Brett Clouser is a survivor. After enduring 39 days of grueling competition deep in the South Pacific for CBS’s “Survior: Samoa” season he’s still alive breathing chipper and diving right back into work on his socially responsible clothing line The Monument of our Hearts.
Clouser’s last year and a half has been a testament of risk reward and stepping up to the plate to knock life’s unpredictable curve-balls and change-ups over the left field fence. Although we’ll all have to wait patiently to see how far Clouser makes it in the “Survivor” competition no doubt he came out of the competition with a matured sense of self and a new perspectives on how to attack his dreams while using each new opportunity as a chance to fulfill those ends.
In Sping 2008 Clouser graduated from Pepperdine armed with his Business Administration degree and entered the corporate workforce. It didn’t take long before he figured out that the corporate grind wasn’t for him and began working on his own clothing company The Monument of Our Hearts (TMOOH).
TMOOH is an activist response to the idea of beauty being held to such narrowly defined standards that tends to promote an unhealthy mindset. His mission is to design apparel that creates conversations and empowers people to feel beautiful. He hopes to expand the definition of beauty and is dedicated to supporting other organizations that make an impact in the lives of those struggling with their body image.
Clouser left his post in February of 2009 to dedicate himself full-time to TMOOH but as he put it the Survivor thing “just kinda fell into [his] lap.” He and his friend Anthony made a trip to Las Vegas in February for a fashion trade show to scope out the trends in the industry. There he met two casting executives from CBS who planted in them the idea of auditioning for the next Survivor season.
While it didn’t guarantee a spot on the show for him it did line him up with all of the interviews and auditions necessary to be a contestant. His charismatic personality combined with his crave for adventure were probably large determining factors in what helped him gain a role on the reality show.
“I just have a thirst for learning engaging in new experiences seeing new things and being in environments that are foreign to me. I love being in situations where I’m not in a spot that I feel totally comfortable and where I’m forced to adapt and change Clouser said.About two or three weeks before the show was set to film, he got a call. Clouser, dropped everything with his business for 39 days to battle the Samoan sun with 19 other contestants all putting their physical prowess, mental tenacity and social cunning on the line to come out on top.
I feel fortunate to have the kind of personality that fit into their idea of the show he said. But getting picked was only the first battle.
You get broken down but then you get to be built up even stronger Clouser said. I feel very blessed to have had the experience. It gave me time to reflect on my priorities and have a chance to see the areas where I can improve.”
Clouser emits an easy-going manner to those around him. He doesn’t like to cause drama or step on other people’s toes. Which means that he found the experience of having to break down the normally passive social order to come out on top a very interesting sociological experiment. He also reflected that any time a small group of people are put together with a common task and are meant to endure trials together close bonds among participants are bound to develop. However he also admits to having a competitive nature from early on.
“I’ll draw out the competition in pretty much anything – school work sports etcetera he said. I think that’s what drove me to do a lot of what I do.”
Now two months back in the states Clouser has had a month to recharge his batteries back home in Oregon and another to continue his work with TMOOH. The Survivor experience has been an incredible publicity asset. He’s been able to grow in ways only extremely special circumstances can promote.
“I think I have always had the desire to step out of the bounds of living in a smaller city and seeing the world he said. I’ve always loved seeing and experiencing something that gives me a new perspective or filter to see the world through.”
He also had a chance to wear his own designs while on the show and his biography on the CBS Web site puts in a little plug for the company’s name. Clouser’s company site traffic software reports that about half of his hits are coming from those finding it through his “Survivor” biography. A user “Denise has even posted a comment saying that she found his company through the Survivor page.
I think that tmooh’s mission vision and values are fantastic and i’m excited about seeing you on survivor this season!!” she wrote.
“I really encourage other people to take risks Brett said. I don’t know how the experience will change my life but I’m sure that it will. I’m excited to see what’s next.”
Just as Clouser has drunk deeply from life he encourages others to do the same.
“Be on a reality TV show – no I’m kidding. … Find what you do in your daily life that gives you joy at the innermost part of your being and never sacrifice along the way he said.
Never feel like you are incapable or ill-equipped for anything because as long as you pursue what you feel is right – you will grow.”