We recently connected with Zoe Furman and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zoe, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve always been drawn to creative work. As a kid, I loved art and took lessons outside of school, exploring everything from mixed media to pottery. I was admittedly terrible at pottery, but I loved the process of creating and was excited to try every artistic medium I could get my hands on. That passion continued throughout high school, where I enrolled in honors art courses and spent much of my free time making art.

At the same time, I developed a love for music and began DJing regularly in high school and college. For a long time, I thought my career would be in music—either as a DJ or somewhere within the music industry—which led me to study Entertainment & Arts Management at Drexel University.

While I enjoyed both worlds, visual art ultimately became my true calling. What started as a side business creating custom sneakers while I was still in high school gradually gained momentum, and after graduating from college, I made the decision to pursue it full-time. Looking back, there wasn’t one single moment when I realized I wanted a creative career—it was more a consistent thread throughout my life that naturally evolved into the business I run today.

Zoe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Zoe Furman, the artist and founder behind DJ ZO Designs. I create custom hand-painted sneakers, handbags, and mixed-media fine art that help people express their individuality in a way that mass-produced products simply can’t.

My journey started in high school when I customized my first pair of sneakers. What began as a creative hobby quickly turned into something bigger. Friends, classmates, and eventually strangers started asking for custom designs of their own. At the same time, I was pursuing another creative passion as a DJ, which inspired the name DJ ZO Designs. I went on to study Entertainment & Arts Management at Drexel University because I knew I wanted to build a career that combined creativity and entrepreneurship. After graduating, I made the leap and turned what had been a side business into my full-time career.

Today, I work with everyone from everyday sneaker lovers to brides, athletes, celebrities, corporations, and brands looking for one-of-a-kind wearable art. Every piece is designed specifically for the client, whether it’s a pair of wedding sneakers, a gift commemorating a special milestone, a custom handbag, or a large-scale fine art piece made with tens of thousands of crystals.

At its core, my work solves a simple problem: so many products today are mass-produced and look exactly like everyone else’s. I help people stand out from the crowd. My clients aren’t looking for something ordinary—they want something personal, meaningful, and impossible to find on a store shelf. Every design tells a story, reflects a passion, celebrates an achievement, or captures a piece of someone’s identity.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just customize products—I remix them. I often describe myself as “The Sneaker Remixer” because I love taking something familiar and transforming it into something completely unexpected. Whether it’s incorporating meaningful symbols, hand-painted details, crystal embellishments, or mixed-media elements, my goal is always to create a piece that feels deeply personal to the person receiving it.

One thing I’m especially proud of is that I’ve built this business from the ground up by staying true to my creative vision. Over the years, my work has been worn and collected by professional athletes, reality TV personalities, and clients around the world, but what means the most to me is hearing a client say, “This feels so me.” That’s the reaction I’m always chasing.

I want people to know that every piece I create is made by hand with intention, creativity, and attention to detail. In a world of fast fashion and mass production, I believe there’s something special about owning art that was created specifically for you. My mission has always been to help people celebrate what makes them unique—and to give them a wearable reminder that standing out is something to be proud of.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think one thing people outside of creative fields often struggle to understand is how much of the job has nothing to do with creating the art itself.

People see the finished custom sneaker, handbag, or artwork and assume that’s what I spend all day doing. In reality, being a creative entrepreneur means wearing many hats. In addition to designing and painting, I’m also creating content, responding to customers, managing my website, handling shipping, marketing my business, and more.

I also think people underestimate the resilience required to pursue a creative career. Not every idea works, not every post performs well, and not every opportunity turns into a success. Learning to keep showing up and creating despite those setbacks is just as important as artistic talent.

One lesson I’ve learned is that creativity isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike—it’s about consistency. The more you create, the more you grow, and the more opportunities you give yourself to discover what’s possible.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think one of the best ways society can support artists and creatives is by recognizing the value of original work and understanding the time, skill, and experience that go into creating it.

Many people only see the finished piece, whether it’s a painting, a custom sneaker, a song, or a photograph, but they don’t see the years spent developing the skills needed to create it. Supporting artists doesn’t always mean making a purchase—it can also mean sharing their work, engaging with their content, attending local art events, and recommending them to others.

I also believe it’s important to encourage creativity from a young age. Art, music, and creative programs help people develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and innovative thinking, regardless of whether they pursue a creative career.

A thriving creative ecosystem starts when we view art not as a luxury, but as something that enriches our communities, tells our stories, and helps us connect with one another.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://djzodesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedjzo/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/thedjzo/