Jordan Star · Los Angeles

Fitting in is like…so yesterday

Come back on desktop
…if you don’t mind?

Most sites bend over backwards to be mobile-friendly. This one doesn't. I have a reason for that (though it's a risky one, I'll admit).

Here’s the contrary part.

Most people spend a lot of energy being as easy to consume as possible, in as many places as possible. As a creative, as a marketer, as a person living in this century — I get the logic. I really do.

I just don’t want to be one more thing you swipe past between a meme and a text.

So much of how we get experienced — as people, as creatives — doesn’t feel like it’s up to us. We’re perceived in fragments, on someone else’s terms, in whatever two seconds we’re given. And I think that’s doing something to us. Quietly, steadily, it’s flattening the way we see each other.

This site is my small refusal of that. I believe the “be everything, everywhere, all at once” mentality is causing more harm than we’re willing to admit. The antidote — at least mine — is to be intentional about how I’m seen. To take up the right kind of space instead of all the space. To be known fully in fewer places, rather than barely in many.

If you want to know me, I’d love for you to get to know me the way I actually am. Full-bleed, unhurried, on a screen big enough to hold all of my quirks, ideas, and experiences. Oh, and by the way, I’d love to get to know you, too :)

It’s not gatekeeping for its own sake. It’s just my small, possibly unprofessional attempt to live just one of the many changes I hope to see in this world.

Open this on a desktop. That’s the only ticket.

Want a nudge when you're at a desktop?

Drop your email and pick when. I'll remind you to come back and see it properly.

Remind me in…

The Contrary Child · best on desktop

Hello!

Growing up, I was often known as the contrary child — and for the reasons you'd imagine. I thought about things differently, asked why a little too many times, didn't fit neatly into one box, loved playing devil's advocate, and knew the rules but loved breaking them.

For years I tried to rein that in. Then, eventually, it hit me: the times I've excelled — and the times I've helped others excel — weren't in spite of that instinct. They were because of it. Being contrary means that I naturally question what's expected and normal. It means I like to challenge—and I like a challenge (respectfully, of course).

So that's what I do — as a creative strategist, community builder, and entrepreneur — whether the brief is building a brand from scratch, designing an experience, or connecting the right people in a room together. Let me challenge you. Let's put our heads together and think differently. And let's have a great time doing it.

In a world full of reasons why you can't, let me show you all the reasons why you can.

con·tra·ry\ kən-ˈtrer-ē \adjective

Not in conformity with what is usual — with whatever you were expecting next.

— proof of life

A photo of me right after moving to SF to join Q.Digital. I have also lived in Boston, Washington D.C., NYC, Tel Aviv, Pittsburgh and of course…LA!

I love to play with fashion and experiment with new looks. Here’s me at the 2020 Queerties Awards with a bedazzled harness and matching bedazzled vintage shoes.

I am definitely the biggest animal-lover you’d ever meet! I love working with rescue horses and other animals, and have been a vegan for about 15 years.

I’m frequently brought in by Jewish organizations to lead workshops about pride, creativity, and fashion for Jewish teens — which I absolutely love to do.

My family is absolutely nuts, but I love them. Here I am with two of my baby cousins who give me an additional job title — unpaid nanny.

A Bit of History

Conventional? Not quite.

A few things I've built, a few places I've worked.

Founder & CEO

A global, community-driven lifestyle brand born as a love letter to my culture and my grandparents — built from scratch through thoughtful design, strategic partnerships, a whole lot of grit, and a customer-service program that made each customer feel like family. Untrained as a designer. Did it anyway. Proudly featured in publications like Hey Alma and The Washington Post and worn by celebrities such as Sarah Silverman and many more.

Director of Marketing

Created and executed B2B and B2C marketing programs (digital, event, social, etc.) for the company and its industry-leading brands (Queerty, LGBTQ Nation, GayCities), helping the company to become the most trafficked LGBTQ media publisher in the country.

Sales & Partnerships

Generated new sales and business opportunities for the largest Jewish media publisher in the country (running brands such as Hey Alma, Kveller, NY Jewish Week, etc.) by utilizing my network to bring in clients such as UTA, Miyoko's, The Nova Exhibit, and many more.

