Last weekend, the skateboard industry had their annual fall ASR trade show at the San Diego Convention Center... along with all of the "peripheral" shows that ride along on ASR's coattails (Agenda, Crossroads, etc). But as usual, I blew the whole thing off (again)...
So, what was I doing while the industry bigwigs were hobnobbing at this season's trade show festivities? I was sweeping out a ditch in central Indianapolis, and skating with "the guys"...! That shit beats trade-show hobnobbing, any day!
And, that's a pretty good analogy for where skateboarding is, right now. Generally speaking: While "the industry" is talking about doing shit... or, "strategizing" about getting something going... the smarter and wiser of us "industry" types are actually out there, getting it done. We don't need the blessings, or the backing, of any of our "peers". We just get up, get going, and get busy turning talk into action. Just like any true skater would do.
In short: We Lead, and The Others Follow.
Here's the ditch session that caused me to miss the ASR Bummerfest this season. You see that big feller off to the left over there? That's our corporate CEO, Bart Kelly. Here, he's "delegating" sweeping responsibilities to the Old Indy Skaters stakeholders, which in turn are fine-tuning our "corporate message" by rocking those dirty, sweat-stinkin' OIS tees. This, my friends, is a true leader in action. Forget the crap that IASC spoon-feeds your ass: This dude's the real deal.
Unfortunately, I get mis-labeled a lot these days as an "industry leader". I'm just not buying into that for one second. I never, ever set out to be an "industry leader" of any sort. Indeed, I don't even like the label one damned bit. My perspective is that, if I'm some sort of "industry leader"... all that really says, is that there's something super-fucked-up about this "industry" of ours. Apparently, the bar on "industry leadership" has been set so low, as to make it totally achievable for a complete dork [like me] to make the grade! I mean, shit. If I can show some sort of "leadership potential", then why can't our "industry leaders...?!
Maybe, "You Can Do It!" should be our rallying cry here at The Solitary Life! If you wanna be an "industry leader"...? But you're doubting yourself, or your capabilities? Just remember that tagline, everyone! "If a dork like me can do it, then surely you can too!" And, you'll pretty much be good to go from there.
Believe in yourself, and the world is yours for the taking...
The really striking thing that happened over ASR Weekend, was the lack of any news to chase down. Let alone, to report. Typically, I'll get somewhere between 20 to 30 calls over those three days. Guys phoning in to tell me what a loser I am for slacking it again, and to tell me about all of the awesome stuff that I'm totally missing out on. Well this time around, I got exactly three calls. And, those were to tell me what a great job I did on the Mike V. piece...! I mean, seriously...? What gives?!
I finally got so tired of waiting around for ASR info that I gave Erik Basil (from Silverfish Longboarding) a call, and asked him what the hell was up?
His answer, was pretty telling: Nothing! Nothing at all. ASR was just, a big fat yawn this time around. I got the impression that, for those that did attend? It was probably a huge waste of time and money for everyone involved.
Even Boardistan had very little to report on the fall show, besides a quickie blip about some kid that won a pile of money at the Crossroads "Best Trick" contest. Beyond that, though...? Nada. Just, the sound of crickets everywhere.
I never in a million years would have guessed that "The Place To Be" during trade show weekend, would turn out to be a quiet ditch in the middle of a cornfield in Indianapolis, Indiana...
But, that's truly where "the action" is these days. Skateboarding, in a very real sense, is burrowing "underground" for the time being. Of course, there's the very "mainstream" bullshit that's still right there, in grotesquely plain sight for everyone to gawk at... the annual ASR bullshit, the perpetual IASC comedy of stupidity, those Stale Bigwig Brands, the pro-skater reality shows, Zumiez, The Big Fat Money Cup, etc...
These things, though... they're very rapidly becoming irrelevant. I don't think that the average skater-on-the-street really gives a shit about who won the Maloof Money Madness, or how Billabong performed in the third quarter. ASR is merely a shadow of it's former heavyweight self, and IASC has universally disgusted everyone with a fraction of a brain in their heads.
