Marcus Milione started Minted New York on his lunch breaks while working in commercial real estate debt. It began on TikTok, where he’d post three videos a day about fashion and fitness, usually wearing jewelry he'd made himself. Viewers wanted the jewelry, so he started selling it. Today, Minted New York has grown into a brand spanning performance running apparel, menswear, and jewelry, while also venturing into documentary filmmaking. They just released their first documentary: a 50-minute film about Olympic medalist Grant Fisher. Here, Marcus talks about why we've romanticized quitting, the ’90s trance he has on repeat, and why the New York City skyline continues to inspire him.

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What's your hot take?

I think we've romanticized quitting things that are difficult. There's this idea online that if something isn't making you happy, you should walk away from it. Obviously, there are situations where that's the right decision, but I think we've lost some appreciation for sticking with things when they're genuinely hard.

Three places you’ve felt inspired by.

Anytime I drive back into NYC at night and can see the skyline in the distance. You look out the window and realize that human beings, through sheer willpower, built all of this out of nothing. Early mornings in Central Park. Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

What do you listen to on repeat?

Right now? ’90s trance classics (“Netherworld” by LSG, “Seven Days” by BBE, etc.), but it’s always changing. Tomorrow it might be “45” by Shinedown. Depends on my mood that day.

What are the most worthwhile investments you’ve made?

Running, a Wüsthof chef’s knife, regular dental checkups and cleanings, and Eight Sleep.

Can you tell us more about your creative process?

I tend to be an overthinker, and because of that, I can sometimes find myself focusing too much on the edge cases, the things that could go wrong, or the reasons why an idea might not work before I've even given it a chance.

As I've become less involved in the day-to-day product design (shout-out to Clay, Shawn, etc.) and more focused on the bigger, less tangible world of brand building and creative direction, I've found that a lot of my thinking happens while I'm running. I don't run with music, so I spend a lot of time alone with my thoughts.

Some days, ideas come naturally, and I can work through something that's been on my mind for weeks without much effort. Other days, it feels like I'm banging my head against a brick wall, turning the same idea over and over without getting anywhere.

I think one of the things I've learned is that you can't really force creativity, but you can create the conditions for it to happen. There's value in continuing to show up, giving yourself the space to think, and trusting that the work you're putting in will eventually lead somewhere.

What is an unusual habit, or an absurd thing, that you love?

I'm sure it doesn't count as unusual, but I love going to sleep early. There's nothing like getting under the covers after being spent from a long day and knowing I can turn off my brain until my eyes open in the morning.

Who is your forever inspo?

How do I narrow it down to one? I find myself interested in too many things to look at life through one lens. I'm a builder at heart, and I've always admired people that build great, enduring things. I have a tremendous amount of respect for world-building, particularly the ability to take a single idea and turn it into something that extends far beyond a physical product. People like Ralph Lauren, Jim Jannard, and Melanie Perkins all come to mind, each for different reasons.

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