Folsom and Sacramento, Calif. – (Aug. 13, 2026) – On SAFE Credit Union’s most recent Perfect Cents Podcast drop, Sacramento business owner Shawn Kahan reveals how his street smarts not only helped him launch a successful local creative agency with clients the likes of Uber and Epic Games, but how his unconventional education helped inspire one of midtown’s most popular annual cultural events – the Our Street Night Market.
The night market features a variety of cultural events, food vendors, and performances spanning eight city blocks while bringing nearly $350,000 to the local economy and 10,000 participants each year. This year’s seventh annual market is scheduled for Labor Day weekend on Saturday, Sept. 5 and runs along R Street between 11th and 14th streets and through adjacent nearby blocks.
Kahan, co-creator of the night market and co-owner of the Yellow Brick Group, shares his inspiring story with listeners and viewers of how he started his first business at 17 “hustling” shirts out of the back of his car after being told to move out on his own at just 16.
“I had an interesting kind of pathway,” Kahan says, referring to learning how to wear a variety of hats on the fly to successfully run a business. “Candidly, I was kicked out of three high schools, and I started my first business when I was 17.”
Kahan tells host Alex Becerra how he got his first break when former Sacramento Kings’ Center DeMarcus Cousins’ manager hired him to work on projects for him, and before he knew it he was building brand campaigns for other area celebrities, including famed performance artist David Garibaldi.
On a personal note, Kahan discusses how his search for identity as being “hapa,” or half Hawaiian Asian and Caucasian-English, and his life-changing trips to East Asia sparked the central idea for the night market.
Listen and watch the episode with Kahan here on SAFE’s YouTube channel.
The SAFE ‘Perfect Cents Podcast’ was created in keeping with the credit union’s mission as a not-for-profit financial institution to provide financial education as part of the cooperative principle of sharing profits within communities.
The podcast, set to soon air its 100th episode, brings guests from SAFE and the community to share tips, inspiring stories, and information to aid viewers and listeners on their own personal journey toward building financial freedom.
To interview SAFE Credit Union Community Development Specialist and podcast host Alex Becerra, contact SAFE’s Senior Communications and Public Relations Specialist Robyn Eifertsen by phone or text at (916) 809-7002 or at [email protected].
To speak with Yellow Brick Group Co-Owner and Marketing Director Shawn Kahan contact him at (916) 320-8664 or [email protected].
SAFE Credit Union Perfect Cents Podcast Host Alex Becerra speaks one-on-one with Sacramento entrepreneur Shawn Kahan to hear about his unconventional road to success and the inspiration behind co-creating the popular "Our Street Night Market" drawing 10,000+ visitors each September.
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About SAFE
SAFE Credit Union has made members an integral part of its vision since 1940. Over the years the credit union has kept the focus on what really matters, putting members first, a formula that has seen SAFE grow into a leading financial
institution in Northern California with $4.3 billion in assets and about 244,000 members. SAFE crafts every cutting-edge product and sterling service with members’ needs foremost in mind. In addition to banking services conveniently
available through online, chat, mobile, or phone options, SAFE offers in-person services for members and small businesses at service centers across the Greater Sacramento region. SAFE is a not-for-profit, state-chartered credit union
with membership open to businesses and individuals living or working in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Solano, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Yuba, Amador, and Alameda counties. Equal Housing Opportunity Lender.
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About the Perfect Cents Podcast
The purpose of the Perfect Cents podcast is to educate and inform on topics surrounding financial wellbeing. The podcast does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice and may not apply to individual situations. Viewers and listeners should consult with their own financial, tax or legal adviser for specific information pertaining to their individual situation. The views and opinions expressed on the Perfect Cents podcast are those of the participants expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFE Credit Union or any of its officials.