In the past year or so, our e-mail in-box has been pretty full of requests for information on The Collective. Ever since Michael Brooke wrote that little blurb about it in his "Malled To Death" article (in Concrete Wave Magazine, and I think it's also at Concrete Wave online)... the requests have been ongoing, and unrelenting. It got to the point that we just weren't able to keep up with them anymore. To anyone who's e-mail I wasn't able to reply to: I'm genuinely sorry! It's been kinda hectic around here. But still, I'm all apologies anyway.
What I decided to do... with a little help from The Staffers... was to compile about thirty or so of the "Most Frequently Asked" questions, and answer them publicly through The Solitary Life. That way, everyone's questions that I didn't get to? They'll probably get answered here. And, if it's not? Just send me another e-mail, and make the subject line "Hey, slacker-ass! Pay attention next time, asswipe!"
I'd definitely respond to those in pretty short order. In the meantime, here's the thirty questions (and, the corresponding thirty answers):
What is "The Collective"...?
There have been two "versions" of The Collective. The first one was intended to be a union of skateboard shops that would work toward resolving some of the issues that are challenging the core retailers these days.
Later on, we brought in some of the brands/manufacturers to be a part of The Collective. That pretty well describes the current version: A collection of skate shops, brands, and OEM manufacturers that are working together to solve some of the industry's bigger and tougher problems.
Basically, if you merged IASC (the International Association of Skateboard Companies) and BRA (Board Retailers Association)... and then, weeded out all of the bullshit... you'd be pretty close to what we've got going on here.
When did it start? How did it get started? How long has it been around? Who's idea was it?
The basic idea started while I was on my 2008 summer tour, traveling all over the midwest, working on an article for Concrete Wave Magazine. One of the shops that I visited brought the idea of a "skateshop union" to me, and I thought it was a pretty good idea. So, it's been about two years in the making now.
Through the course of that tour, every shop that I visited seemed to be really curious about what the other shops that I had visited, were doing. As I went from shop to shop, I realized that instead of me being the "idea-broker middleman" between all of these guys... maybe it'd just be a hell of a lot easier to get the shops communicating directly with each other, instead of through me all the damned time.
That was the genesis of "Version One". It didn't go over all that well. So these days, I'm back to being the "idea-broker middleman". And, it's going pretty good again.
Why did "Version One" fail...?
It's like the old saying goes: Trying to organize skateboarders is a lot like trying to herd cats. Well, the same thing apparently applies to skateboard shops, too. It wasn't the idea that failed, per se. It was just the "organization" part that didn't work out.
Once I sort of de-organized it, it went back to working the way I hoped it would. I just had to revise my tactics a bit, to meet some harsh realities. And, the "harsh reality" seems to be that nobody wants to work with each other. But for some oddball reason, everyone's more than cool with working through me.
Why do you think that is...?! Is it because you're some sort of "cool guy" or something...?
I think it really comes down to time management for everyone involved. The shops are kind of frightened of the specter of having to actually work with a zillion other shops on something... that really could really end up being quite a headache. The way it stands right now, they basically just work with one guy... and, that "one guy" is me.
When they chat with me, it's like they're already talking to a zillion other shops, anyway. Because, I talk to those "other zillion" shops all the time! Y'know...?!
So, you're kind of a filter.
I guess. I mean, I'll have shops call me up, and ask stuff like... what are the 5 coolest shops that I've visited, and why did I think they were so cool? I give them 5 ideas, and they're like "Okay, thanks!!" They don't want to have to ask a zillion other shops how to do stuff... so yeah, it's probably just easier for them to get my Top-Five Hit List, and run with that.
The brands, the woodshops... they also tend to ask the same sorts of questions. And again, I guess that through me, they get really quick-hit, simple answers. Things to work towards, but without having to jump through a million hoops to get the information, or the inspiration that they want or need.
As time goes on, though, they are starting to work together a bit. But, it takes time. And a lot more than I thought it would. One thing that I've sort of learned, is that it takes about two years for the industry to hear, understand, and act on any sort of idea. Like, MSRP's and MAPs. I first started writing about that in 2008! But now, it's starting to be pretty common for the manus to use them, and for the shops to sort of stick by them... "sort of" being the operative phrase, here. We're not 100% there yet, but we're gettin' close.
