ALOHA! I’m SIMON CHIN

I was born and raised in New Jersey – Jersey, Dirty Jerz or referred to by some as “The Armpit of America” *rude* I worked, lived and played in Manhattan – NYC, New York, the City – for over a decade, and now get to call the Aloha State home. I live in Honolulu, Hawaii with my amazing wife and our two lovely dogs, Prince and Choco. 

I am a brand builder, marketer, product development specialist, director, videographer and published professional photographer all rolled into one. Say what now? I get that a lot but it’s true. I’ve worn many hats and have been tested by fire. I love the business side just as much as I love the creative. Having worked on both sides of the fence is one of my greatest strengths. I do my best not to let logic derail creative so it’s a tight line to walk.

My passion is to successfully bring creative ideas to life, no matter how “impossible” it may seem at the time. I enjoy working on anything from grassroots projects with limited budget to multimillion dollar ones with global powerhouses, so long as the mission aligns with my own personal values. It’s hard to say no to money, but somethings in life are just not worth it. I will not work on anything hateful, addictive or deceitful. I never have and never will. If you’re cool with that, carry on.  If not, our journey ends here. Thanks for looking at my portfolio and I wish you well.

I’ve had the pleasure to work with some of the greatest athletes and entertainers in the world, some of the biggest brands to exist in my lifetime that I love and even some of my idols growing up, both dead and alive. I’m pretty sure my teenage self wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen with me.

I am a student of life and love to capture glimpses of it how I see it, no matter if only one person sees my work or the entire world. I appreciate the opportunities that have come my way and if my work has positively influenced just one person, I’m eternally grateful.  

I built this website as a portfolio of works that I’ve produced over the years. It shows most of my work that I have rights to and I will be adding more as time passes.

I started my career on the lowest rung of the marketing department at Marc Ecko Enterprises. A few years later, I became the Brand Manager for the Jabbawockeez clothing line, JBWKZ Clothing. I later went from the urban and dance clothing world into the mixed martial arts space. I became the Brand Manager for TapouT in 2011 for Authentic Brands Group (ABG). With no budget for some shoots we needed to have done, I stuck my neck out to grasp the opportunity to jump behind the camera and have never looked back.  

In 2013, I became the head of products at ABG, overseeing product, partnership and line development for all brands, including TapouT, other MMA brands, the Estate of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley Enterprises at the time, as well as the staff photographer.  By 2017, our portfolio of brands grew to over 30, including Juicy Couture, Aeropostale, Shaquille O’Neal – yes, that’s Shaq for short, Tretorn, Hickey Freeman, Spyder, Prince Tennis, and many many more. It was an amazing experience but at the end of 2017, my wife and I decided to leave everything behind and move to Honolulu to be closer to her family here on the island.

In 2018, my wife and I created GEO | Nail Art Studio literally from the ground up and have been continuing to live our best lives together. Thank you for reviewing my portfolio and reading this short bio of me low-key bragging about my accomplishments. For real though, I appreciate you. I hope you keep me in mind for your next project!