FROM MARIJUANA TO FIREARMS, MAGAZINES HAVE BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THIS ENTREPRENEUR

PHOTO: MATTHEW ROMASANTA @MF_ROMASANTA

A Southern California native, Mondo Merino, grew up throughout Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire.

But it was during a four year stent in New in York that he began to reflect on his life, and felt in his heart that he had to make a change. Having previously been a cook for 9 years, Mondo headed back to his roots in Cali, and back to the kitchen, where he earned the opportunity to attend management school.

Determined to be more than a cook the rest of his life, he hit the library to study business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Then, perusing the internet one day in 2003, Mondo came across a Magazine by the name of OYE

(Open Your Eyes), a Latino men’s publication, based out of West Hollywood. He waited for two weeks for the magazine to finally arrive, grabbed it from the mailbox, and started flipping through the pages… and then stopped cold in his tracks in his drive way.

“The artists, clubs, night life, and of course the gorgeous women all seemed so cool” Mondo says. It was then and there he decided what he wanted to do: “I decided I wanted to become the Art Director of the very magazine in my hands.”

Watching television later that evening, Mondo recalls an advertisement pop on the screen“Art College, in Long Beach” He looked over at his dresser where the magazine was, and thought to himself “That’s it… that’s where I’m going to learn to make magazines.” Mondo called the art college and enrolled the very next morning. Every day for the next two years, he carried that first issue of OYE Magazine with him, telling his instructors “Teach me how to make this entire magazine.” Mondo graduated with top honors, and interned for OYE. Then, one week after graduation, the owner called- “Mondo, I just fired my art director, and I’m offering you the job.”

From there his journey began; he continued as an art director, freelance creative director, and applied everything he learned to successfully lead dozens of magazines, most notably, Lowrider Magazine and DUB Magazine, and most recently, Cannabis Talk Magazine.

So, it’s safe to say, when it comes to the publishing game, he’s got some serious experience behind him. His passion for firearms, his strong network and experience lead to creating CALGUNR Magazine and 2A Fest. “We are the hot new kid on the block” Mondo says. “We are on a mission to help educate and help new gun owners with their journey into exercising their 2A rights. All the while making guns cool and turning the 2A Fest brand into a must attend event from Los Angeles, Miami and other states. Check out the QR Code to see the hottest new firearms event in the country!