Meet Ari Cogen | Content Creator & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ari Cogen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ari, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
What makes me happy? Honestly, so many simple, sensory things. Sunlight on my skin. Cold fruit on the beach. Swimming in the ocean. Riding a skateboard down a long, winding hill. Cliff jumping, doing flips, blasting my favorite music with the windows down. Watching the sunset with friends and feeling completely present in the moment. I think what really makes me happy is human experience itself — being immersed in new places, new cultures, new energy. I’m happiest when I’m outside, moving, exploring, connecting. The little things mean everything to me. It’s the emotion, the connection, the shared laughter, the feeling of being fully alive. Those human moments — that’s what turns ordinary days into something unforgettable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is rooted in feeling. I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of turning life into a movie — capturing moments in a way that makes them feel nostalgic, cinematic, and bigger than they might seem in real time. Golden hour light, movement, water, mountains, music — I don’t just film places, I try to capture energy. My work blends travel, human expereince, and storytelling into something that feels like freedom. That emotional through-line is what sets me apart. It’s not just about where I am — it’s about what it feels like to be there. A big part of my creative identity is the “Endless Summer” and “Forever Youth” aesthetic. I’m proud of how cohesive my world feels. Whether it’s a travel video, a DJ set in nature, a group trip with my brand INDVDUALS, everything connects back to the same idea: creating experiences that make people feel alive.
Professionally, I didn’t take the traditional route. I chose filmmaking and building my own path over a more conventional college experience. It wasn’t easy. There were long stretches of uncertainty — inconsistent income, self-doubt, comparison, trying to figure out how to monetize creativity without losing authenticity. I’ve had to learn business, branding, sales, networking, storytelling, editing, and resilience all at once. There were times where opportunities didn’t work out, brands said no, or projects fell through.
What helped me overcome those challenges was obsession with the craft and belief in the long game. I kept creating even when no one was watching. I invested in learning, in relationships, and in myself. I learned that consistency compounds. I learned that your unique perspective is your leverage. And I learned that fear usually points toward the direction you need to grow.
The biggest lesson? No one is coming to “discover” you. You have to build your own world. You have to take risks before you feel ready. You have to be okay being misunderstood while you’re early.
What I want the world to know about me and my brand is this: I’m not just making videos. I’m building a lifestyle ecosystem around experience — travel, movement, community, art, and entrepreneurship. INDVDUALS is about carving your own path and designing a life that feels intentional. My story is still being written, but at its core, it’s about chasing freedom, turning vision into reality, and showing others that you don’t need permission to build your dream life — you just need conviction and consistency.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love living in LA because it’s endlessly diverse—there’s always a new spot to discover. My ideal day starts with coffee, a good breakfast, and work on the laptop at places like Urth Caffé, Jackson Market, Mud WTR, or Saba Surf Cafe. For nightlife, there’s a clear difference between grabbing drinks and going out: drinks mean calmer, dive bar vibes like Tiny’s, The Benjamin, or El Chucho; going out means dancing and conversing at spots like Dirty Laundry, EP & LP, Barney’s WeHo or a warehouse DJ set. I spend as much time as possible by the water—Malibu days at Zuma or Point Dume, seafood lunch at Malibu Farm on the pier, sunset in the mountains at a secret overlook, and dinner at Spruzzo’s. Add in scenic drives through the Hollywood Hills and along Mulholland, palm trees on Beverly Drive, and if time allows, a quick trip to Laguna Beach, Joshua Tree, or Santa Barbara—and that’s the perfect LA experience.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my community on Instagram. It’s way more than a “number of followers” to me. These are real people who connect with something about me, whether they like my content or something about me as a human. There are people who have been following me since Day 1 — when I was 14 years old in 2018 — posting to less than 1,000 people. And now, in the last year, we’ve built a community of over 25,000 people. You guys give me so much support I can’t even comprehend it sometimes. I’m so grateful for every single person who believes in my dreams, resonates with my art and videos, and shows the overwhelming amount of love that I receive. Some of my best friends in real life started out as a follower on Instagram. This community is genuinely one of the greatest things I’ve built in my lifetime.

Website: https://hoo.be/aricogen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aricogen/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aricogen

Image Credits
Ari Cogen