Interview: GlossedandFound.com Creative Director Graham Kostic

Is this how we can typically find you, working on your laptop at NoMi with an iced tea?

I love working here in the afternoon, it’s just good energy! I kind of don’t want to tell people though because I don’t want people to think they can come and buddy up next to me in my work zone. It’s fascinating that an entire website, an entire company can be built off of this tiny little fragile laptop, which I just dropped the other day.

WHAT IS GLOSSEDANDFOUND.com all about?

Our main mission is to find people and highlight the movers and shakers. What I love about the site is that there is a great juxtaposition between people who are at the top of their game and people who are just starting out. Putting those together is a magical mix. In the last four years we’ve shot over 300 episodes. We’re fun and playful and don’t take ourselves too seriously but we are also industry knowledgeable and know what’s going on.

You’re a natural on camera. Did you always enjoy the spotlight?

I wanted to be on Broadway! When I was young I performed but I didn’t go to school for it. I still want to be on Broadway. It’s all about being theatrical. If the perfect storm aligned and I auditioned and made it I would drop everything and do Broadway.

With so much content that you’ve produced, how often do you have awkward moments caught on tape?

All of the time! Our first interview ever was with Zac Posen. It was in the green room of Saks Fifth Avenue, this was four years ago, and they had it set up where he was sitting in this chair and I was sitting on this couch and I was two feet shorter than him in his chair. So it was a really awkward interview. It was my first one, I was really nervous and I was sitting on my bad side. I kept thinking, “Oh my God, this sucks!” I don’t even have it up on the site anymore but at least now I can say we interviewed Zac Posen. It wasn’t a good interview but we interviewed him! I’m my toughest critic. The one good thing that’s in our favor is that there is always a camera rolling so most people, especially those that are media savvy, don’t want to look like an asshole on camera. Even if there is an awkward moment, you know they’re going to pull it together because no one wants to be the jerk that says, “Nope. This is done. This is over!” I actually want someone to do that so it could go viral.

How many people are working with you behind the scenes?

There are three people that work on it full time which is a really small team. It’s sort of like a “Wizard of Oz” kind of thing. I want people to know it’s three but I also don’t want them to know. I want people to think there are a hundred of us!

What helps you succeed in the business you’re in?

I always say, “Kill them with kindness.” It’s tough but you just have to. If you know you’re producing good content it doesn’t really matter what other people enjoy. Knowing that someone could be talking bad about that, that’s not worth my time. What I love about Chicago is that everyone is really supportive. People always poke fun at Midwesterners for being overly nice but when you run a small business being overly nice and having everyone be overly nice is what you want.

Describe a day in your shoes? And what shoes are you wearing?

[I’m wearing] just these little desert boots today, the same boots I wear everyday and the same jeans I wear everyday. These jeans I bought four years ago to be Luke Skywalker for Halloween. I fell in love with them and now I’m wearing them almost four years later. Let’s see, I usually get up at 7-ish. Actually, today I woke up at 9. I just wanted to sound professional.

What’s the last meal you cooked?

I make really good breakfast sandwiches! I did an egg with a toasted ciabatta, arugula, a little lemon, salt, pepper and a little jalapeño.

Last time you cried?

This morning when I was listening to “Ragtime” in my car.

Last book you read?

“The Hobbit”. I didn’t finish it.

One thing you’d save in a fire?

I have two big boxes of Polaroids. Any Polaroid I’ve ever taken are in these two white boxes that I love.

At what moments do you love this city the most?

I think it’s when you’re running around the city, either on some kind of drive on some little stretch or you walk and turn the corner and you see that beautiful skyline and that little pocket that’s so pretty. When you look at it and the sun is hitting it the right way it’s just totally magical. The city is really beautiful.