri used her creative skills to design the building for Shelter on the Lake, as well as make the furniture, crockery, and art inside. She uses her Spanish knowledge to communicate with locals and run the shelter. The couple also operates a small church out of their house, allowing Cheri to use what she learned in her ministry classes.

Dylan and Cheri are exactly where they want to be. “We’re living our dream. Everything that God created us for—outdoor adventures, travel, ministry, language, art—it all just came together,” Cheri said. “At APU, there were always conversations about doing what God has called you to do. We’re blessed to be doing the work that God made us for.” To learn more about Dylan and Cheri’s work with Shelter on the Lake, arrange a visit, or volunteer for the season, contact them at shelteronthelake@gmail.com.

Jason Richardson '10 lands deal on Shark Tank

This article was originally published on APU.edu.

Azusa Pacific University alumnus Jason Richardson ’10 walked onto the set of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” with his heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins. “That was probably the most nerve wracking moment of my life, other than proposing to my wife,” he said. Despite the high stakes and pressure, Richardson artfully delivered his business pitch to the celebrity judges and a television audience of millions, negotiating his way to a deal with a spectacular finish.

Richardson, who holds a marketing degree from APU, came into the tank asking for $300,000 for 10 percent of his company Bad Birdie, a golf clothing brand that designs “the freshest polos in golf.” As he stood in front of the five wealthy sharks, Richardson described the inspiration behind his business. “I went into a store to buy a polo for a golf tournament and I walked out with a basic shirt. I had an epiphany that all golf polos are the same. They’re dominated by solid colors and stripes, and are very boring. I’m someone who likes to wear bolder stuff,” he said. Richardson hunted online and in retail stores for something more exciting, but couldn’t find any golf shirts that appealed to him, so he decided to create some himself. Six months later, in May 2017, Richarson launched Bad Birdie.

With no fashion industry experience, Richardson researched the steps to make polos and found a designer to help him create bold prints that would be sure to grab attention on the golf course. The challenge came in finding a manufacturer to make the shirts. His business was so small at the time, that his orders weren’t large enough to meet factory terms. He improvised, buying plain white fabric in bulk, taking it to a printer, and bringing the designed fabric to a seamstress who sewed the polos by hand in a 1,000-square-foot space.

Initially, Richardson’s company struggled to lower manufacturing costs, but he gradually brought prices down as the demand for his product skyrocketed. In his first year of business, Bad Birdie captured $72,000 in sales, then grew to $412,000 in 2018, and to more than $1 million in 2019. “People love the look. They see Bad Birdie polos for the first time and say that’s exactly what they’ve been looking for,” he said. “The majority of growth has been word of mouth. People come up to each other on the course and ask where they got their polo, what brand it is.”

While Richardson has learned a lot in the three years since starting Bad Birdie, the road hasn’t been easy. “There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes. You might think, this guy started his own company, so he’s got it made, but it never lets up. Your back is against the wall every day. That’s why I wanted to bring in an investor who has done this many times already and can help us continue to grow year after year.”

That investor is tech mogul Robert Herjavec, and winning him over required some creativity on Richardson’s part, providing an entertaining television moment for “Shark Tank” viewers. While Herjavec clearly wanted a deal, he wasn’t willing to sway from $300,000 for 25 percent of the company. In response, Richardson walked behind his set display, pulled out a putter, and proposed that the shark make a six-foot-putt for a 25 percent deal, but if he missed they would settle on 20 percent. Herjavec accepted the challenge. The other sharks jeered and jibed as Herjavec lined his shot up and it stopped just an inch short of the hole. “I may not have made the putt, but I made the deal. Jason’s a great guy and it’s a great company. I’m really looking forward to getting out there,” Herjavec said in an Instagram video.

Richardson said he is extremely excited for the partnership and where his company is headed. He is also grateful to integrate the sport he loves into his business while continuing to enjoy it as a pastime. “I try to get in at least nine holes once a week. I don’t have nearly as much time to play as when I was a student at APU,” he said. Richardson recalls his final semester as a senior in college when he only had a couple classes, so he used his extra time to play golf every morning at Rancho Duarte Golf Course with his roommates.

If it had not been for those early morning rounds on the green, Richardson’s career path might have taken a different trajectory. “There’s a letter, a little prayer to God, that I wrote in my room. A week before I went on the show, I said, ‘I’m giving this all up to you and seeing what happens.’ That’s been my mantra this whole time,” Richardson said. “I have the huge privilege of running this company. At the end of the day, I’m trusting God. I’m not in this alone.”