Q: What is it that make Oregon Brands Unique?
A: “Independent Spirit.”
Without missing a beat, Michael Morrow and Philip Mascher of Nutcase Helmets in Portland, Oregon agree that the most valuable quality of Oregon Brands is the Independent Spirit.
Oregon’s history shows that its foundation has been set by frontiersmen. Back then we would call them pioneers; today we call them entrepreneurs.
In 2007, Michael Morrow and his wife Mirian Berman created Nutcase Helmets. Nutcase has since grown to supply 33 countries distributing creative helmets that tell a story and protect melons worldwide. From the dynamic duo of Michael and Mirian, Nutcase has grown to 12 employees.
In contrast, a large corporation can continue to expand, and there would be a chance for the company to shift away from the original entrepreneurial spirit. Morrow is able to exercise the independence of his brand due to the flexibility of his small yet strong team.
Morrow expressed that Oregon brands and Oregonians have a sense of, “we’re going to do it different, it’s part of their Oregonness.” The Nutcase team took a simple helmet and definitely did it differently through expression, activity, and safety. Nutcase has redefined what a helmet means.
Oregonians will forever be pioneers – the ones that do it differently because it’s in their DNA. They value their independence and brands who continue to harbor an entrepreneurial spirit. Overall, the value of independent spirit is what sets Oregonians apart from the rest.
