We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gregangelo Herrera a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Gregangelo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.

In navigating these thoughtful questions, I see the first two holding hands as they strike at the heart of what we do.
My small arts & entertainment business isn’t just about creating immersive experiences, it’s about crafting worlds that captivate, provoke, and let your imagination take centerstage. Behind the fantasy of our shows lies the raw beauty of reality, boldly revealed.
Yes, we do indeed serve an underserved community, just not in the way you might expect. Our focus is on a group often overlooked and under-appreciated: the artists we employ. Our “bread and hummus” comes from ticket sales to our immersive shows and intimate events at The Gregangelo Museum in San Francisco. Off-site, our sustainable revenue comes from creating elaborate entertainment & food-centric galas for nonprofits by bringing their various mission statements to life and perpetuating serving their underserved. In contrast, we also create exclusive private events for one percenters anywhere in the world. And while corporate gigs have dramatically dropped off the map, the irony is clear: despite enriching millions of audience members in our careers, our core mission is to serve the artists themselves, those passionate souls who are too often underserved by the very world they enrich.
Our business empowers underserved artists to create impactful experiences while mentoring them to be entrepreneurial, boundary-pushing problem solvers. As a for-profit, we equip artists with skills to stay self-sufficient and collaborate with others without seeking funding. This drives us to relentlessly craft new, marketable, and sustainable experiences, keeping both our artists and guests at the cutting edge of creativity and entertainment.
Now, about those corporations. I genuinely appreciate the impact that San Francisco and Silicon Valley-based companies have on the world, despite some environmental and social consequences. After all, where else but San Francisco can you ride a hand-cranked cable car halfway to the stars while a driverless car zips by, probably judging your carbon footprint? It’s a wild mix of old-world charm and cutting-edge tech. Thanks to these innovations, you’re reading this on a device that’s probably smarter than most of us. Who would’ve thought we could manipulate the elements of the earths periodic table to create iPhones, computers, or airplanes? In the biotech world, we’re seeing healthcare breakthroughs that feel like mini miracles and pioneering revolutionary ways to clean the environments that corporations have damaged. And AI? Mind blaster!
Our business has been there from the start, entertaining and celebrating these evolving industries. I thrive on bridging the gap between rigid corporate culture and the freedom of artistry, finding the sweet niche where tech meets creativity, ensuring that our evolving arts and culture are sustained in turn.
While I’ve enjoyed collaborating with our region’s corporate culture, the reciprocation has been dismal. Corporate life has become insular, burdening employees with stress, job insecurity, and relentless pressure, prioritizing productivity over well-being and genuine connection. Despite enjoying excessive workplace perks that arguably surpass royal luxuries, corporate workers are ironically emotionally underserved

In this regard, I speak for all our artists who have left corporate confines in pursuit of more meaningful artistic achievements.
With remote work on the rise, corporate gatherings are scarce and the problem can be summed up in two words: Event Planners. They’ve turned into HR police, enforcing rigid, fearful policies that stifle creative connections. Sure, they’re great at logistics, decorating, and setting a mean table, but connecting guests and moving with the flow and mood of the crowd? Not so much. Artists are reduced to ornamental props, inducing disingenuous social media moments and performing to the backs of guests’ heads- creating moments as engaging as a flower arrangement. What could be innovative artistry that sparks imagination is now bland, safe, and sanitized. After decades of thriving in corporate entertainment, our provocative interactions suddenly clash with these restraints. So, I’ve shifted to self-producing experiences that prioritize creativity, humanity, and freedom. Ironically, those same corporate workers are now flocking to us, hungry for the authentic connection their own events can’t provide.
