Back in the Adweek days, Jay Kamath and Matt Johnson got on my radar. As a West Coast-based editor, I’d make my way down to LA from time to time (and spend time with one of my faves, Terry Stanley). 2018 was when I first met the 72andSunny alums.
Walking into their office for the first time, I could feel the vibe and see the ambition. The work showed that vibe, too, with a beautifully done piece for beach brand Reef.
Jay and I stayed in touch, and during a ThinkLA party earlier this year, he told me that HAYMAKER was officially a minority-owned business, certified by the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC). Getting this certification isn’t easy, but it is worth it—and demanded a celebration.
But this wasn’t your typical party: Jay enlisted his mom, Sheila, to come out from Augusta, Georgia, to cook Southern Indian food for 100 people in their new space tucked in a great part of Culver City.
Side note: the food was a 17/10.
For one night, the agency was named Mukka (meaning “punch” in Hindi) and had all the trappings of old-school Hindi action movies—with a design that would feel right at home in India (check out Terry Stanley’s Adweek writeup here).
We spent a little time with Jay and his mom to learn more about becoming an official minority-owned business, his path to today and more.
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Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