Logan's Law

Lead Organizer

Filed and passed a historic state law banning the devocalization of dogs and cats at 16 years old — mobilizing tens of thousands of constituents and volunteers and building a national movement driven by compassion. Covered by The New York Times, and many more publications.

B.A., Gallatin School of Individualized Study — New York University (2012–2015)

A closer look

Flip through
bubuleh's welcome
booklet here

click to open

All bubuleh pieces use organic, handmade materials and focus on evergreen styles. From unique embroidery to an adorable baby collection, to our anxie-tees and authentici-tees which you can (literally) write on, bubuleh pieces are as unique as the people who wear them. We don't follow trends, we create them.

I developed all creative direction, directly shot and edited all photos, sourced unique venues and props, hired brand-fitting models, styled clothing, and much more. It was so much fun to be able to use my skills as a photographer to build the brand and its image.

One of my proudest elements of the brand is our bespoke packaging, designed to feel like you're receiving an old-school package from your grandma. Utilizing scented sprays, handwritten notes, hangtag charms, printed eco-friendly mailers, custom-made linen clothing pouches, branded mailing slips, and a luxurious welcome booklet with a stitched binding, our packaging is one of the reasons we were able to turn one-time customers into long-term brand advocates.

Through utilizing TikTok, Reels, Instagram and Facebook, I created compelling and shareable posts, both based on trends and based on our own ideas and thought leadership, that expanded our reach and converted followers into customers.

As a core feature of our influencer marketing strategy, I personally recorded a custom video for each VIB (Very Important Bubuleh), published it privately on YouTube, wrote a handwritten note and included a QR code to the video for folks to scan and see their custom video. Using a QR code also allowed us to track analytics and engagement. This high-touch strategy is part of how bubuleh was able to grow so quickly, and create such strong personal relationships.

Through creating compelling pitches and a story that resonates with people from all backgrounds, bubuleh garnered features in prestigious publications like Variety, Hey Alma, Mann About Town, Tablet Magazine, Queerty, LGBTQ Nation, the Jewish Journal, Jerusalem Post and more. These features greatly enhanced our discoverability and the brand's reputation.

With bubuleh, I hosted popups around the country, including at indie events and even at Madison Square Garden. Through eye-catching materials, branded linens, Free TUMS (We know our customer base!), friendly customer service and more, popups and trade shows became one of our largest drivers of awareness and revenue.

I loved the owner writing a note on the receipt, and the shirt had a tiny hamsa charm! It's attention to detail like that — and caring about customers — that is missing from most companies right now.

— John H., Massachusetts

Customer service is just beyond sublime. bubuleh goes out of their way to create, promote and produce a product that is on message. Can't wait to shop more!

— Debbie F., New York

I love everything about the clothes I have from bubuleh — the high quality, the Yiddish that reminds me of my dad, the friendly conversations they invite. Everyone I've gifted a shirt has loved them.

— Kyra N., Massachusetts

I absolutely feel like I'm snuggling and wrapped inside a warm hug with my Poppa, ready to order some deli when I wear this sweatshirt. Love this company, idea, and excited to buy more apparel!

— Stephanie R.

My favorite part is how good I feel wearing something I know was produced ethically and proudly supports people I care about. Another plus is the compliments I receive while wearing it!

— Grace F., Chicago

Variety|Verklempt Over Fashion

Hey Alma|This Clothing Brand Is Tapping Into The Nostalgia & Resilience of Yiddish

The Washington Post|The Pandemic and Apps Are Fueling a Surge of Interest in Yiddish

Jewish Insider|With Fashion Brand 'bubuleh', Designer Jordan Star Honors His Heritage

Queerty|Meet the New Queer Clothing Brand That Celebrates All Bodies and Backgrounds

Jerusalem Post|Jewish Fashion Brand to Donate to ADL to Combat Antisemitism Due to Kanye West

LGBTQ Nation|This Gay Designer Created a Clothing Line to Honor His Grandparents

Jewish Journal|bubuleh Fights Antisemitism In Style

Tablet Magazine|Putting Bubbe in the Spotlight

and more!