But: It still took almost exactly two years to get it done. And, that's about average.
I never would've thought that things would take that long to get done... but apparently, they do.
What are the mission and goals of The Collective?
Initially, the goal was to work on resolving at least some of the issues that were threatening the core retailers, and generally making their lives miserable. The shops really do have a laundry-list of shit that's giving them a really, really hard time these days. And for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem like BRA is taking an "active" enough lead on these issues. So, I figured that somebody had to step up and do something, so why not me...?
Currently, the mission seems to be creating better working relationships between the retailers, and the manufacturers. I've often wondered why in the world IASC and BRA existed as two separate entities. I suspect it's because, they both have their own interests that they're working toward... but, those interests tend to create conflicts with the "other side of the fence", not mutually beneficial resolutions. Like, IASC is out to fuck BRA, and vice versa...
I don't know... I don't really know the details of their relationship. All I know, is that it just seemed to me that any sort of "industry group" should actually consist of the entire industry... not just, little fragments of it working to advance their own self-serving little interests. A true "industry group" should work toward the benefit of everyone involved in "the industry", from the top to the bottom.
The primary "mission" of The Collective, though, is still to be a resource for skate shops. Especially, start-ups. I get a lot of requests from "newbie" skate shops for all sorts of advice, insight, and information. There is no such thing as a "Skateshop Economics 101" college course (although, if there were, it would probably be pretty damned popular). So, we sort of strive to be that resource. As much as we can be, at least.
Again: Why BRA has never taken this sort of initiative up is way, way beyond me...
Where are your headquarters at...?
We don't really have a centralized "headquarters", per se. This is literally, a loose collective of businesses and people... not, a "real organization", as it's usually defined. My personal office is in Indianapolis, Indiana. But, it's not the "headquarters" of anything, really.
What's your title...?
I'm pretty title-repulsive. I hate "titles", as a force of habit. I'm perfectly fine with "asshole".
How does a skateshop or skate company join The Collective?
It's pretty casual. Just, express some sort of interest in what we're doing, and be willing to help the cause in some way. As far as the shops go, I like to keep a steady parade of "problems" coming in to resolve, so that we always have stuff to work on. I like constant communication with the shops. The one thing that I'd like to point out is that, although I don't always answer every e-mail from every single shop that writes in... rest assured, they all at least get read. I read every single one of them, myself. Personally! So, skateshops? You are being heard...! I can guarantee you that.
As far as the brands go... all I ask is that they be sympathetic to the core retailer's struggles, and maybe work with us to minimize some of those as best as they can. And once again, keep a steady influx of problems coming our way to work on. We hate getting bored. With the brands, we've also launched some initiatives regarding their promotions and their marketing, to make their programs a little bit more effective. That's been a lot of fun.
And, I guess the same thing goes for the woodshops. Just, be around when something hits the fan, and tidy up your own businesses as best you can.
How much does it cost to sign up?
It's free. There's no cost. Just a little bit of communication, and a smidge of elbow grease, and you're good to go.
What's your role in The Collective? Are you the self-appointed spokesman for the core retailer...?
As far as being a "spokesperson"... no, that's not really my intent. I pretty much speak for my own damned self, and if people identify with that, then great. If not? That's cool, too.
Really, my job isn't to "speak" all that much, anyway. The vast majority of my time is spent listening to somebody else's problems and concerns. If I speak at all, it's to ask them follow-up questions. "Okay, why is that the case? Can you tell me more about this, or that? I'm dumb, help me out a little..." Stuff like that. That's when I do the bulk of my "speaking".
If and when I do any "public speaking" at all, it's to bring to light something pertinent that I've either heard, or learned. That's how I got onto the MSRP/MAP pricing issue, for example. It's not like I made that shit up...! I actually went to a shop, chatted with the management team... and they're the ones that told me all about it, how it worked, and how it would benefit the retailers if the skateboard industry had it, too. The only thing that I did was go, "Holy crap! That's an awesome idea!!" But, I sure as hell didn't think of it...!
