The People Behind Sweets
Our company is composed of individuals who while having a variety of experience and expertise who share the commonalities of being Kendama enthusiasts and players. We keep the company focused on what Kendama players want in a Kendama, while offering Kendamas at high end and entry-level prices. All of our crew can make more money elsewhere, but choose to work in kendama because we believe in its potential to be a sport, an industry, and a job we can be passionate about and proud of.
MATT 'SWEETS' JORGENSON
Sweets Kendamas is the brainchild of Matt “Sweets” Jorgenson. Yes he is a person, and a unique one. He loves all skill related challenges, and broke his back doing a backflip on a snowboard requiring him to focus on hobbies with less risk of a repeat injury. His parents were both entrepenuers, and he knew he wanted to find something he was passionate about and start his own business. Sweets found Kendama, fell in love, and began a mission to make them more accessible outside of Japan.
Graduating with a communications major from the University of Minnesota, he found others who loved Kendama on Youtube and asked if his new company could sponsor them. He also found friends to work for Pizza and Beer to help grow the company with sweat and creativity, wanting to make designs that had never been done before. Sweets has never allowed Sweets Kendamas to release a product that he wouldn’t use himself, taking a player-centric approach when it comes to our design, function, and quality.
Gabe Klemm
CEO & Partner
Matt Paulsen
Graphic Designer & Partner
Matt Muraoka
Graphic Designer & Collaboration Coordinator
Cooper Eddy
Videographer
Brad Schneider
Sales Manager
Cody Griz
Social Media & Event Coordinator
Josh Grove
Curriculum Developer
Shinya
Assembly Lead
Sam Strohmeyer
Retail Shipping / Warehouse
Cody Booth
Customer Service
humble beginnings
We started from a backyard shed in 2010 with a small amount of savings, and have grown the business and the community ever since. We will continue our mission to Spread Kendama Love until Kendama is a household item across the globe, and until Kendama is an Olympic sport. Go ahead and laugh now. We will laugh later.
The original Sweets Shop, "The Shed" - 2010
Painting Kendamas Outside - 2010
The Living Room - 2010