Boston Herald: Teen files bill to make vocal surgery illegal

*You can't see but I'm blushing*

What's it like to work with me as…

Jordan has a disposition towards servant leadership. He sees unmet needs and jumps in to help. Perhaps most importantly, Jordan is profoundly loved and respected by friends, colleagues, and peers. He exhibits a level of humility that belies his skill, as well as a level of hospitality that invites many to feel close to him.

Jordan is an all-around strong and capable communicator. As a writer, he approaches the ideation phase with creativity and revises with a keen sense for details and accuracy. As a supervisor and mentor, he is perceptive to his mentees' needs and practices positive reinforcement in his training and feedback technique. When I worked with Jordan, he showed himself to be an innovator, natural leader, and a team player.

Working with Jordan in person for his marketing intensive was incredibly valuable to me and my business. His depth of experience and command of current marketing best practices were immediately clear, and the session was both strategic and highly actionable. Beyond his expertise, Jordan is a true mensch, generous with his time, thoughtful in his approach, and genuinely invested in helping you succeed.

Regardless of the fact that you were able to garner a lot of support for this bill in the House and the Senate, getting the legislation passed into law involved a very long and arduous process, because the bill also had very strong, vocal opponents. But you showed no fear, as you fought off numerous attempts to sabotage the bill...You did all of this with dedication and persistence, as well as the grace and tact of an elder statesman....A total of 7,510 bills were filed on January 12, 2009. Only 305 of these bills have been signed into law — including yours.

— MA State Representative

Jordan is an absolute phenomenon behind the camera! His attention to detail and ability to turn fleeting moments into lasting memories is unmatched. Not only is Jordan incredibly talented, but he has the kind of warm, positive energy that makes everyone feel comfortable and at ease. So many people came up to me asking for his name and contact information because they were just as impressed with him as I was. No edits were even needed because he nailed it.

What a cute shirt and what an amazing company. I mistakenly ordered the wrong size. I contacted them and immediately the CEO wrote me back. I'm so impressed with the items I got and mostly impressed with the stellar customer service. Thank you so much, bubuleh!

Awards & Recognition

Glass Leadership Institute FellowADL Participating EntrepreneurVenture for America Accelerator Second Place Photography WinnerLA Center for Photography President's Service AwardNYU Exemplar of Excellence AwardNYU Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras AwardNYU Glass Leadership Institute FellowADL Participating EntrepreneurVenture for America Accelerator Second Place Photography WinnerLA Center for Photography President's Service AwardNYU Exemplar of Excellence AwardNYU Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras AwardNYU Glass Leadership Institute FellowADL Participating EntrepreneurVenture for America Accelerator Second Place Photography WinnerLA Center for Photography President's Service AwardNYU Exemplar of Excellence AwardNYU Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras AwardNYU Glass Leadership Institute FellowADL Participating EntrepreneurVenture for America Accelerator Second Place Photography WinnerLA Center for Photography President's Service AwardNYU Exemplar of Excellence AwardNYU Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras AwardNYU

Excellence in Programming AwardNYU Featured ArtistGallatin Arts Festival Civic FellowJewish Community Relations Council Gallatin Dean's ScholarshipGallatin School of Individualized Study NextGen Business CohortOutLeadership Featured Business OwnerMann About Town Pittsburgh FellowVenture for America Excellence in Programming AwardNYU Featured ArtistGallatin Arts Festival Civic FellowJewish Community Relations Council Gallatin Dean's ScholarshipGallatin School of Individualized Study NextGen Business CohortOutLeadership Featured Business OwnerMann About Town Pittsburgh FellowVenture for America Excellence in Programming AwardNYU Featured ArtistGallatin Arts Festival Civic FellowJewish Community Relations Council Gallatin Dean's ScholarshipGallatin School of Individualized Study NextGen Business CohortOutLeadership Featured Business OwnerMann About Town Pittsburgh FellowVenture for America Excellence in Programming AwardNYU Featured ArtistGallatin Arts Festival Civic FellowJewish Community Relations Council Gallatin Dean's ScholarshipGallatin School of Individualized Study NextGen Business CohortOutLeadership Featured Business OwnerMann About Town Pittsburgh FellowVenture for America

