About Casper Starenda
Casper Starenda is a multi-faceted creative visionary — inspired and driven by passion, aesthetics, taste, nostalgia, hope, resilience, solitude, and need for human connection. Casper's earliest medium of expression as a child was drawing cars. His childhood dream job was to be a car designer for Pininfarina (a deemed Italian Design Haus responsible for some of the most beautiful Ferrari’s ever). Upon receiving a digital camera as a gift at 8 years old - the photographic expression began. Before he could even legally drive- Casper was feverishly meeting with speciality car owners, networking and scheduling car photoshoots that began a labor of love. Each photoshoot he gained insights & sharpened his creative intuition. This wasn't without any backlash - as he faced doubters, shit-talkers, and flat-out haters in his natural pursuits.
Chicago & Urban Exploration
As he came of age- his birthplace, Chicago, played a great role in the influence & spirit of his work. From early ages, Casper felt strong ties to city, despite mostly being raised in the nearby suburbs. Inspired by the skyline & distinct energy the city seemed to embody, he rebelliously but witfully summited skyscraper rooftops and explored historic abandoned buildings - imprinting on him not only some exhilarating memories - but photographs that capture this spirit from within. Following an action-packed summer of urban exploits - Casper received an opportunity that would change his trajectory.
Automotive Career Journey
Initially enrolled in community college, Casper withdrew from the upcoming semester to take on his first automotive photographer & social media marketing job for a automotive custom haus in Glenview, IL, where he first got behind the wheel, photographed,& experienced some truly extraordinary automobiles. He wanted to experience working with as many special cars as he could get his hands on - and as a result of this recurring desire - he went down a path of working for nearly a dozen automotive dealerships- jobs ranging from porter to salesman to auction assistant to detailer. He manifested an abundance of opportunities to drive a great number of big-ticket enthusiast cars in a short period of time - developing his palate for driving experiences even further. For a year straight, he detailed 1-3 luxury cars daily - 5 days a week. These included anecdotes are just the tip of the iceberg of reference experiences Casper created through his relentless passion. However, whenever he wasn’t doing something creatively - he felt like something was missing.
Bentley & Rolls-Royce Experience
In 2024, Casper began working with brands Bentley & Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the North Shore - he wore many hats in his role - but among his accomplishments was successfully hosting the first Cars & Coffee held at the dealership in Northbrook, IL. Casper rallied when he first was given the task and the event featured a very strong & unique selection of supercars and vintage vehicles - including an original 1920s Rolls Royce that was pulled in with a rope attached to a Mini Cooper!
Casper was progressing steadily in his role - and was offered a position as a Roll-Royce Salesman - but knowing the true context of the situation - he turned down the offer - and toiled for the following months. He was lost, rediscovering what he truly values. All the mismatched jobs and environments helped him gain clarity on what he wanted to create. Corporate systems and politics drained him, exhausted the hell out of him - but the love and passion he held for the cars and creativity was undeniable. This is what shined through. He realized he needed to be the one capitalizing on his specialties - and to have freedom creatively. To not be a “sell-out”, to not conform with some average path. He needed a way to build a world that reflected his interests, that invited those creative outsiders to belong, to build a community, to make something of his own.
The Birth of SPIRIT.DRIVE
With this - the entity “Spirit Drive” was born - and is now in its early stages of being built out as a car culture brand that rejects hype, rejects status quo, and stands for real soul, emotion, and connection. It fuses the human spirit with the art of driving — not just horsepower, but purpose.
“Cars are stress relievers, it’s doesn't matter the make or model”.
It’s about what drives you, inside and out.