My main role is basically to be the intermediary between the member shops, and the member brands, whenever a problem or a genius idea arises. Being that I work in the media, I'm pretty sensitive to the needs of both sides of the aisle, so to speak. So, I try to find middle ground, and work on solutions that benefit everybody. So, as soon as MSRPs and MAPs landed on my lap? That's when I went to work. Writing about it, calling heads up, cajoling, poking, prodding, and kicking asses. And, to their credit, everybody in The Collective pulled some weight on that issue. Everybody helped out, from the shops that squawked about it, to a few key brands that saw the benefits of getting some price controls, or simple guidelines put into place.
And, lo and behold: It got done.
I think that, right there, might be the secret of whatever "success" we've had so far. I'm "the media", so I'm pretty impartial. I can see all of the sides of any particular issue. And, I have everyone's interests at heart. I literally want everyone to win... OEMs, brands, skate shops, and skaters. And, I think that everyone involved knows that by now. But then, we have the members. They're pretty hands-on, super-smart, and super-helpful. So, between an impartial intermediary, great people, awesome ideas, and a casual, honest series of working relationships... I think that's what's making it all work.
How much do you rake in, doing this...?
Nothing. I'm strictly a volunteer. I rake in plenty of gripes and complaints, but no dollars to speak of.
It's not about the money, anyway. It's all about the energy, the relationships, and the ideas. And, all that stuff is free. No money needed.
What's in it for you, then....? Isn't this just some sort of self-aggrandizing project?
I'm not particularly concerned with how I'm viewed by "The Industry"... and yeah, I probably have a lot of naysayers, shit-talkers, and doubters out there. I'm fairly positive that I don't have a whole lotta friends in either the IASC, or BRA camps... although IASC probably hates me more than BRA ever will, if I had to put my money on it. That's predictable, but it's really no big deal to me. My job is to work for our members, not our detractors. Screw them.
What's in it for me? I get the rare opportunity to make a positive difference in the way this industry works. And I have the chance to get some things done that, quite frankly, have been put off for far, far too long now. I love nothing more than a damn good challenge. And, this gig is chock full of challenges. So naturally, it totally appeals to me on that level.
And: It's fun. If it weren't, I definitely wouldn't be doing it.
This might all be a function of just me gettin' older, too. I kinda grew up in a skate shop, y'know?! I'd sort of like 'em to stick around for another generation or two, if I can help it at all. Likewise: I owned a small company for a decade or so. It was fun times. So naturally, companies need to do well too. Maybe I just wanna preserve skateboarding the way it's [largely] always been. I don't know. I'm not a psychologist, and I don't do a whole lotta "looking back". I'm way too busy plowing forward for that kind of bullshit.
How do you decide on what "the agenda" is going to be? What sorts of problems are you working on? What sorts of challenges are retailers facing these days...?
I work on whatever problems or challenges the members bring to my attention. As far as the shops go, they seem to boil down to four major issues:
- Margins and profitability,
- Customer service,
- Promoting skateboarding locally, regionally, and globally, and
- Building more honest and straightforward relationships between the retailers, and the manufacturers.
For the manufacturers, it seems to be:
- Streamlining,
- Cost cutting,
- Figuring out how to deliver on the demands of the customer (the core skate shop, specifically), and
- Promoting their brands more effectively in the marketplace.
And then, there's the top-to-bottom customer-service paradigm that needs to be addressed, too. That one affects everybody... the entirety of skateboarding.
What in the hell makes you the expert on skate retailing? Or branding, for that matter?!
I'm no expert. I never claimed to be one. I just listen to what people are telling me, and I move forward from there. I don't even have ideas. People give me good ideas, and I run with them. Or I pass them along, and somebody else runs with them. So, no... it's not really about "me". All I am is the middleman in all of this. I just move ideas around, and maybe cultivate a little bit of inspiration here and there. And, that's all I do. That's it...!
What's your resume? What qualifies you to do this?
I don't have the first fucking clue, man. I just sort of stumbled into it, y'know? I was just some journalist out on a little skateboarding road-trip, and whammo! Here I am.
