We had the good fortune of connecting with Trey Madara and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Trey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For me, I spent many years in the sports industry looking at and being fed the same stale and outdated marketing photos to use in the soccer branding I had been creating. I felt that the sport as a whole needed a new and grittier look. It became only natural to start that change with myself and other creatives in the industry that felt the same way. That’s where ICONIC came from. We wanted to transform that image that soccer had in North America, and we feel strongly that digital content in today’s world was the best place to do that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We started off in the world of soccer to some uncharted territory. Surprisingly no one had ever attempted a print magazine quite as specialized as we set out to produce. We also wanted to make sure that we humanized the players that we collaborated with. That’s something many people don’t seem to get until they meet these “Idols”. They’re simply people like all of us. So we like to let them talk more about their humanity and less about their on-field talents. This was something that was so contrarian to other media outlets and magazines. Everyone wants to talk about themselves in truth, and typically the last thing they like to speak on is what they consider their day jobs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For me, I’m very biased being in Philly quite often covering sports, and that’s such a tough one. There are so many amazing spots around the city to eat. Personally, I think Pat’s and Geno’s are a bit overrated. Hopefully, that doesn’t annoy too many people. But everything from Wawa to Mimo’s Pizza is worth the trip. In Chester, the city has a lot to offer near the Union’s stadium. There are tons of tailgates with amazing food and tons of amazing breweries that are popping up in the area that are worth hanging out at before the matches!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without a doubt, the other creatives that I work with deserve so much appreciation. We all have a creative eye inside all of us, and those photographers that I have on my team around the country are second to none. It’s impossible to have ICONIC where it is now without their ideas and creativity.

Website: iconicmagazine.net or treymadara.com

Instagram: iconicmagazine.jpg

Image Credits
Scott Boldt, Ashley Orellana, Alejandro Sanchez, Trey Madara, Jane Gershovich, Joshua Martin, Darwin Rosales, and Nikita Taparia

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.