I don’t want to shit on corporate culture, as the union is often harmonious but since you asked for an anecdote, the divide is painfully obvious: A popular SF-based company dabbling in ‘experiences’ decided to monetize by adding authentic local artist encounters to their platform. They invited me into their office for a self-indulgent presentation about me, telling me more about myself than I knew, and followed up with an insulting offer. I countered to make it profitable as a beta test. Despite some genuine camaraderie with the founders, the whole thing crashed and burned due to binding restrictions “outside of the founders’ hands.” A few months in, the platform banned me for not letting their HR policies dictate our authentic immersive experiences. To top it off, in true corporate jargon, they alluded to me as ‘racist’ and suggested sensitivity training—by an all-white-owned corporation—when I’m Lebanese and Mexican, running a wildly diverse team. WTF?! My so-called ‘comrades’ ghosted me. For a company based in SF, they sure missed the memo on ‘San Francisco values.’ Meanwhile, our business? Thriving.

Coming full circle, one of the most underserved communities in San Francisco today are the tourists, often lost in a city that’s rapidly changing and sometimes confusing to navigate. But the truth is San Francisco is still brilliant, beautiful, and spectacular. Sure, the pandemic shook us, and some have stumbled into a few rough patches, but there’s so much more to this place than the shitty headlines. As artists, we’re weaving joy back into the city with community events that light up the streets, supported by civic partners. It’s our way of reconnecting, creating joyful moments, and proving that San Francisco’s vibrant artistry and boundless spirit are alive and well. So come explore, connect with us locals, and express your liberation and endless hope that define this city.
In conclusion, I was just jamming with an Arabic ensemble on the streets of San Francisco, and there we were, serenading a crowd that included a few shining folks who were blissfully naked, unafraid, and dancing like no one was watching. Only in this city could such fearless freedom feel like just another day.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Our Brand?
At Gregangelo’s Velocity Arts & Entertainment, Velocity Circus, and The Gregangelo Museum, we create worlds where art, performance, and imagination collide. Whether you’re coming to one of our immersive shows, commissioning us to create a custom large-scale event, or getting lost in our Museum’s surreal rooms, you won’t just witness our creations—you’ll become part of them.
What do we provide? Immersive experiences. That’s it. But those two words barely do it justice. We enjoy throwing you into the deep end of creativity, and into something magical. If you want to plan a safe, mundane event? Don’t call us. But if you want to blow your guests’ minds and create an unforgettable experience, then we’re your people.
What sets us apart?
Pushing the boundaries beyond the line most people won’t cross As one repeat attendee summarized :
“Your experiences will create new pathways to your highest potential, yet also destroy anything in your life that no longer serves you.“. Our business is the source of an insanely diverse team of artists, dreamers, and rule-breakers, and that’s what gives our work its edge. We thrive on that intersection of art, culture, and passion and we’ve turned that into an organized and profitable venture.
Who the hell am I?
I am Gregangelo, the founder and artistic director. I’m a genuine San Franciscan of Lebanese and Mexican blue collar descent. I grew up on the edge of Chinatown during the 70s, a time when the city exploded into a kaleidoscope of art, culture, and creativity. I vividly recall the street scents of burning wood brakes from the cable cars, apothecary shops, Peking duck, and strawberry incense from the Hare Krishnas. Beyond multiculturalism, I was dazzled by Hell’s Angels, hedonists, and hippies. The streets were alive with kooks in cults, nudist queers, sinners, and saviors! Experiencing all of this set me on a passionate path where by the ripe age of 7, I quickly learned what to avoid and what to embrace. And I’m still embracing the constant flux of city life. I’m proud to continue dedicating my life to the arts and culture of this city and to have our contributions recognized, most recently with my home affectionately titled by the public: The Gregangelo Museum—becoming a San Francisco landmark. This mostly accidental, but now intentional, passion project is built on life’s trials, evoking blood, sweat, tears, and semen. Did I mention it is a passion project?!
It was built to conquer grief, celebrate acceptance, and the shared human experience, the Museum is a haven for those seeking to create and experience genuine connectivity . This house is a tribute to the countless artists who have poured their souls into it and continues to inspire those who visit. It’s a peaceful yet inspired retreat from the chaos of the world, dedicated to fostering joy, humanity, and the endless pursuit of artistic expression with a focus on empowering the next generation of artists and visitors to make their dreams a reality.
How did I get into this business?