As far as qualifications go? I'm patient, even-keeled, and sort of a workaholic. I'm pretty enthusiastic about shit, and I'm still totally gung-ho on skateboarding. I think that a lot of folks find me pretty friendly and funny, too. Engaging...? I don't know. You might wanna ask somebody else this kind of crap.
What role does The Solitary Life play in The Collective?
The Solitary Life... my little web-'zine-blog... is where I'll be doing things like, the "Let's Talk Shop" articles, and the "Small Company Field Guide"... and later on, we'll finally start on the "Heads Up! Buyers Guide"... which are all aimed more or less at the independent skate shop. They're just little bits of information, geared at helping them out. But, presented in a manner that's really easy to navigate and use, and forever archive-able. Even if I dropped dead tomorrow, The Solitary Life will still be right here, open for anyone and everyone.
So, yeah... it's basically a means of mass communication to retailers everywhere, designed to give them insights and ideas that they might not find anywhere else.
The one compliment that I got recently- I don't get too many, which might be why I'm remembering it so well- was from a guy that told me something like, "The cool thing about you, is that you're totally comfortable with straight-up tackling the 'issues' that most people would be more than happy to sweep under a rug, somewhere...!" I thought that was kinda neat.
But, on the other hand: My asshole-bastard-bulldozer personality sort of lends itself to that sort of modus operandi, too. So maybe it's not such a good thing after all.
Where, or how do you think IASC and BRA have failed...? How do you plan on doing things differently...?
The main thing that I found in my experience with The Collective, is that... the biggest hurdle for our industry, is just simple communication. There's just not enough of it. And when there is, it's all sorts of fucked up.
For their part, BRA doesn't seem to say much of anything at all. They're pretty quiet over there. So, nobody seems to have any idea of what the hell they're doing- if anything. I've actually called over there, and asked them very pointedly what exactly they do for the core retailer?! I don't remember getting an answer. And, after asking some of their member shops what they do, they couldn't come up with anything, either. So nobody knows, I guess.
The other thing that seems to hold BRA back, is that they're not really perceived as "fighters". They don't seem very "activist", like they'll actually stand up and brawl for the cause, y'know...? And, I think that skate shops kinda want that right now. They want a fighter that'll stand in their corner, and back them up when they're down and out. BRA just seems kind of wussy. To me, at least. I'm just speaking for myself on that one, though. The shops, for their parts, just seem to find them ineffective.
IASC is a different beast altogether. Whenever they speak on something, it's always in some sort of businessy-marketing-hoopla-bullshit sort of language that I can't figure out to save my fucking life. There's so much crap in our "industry communication" that at the end of the day, it renders it all meaningless. I'm sort of the opposite of that... I'm most comfortable just speaking in plain 'ol, blue-collar, common-sense, skater-english. I actually get a lot of props for that, but I have no idea of why that would be. I'm just talking like an everyday guy, y'know...? That's what's "normal" to me.
Lastly, I think the final failure of both of those organizations was their utter lack of accountability, or transparency. They both seem pretty damned arrogant, to me... especially IASC. And, a lot of shit over there is shrouded in layers of fog and mystery. That always makes me a little bit suspicious of them.
We're a little bit more "down with the people" over here, because we are "the people". I take my marching orders from "the people". And, anyone can always call me up, and ask me a question. Or, give me crap. Or, send me an e-mail. Or, whatever they wanna do. Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty good at answering them in a timely manner. Most of the time, at least.
So at the very worst, the one thing that I can always stand behind is the fact that, yeah, I'm fully accessible. If nothing else, I'm here, and I'm always down for a chat.
What has The Collective accomplished thus far...?
I think that the biggest accomplishment has been bringing both sides of the aisle together. Here at The Collective, the relationships between the manufacturers and the retailers are a little bit more honest, and a little more "real". Both sides can see the challenges the other side faces, and they're a bit more willing to work together to resolve things, instead of battling each other with pitchforks and torches all the fucking time.
