Michal “Yaksha” Novotný is one of the prominent figures in the Slovak creative and entrepreneurial world. His path ranges from DJ booths through the fashion scene to his own running community, which today connects people around the world. In the Reels Talk byAndré podcast, I discussed with Yaksha music, fashion, lifestyle change and why running is the new skateboarding. I went to Bratislava as part of our expansion with Meet&Deal.
Yaksha started as a promoter and DJ, gradually becoming an entrepreneur who co-created the shape of the Slovak streetwear and hip-hop scene. Projects like FUCK THEM or collaborations with artists like Ektor or Rytmus have left a significant mark on the culture and business.
“The music business is like any other. You produce a product, sell it, and try to make people like it,” explains Yaksha. He no longer devotes as much space to music, but his business approach and sense of community remain the same.
The COVID period meant a major turning point for him. “We’re essentially living in a COVID world even now. I slowed down, started exercising, reevaluated a lot of things,” he says. Today, running is a daily part of his life and has become a way to build a community around him.
Yaksha belonged among the first to open a streetwear store in Central Europe and launch online sales. Today, he watches the fashion scene more from a distance, but admits that the cyclicality of trends fascinates him. “A lot of things repeat themselves. I like vintage t-shirts, those rock ones, they still have a soul for me,” he says.
When Yaksha decides who to collaborate with, he is not guided by a CV or recommendation, but by energy. “The people I work with today had to put in the energy to get my attention. It’s not just about writing, ‘Let’s do something.’ First, you have to show what you can do,” he says. Yaksha is proof that the path from the stage to the marathon is possible if you have the desire to change, learn, and surround yourself with the right people. His lifestyle, which combines creativity, discipline and sports energy, inspires not only runners, but anyone who wants to move their world a few kilometers further.
