“If you do something, you’re passionate about it and you give all your energy to make it, it’s going to happen.”
Today we’re in the design studio of one of my really good friends who is a super talented Jewelry designer, Maor Cohen. His line is called M Cohen designs; he’s got a couple stores in LA, and is now in demand all over the world. Funny thing for me is that I never really even thought about wearing jewelry until I met Maor a few years back. He gave a sick bracelet to a mutual friend of ours for his birthday, and immediately when I saw it I said, “I’ve got to get me one of those.” Shortly there after, I’ve seen him go from making the pieces himself in his living room, to having a beautiful store on third street in West Hollywood.
He’s made some amazing pieces for people like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and many other big celebrities. More importantly, he’s got an inspiring story of moving from a small town in Israel to LA, barely speaking english, to creating a big business in fashion with a cult following. He’s now doing collaborations with people like John Varvatos and leading the industry in mens jewelry. Not to mention, his accent is awesome!
I love the charm and charisma that Maor brings to the table, as its genuinely helped him to connect with people and build his creative business. He is a walking brand.
“Be aware that it’s not going to be an easy ride, but never give up.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/maor-cohen-jewelry-design” title=”Maor Cohen – How To Build a Career as a Jewlery Designer” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/14_MCohen_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- On designing jewelry for stars like Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Usher and more
- How he grew up in a small village in Northern Israel
- Stories and tips for overcoming ADD while growing up
- How to get started in the Jewelry game: reconstructing Mom’s necklaces
- The path from Israel, to South America and finally to the California surf culture
- How he sold his first collection to Kitson
- How to develop from a street artist to a well respected creative entrepreneur
- The source of Maor’s intense passion for creativity
- The traveler ethos behind the jewelry and stacking experiences
- How Maor met and helped Natalia Benson get back into the jewelry design game
- The value of travel for Maor’s life and his vision
LET'S CONSPIRE & CREATE
CULTIVATING YOUR VISUAL UNIQUENESS AND STREAMLINING YOUR BRAND'S EVOLUTION
“If you do something, you’re passionate about it and you give all your energy to make it, it’s going to happen.”
Today we’re in the design studio of one of my really good friends who is a super talented Jewelry designer, Maor Cohen. His line is called M Cohen designs; he’s got a couple stores in LA, and is now in demand all over the world. Funny thing for me is that I never really even thought about wearing jewelry until I met Maor a few years back. He gave a sick bracelet to a mutual friend of ours for his birthday, and immediately when I saw it I said, “I’ve got to get me one of those.” Shortly there after, I’ve seen him go from making the pieces himself in his living room, to having a beautiful store on third street in West Hollywood.
He’s made some amazing pieces for people like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and many other big celebrities. More importantly, he’s got an inspiring story of moving from a small town in Israel to LA, barely speaking english, to creating a big business in fashion with a cult following. He’s now doing collaborations with people like John Varvatos and leading the industry in mens jewelry. Not to mention, his accent is awesome!
I love the charm and charisma that Maor brings to the table, as its genuinely helped him to connect with people and build his creative business. He is a walking brand.
“Be aware that it’s not going to be an easy ride, but never give up.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/maor-cohen-jewelry-design” title=”Maor Cohen – How To Build a Career as a Jewlery Designer” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/14_MCohen_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- On designing jewelry for stars like Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Usher and more
- How he grew up in a small village in Northern Israel
- Stories and tips for overcoming ADD while growing up
- How to get started in the Jewelry game: reconstructing Mom’s necklaces
- The path from Israel, to South America and finally to the California surf culture
- How he sold his first collection to Kitson
- How to develop from a street artist to a well respected creative entrepreneur
- The source of Maor’s intense passion for creativity
- The traveler ethos behind the jewelry and stacking experiences
- How Maor met and helped Natalia Benson get back into the jewelry design game
- The value of travel for Maor’s life and his vision
3/25/14
14: Maor Cohen – How To Build A Career as a Jewelry Designer
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
BOOK A BRAND PHOTOSHOOT
GET THE DETAILS
GET THE DETAILS
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
PODCAST
BRAND INTELLIGENCE
CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE
LIFE INTELLIGENCE
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
“If you do something, you’re passionate about it and you give all your energy to make it, it’s going to happen.”
Today we’re in the design studio of one of my really good friends who is a super talented Jewelry designer, Maor Cohen. His line is called M Cohen designs; he’s got a couple stores in LA, and is now in demand all over the world. Funny thing for me is that I never really even thought about wearing jewelry until I met Maor a few years back. He gave a sick bracelet to a mutual friend of ours for his birthday, and immediately when I saw it I said, “I’ve got to get me one of those.” Shortly there after, I’ve seen him go from making the pieces himself in his living room, to having a beautiful store on third street in West Hollywood.
He’s made some amazing pieces for people like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and many other big celebrities. More importantly, he’s got an inspiring story of moving from a small town in Israel to LA, barely speaking english, to creating a big business in fashion with a cult following. He’s now doing collaborations with people like John Varvatos and leading the industry in mens jewelry. Not to mention, his accent is awesome!
I love the charm and charisma that Maor brings to the table, as its genuinely helped him to connect with people and build his creative business. He is a walking brand.
“Be aware that it’s not going to be an easy ride, but never give up.”