I was born to be an artist—I just didn’t know what kind, and often, I still don’t. My earliest memories are of performing artists at our school assemblies, attending art classes in Golden Gate Park at the de Young Museums, and auditioning for every musical theater show, always landing weird-ass novelty parts. I eventually explored art colleges around the globe, but my heart belonged to San Francisco. The city’s majestic Pacific light, fog shrouded hills, and colorful kooks in the streets called me home, so I went to CCA here. Still unsure of what kind of artist I was, I declared an “open” major and studied everything from tribal textiles to industrial design. To this day, I apply all that I learned, and as an Artistic Director, it’s proved fruitful to have experience in so many fields and continue to learn every day.
I enjoy a cherished quirk that allows me to see everything as a colorscape. Including cracks in the sidewalk and highway roads, which is probably why I’m not the best driver! It might be all the secondhand marijuana smoke in the SF air, but I’ve never needed drugs to glimpse the psychedelic realms of reality. For me, being purely lucid is the greatest high of all, as long as I practice creativity unleashed, unbridled, and uninterrupted.
By the age of 16, I had rehearsed and worked long enough to launch my own floor show, featuring my signature whirling dervish act at a well-known at the time San Francisco supper club called Pasha, “Arabian Fantasy” dining. I remember hauling my 80-pound costumes over there by myself night after night, developing the act, working with the musicians, drawing an audience, and pushing the limits. In fact, I pushed the limits so far that I was fired three times! Once, for developing an untraditional, futuristic version of the whirling dervish, where the costume morphed into a flying saucer, and I the spaceman operating it. It didn’t quite fit the theme of the venue, but it started getting me hired for private events. As the corporate event scene began to boom in San Francisco, I found myself gainfully gigging and eventually performing all over the country and even internationally with this act.
At the time, the artistry of Cirque du Soleil was coming onto the scene, so I decided to attend circus school in San Francisco and take my act to the air. Years later I was invited by Cirque du Soleil to perform my dervish act on their television special titled Solstrum aired on the Bravo network. Meanwhile, while training in Circus arts, I attracted many artists and formed a small troupe I called Velocity Circus. All of our acts were rooted in multicultural rites of passage from which the performances originated. The troupe did very well, and we developed shows about ancient cultures, futuristic cultures, physics, and the cosmos. Some of my favorite shows were at agricultural fairs throughout California, celebrating everything from pumpkins to asparagus. These fairs were often in slightly blighted areas—places that were feeding the world but not always well-nourished themselves.
I remember having a burst of inspiration and rewriting one show on the spot. I introduced “The Junk Food Jungle,” ruled by High Empress Fructose and her evil minion Yellow #5, where all the characters withered away from malnutrition. And across the tracks was “Vitaville,” ruled by a benevolent Virile Vizier, where vegetables, nuts, and fruits (interpret that as you will) gave everyone superpowers to achieve anything they wanted. We would get the kids on stage afterward to climb ropes and suspend from trapezes, assuring them that their super strengths would blossom if they took good care of themselves.
Over the years, I’ve produced thousands of shows, experiences, and interactive events, employing countless artists and igniting the imaginations of global audiences both live-on-stage and through multimedia channels. These days, our immersive experiences have evolved to be increasingly intimate, hosting a steady flow of just eight guests at a time through our explorations.
Our largest audience ever was a hybrid of live and televised, estimated at hundreds of millions. It was staged in Hyderabad, India, for the Miss India pageant, just after 9/11. We traveled with high security and were confined to ridiculously luxurious hotels with eight-star service. Being artists, that wasn’t exactly our jam, so we snuck out one night, caught a rickshaw into the city, and were seriously reprimanded by the producers when we returned. But the show must go on.
The next day, we were confined to our backstage quarters, equipped with all the amenities, including an “American toilet” about 5 feet off the ground and impossible to reach. Local villagers had built it for us, having heard that American toilets were very tall! We let them know we were grateful but were perfectly fine with the more sensible local squat toilets.
During the extravagant show, we witnessed the most beautiful, spectacular people I’ve ever seen. We were directed not to engage with the contestants backstage, but that was impossible. I recall entering our dressing room to cue the artists to get on stage, only to find everyone practically climbing the walls, palpably aroused by the stunning beauty of all genders surrounding us!
