Burning Man's influence on the Creation of Gator Jawn® Secure Anchor System®

In 2012, I was part of the design and engineering team for Stella Octangula where I engineered the project supplying all the manufacturing and assembly drawings, an 18-foot-tall double pyramid art installation. That was supposed to be my first trip to Burning Man, where I would help build the structure on-site. Instead, I made a personal decision to give up my ticket for a relationship. That relationship turned into a marriage that lasted five years.

After my marriage ended, I continued working in the headlamp manufacturing industry as the Product Development manager and engineer, where I was responsible for all product development, tooling and the electrical engineering team.

In 2019, after experiencing workplace challenges following my personal journey, I made the decision to walk away from my job. Shortly after, I shared what had happened publicly. In response, a true friend and the community reached out and gifted me a ticket to Burning Man. They also invited me to join the build team for Circus Fabulé, a large-scale interactive installation on the playa.

That experience marked a turning point. Living and building in the desert environment pushed me into a state of complete self-reliance. It forced clarity. During that time, I realized I had been holding myself back and made the decision to fully commit to building something of my own, a NO HOLDS BARRED approach.

After returning from Burning Man in 2019, I founded VG Creatives, LLC. and branded Gator Jawn® Secure Anchor System®.

My initial concepts were inspired directly by problems I experienced in the desert, including the need for reliable anchoring systems and more effective outdoor setups. I could see the best solutions, starting with anchoring technology for umbrellas & Canopies and expanding product development concepts into a self-standing portable shower system, Mobile Solar Flood Light and a Privacy / Ad Banner system.

I developed the Gator Jawn® product line, including the umbrella anchor system and canopy anchor system. These products were engineered to secure structures across multiple terrains and real-world conditions. Invested in tooling, built production molds, and moved into manufacturing.

Today, Gator Jawn® products are sold through multiple channels, including the Gatorjawn.com e-commerce platform and major online retailers such as Walmart and Amazon.

VG Creatives continues to grow from that original decision—to stop holding back and fully commit to building something meaningful and functional.

Gator Jawn Products have a Lifetime Warranty and a 90 day Money Back Guarantee.