Exemplar of Excellence AwardBronfman Center Keynote SpeakerTaking Action for Animals Summit Civic Leadership AwardCity of Boston Certificate of Leadership AwardCommonwealth of Massachusetts GraduateSchool for Ethics and Global Leadership Exemplar of Excellence AwardBronfman Center Keynote SpeakerTaking Action for Animals Summit Civic Leadership AwardCity of Boston Certificate of Leadership AwardCommonwealth of Massachusetts GraduateSchool for Ethics and Global Leadership Exemplar of Excellence AwardBronfman Center Keynote SpeakerTaking Action for Animals Summit Civic Leadership AwardCity of Boston Certificate of Leadership AwardCommonwealth of Massachusetts GraduateSchool for Ethics and Global Leadership Exemplar of Excellence AwardBronfman Center Keynote SpeakerTaking Action for Animals Summit Civic Leadership AwardCity of Boston Certificate of Leadership AwardCommonwealth of Massachusetts GraduateSchool for Ethics and Global Leadership

The Hard Skills

This is a professional site, after all…ish.

01Community & Customer Experience

Ambassador & creator programs Audience development & growth Audience research Community analytics & reporting Community relations & outreach CRM management Customer success management Email marketing & communications Lifecycle & journey mapping List segmentation Nonprofit partnerships Retention & loyalty programs SurveyMonkey Talent relations UGC strategy

02Experience & Event Design

Budget development & management Creative direction Cultural & community programming Event marketing & promotion Eventbrite Experiential concepting F&B planning Hospitality & guest experience On-site / day-of management Pop-ups & activations Post-event reporting & analytics Production design Production scheduling & timelines Spatial & layout design Sponsorship fulfillment & activation Talent booking & management Ticketing & registration Trade show strategy & activation Vendor sourcing & management Venue sourcing & selection VIP relations Workshop design & facilitation

03Brand & Marketing

Adobe Creative Suite Audience & segmentation strategy B2B marketing Brand identity development Brand strategy & positioning Branded content Campaign concepting Cause marketing Competitive & market analysis Content strategy & creation Conversion rate optimization Copywriting Corporate blogging Creative direction Data visualization Email journey & automation Go-to-market (GTM) strategy Google Analytics Growth marketing Influencer & creator marketing Meta Business Suite Omnichannel marketing strategy Performance marketing Press & media outreach Project management SEO Thought leadership / executive comms

04Sales & Partnerships

Account management & fulfillment Advertising & media sales Agency relations Client retention & renewals Direct sales Outbound & inbound sales Pricing strategy Proposals & RFPs Prospecting & lead generation Sales pipeline development Sponsorship development & packaging Strategic partnership-building Talent & celebrity partnerships Upselling & cross-selling

05Entrepreneurship & Operations

App design & development Business ownership Contractor / freelancer management Customer acquisition DTC operations E-commerce strategy Klaviyo Order fulfillment Packaging design Point-of-sale / retail ops Product design & development Retention & LTV optimization Shipping & distribution Shopify Social entrepreneurship Supplier & vendor management Trademark & IP protection Workflow automation

Come back on desktop
…if you don’t mind?

Done — talk soon.

I have a lot to say — and a lot to give — but even more to ask.

Conventional? Not quite.

Logan's Law

Photography

Communities & Experiences.

What's it like to work with me as…

This is a professional site, after all…ish.

A few things I'm working on now (just for fun).

HeyDolittle

Susan Adler

All Scars Have Stars

In a world full of reasons why you can't—
let me show you all the reasons why you can.

Come back on desktop…if you don’t mind?

Done — talk soon.

Conventional? Not quite.

Logan's Law

Photography

Communities & Experiences.

What's it like to work with me as…

This is a professional site, after all…ish.

A few things I'm working on now (just for fun).

HeyDolittle

Susan Adler

All Scars Have Stars

In a world full of reasons why you can't—let me show you all the reasons why you can.

Come back on desktop
…if you don’t mind?

In a world full of reasons why you can't—
let me show you all the reasons why you can.