When entrepreneur Andy Chung thinks back on the last couple of weeks, it seems like one of those chase movies, the ones where everybody’s rushing around trying to get that artifact back to its rightful owner before time runs out.
In this case, the object in question is truly one of a kind: it’s a custom-design, handcrafted Formula One racing helmet designed for rapper Snoop Dogg. It’s trimmed with gold and encrusted with diamonds, and is valued at $12,500.
“If this were an adventure movie, this helmet would definitely be the crown,” Chung says, laughing.
The eye-catching helmet was the brainchild of Chung, co-founder of the luxury sports equipment seller Armori Steele. The Montreal-based company takes basic items like football helmets, hockey masks, and golf clubs and transforms them into works of art with custom artwork, precious metals, and shiny gemstones and crystal.
Chung got the idea to present the helmet to Snoop Dogg during the weekend of the Canadian Grand Prix, held in Montreal. Besides the race, Snoop Dogg was scheduled to appear at several events, including a charity basketball tournament with hockey player P.K. Subban.
His plan: Snoop would autograph the helmet, it would be put up for auction, and the proceeds would go to a worthy charity.
About a month ago, Chung—a member at Montreal’s WeWork Place Ville Marie—put the word out on WeWork’s online Member Network that he needed help reaching the organizers of the tournament. Colin Hendry of the Creative Horde said he could help.
Things quickly fell into place. Chung would present Snoop with the helmet at the event. Now all Chung had to do was create the helmet, which was no small feat.
“This was a super-tight deadline, no doubt about it,” says Chung. “To design and create one of our standard helmets, it’s seven to 12 weeks from start to finish. We had three weeks to turn everything around.”
Chung got his team to work, but quickly hit a snag when he discovered his usual diamond seller was out of town for a trade show.
“We needed diamonds immediately,” Chung says. “Luckily, the city’s diamond district is right across the street from the WeWork office. We talked with four different diamond distributors, and finally found one that could deliver them with 24 hours notice.”
Making the helmet was just one thing that needed to be done with a short turnaround. He needed someone familiar with branding, so he brought in fellow WeWork member Sen Wong of the marketing and communications company Royaltri. For photography, he used Wong’s colleague Wojtek Jakubiec. For legal work, he consulted with his co-founder Mai Tran of Podlegal.
“It’s pretty awesome,” says Chung. “Just about everyone involved in this project is a WeWork member. “We joined two months ago, and it’s hard to believe all the connections we’ve made.”
Everything was in motion. What could go wrong?
Days before the event was slated to take place, the charity basketball event was postponed. No problem, thought Chung. There were other events where he could hand over the helmet. Then the most crushing news: Snoop wouldn’t be coming to Montreal at all.
All that work for nothing? Not a chance.
Chung isn’t daunted. He and his team have already been in touch with the promoters, who are hoping to arrange an in-person meeting with Snoop. He’s psyched about delivering the helmet in person, especially because it would wrap up his fantasy movie quite nicely.
“It would be the best ending ever,” Chung says.