Interview With Amy Wilhelm of Skullcoaster

Amy Whilhelm
Amy Wilhelm

I had the honor of interviewing Amy Wilhelm of Skullcoaster.

Skullcoaster was born from two passions: a love of design and joy in encouraging people to listen to the voice of their authentic selves. The skull represents your thoughts, and the coaster is the ride you take with them. You choose. Thinking for yourself is essential when the thoughts you think to create the life you live.

When Amy began brainstorming with Steven Myer-Rassow, a talented bespoke graphic designer and incredible photographer, she soon realized his imagery was essential to the brand. His visions of rollercoasters entwined with skulls are poignant representations of the force behind her vision. He gave her ideas from which in turn gave birth to a new idea. She immediately thought he must get royalties. People are attracted to Skullcoaster gear because of his art. For every item they buy, Steven receives a well-deserved percentage of the net profit.

The idea to pay royalties to every Skullcoaster designer was born and vehemently embraced as a core foundation of the brand.

Skullcoaster just started to work with celebrated artist AlloyiusMcilwaine who specializes in freestyle art and has been most recently featured at Art Basel, Philadelphia Eagle’s Gameday Posters and Maker’s Mark bottles and advertisements.  Alloyius will take the message and iconography of Skullcoaster and bring to it everything he is as an artist and as a person. What he creates won’t be a Photoshop file, something to be paid for and printed like a business transaction. His art will be something unique to the world and will forge new pathways with the powerful intention he brings. I like to think of Skullcoaster Artist Limited Editions as beacons, which are uplifting and encourage people to think for themselves, be who they are, and create the world they want to live in.

In creating Skullcoaster, Amy wanted to do two things. One, share the tips and tricks she has learned (and is learning) to overcome the unworthiness hurdles she has placed on her path throughout the years. Things like the disempowering notion that being a specific size or weight makes you inherently loveable and deserving. As she looked inward, she discovered she had her work cut out for her if she wanted to start believing she could live the life of her dreams with an unshatterable sense of self-worth.

Amy’s nature is to uplift others, but she first had to dig deeper to inspire and support herself consistently. In the aftermath of a contentious divorce, Skullcoaster emerged like a flower from a crack in the concrete. She discovered she could create something that merged her love of art and fashion while sharing the authentic life tips that are helping her change her mindset from the inside out.”

Can you share with us your background and your career?

Today, I’m a freelance creative writer with a degree in art history and a passion for uplifting others. Over the course of my life, I’ve run the gambit of jobs from retail to research assistant. It’s my heartfelt belief that it is not what we do that matters most, but how we use each opportunity to connect with our most authentic selves while bringing out the best in others. To this day, one of my most memorable interactions with someone doing an unheralded job was when a Popeye’s employee sang to me while she took my order. It was beautiful and authentic, and that’s the stuff that makes life joyful no matter what your “job” is.

Can you share with our readers how you started your company and the mission behind it?

Skullcoaster is founded on my belief in the power of positive thought. I wanted to combine my love of fashion and art into a brand that meant something. It’s also important to me to use eco-aware fabrics and make sure our streetwear is ethically produced. In the brand’s iconography, the skull represents your thoughts and the rollercoaster is the ride you take with them. I want people to harness their power by tuning into positive supportive self-talk. And because art is so essential to the brand (and the world) all Skullcoaster artists receive royalties for their designs.

How is diversity in the workplace evolving, how does it play into your company and its mission?

One of Skullcoaster’s taglines is You are who you say you are. Honestly, I was brought up in such a way that someone’s skin color or sexual preferences weren’t important factors at all. Kindness, compassion, and understanding are essential values to me. Since a company reflects its founder, Skullcoaster will always be a place not only of inclusion but one which celebrates differences.

During the pandemic many people lost their jobs and livelihood, how did your company adapt and pivot during this time to be what it is today?

We launched September 2021 so all we’ve known is pandemic life.

If you could go back and talk to your younger self what would you tell him and why? 

Don’t worry about getting things perfect. No one ever does, and perfection is one of life’s biggest myths. Trying is enough, in fact, it’s all that matters. And for goodness sake, have some fun sweetheart!

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? 

I’ve just partnered with a talented artist out of LA who specializes in adding bling to tees. Can’t wait to add some glam to the Skullcoaster line!

Where do you see yourself and your career going in this new year and in the future? 

I honestly believe in paying attention to your inner guidance and following it as best you can. I’m not sure exactly where I’ll end up, but I am confident I am on the perfect path for myself and Skullcoaster.

How can our readers connect with you on social media? 

I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @skullcoaster

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