Community Highlights: Meet Stephen & Natalie Morris of Mochi Panda Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen & Natalie Morris.

Stephen & Natalie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Stephen – My mother is Japanese and I grew up with a lot of cultural exposure. I started attending anime and comic conventions about eight years ago and had a lot of fun. I really enjoyed connecting with other people who had shared my interest in Japanese culture as well. I had some ideas of things I wanted to do. I wanted to give back to the anime community by spreading anime-inspired art and apparel. Eventually, Natalie and I found the right opportunity and we jumped on it! It’s a lot of work, but when you’re passionate about what you are doing, it doesn’t feel like work.

Natalie – Everyone is impacted by art in a different way. No matter what the artist’s intentions were when they created something, every person will have their own interpretation of how it speaks to them. Art is something beautiful and having the ability to help others express themselves with clothing that we create is an honor. In late 2019 we decided to make our dream a reality and began working out the logistics of production to attend conventions as a vendor.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting up a business is a lot of work! There are a lot of laws, forms, and paperwork to file with different agencies to become legitimate. If that weren’t enough, Covid had hit right when we were getting our first round of inventory in. We had applied to so many different conventions and they were all getting pushed back or canceled. At first, it was disappointing, but we saw this as another opportunity to really focus on refining our branding and to continue adding on to what we started with. With the pandemic interfering with our ability to attend conventions, we reached out to store owners to see if we could connect. It takes a lot of courage to gather your portfolio and share what you have to offer with others. We are fortunate that we have been able to move our product in stores like Niche & Dime and Seeker’s Cove, as well as our online website. This is all to say that if at first you encounter a roadblock or things don’t go your way, look for other avenues of opportunity and keep doing your best!

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Mochi Panda Studio is a partnership working together to make this business a success. We each have different strengths and skills, which enable us to work very independently but cohesively towards our idea of success. We specialize in Japanese culture and inspired art that we sell in the form of art (posters, pins, patches, etc.) and apparel (T-shirts). We are very particular about quality and want everyone’s experience with our products to be exceptional. We offer unique art in a style that can speak across generations and levels of enthusiasts. We are local to Raleigh, NC. We hope to spread our roots and grow our passion like the Oak City we love. We are very appreciative of all those who have supported us thus far and hope to see everyone in conventions soon!

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Stephen – Youtube and Pandora. Watching videos of other people sharing their passion and listening to music really help me to stay motivated and thinking positive.

Natalie – Books and music open another door for my mind to freely stretch in a mist of the everyday. Pandora, Youtube, and Audiobook are a few of my key apps. The writer, Haruki Murakami does a beautiful job at taking the normal of our world and blending it with the true fabric of imagination. All of his books are like a window into another world. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is a personal favorite. It is an enriching novel that ties the human existence to an essence of life. Reading and art of any type are excellent ways to keep a sharp mind and a balanced life.

Contact Info:

• Email: mochipandastudio@gmail.com
• Website: www.mochipandastudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mochi_panda_studio/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/MochiPandaStudio