The by-products have been, meaningful progress on MSRP/MAP initiatives, a workable plan for streamlining of the distribution paradigm, and increased profitability for both the brands, and the shops, without any significant increase to the average skater on the street.
Yeah, I'd be the first to admit that they're just small steps, involving only a tiny handful of shops and companies. So, it's a pretty "limited" victory, in the grand scheme of things...
On the other hand: We've built a working prototype, and we've shown that these things can actually work together pretty well. And: It wasn't even as hard as anyone thought it'd be. The first month or so, was pretty rough. Getting the paradigms smoothed out, took some real work. But, once everyone knows how the game is gonna work, and they're all on the same page... it gets a lot easier.
So long as everyone just does their little part to move the ball forward, then everything tends to go pretty smoothly.
Can Zumiez be a member? Are they already a member?
One of the harsh realities is that, when we make the retailer more profitable... that does ultimately help Zumiez because they are, in fact, a retailer. Whether we like it or not. Personally, I'm no friend of Zumiez. Just speaking for myself here, I think they're lame as fuck.
So, no: They're not involved with The Collective. I wouldn't invite them in, and I doubt that anyone else involved with this would, either.
I figure that mega-money-corporations can do just fine on their own, with no help from me.
Why the hard stance against Zumiez?
Look, man. It's really simple. The average "core retailer"... I still call them "skate shops", because I think the "core retailer" tag is again, just a bunch of IASC bullshit... the family-owned, or skater-owned, or locally-owned skate shop does sooooo much for their local community, and their local scene... they give soooooo much back to those local scenes, and they invest sooooo hard in those local scenes... they do this huge fucking service to skateboarding, in general. It's immeasurable how much they do, to promote skateboarding at the grass-roots level. They are truly, the life-blood of skateboarding.
Zumiez, is the exact opposite of the local-skateshop-paradigm. Zumiez actually drains resources out of local communities, and re-routes those resources straight to their shareholders' pocketbooks. I've heard people refer to Zumiez as "The Wal-Mart of Skateboarding", and I think it's an apt comparison! Zumiez, like Wal-Mart, guts local communities! It's that fucking simple...!
Doesn't the "skateboard industry at large" see this happening...? Or, is it that they just don't want to see this? Sure, I'm sure the brands are making some short-term bank off of Zumiez... but, is it really worth the long-term destruction that's gonna take place later on down the road...? Has our own history taught us nothing about what works, and what doesn't...?
It's just, totally beyond me. It's like, the industry has made a strategic decision somewhere to fuck themselves up the ass. Seriously! Because, that's what they're doing, when they enable, or support, a Zumiez-type of paradigm! And, you can huff and puff and blow your ass off... but at the end of the day, the truth is the goddamned truth. You can feed me all the bullshit you want, but I just ain't hearing it. I don't now, and I never will. I can see the truth through the fog. If you can't, or if you just refuse to? That's your problem, fucko. Not mine.
The Bottom Line is: Zumiez re-directs precious and scarce resources away from local skateboard communities. Resources that local shops would re-invest into skateboarding. And that's gonna be bad for skateboarding, overall. You leave the grass roots unwatered? The fucking lawn dies. That's it. It's that simple.
So, no... it's not "Zumiez" specifically that I'm referring to. It's the big-box-corporate-skate-shop paradigm that I hate. It could just as easily be PacSun, or somebody else. Buckle, whatever. They're all the same to me.
How can my shop kick Zumiez' ass...?!
This is probably the number-one question that I've gotten at The Collective. "How do you beat Zumiez?!" Assuming that you can do it, then the answers are really pretty simple:
Offer better customer care than they do (which really shouldn't be all that fucking difficult, since they seriously suck at it),
Have a better understanding of the products in your store, than they do (which again, shouldn't be too damn hard, because they're basically retards),
Stock stuff that they don't/won't carry, and focus on high-margin growth markets. Longboards, quality pricepoint, new technologies, and small companies are all pretty hot right now. And, you still can't beat softgoods and shoes for margins.
And lastly, work on building a true skateboarding community through your shop. I don't mean Facebook-bullshit-communities. I mean, actually going out and cleaning up the local spot, waxing a curb, skating, and having a friendly BBQ sort of "community". Face-to-face sort of stuff. Making friends, and sharing a session.
