We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Krstich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
(I wanted to preface my response to this as I had difficulty choosing between this topic and finding my purpose. Thus, I’m going to tie in both questions and how they are linked )
For more than a decade, I struggled with substance abuse and addiction which nearly cost me my life. Even after my near-death experience, I was back to drinking and drugging within a few months and it continued to spiral from there. With a failing marriage, worsening health, and about to lose my job, I decided to leave my home, family, and job in the Midwest and head out to California to a treatment facility.
The treatment facility helped me to get physically clean, but I attribute my path to sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous. Working the steps is a magnificent playbook for living an honest and purpose-driven life. This is also coming from a person who had absolutely no desire to even give AA a shot, but I took myself out of the equation and realized that every issue I’d experienced in my life was due to my only selfish desires. My actions were dictated only by what I wanted or what I perceived I needed.
It was only when I started putting others first and helping those in need that I started to see a cataclysmic change in every aspect of my life. This in combination with meditation created a chain of events and life-changing opportunities, like I was starting to attract positivity which allowed me to apply myself to something greater. I will say this again: Taking myself out of the equation and thinking of others and how I could help them was instrumental in overcoming addiction. I had a purpose outside of my selfish desires which allowed me to apply myself to build something greater.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
As I previously mentioned, my search for sobriety brought me out to California, and it was here that I was introduced into the world of photography and production.
I came into the creative production industry with no experience and was hired as a business development rep, which was commission-based only. Within one month, I was hired full-time over the next few years, we experienced astronomical growth.
Fast-forward a few more years, I had been successfully acting as producer and agent/head of sales and marketing for various photographers and directors.
Along the way, I had a vision for something greater where I would be managing and representing a team of artists and heading up productions with a primary focus on the beverage industry.
On this journey, I experienced some very harsh lessons in business relationships, and while it was a painful experience where I did not sleep for months. In hindsight, it was the best thing that could have happened to me, and the result was the creation of Craftworks.
Craftworks launched in April of 2024 and our focus is almost exclusively on beverage and lifestyle to offer a new category which I’ve coined, “Bevstyle”. Bevstyle is Craftworks’ unique fusion of beverage, lifestyle, and product photography. It combines precise liquids photography, environmental portraits, and natural lifestyle photography. It’s about celebrating the experience and moments that are cultivated while sharing a beverage with friends and families.
Here’s the kicker: I’m a recovering alcohol/addict and while Craftworks exists to provide amazing visuals for beverage brands from alcoholic to non. I intend to donate a portion of Craftworks proceeds to bring awareness and support to those who may struggle with addiction.
There’s so much that I’ve learned on this journey to sobriety and I NEVER thought it’d be possible. I NEVER thought I’d become sober and fully expected to die young. The fact that I’m nearly five years sober and am where I am today is a testament that recovery is possible. I believe I can share my experiences to help those in need through Craftworks.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Selflessness – When you change your behavior to start helping others, the positivity begins to flow in real-time. I can almost describe it as a form of instant karma.
Meditation – Daily meditation is the north star that kept me grounded and focused during the most trying time of my life.
Curiosity – Be curious! Learn about others, take an interest in who they are, what they do, and where they come from. I love learning about people, their stories, and where they come from. I feel like this has allowed me to be comfortable in my own skin and in any setting. In a world where we’re being constantly bombarded by social media and perceptions of perfection, it’s so easy to feel inferior, intimidation and imposter syndrome ties into this.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
Our ideal client would be beverage and lifestyle brands/agencies that are looking for that X factor when it comes to creating their visuals. Those who aim to capture genuine moments with people who celebrate togetherness and authenticity, but at the same time, are looking for expertise in showcasing the product as well. Equally important would be prospective clients to be driven to make a positive impact Through charitable endeavors. This is the only life that we can be assured of. Why not make the most of it to bring happiness into people’s lives?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://craftworksla.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftworksla
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-krstich/
Image Credits
Jon Enoch, Matthew Lloyd, James Houston, Ylva Erevall, Mark Mawson, Bryan Rowe
