Mission
Nathan's mission is to help others find and follow their passions while making a positive impact on the world. He believes that each individual possesses unique talents and interests that, when embraced and nurtured, can lead to extraordinary achievements. Nathan is dedicated to inspiring and guiding people on their journey of self-discovery, empowering them to unlock their full potential and create meaningful change in their lives and communities. By providing the necessary tools, resources, and support, he aims to enable individuals to pursue their passions with purpose and make a lasting difference.
BIO
Nathan Chandra
Nathan Chandra is a seasoned entrepreneur, operator, and venture builder with a proven track record of launching and scaling ventures across SaaS, direct-to-consumer (DTC) technology, fashion, consumer products, and the creative industries. Known for blending creativity with disciplined execution, he specializes in building the systems, teams, and strategies needed to move from idea to scale—repeatedly turning vision into viable, well-run businesses.
Nathan’s entrepreneurial journey began early. As a high school student, he collaborated with Sony recording artist Jon B on two studio albums that collectively sold over three million copies. That early exposure to world-class creative production sparked a lifelong interest in the intersection of culture and business—leading to early ventures in music production, vinyl manufacturing, apparel design, and the launch of an independent record label. These foundational experiences shaped Nathan’s core ability to channel creative vision into structured, scalable enterprises.
Drawn to technology and its potential for exponential growth, Nathan co-founded WeLink, a SaaS-based, location-aware social data monitoring platform that was selected for the Alchemist Accelerator in Silicon Valley. As CEO, he led the company to secure strategic partnerships and a licensing agreement with Cisco Systems—showcasing his ability to translate complex technology into enterprise-ready solutions with real-world utility.
Following WeLink, Nathan founded RYSE, a mobile platform connecting artists, producers, and fans within a single creative ecosystem. RYSE was recognized by Apple as “App of the Day” and received a full Apple App Store feature—testament to its exceptional user experience, product design, and cultural relevance in the music-tech space.
In 2019, Nathan expanded into fashion and consumer products by acquiring the global lifestyle license for Roland Corporation, a legendary name in electronic music instruments. He launched Roland Lifestyle, building the brand from the ground up—establishing a global supply chain, reaching seven-figure annual revenues, and forming collaborations with X-LARGE, PLEASURES, New Balance, and Champion. The brand played a key role in reconnecting Roland with a new generation of musicians and creators, earning coverage from media outlets including Rolling Stone, Hypebeast, MusicRadar, and DJ Magazine.
Through SHINES Creative Services, Nathan has advised and built brand programs for companies like BPM Music, 1500 Sound Academy, Roland, V-MODA, SHURE Corporation, and Caldecott Music Group—using merchandise, product strategy, and experiential design as tools to deepen audience connection and cultural relevance. His work spans brand strategy, creative direction, production, and operational execution—always anchored in building scalable systems, not just one-off campaigns.
Nathan is also the co-founder of COLOURS Uniforms, a fast-growing, seven-figure business modernizing the U.S. school uniform industry. At COLOURS, he led the development of the company’s proprietary end-to-end technology platform, integrating product management with AI-powered demand forecasting to optimize inventory, operations, and cash flow. In addition to driving the company’s system architecture, he also built out the marketing strategy, warehousing operations, financial models, investor materials, and brand identity—laying a foundation for sustainable, long-term growth.
Across all his ventures, Nathan has consistently led cross-functional teams that impact every major pillar of business—from technology and product to operations, finance, design, marketing, and supply chain. His approach emphasizes clarity, execution rhythm, and systems thinking—ensuring that businesses are designed to scale, not just launch.
Through these experiences—spanning SaaS, consumer goods, creative ventures, and scaled operations—Nathan launched SHINES Venture Studio, a venture-building platform designed to help founders go to market, grow, and scale at any stage of the journey. SHINES works hands-on across the full company lifecycle: from early-stage product development and go-to-market clarity, to building the operational and technology infrastructure required to run a business post-revenue, to implementing the systems and processes that support long-term, repeatable growth.
At SHINES, Nathan brings an operator-level understanding of how businesses truly function—spanning technology, systems architecture, operations, finance, design, branding, marketing, sales, and execution. Whether building these capabilities directly or deploying SHINES’ proven team frameworks, he helps founders accelerate progress, make better decisions, and build with confidence.
More than just a consultancy or accelerator, SHINES Venture Studio is a hands-on execution partner—focused on helping entrepreneurs move faster, avoid common pitfalls, and build durable, well-run companies. Whether launching a new product, navigating post-revenue complexity, or preparing for scaled growth, Nathan and the SHINES team provide a rare combination of strategic clarity, practical experience, and executional support to help founders turn potential into performance.