In contrast, when we returned home, our next gig was a small family celebration hosted by a grandma in her basement. From Bollywood glitz to humble homes is the full spectrum of work we do, and we are grateful to serve everyone who values us.
What problems do we solve for our clients?
An early mantra in our business was “You name it,We can do it!” That still holds true today. I despise the word “No” and cringe at the word “Problem”—but put them together as “No problem,” and we’re golden. Remember, art is a business. So, please don’t call offering “opportunities” when you really are asking us to work for free. If you don’t value the arts, you’re the problem.
We value all our clients equally, whether you’re a solo patron at one of our experiences or hiring us for a multi-million dollar production.
At the heart of everything we do, each show and experience is truly unique. We pour incredible care into every production, tailoring it not only to our client, the venue or concept but to each individual in the audience.
In any given week, we’re often juggling 3 to 5 brand-new custom tailored productions. Some may only be performed as a one out, others may have longer shelf lives as theatrical experiences that evolve every day. This is rare in our industry. We don’t aim for blockbuster cash cows. Instead, we put our energy into creating small, intentional, and meaningful shows that touch the hearts and souls of those who experience them.
We’re not just an arts business. We’re a portal to the unimagined, so leave your expectations at the door, come for the spectacle and stay for the existential crisis.
So now you know exactly what we do. And if you’re still confused, well, you’ll just have to come explore for yourself.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Unexpectedly.
Off guard.
Serendipitously.
My current business partner and Creative Director actually began as a client. He reached out with a bold vision to transform his nonprofit gala into a dazzling, immersive Moulin Rouge experience. With over a year’s notice, a realistic budget, and an unwavering commitment, it was clear he knew the scale of his ambition. We arrived on the day of the event with just 2.5 hours to set up and deliver what would normally take weeks, a monumental task involving over 35 artists, staging, light sound, crew, etc. Despite him being off-put by my bulldozer approach in organizing the chaos, his gratitude shone through when I gathered everyone for him to share the nonprofits mission statement behind the project. At that moment, a powerful synergy sparked. He wasn’t just captivated by the magic we brought, but inspired by the heart behind the vision.
I’ve collaborated with nonprofits for years and they remain some of my favorite clients, but they often result in the most dull productions. Many are organized by well-meaning committees with little experience in entertaining guests and make the mistake of overly incorporating tiring fundraising elements like live and silent auctions, raffles, and more resource draining antics. There have been many times when “ The Show” was just an afterthought placed way too late in the evening and the curtain opens to an exhausted, overly inebriated crowd practically face down in their plates or quickly making an exit out of boredom.
This experience was entirely different. There was no ask for money, no burdening guests with thick wasteful programs, and no tedious check-in. He greeted all 300+ guests by name, and ran the event with an emphasis on honoring and trusting each guest.
This allowed guests to wholeheartedly embrace the experience and, above all, inspired them to give more without feeling pressured for donations. They already knew why they were there.
When it came time for the auction, there were no items. Instead, he staged a simple fund-a-need. I warned the artists that I’d probably have to rally them three times before the tedious process was over. But within just 15 minutes, through sheer charisma, he raised over half a million dollars from an enthusiastic crowd. From $25,000-$100,every single person in that room gave. I’ve never seen anything like it.
The curtain opened to a hyper-alert audience and we immersed fully among them for the grand finale. I played the role of ringmaster, while our client played a similar character. Up until that point, I hadn’t engaged much with him, but at the end of the show, I handed him the microphone and quickly congratulated him on what was an absolutely flawless, seamless, and heartfelt event he had produced.
He reciprocated by saying he had heard about the Gregangelo Museum and wanted to visit. Naturally, I invited him. He was intrigued and ended up coming every day for over three weeks, absolutely fascinated by how we operated, the multiculturalism, the artists, and everything we did.
He asked if he could work with us and I accepted. He quit his position of over 10 years at the nonprofit and quickly became my Managing Partner and Creative Director. He helped us navigate drastic adaptations during COVID, took charge of the business end, handles our clients as well as contributes creatively. Artistically he does everything from graphics to performing. Turns out, in his early career, he was a designer of food and beverage packaging, many of which you see in your supermarket every day.
