Meet Kent Yoshimura | Muralist & Co-Founder at Neuro

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

Hi Kent, why did you pursue a creative career?
Communication is our tool to connect with those around us, and for me, art captures and materializes all the gaps in our communication. I’ve always been a visual person – art was the easiest way for me to express how I felt and what I was fascinated by in any given moment. As I got older, I realized my different forms of expression helped me build deeper relationships with people, whether it be friends, clients, or strangers. Of course, these connections can always improve. Art is and will always be an endless pursuit.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In the early days of building my art career and Neuro, clinical trials were my way of making extra money on the side (alongside a brief Postmates stint). I had went from training at a professional level in martial arts, to transitioning to a career as an illustrator, then transitioning again to work in a music studio. I made one last pivot in my life when I left that job to create independently start my own journey. I would typically spend two to three weeks in the hospital to be administered experimental drugs, followed by subsequent checkups. They would pay for each visit, and overall, I probably spent over 100 nights in the medical dorm rooms with some low dose of early stage pharmaceutical floating around inside me. But…I don’t regret doing any of this. It gave me the time and money to build the early stages of our company and my career as an artist without taking a full time job. There are a few rules we set when we started Neuro: 1) Never lose sight of who we are 2) Business will never get in the way of friendship 3) Entrepreneurship is a path to freedom, not just money 4) Work hard and from the heart Even now, these things don’t change. As Neuro continues to grow larger every year, we always want to be headed in the right direction – financially, morally, and sustainably.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The reason I love Los Angeles is that it combines so many cultures of all different socioeconomic levels in one city. I live in the Downtown Arts District near Little Tokyo, and before quarantine, hopping from brewery to brewery before ending the night with Karaoke and ramen at Tokyo Beat was a guaranteed good time. If you’re a visitor, it’s mandatory to get street tacos – I recommend Brothers Cousins in Mar Vista. Of course, this always tastes much better after a long night of Korean BBQ, soju, and drinks in K-town. For my active friends, a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway up into Oxnard is a great introduction to the ocean and our glorious sunsets or a trip east into the High Sierras or Joshua Tree ignites creativity in the best ways.

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?
Ryan Chen, the co-founder in my business Neuro, consistently amazes me with his selflessness. I’m fortunate to be shaped by him on a daily basis as we continue to build our company together.

Website: kentaronic.com
Instagram: kentaro
Linkedin: kentyoshimura
Twitter: kentaronic
Facebook: Kent Yoshimura
Youtube: Budget Boyz