We had the good fortune of connecting with Joey Wiz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was traveling and wanted to represent my home state. Nothing at local gift shops appealed to me. Everything you see at the airport is pretty lame. We were always edgy growing up – the skater, punker, metal kids. We wanted to wear something that resembled our state, but also the mindset and clothing we already wore. Eventually, that lead to United Skulls America.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m most proud about how many other people appreciate and love the brand. People send photos of themselves wearing the shirts from around the world. They send United Skulls-inspired artwork. They get tattoos of our designs! It’s pretty wild. People have made a connection to the brand and made it their own.

The main lesson I would share is to trust your instincts. It’s always great to have people give input, but you know what’s best for you. Don’t let others convince you otherwise. In the end, you have to do what’s best for you and what makes you happy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Too many fun things in the city to do, but I would definitely start at the Buckhead Diner. For a more touristy adventure, the aquarium is the place to take visitors.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my family for all their love and support through this process! They’ve always been ambassadors of the brand.

Shoutout to my friends for all their inspiration, for their brotherhood and sisterhood, for helping out at street festivals, for helping me fold shirts all the time, for dropping off beers at the shop, for spreading the word about the brand, and for putting up with me always talking about shirts.

Website: unitedskullsamerica.com

Instagram: unitedskullsamerica

Twitter: SkullsUnited

Facebook: unitedskullsamerica

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.