Meet Stanley Shimamoto | Entrepreneur & Bodhisattva
We had the good fortune of connecting with Stanley Shimamoto and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Stanley, how do you think about risk?
I am risk seeking. I believe there are differences, however, in the intent behind risk. I do not take risks for the thrill of taking a risk. Instead, I take risks with the goal of aligning my actions with what I authentically want for my life and the world. It pains me that many of our world systems make living beings suffer and destroy our environment. I’ve taken risks in my career to do work that I feel lessens suffering and destruction. I strive to live in the present, constantly reflect on my actions, and contribute to creating a world of peace, creativity, love and happiness for all.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love the interconnectedness of our world and always try to look for the beauty in our environment. This search for beauty first led me to a career as a designer fashion buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Susan of Burlingame, a high-end boutique in Northern California. While working in the luxury industry for 15 years, I saw firsthand the enormous amount of waste and overconsumption that the industry produced. I decided to take my love for beauty, passion for sustainability, and deep knowledge of merchandising and redirect it to a business that would contribute to the long-term health of our planet. On August 24, 2021, I launched Sustainley.com initially as a blog that created awareness around how our everyday behavior influences the environment. Then in April 2022, I opened Sustainley.com as an e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar store in Hollywood in a multi-use space owned by jewelry and ceramics artist Sonia Boyajian. Sustainley.com is your corner store that sells eco-friendly products, such as mineral toothpaste, all-natural snacks & drinks, herbal supplements, and non-toxic household cleaning products. I do the work to vet the products and look for less plastic, compostability, natural ingredients from regenerative farms that are plant-based and animal-cruelty free. My dream is that Sustainley will one day be the CVS or Walgreens of sustainability. I think that understanding sustainability is a journey and the journey should be joyful, so I make shopping at Sustainley fun and appreciate customers’ every little effort to make choices that help our environment thrive. Let’s live life Sustainley together!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d first welcome my best friend to my home, the Hollywood Riviera, an iconic building in West Hollywood designed in 1954 by renowned mid-century architect Edward Fickett. The building is historically preserved by the state of California.
Nearby is Runyon Canyon, so we will get our blood flowing by taking a hike and soaking in the 360 degree views of LA.
Our next stop is Go Get “Em Tiger (GGET) in West Hollywood for an Oat Milk Cortado and the Overnight Oats. GGET is the best for artisan coffee and neighborhood love. The little corner they are on is great for people/dog watching and making new friends in the neighborhood.
We love luxury and fashion so a definite stop on our itinerary is Sonia Boyajian at 357 N La Brea Avenue in the La Brea neighborhood of Hollywood. Sonia is a jeweler and ceramicist who designs jewelry and objects that bring joy to your life. Currently having a residency in Sonia’s studio is the illustrious fashion boutique MAMEG LA, which carries such collections as Loewe, Jil Sander, Bernhard Willhelm, Walter Van Beirendonck, Marni, Bless and Margaret Birdseye. For decades, only those “in the know” have shopped at MAMEG LA. Not surprisingly, SUSTAINLEY, my budding Eco-Friendly Convenience Store is also housed in this building.
Lunch is a communal experience at Sonia’s in-studio kitchen table, where it’s a potluck. We talk, laugh, and encourage each other through life’s challenges while breaking bread.
A quick after lunch pit stop for donuts at SK Donut by The Grove before we head back to my apartment for a power nap.
To top off 24 hours in LA, dinner is Bottega Louie in West Hollywood. Our menu choices are Pinot Grigio, Portobello fries, Calabrese pizza, beignets, and a box of macarons to-go.
My friends are probably sick of me saying how much I love LA. Its friendly and joyful energy topped with its incredible diversity is unmatched in the world. And, the incredible weather…enough said. LA is the city of the moment AND of the future.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The most important organization in my life is the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), led by my mentor Daisaku Ikeda. The SGI is a lay Buddhist organization with over 12 million members in over 120 countries and territories throughout the world. Members of the SGI believe that all life is equally valuable and respect-worthy. Furthermore, we believe that each and every life has the infinite potential to be deeply happy and daily sufferings can be transformed into joy. Our aim everyday is to love and appreciate our own lives and support our family members, friends, and all those that we encounter in the course of our daily lives. The practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo repetitively allows us to reflect on our lives and bring forth innate qualities such as courage, wisdom, perseverance, compassion, and kindness.
My mom joined the SGI in 1980. Her inner strength, confidence, compassion, and joy inspired me to join the SGI in 1998 at the age of 22. This year marks my 25th anniversary of consistently practicing Buddhism and participating in SGI peace-making activities. I believe that all life is interconnected. As I strive each day to reach out to and encourage others in my environment, I am fueling my own happiness and contributing to a greater sense of harmony in our world. When even one more person can feel happiness and joy in their life, we collectively are one step closer to world peace. Living with the SGI is an extremely hopeful way to live.
More information on the SGI can be found at buddhability.org and @buddhability on Instagram.
Website: sustainley.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainley/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanley-shimamoto-09290955/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainley
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