[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/nickonken/maor-cohen-jewelry-design” title=”Maor Cohen – How To Build a Career as a Jewlery Designer” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/14_MCohen_NIONradio_02.jpg” color=”de4b9b” ]
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- On designing jewelry for stars like Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Usher and more
- How he grew up in a small village in Northern Israel
- Stories and tips for overcoming ADD while growing up
- How to get started in the Jewelry game: reconstructing Mom’s necklaces
- The path from Israel, to South America and finally to the California surf culture
- How he sold his first collection to Kitson
- How to develop from a street artist to a well respected creative entrepreneur
- The source of Maor’s intense passion for creativity
- The traveler ethos behind the jewelry and stacking experiences
- How Maor met and helped Natalia Benson get back into the jewelry design game
- The value of travel for Maor’s life and his vision
3/25/14
14: Maor Cohen – How To Build A Career as a Jewelry Designer
When you need a trusted creative partner in the room.
Take the Fit Check
Be seen at the level you’re stepping into.
Hey! I'm Nick.
PHOTOGRAPHER
BRAND ALCHEMIST
TEACHER
At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia.
Build authority from the inside out.
Emanate is a creative-direction-led photography experience for entrepreneurs, speakers, and thought leaders in a moment of expansion. This isn’t about better photos. It’s about aligning how you’re seen with who you’ve become. For seasons of rebrand, visibility, and next-level leadership.
Magnetic Authority is a self-guided container for people who feel visible, but not fully anchored.
If your message keeps shifting, your brand feels inconsistent, or your presence doesn’t match your capability yet. This is where you build the foundation before you scale.
Take the Fit Check
Start Here
For founders, creatives, and leaders who want a trusted long-term partner. This isn’t coaching or traditional consulting.
It’s an ongoing creative partnership focused on bringing your personal brand identity to life.
Your brand. Your website. Your visuals.
All shaped as a direct extension of who you are. The work also includes a bespoke process of identifying and aligning the right experts when needed, so nothing gets built out of sync with your core.
Explore the Partnership
Quiet. Precise. Highly Selective.
NEXT post
PREVIOUS post
read the latest
Visual identity isn’t about how you look. It’s about how you make someone feel when they first encounter you. Before anyone reads your words, they feel your presence.Before trust, there is tone.Before authority, there is resonance. This is where Elevated Realism™ lives.Not in polish.Not in perfection.In presence. The Problem With Most Brand Imagery Most visual […]
There’s something pulling at you. Not a plan. Not a strategy. Not even a clear destination. Just this persistent tug that won’t let go. You’ve probably tried to rationalize it away. To wait for more clarity. To map out the full journey before taking a step. But here’s what I’ve learned after years of building […]
What happens when your inner transformation meets visual expression? When Caoimhe Harrison came to me, she wasn’t just looking for new photos. She was mid-evolution. Her coaching practice had deepened. Her energy had shifted. And the version of her that existed online no longer matched the woman she was becoming. She didn’t need a rebrand. […]
(For the Financial Brains Who Don’t Get It Yet) Let’s talk numbers. Just not the ones you’re used to. If you’re financially minded, you’ve probably asked this question before:“How does photography actually pay me back?” It’s fair. You’re not looking for vibes.You want leverage. Personal brand photography often gets dismissed as “nice to have” because […]
Most photographers compete on price. The best ones don’t compete at all. If you’ve ever looked at photographer pricing and wondered why some charge $500 while others charge $5,000 for what looks like the same service, you’re asking the right question. The answer isn’t about skill. It’s about authority. Two photographers can have identical technical […]
A Free Download for Aligned, Effortless Shoots Most photoshoots fail before the camera ever comes out. Not because of lighting.Not because of gear.Not because of posing. They fail because of misalignment. People show up hoping the camera will figure out what they haven’t clarified yet.And the result is predictable. Good photos.Wrong signal. This checklist exists […]
2026 Packages This isn’t coverage. It’s coherence. An Elevated Realism™ shoot isn’t designed to give you more photos.It’s designed to give you clarity, consistency, and authority across your entire brand ecosystem. Every element of the experience exists to solve one problem:Your current visuals no longer reflect who you’ve become. Here’s exactly what’s included in an […]
Q1 isn’t about starting over. It’s about being seen correctly. The new year doesn’t create momentum.It reveals who prepared for it. Q1 is when visibility resets.When attention sharpens.When people decide who they’re listening to this year. And the fastest way that decision gets made isn’t through words.It’s through visuals. That’s why Q1 is the most […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post This Is More Than a Photoshoot These aren’t generic content sessions. Every photoshoot is individually crafted — built around your unique narrative, your energy signature, and where your brand is heading. We call these Emanate Photoshoots intentionally. The purpose is to capture not just who you are […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post AI Isn’t Optional Anymore If you’re running a business in 2026 and not using AI, you’re already behind. That’s not hype. It’s just the reality of how fast things are moving. Whether you’re a coach, creative, consultant, or brand builder — AI is how you stay lean, […]
Because this isn’t just a photoshoot. It’s a portal. If you’re here, you already know this isn’t about taking “pictures.” It’s about capturing essence. Crafting identity. Transmitting the frequency of who you are becoming. This is more than a brand refresh. It’s a visual rite of passage. And it begins with a simple, sacred step: […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post Your Brand Lives in a Specific Universe A personal brand isn’t just what you offer — it’s the world you create around your work.That universe gets defined through imagery. Not only your presence, but the environments you inhabit. The textures that surround you. The quality of light […]
You’ve probably seen both. You might even think they’re the same thing. But there’s a fundamental difference between headshots and brand photography that changes everything about how your audience perceives you. One simply shows your face. The other tells your story. What Headshots Are Actually For A headshot has one job: identification. Think of it […]
About the Blogger
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
