605: Aaron Levant | NTWRK Shopping with Culture's Creators

ComplexCon

Aaron Levant's journey to creating ComplexCon began with his early venture, Agenda, a streetwear trade show he started at 19. This evolved into the largest streetwear and sneaker trade show globally, eventually leading him to collaborate with Marc Ecko to create ComplexCon. Aaron describes ComplexCon as the "Comic-Con for sneaker culture," a concept that quickly became a massive success.

We set out to create Comic-Con for sneaker culture and street culture.

--- Aaron Levant

Aaron's innovative approach and understanding of the market's shift from B2B to direct-to-consumer were key to ComplexCon's success 1 2.

   

Competition

Aaron Levant's competitive nature played a significant role in his success. He often took bold risks, such as giving equity to a celebrity without consulting lawyers, to ensure the success of ComplexCon. His willingness to challenge competitors and his drive to outperform them fueled his entrepreneurial spirit.

I enjoy competition. I'm a generally competitive person. I like having an adversary on the dart board.

--- Aaron Levant

Aaron's story of overcoming rejection and using it as motivation to dismantle a rival company highlights his relentless drive 3 4.

   

Counterculture

Aaron Levant's roots in graffiti and counterculture significantly influenced his career. His defiant nature and creative expression through graffiti led him to the streetwear industry. Aaron's unconventional path, driven by a rebellious spirit, allowed him to see opportunities where others did not.

Graffiti was this outlet for me to be creative. It then had parallels to music, skateboarding, and design.

--- Aaron Levant

This background helped him connect with like-minded individuals and build a unique brand identity in the streetwear market 5 6.