This is Cody, at the brand-new OIS Headquarters. You can see that he's skillfully sizing up the profits-to-weeds ratio, and quietly examining our bottom line for out-sized cracks and pebbles. He's not the type of guy to let a bunch of moss grow under his feet. He sweeps that shit outta there, and gets busy skating.
But then, there's this very, very compelling "Keeping It Real" scene that is making some huge inroads right now, that is "hiding" just under the bubble. Small, truly-skater-owned companies. Activist skateboard shops, and The Collective. Niche happenings (longboarding, etc). A New Media. Some cool new shit happening in the "distribution" paradigm. A resurgence of the DIY ethic. Skateboard Clubs are popping up and expanding everywhere. Hell, even at the ditch sesh, Bart was telling me about how an Ohio Chapter of the Old Indy Skaters thing is already in the works. And, the OG club isn't even a full year old yet? That's crazy.
But, that's what happens when people see that you've got a really good thing going. They see it, and they say "Holy shit! That's pretty f'n cool! How in the hell do I sign up?!" And, they get involved! And then, it spreads and spreads. It's just how stuff works, I guess. Human nature.
If nothing else, it's a sure-fire sign that everyday skaters are finally taking back control over their local scenes, and striving to build better ones.
There's also lots of traveling, networking, idea-sharing, and friend-making going on... both online, and increasingly, in person. A general weeding out the dead wood, the bad vibes, and the over-sized king-shit attitudes is starting to materialize... a lot of these things are being philosophically [and, physically] pushed out of the way by skaters that are just sick and fucking tired of all the crap. In a weird way, this "underground" scene is turning itself into a collection of pretty heavy movers and shakers. Just because, this "underground" scene is actually getting something useful done...!Finally...!
These things, are the "truly exciting" things that are going on in "the industry" right now. Not the fake, hyped-up bullshit-brand of "exciting" that The Industry is constantly feeding us. What I'm talkin' about here is shit that is truly ground-breaking. And really, pretty fuckin' remarkable.
That, is where "The Action" is right now.
Thankfully, The Solitary Life is right there on the peripheries of it. Asking the hard questions, getting the straight answers, checking it all out, and telling the stories that deserve to be told. It's totally true: Now really is a good time to be a skateboarder...! But, I've gotta tell ya: It's an even better time to be The Independent Skateboard Media.
The ugly truth of the matter is, I'm not leading a goddamned thing. I'm just covering the true leaders of tomorrow. That's all. Enjoy the rest of the articles, and I'll see all y'all in a couple weeks.
In 1989, Mike Vallely's board sponsor (SMA Rocco Division... later, World Industries) sent shockwaves through the entire skateboard industry, by doing something that was wholly unprecedented and unexpected in the "business model" of the day:
They gave their professional skaters a raise...!
It's true: Until that point, the "standard" skateboard-industry royalty (the number of dollars that a pro makes, per board sold) was a mere $1. And, every company at the time strictly adhered to that "standard". Realistically speaking, why would any of them even think of breaking ranks?! After all, that would only cost the companies more money for the same service, and the net result would just be giving skaters more "free" money that they probably didn't need.
Well, Steve Rocco knew two things. One: He wanted the best skaters in the world on his team. Two: In order to get those skaters, he would probably have to offer them something pretty damned compelling to jump from their respective "ships". So, he did what any smart headhunter would do: Waved a pile of cash in front of their eyes! In the form of a two-dollar-a-board royalty! Which was effectively, a 100% raise. And, so it went: Everybody with a brain in their head- and, a love of fast cash- left their current board sponsors, and went to the World camp. And the rest, as they say, is history.
As I was transcribing this part of the interview, I realized that in a very immediate sense that this might very well be the most "boring" part of the interview. However: I also had the immediate sensation that, at some point in the distant future, this might very well be viewed as the most historically relevant part of the interview, as well.
Why do I say that?! Because you- the reader- might very well read all of this, and take away the overall impression that this is just a whole bunch of idle bitching. And, I could see that happening. It's plausible.
