Casanova.

Watching someone you love and respect work on something passionately with focus, drive, and serious intent makes you want them to achieve the success they’re reaching for that much more. In this case it’s been one of my best friends, partner in crime, and influencer Nick Casanova.

My personal taste for creative fullness has been met in the past and since has left me with an almost insatiable appetite for being behind the scenes. Whether powdering noses at Angkor Wat for GQ or dodging models donning avant garde, the thrill of seeing something visionary coming together before my eyes is something that I haven’t felt in a while. In real estate, you don’t have as many opportunities to make that mark and touch those nerves.

It was particularly refreshing after what feels like an extremely long time since feeling all that passionate about a project to have involvement in a photo shoot for Nick today in partnership with incredibly talented locals with the same penchant for creating. The amount of effort, time, and care he’s put into this project and flexing his entrepreneurial muscles over the past several months has been inspiring. Dozens of hours and gallons of coffee have been absorbed as he connects with go-getters from around The City of Destiny.

The shoot took place at a Downtown Tacoma light filled studio (thanks to Made to Create PNW) for Nick’s growing baby company, 1884. Warmth from the ancient radiator clashed with the October chill wafting through the open windows, the gurgle of the steamer gliding its way across fabric, surrounded by over caffeinated eyes lit with expectation and wonder.

It was a true delight to watch him navigate around the models, photographer, and stylists camera in hand to capture all of the behind the scenes images and eyes constantly scanning the room for changes, darting about to ensure each look was to his satisfaction and that each piece lived up to the imagery he had set in his mind weeks prior. It hasn’t been an easy road to get to where he is now- and it’s not near where Nick hopes to be. In his eyes, he’s miles away from his goals but with his ability to gather a crew like the one we worked alongside today, the future is bright. Tacoma was founded in 1884, but its legacy and love only remains because of gents like Nicholas Casanova- and we’re lucky for that.