Y'know, that stuff that made skateboarding so great in the first place...!? Yeah: That shit.
Zumiez is simply not the big, scary, all-powerful monster that everyone perceives them to be. They do close a store, on occasion. They have been beaten from time to time. So, yeah: It's totally possible to fuck with them, and win. It's just a matter of being faster, smarter, and more creative at using the (limited) resources that you have at your disposal.
Because the three things that mega-goliath-corporations almost never are, are "fast", "smart", or "creative". I'm not saying it's "easy". But: It is possible...!
That customer service bit, though... whew! That's the one that you could really nail 'em to the crucifix with...
What do you do at The Collective, on a day-to-day basis...? What does an average week look like...?
Mostly hang out, shoot the breeze, catch up with people, and put out the occasional fire. It's rough work, but I'm dealing with it pretty well, I think.
How many hours do you put into this, per week? Per month?
At first, it was like all the time, every day, for about two months. Now, it's maybe a dozen or so hours a week. Maybe more, maybe less. Depends on the week.
Like I said: Once it gets rolling, it tends to roll pretty smoothly. The initial "push" is always the hardest part. Getting everyone on the same page, and going in the same direction. Once everybody sees that everybody's gonna ultimately benefit from this stuff, though...? That's when the shit really starts moving. Once everybody sees their businesses are getting bigger, and that their headaches are getting smaller? Watch out....
How many shops are involved in The Collective? Who are they?
There's about 50 or so shops, maybe the same number of brands, and a couple of woodshops tossed in there for good measure. These are the shops and the brands that are directly contributing to the cause, and making the whole thing work.
But at the end of the day, everyone benefits from this stuff. So really, we sort of represent everybody's interests. And thus, everyone is welcome to be a part of it. Anyone with an idea, or a gripe? Hit me up!
As for who the "core members" actually are...? I keep that under my cap. These are long-standing relationships that I've had with people in some cases, for fifteen or twenty years now. Just out of respect, I tend to keep my confidences. I don't like to talk about what this or that shop told me, specifically. What I focus on, are what all of the shops are telling me...! Whether they're actually "In The Collective", or not...
If you could give a start-skate shop one tidbit of wisdom, what would it be...?!
Believe it or not, this is probably the second most popular question, right after "How can I kill my local Zumiez?!" My answer is usually "I don't know! I don't own a shop, myself...!"
From what I've seen, though... just, as a customer... the most successful shops seem to be the ones where everyone- from the owner, through the management, all the way down to the daily employees- are genuinely nice, happy, friendly folks. So, I'd have to say that "being a people person" might have a lot to do with it. I think that's probably "most of it", actually.
I'd also probably caution anyone looking to get into this to do their homework, and really have a clear understanding of what, exactly, they're getting into. A lot of newbie shops are long on love and motivation, but short on good, solid planning. Knowledge is key, and the most successful shops also seem to be far and away, the "smartest", or the "wisest" shops. I'd maybe even go so far as to take a community-college class on Business 101, or basic marketing. Have a really good understanding of how big the market is, and what exactly they're looking for in a shop. Then: Give that to them.
And: Be ready and willing to switch gears on a moment's notice. It's a tough industry we've got over here, and things tend to go really sour, really quick.
Do you do anything with overseas shops? Do you have any plans or intents to take this international...?
No, and no. Not yet. The reason? I'm definitely not the expert on the skateboard industry, outside of America. Hell: I don't even feel like I know enough about what really goes on here...! Europe, South America, Asia... those regions have their own issues that are pertinent to their regions, and they're not the same as the ones we're dealing with here in The States. Maybe someday, yeah, I'll get involved with the European scene or something... but as of now, and in the foreseeable future, The Collective will be a U.S.-specific gig.
What's next for The Collective?
The next major "issue" on the table, after we smooth out a few lingering details with the MSRP/MAP initiatives, seems to be the whole concept of "customer care and service". Noone seems to really "get" that one. It's like, Americans are just bred to be demanding, lazy primadonnas that want nothing more than to get great service... but are dead-set and determined to avoid giving it at every fucking turn. And, our industry is really no different. Actually, in many cases, we're actually worse than "the norm". Most industries are way, way better geared towards providing at least, "adequate" customer service, than the skateboard industry seems to be.
