Derek Sabori
Co-Founder
Kozm
Irvine, CA USA
“Be okay with wandering a little. Be okay with trying new things. And if it doesn’t work, bounce over and try something else.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationDerek Sabori
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I went to University of California, Irvine (UCI) and got my bachelor’s degree in fine arts.
Got a job at Volcom and eventually returned to UCI to get my MBA while I was working there.
There was an Eco Club at Volcom and we got together one day to watch An Inconvenient Truth, which made me realize the importance of environmental sustainability.
Became more and more interested in environmental sustainability and decided I wanted to focus my energy and work in that area.
Worked at Volcom for 19 years in various capacities, eventually specializing more and more in sustainability practices for the company.
Decided to take a huge risk and left Volcom to co-found, Kozm, a retail company providing sustainable yoga goods made mindfully and ethically.
I also still consult for Volcom and teach about sustainability at Orange Coast College.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Co-Founder
I'm an entrepreneur, a teacher, and a consultant mainly focusing on environmental sustainability.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Environment & Nature
Business
Upholding a Cause and Belief
Day to Day
My day to day is crazy and really unorthodox. I occupy a variety of roles so I typically look at my calendar the night before to see who I am meeting with, what needs to get accomplished, what travel I have coming up, etc. I work with the small nonprofit I help or I could go into the Volcom office where I work with the executive leadership and various other teams. I tend to travel A LOT. You will also see me putting together lecture notes for classes I teach, preparing tests, or grading work.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Be ok with wandering a little bit and trying new things. Be flexible and always willing to bounce to the next thing. Learn about the foundations of why sustainability is important and keep yourself informed on all of the emerging knowledge coming out of that space.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I'm 45, I shouldn't quit my job just to start something new that might not work out. "
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation College Student
Changed Major
Career Change