His name is Marcelo Defreitas. Originally from Brazil, he came to San Francisco in the early ’80s and has made arts and design his cultural focus in the city.
You never know when you might meet someone who will change your life. So, accept and nurture every well intended connection you make on this journey of life.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding my business?
In three words: I earned it.
A pivotal influence in my early years was none other than Tommy Wiseau, now a cult legend for his film The Room. He was not just an inseparable friend but also my first business mentor. During my college years he employed and trained me to be his right-hand man in order to help run his expanding merchant business which catered to tourists in San Francisco. My job freed him up to commute from SF to LA every week to work on his film. Tommy is a fucking force and his journey is a testament to turning failure into success. He had a passion, earned his own income through entrepreneurial hard work and invested it into creating what was once deemed the world’s worst film. Though crushed by the initial failure, he, against all odds, rolled with the blasting punches and spun mockery into cinematic gold with his now enduring occult classic. Watching him take something dismissed and transform it into a cultural phenomenon was a huge inspiration to me. He showed me that it’s not about perfection; it’s about perseverance, passion, and the guts to keep moving forward with your vision and finding your audience no matter what.
It was while I was earning with Tommy’s business that I was simultaneously building my own business from the ground up. Being fueled by passion and creativity isn’t a straightforward endeavor. In my case, there was no miraculous windfall, and no rich backer or family waiting in the wings to help. Instead, it took seven solid years of relentless hustle to earn, learn, and invest my own earnings into starting my business.
I moonlit taking on every imaginable gig with my whirling dervish act and alternately performed character dancing with a live dance band. I silk-screened sweatshirts, crafted catered food displays, designed costumes and window displays, and worked in a Japanese contemporary gallery, No stone was left unturned, and no moment wasted. I earned money working 18+ hour days, while simultaneously putting myself through art college full-time. So I developed an iron-clad work ethic, endurance and put away as much $ as I could. I vividly recall giving myself a strict five-dollar daily allowance to eat healthily, and somehow, I managed.
I started earning real money when I began working corporate events and was able to employ teams of artists, which became the healhy backbone of the business. Those earnings were specifically reinvested into self-producing public shows, building our own aesthetics, establishing our Costume, Art, Makeup, Hair and Media studios as well as operating our own rehearsal space. This is when we were truly able to unabashedly unleash our creativity.
I always move forward, with very little to fall back on other than my own profound experience. A major motivator is that I consistently provide viable opportunity for others to shine on the way. This practice has always worked for me and perhaps can work for you : act on every moment, take passionate risks without worrying about a “safety net” or “umbrella,” spread your wings, leap, trust, and you’ll only have the option to fly and consequently manifest.
As for Crash Landings and Near-Death Moments?
There have been plenty. When you invest your soul and savings into a show that flops, it’s easy to feel like you’ve lost your wings. But instead of falling, we’ve learned to relaunch our creativity by renavigating, reimagining and reinvigorating. Though turbulent, we uplift ourselves without being indebted to investors who could control our flight path and demand our resources.
In short: We’re free, but very expensive!
This model keeps me consistently inspired, pushes me to innovate, remain relevant, and ultimately create meaningful experiences that uplift humanity. People are willing to pay for these experiences because the care and craftsmanship we put into our artistry are both rare and invaluable.
During economic downturns, when others are jumping off bridges, we are building them. We’ve faced disasters, show closures, and diminished bank accounts. But creativity, unlike capital, is infinite. True artists don’t crumble when the cash disappears. Instead we have the vision to take the clay from the earth and sculpt it into a masterpiece. Where others see mud, we see potential. So in fact the value is in the creation, which leads to the coin. Or to put in more clearly: money is the result of creating, not the reason for it.
When you have the ability to create and earn from nothing, you are unstoppable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gregangelomuseum.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregangelomuseum/
• Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gregangelo-museum/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gregangelo-museum/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@velocitysf?feature=shared

Image Credits

Zoart Photography
Hiromi Yoshida
Michaela Joy