Where all of this went wrong, is anybody's guess. All I know is that it sucks ass. And, it should probably change.
Naturally, it all starts at the woodshop level. The brands (and, shops) all have to prepay for their shit, they can't even get something as simple as "returning an e-mail" done in a timely manner... and then, to top it all off, maybe the boards arrive five months late (if, at all), and the delivered order is about half as big as it was supposed to be. I swear to God, I don't know how some of these wood-pressers stay in business...
The first woodshop that actually comes along- domestically-0 and provides something resembling "good customer service"...? They'll probably corner the entire fucking marketplace...!!
Moving along: Once the brands get screwed up the ass from the woodshops, it somehow becomes their right and duty to fuck the hell out of the retailers at every turn. You can see real quick, how the "bag of bad karma" rolls straight downhill in this industry...
Once the shops have bent over and taken it like a bunch of bitches, then some guy like me walks into the shop, wanting to buy something... you know, "a customer"... only to have some pimply-ass, cooler-than-though, asshole teenager that thinks he knows everything God knows, plus one, tell me that he can't be bothered to special-order me a fucking Jeff Grosso deck because he's way too busy YouTubing or Facebooking some bullshit on the shop's personal computer. Copping the giant-ass attitude. You know: The "typical" skateshop employee...?
And thus, the circle is complete...! Everyone is an asshole, and The Customer is run off to buy their shit online or something, where they can avoid any sort of face-to-face exchanges altogether...
Again, this is a paradigm that has a very real impact on our industry- and, on skateboarding overall. I mean, check this shit out: When you get to the point that, as an average skater, you feel like you have to go and hide from the industry's bullshit, because they're all just a bunch of self-serving bitches? Or that you have to hide from the "locals" at the skatepark, because they're all a bunch of dicks...?! Or, that you have to avoid your local skateshop, because all of the guys there... from the asshole behind the counter, to his asshole manager, to the asshole owner... are all a bunch of shitheads? Then: You've truly lost something in skateboarding. You've lost the personal relationships that our pastime, and our industry, rely on to make the whole gig truly prosperous.
People tend to forget, that this whole thing is driven by people-power. Literally! Even as a skater... if I had to learn my new tricks strictly from a book, or from a video... how far would I get, as a skater? Probably, not very far. These things are handed down, from skater to skater, over the generations. The best way to learn a trick, is to go ask some dude that knows how it's done.
Likewise: If I tried to get shit done around here, with no people-interaction whatsoever...!? I'd be totally paralyzed, mighty quick. The Collective, The Solitary Life... my travels, my skateboarding... they all rely on other people, and their personalities, and their perspectives, to move forward. What in the hell would I cover at The Solitary Life, if people weren't always doing good shit for me to write about...?
So, yeah... the types of relationships that we cultivate between ourselves, and with our customers- as businesspeople, and as skaters- are the basic key to making the whole thing work.
Well: These days, it ain't workin' too fuckin' good...
Clearly: All of this shit needs to be changed, mighty quick. Believe it or not, we've already made some headway towards righting this very, very obvious wrong. Once you get real relationships going... instead of strictly-screwing-business-relationships based entirely on the pursuit of The Dollar... then, you've already made some headway.
As the old adage goes: "If you ain't makin' friends, then you ain't makin' money, fool!" It's true, too. We need to remember that far better than we actually do.
Have you heard the rumors about a possible IASC breakup...? What's your stance on that? Are those members welcome at The Collective?
Yeah... like a lot of dudes, I've heard the rumors. Apparently, some of the brands that make up IASC's membership are getting tired of financially supporting an organization that can't really get anything meaningful done. I can see the logic there, but... I don't know if it's really such a hot idea. Sure, I see IASC as an organization that perpetually shoots itself in the foot. But still, I don't think that shooting your organization in the head is really the smartest way to stop shooting yourself in the foot.
