Name: Nick Ballantyne & Thad Ballantyne
Age: 28 & 32
Business: Nightrider Jewelry
I’m just one of the guys at Nightrider but my specific role is designing, drawing, and sculpting the jewelry. I’ve always had a knack for art. As a kid, I use to spend countless hours with chalk and charcoal in hand drawing everybody from Michael Jordan to Keith Richards. I had pushed my art aside to pursue a “real career” until I met George Ganem, my father-in-law. His jewelry expertise and passion for the open road provided the perfect outlet for me and my art. We talked my brother Thad into becoming our third partner. He took on the monumental task of actually producing the ideas that we come up with. Together we’ve spent the last six years carving out our rendition of the American dream.” -Nick Ballantyne
Thad Ballantyne:
If you could go see 3 bands (dead or alive) at the same concert, who would they be?
Mumford and Sons, Zack Brown and Nirvana
What’s the one food you just can’t give up?
Steak. No way I could give up steak.
What is something your brother does that drives you crazy?
Growing up it was that he would always wear my clothes and throw them in the bottom of his closet all dirty and try to hide them from me. I would have to go dig through his closet to get them back.
If you had to work at another job for one year, which would you pick and why: NYC Cab Driver – Activities’ Director at a Retirement Home – Exterminator
I have been an exterminator so I will not pick that one. I would go with cab driver. I can just imagine the people you would get to meet in that year that you otherwise would not have had the chance to.
What movie could you watch over and over?
Gladiator
If you could play any professional sport, what would it be?
Basketball
What is something you wish you could change about yourself?
The ability to take life a little less serious.
What’s one thing that you want to do before you die?
Learn how to fly a plane.
What famous person would you love to see wearing your jewelry?
Donald Trump
What’s something that almost no one knows about you?
I used to be a door-to-door salesman.
Nick Ballantyne:
If you could go see 3 bands (dead or alive) at the same concert, who would they be?
Waylon, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and early Metallica.
What’s the one food you just can’t give up?
Taco Bell. I’m also a lifelong addict to Dr. Pepper.
What is something your brother does that drives you crazy?
He takes ping pong way too seriously. If you want to see an angry Thad just beat him in a few games of ping pong.
If you had to work at another job for one year, which would you pick and why: NYC Cab Driver – Activities’ Director at a Retirement Home – Exterminator
Exterminator. My brother-in-law owns a company so I might get a decent gig with him.
What movie could you watch over and over?
Forrest Gump. If you could play any professional sport, what would it be? As a kid, I was convinced I would be like my grandpa and play in the NBA. Being a slow, 6’0” white guy and then becoming a pro basketball player would be quite the accomplishment.
What is something you wish you could change about yourself?
I’m trying to get better at keeping perspective of what’s really important. I’ve often let the stresses of life and outside influences suck the joy out of me. I want to get a better balance.
What’s one thing that you want to do before you die?
I’ve got three beautiful little girls and a little guy on the way. I want to be able to look them in the eyes and tell them that I truly did my best as a man and as their dad.
What famous person would you love to see wearing your jewelry?
Someone genuine…maybe Willie Nelson.
What’s something that almost no one knows about you?
Probably how critically I look at my own work. I tend to get consumed with the flaws I see. It’s a blessing and a curse because it’s a fanaticism that pushes me to do better work, but it also keeps me from really enjoying anything that I’ve done
