Ep. 177 Buena Gente Golf, Culture, and Storytelling with Jon Madera

What do a hand, a white golf glove, and Puerto Rican hospitality have in common? They’re all woven into the brand story of Buena Gente Golf, founded by empathy-driven creator and longtime UX/product designer Jon Madera. This week on Mission CTRL, Ramon sits down with Jon to explore how a simple logo - traced from a photo of his own hand - sparked an unexpected wave of excitement online and launched a Latino-owned, diversity-focused golf apparel company with global reach. From Long Island to Puerto Rico, San Francisco to Southern Oregon, Jon’s journey blends culture, creativity, and connection, proving that storytelling can be just as important as the product itself. Jon shares how his 18+ years in design shaped the brand’s look and feel and how golf streetwear’s popularity in Asia opened unexpected markets in Japan, Australia, and beyond. He opens up about bootstrapping the company while serving as VP of product design, the importance of differentiation in a crowded space, and how emotional resonance builds loyal brand ambassadors. Whether you’re an entrepreneur eyeing your own niche market or just curious about how culture and sport can intersect, this episode is packed with insights on creativity, business, and representation. If you’ve ever wondered how a logo can move people - or how to merge passion, identity, and entrepreneurship into a global brand - this conversation is for you. • • • Find full episodes of Mission CTRL on Anchor, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and our website . Mission CTRL aims to ignite the innovative spirit inside us all through providing budding and successful entrepreneurs and community leaders with a platform to share their stories and inspire others. Tune in every Wednesday and catch up with the team at Peralta Design as we unleash the origin stories behind some exceptional leaders, share marketing/branding insights, and navigate the ever-changing currents of pop culture.

You can listen to Ep. 177 Buena Gente Golf, Culture, and Storytelling with Jon Madera online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ep. 177 Buena Gente Golf, Culture, and Storytelling with Jon Madera is an episode from Mission CTRL by Peralta Design.

This episode is 00:42:29 long.

This episode was published on Aug 13, 2025.

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