And, I think it also sends a really destructive message to the rest of the industry, and to skaters. That message would end up being "Hey! When the going gets tough?! Just give up, dude!" I don't know, man... I think we're all too ready to give up on way too much shit, already. It's like, where's the good fight at, y'know? Who's got any fuckin' balls left anymore...?! Are we all really, that fucking pussy?! I just see it being a really, really bad gig if they decide to pull the plug on it entirely.
As far as members "defecting" to The Collective... we already have a couple of IASC members working with us, anyway. Just like we have some BRA shops on board. I'm not the sort of guy that's gonna say something like "Oh my gawd! You're an IASC asshole?! You can't work with us, then!!" Or, "You've totally gotta renege on your IASC Membership to join us!" I'm not that kind of cat. Like I said, if you wanna bring something useful and cool to the table? Then, we'd be totally cool with letting you sit down for dinner.
But, it all depends on what you show up at the door with. If you show up copping an outrageously huge attitude, or some obviously self-serving agenda? You're not getting in the door. It's as simple as that.
Can IASC be saved...?
Oh, fersure! Absolutely! When they actually get determined to do something cool, and sort of selflessly? Then, they do get it done. I thought the skatepark initiative that they did with Skaters For Public Skateparks was brilliant! That was really, a home run for IASC. Even as a pretty harsh critic, I can totally give them credit for that one. And, that reflects really well on all of the member brands, too! When they actually get something done...
For my part, I hold the bylaws that govern IASC to be mostly responsible. As a group of peers, with no leadership position anointed by the governing body... well of course, you're gonna end up with no leadership! That's just, the dumbest thing ever!
And, I think they did a real disservice to themselves, by bringing in [John] Bernards. For one, I don't think the dude has ever skated in his life. Secondly, he spends so much fucking time asking for everyone's money, that he probably doesn't have time to do much of anything else. I swear to gawd, every time I see that fucker at ASR, he's asking me to "join up", and hand him a pile of fucking money! And of course, I'm all like "Well, do something worthwhile and we'll fuckin' talk about it...!!"
And lastly, he has hone a horrible job of demonstrating any sort of public relations potential, or leadership savvy whatsoever. Like I said, a lot of this works because of the relationships that you build. When your sole "relationship" is constantly asking for membership dollars? You're already off to a very, very bad start...
That's one of the reasons why I made this a free-to-join sort of deal. I simply didn't wanna be John Bernards, y'know...?
What can shops do to help the cause...?
Besides keeping us informed? I think a lot of it boils down to, learning how to help themselves. Standing strong, and speaking up. Getting determined. Maybe even, getting pissed...!
Y'know, as a snowboarder that spends a lot of time in the backcountry... I read a lot of books, and take a lot of classes on wilderness survival and stuff. Just to be prepared for whatever might happen out there. Snowboarding's sort of risky, what with all of the trees, avalanches, cliffs, cornices... stuff like that.
Anyway: The first things that they always teach you in any "survival" sort of situation, are to accept the reality, get your head screwed on tight, get a plan going, get busy... and then, get fucking pissed! Get determined! Determined to stay alive, and pissed off enough to motivate you to keep plowing forward at all costs. Determined NOT to give up, roll over, and die! Because then, it's literally "game over". Because in those sorts of situations, "dying" is totally an option. And that is very, very bad.
Well, skateshops are definitely in "survival" mode these days too. They're literally dying on the vine. So, I think that's damn good advice, right there. "Get pissed".
Is boycotting an option...?
Yeah, I'd like to think so. If the shops could ever get to a point where they can actually work in concert with each other... I think it would be really, really effective. It doesn't even matter who you boycott, either. Just pick somebody, and fuck them really, really hard. NHS? Tum Yeto? Blitz? Globe/Dwindle? Deluxe? Black Box? Billabong's brands? Those are sort of like, the "Big 7" right now. If you wanna send a message to those guys? Kill one of them. Or, stick something really uncomfortable up their asses. Whatever's cool with me.
And, make a huge ado about it. So the rest of 'em get the fucking message. Be really clear about what you want, and you're pretty likely to get it...!
