Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ian Sides. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today undefined

Innovation is so important to me. I’m currently pretty stoked on what we’re doing to make our builds even lighter. Weight is without a doubt the next big conversation in this industry (there are even rumors of California making camper vans pull over at weigh stations). Most campers out there are nearing or exceeding the legal weight limit, before adding the people, pets, and gear for their trip! Our flagship van is about 1700-2000lbs lighter than the majority of vans out there, and you can literally feel the difference when driving it.

You’re probably wondering if weight is really that important? It’s paramount. A lighter camper van is significantly more safe, comfortable, and economical–not to mention more eco-friendly. First off, you save a ton of money on fuel and maintenance (our flagship Sprinter has averaged 22 mpg over 3 years and 34k miles on the road, compared to an industry average of 14-15mpg. That’s 45% less you’re spending on fuel!). Tires, transmission, brakes, and suspension wear out much more rapidly on a heavier vehicle. That alone makes it worthwhile.

And then you have the vastly better acceleration, braking, and handling that comes with driving a car that is much closer to it’s factory curb weight than it’s legal weight limit. You know how you’re supposed to give fully loaded semi-trucks more space because it takes them way longer to stop? That’s because they’re at their legal weight limit. You don’t want your van to be anywhere near the legal limit. You want it to drive like a Benz, not a semi! Your Sprinter should scream up steep mountain passes, fully loaded with a buildout, gear, and the family. If it doesn’t, you need a better build.

So how are we doing it? Our first generation vans utilized lighter weight materials, smarter engineering, more efficient layouts, and cutting edge design to save weight and make a more inviting space (all while increasing the amount of storage, kitchen space, bed space, and living space. If it sounds too good to be true, we’d love to show you at our shop!).

The next generation–and this is the exciting innovation–uses our in house materials and design expertise to create semi-hollow cabinet faces and frames to shave an addition 41% off that part of the build weight. We’re also reviving some trick joinery to keep that timeless, high-end look we’re known for and avoid any edge banding. The best designs are equally beautiful and functional, they sacrifice nothing. That’s our goal.

We’re not joking when we say we’re truly obsessed with building the world’s best camper vans.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in campers, vans, and at an auto-body shop. My grandparents were OG van-lifers, building out old VWs into campers and spending the summers on the beach in Carlsbad, CA, and my parents would always have some sort of camper trailer for our frequent trips to the desert. I dreamed of being a car designer one day, and spent my time drawing, camping, and doing reckless things on two wheels. Fast forward to college, my safe bet on a business degree paid off with some seriously sweet corporate jobs (Hitachi and Microsoft, I was spoiled!). But I was restless. I had developed a passion for music, and dreamed of life on the road. So, in 2018 I took the leap and quit my six figure job to play bass. I toured in all sorts of vehicles, but van changed my life forever. Harold from Bootleg Sunshine had this wild, psychedelic camper that he’d built out himself (a 170 Sprinter), and after a few tours in that thing I sold the last evidence of my fancy former life (a pristine Chevy Silverado), for an old Sprinter. My brother helped me design and build it (I owe you Cam!), and I was instantly in love with the freedom of vanlife. I eventually moved to LA right before the pandemic, and had to find a temporary job while the “two week” quarantine went on, as there were no music gigs. I happened upon a Craigslist ad for a shop hand, and ended up working for one of the world’s most renowned craftsman. This guys is an encyclopedia, and his right hand man Jeff isn’t far behind! Besides being the best mechanical illusion builder in the world, he was also an accomplished clockmaker, friend of Sam Maloof, and had his all-Rosewood grandfather clocks displayed at the Smithsonian. That was a wild time. After practically learning more in one year than I had in my whole life, I went to work for a major camper van company in LA. I learned a little there, but mostly helped them improve their designs. Soon it was apparent that I needed to branch off on my own, and with a little nudge from the universe I did just that.

Why is Beleza different? We’re obsessed. I’ve lived the van life, I have extensive knowledge in materials and old-school craftsmanship, and I don’t settle for average. We’re industry leaders in lightweight camper builds, and our designs are more comfortable and functional than traditional camper layouts. We stand behind our work, whether its the expertly designed and built 12v off grid electrical system or our ultra-lightweight cabinetry.

If you’re interested in van life, give us a call. We can come inspect any used van you’re considering, fix just about anything on your existing van, or build you a van that exceeds your wildest expectations.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Sort of. My side hustle was playing music (I practiced 3-4 times a week with multiple bands while I was at Microsoft). This led to quitting, touring, doing marketing for a guitar company, building van, going to LA, finding that random job, and then starting off on my own. So in a way, yes.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I received a very useful mantra in a ceremony one time, that I apply to all aspects of my life: “Don’t worry about what they’re doing, worry about what you’re doing.” Using this mantra over and over, I was able to lessen my anxiety, observe and change my reactions to responses, and exercise laser focus on my priorities.

The example I like to give is getting cut off in traffic. After the initial shock and string of expletives, I could observe that some part of me wanted to hold onto this anger, but that it would not serve me. I could instead let it go and focus on my day. I could see that part of my anger was at myself for being late. Part of it was at them for putting me in danger, part was at society for stressing us all out so much that people drive like reckless fools. I could observe my mind and make a decision on how I wanted to proceed. I could exercise compassion and realize that if someone drives like that, they cannot possibly be happy. They must be suffering quite a bit in their life. By deflating my fear with mindfulness, the actions of other people had a significantly smaller impact on my day, and I could therefore focus more on my business and my life. Highly recommend!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.belezavans.com
• Instagram: IG: @belezacampervans
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-sides-b7654326/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beleza-camper-vans-los-angeles