Interview with John McCaskill, CEO
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: MegaFauna was created to offer a retail and creative services platform for independents in Colorado who are looking to grow business opportunities. And so, my path was very much born in this way as well. In 2008, my friend Rob Bell and I started DeRailed Ink, a print and design company focused initially on producing sports parody apparel. We couldn’t find any viable retail stores to accommodate our needs. After several years in business, our needs and those of other artists in Denver grew to the point that something needed to be done, and MegaFauna was created.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: MegaFauna is a throwback concept to the times when communities only had a local network to establish or grow their business. We instill this practice of conscious consumerism at every opportunity, which allows us to provide a limitless services platform. Whether a client is established or is an emerging business, we can access local resources to deliver products from concept to completing the sale.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: The day-to-day interaction with the creative, rich talent of Colorado is an unparalleled experience. I am blessed to participate in the growth and development with an undefinable range of talent from youth into the aging segment. Additionally, working in a public-facing retail store allows me to sit at the intersection of creativity and commerce that cannot be duplicated. While we all have to work, I am fortunate to be able to look forward to new experiences with these individuals and groups daily.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: The biggest challenge at MegaFauna is that every part of every opportunity is always moving and therefore the process is always evolving. I try to turn that challenge into opportunity for the clients I work with by constantly exploring new avenues and introducing artists to the opportunities I see developing from the business side. I see it as my job to introduce creative talent to these types of business challenges and allow them the opportunity to participate in this evolution.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: I am not an artist, at least not in the traditional sense. I didn’t study art outside of required courses in high school and college, but I always maintained an appreciation for how art and the creative process impacts the future-making of every aspect of modern lives. When the bottom fell out of my ladder-climbing corporate gig, I had to start literally from nothing. With the help of the creative community in Colorado, I began to learn skill sets that I never knew existed from elementary drawing to full scale apparel design and production.
Profile
Business: MegaFauna
Address: 3102 Blake St.
Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sunday, Monday by appointment only
Founded: 2011
Contact: 720-982-8049, ,
Employees: 1