But: Being on the bus that night, and actually talking to Mike? I saw more than just "a bunch of idle bitching". What I saw as he was talking, and putting these words to tape, was a wheel spinning inside Mike's head. That just doesn't come through in the transcribed record. That's why I take the time to point this kind of shit out, guys. It's important.
Mike's already on the record, saying how much he wants to re-write the rules of how shit gets done in this industry (see Part One for some details). Well: I for one don't see why "the rules" would begin and end with where your wood is pressed, or where you stand on the heat-transfer-versus-screen-printing divide.
No: I think there's more "change", just waiting in the wings. A lot more.
After all, I don't think Mike's gonna be very happy breaking just one rule, or two. I think what he's after, is to break every goddamned one of 'em. The initiative is clearly there. The desire, is more than evident. The only thing that seems to be missing, is "the plan".
Mike has freely admitted that he's not much of a "planner". But sitting there and interviewing him, you can see that: Yeah, he knows damn good and well what's fucked up about our "current business model", and how that "business model" treats the people within it. Mike has singlehandedly shaken up the industry before. And I don't think there's really any doubt that he could do it again, if he put his head and heart into it.
That realized, the question becomes: Will By The Sword be the company- or at the very least, will it be one of the companies- that ultimately turns the current skateboard industry on it's ear, and finally brings this "archaic business model" of ours out of the 1980's, and into the 21st Century...?
The questions continue: Will By The Sword be able to effectively re-write the relationship between the sponsoring brand, and the pro skater...? Will By The Sword become the company that everybody jumps ship to ride for, just as World Industries was in the late 1980's and early 1990's? What else will have to be changed in the industry, to accommodate a fairer paradigm for pro skaters? What will all of this mean for retailers, distributors, and the end skater-customer? Will other industry-wide initiatives (like MSRP/MAP Pricing, for example) have to be put on hold? Or: Will all of these changes fall into place at the same time, and find a way to complement each other somehow...?
At the end of the day, all we can do is wait and see how events ultimately unfold. In the meantime, here's Part Two:
It feels like, looking at skateboarding as a whole... one of the major things I've seen is that there's been a huge influx of older skaters coming back...
Yeah...
... guys that quit in the mid-'90s... you know, small wheels, big pants...
Sure...
... they're all coming back now. And, I think that it seems to be changing the sport, because the old guys are kinda taking it back...
There are some that are saying, "Enough is enough, we're gonna take ownership of this thing"... and I think it's something that's gonna continue to happen over the next few years. It's important for me to be on the right side of things, y'know...?
The last ten years, I didn't feel like we could really do any wrong. We were in the process of growing, building... sharing... promoting... but now I feel like we've reached the end of that line. We've gone too far into the fog, and now there's no identity...
Right...
... and, I have a sense of identity. And, I don't wanna be involved in anyone's foggy idea of what skateboarding is. I have to be very crystal-clear right now: I do have an audience and fan base, and they matter to me. And where they go in their skating, and where they go in their lives matters to me. And, I can't sell them some homogenized, "bullshit" version of skateboarding. I won't do it.
It seems like, one of the other things I've noticed, is that people don't talk about these things... like, what we're talking about here... like, y'know, "Hey, this is the way it is..."
People don't care!
So, you think that they just... don't care?
They don't care. This is like... even this conversation borders on idiocy to most people. Like, who fuckin' even cares...? You mean to tell me that guys are even sittin' around, talkin' about this...?!
(Laughing...)
Well, y'know... it's an awfully nice bus you've got here! So, it's not like we're grotesquely uncomfortable or anything...
(Laughter all around...)
Naw...!
Larry told me that you actually started planning this tour before you left Element... that this was a year, or a year-and-a-half in the making...
I don't know... no, no, not quite that long, but... probably last summer, I filmed my Battle Commander for The Berrics. And at that point, I realized that "Okay, my skating is getting back to a level where I'm comfortable with putting myself out there again". Because I had broken my leg five years ago, and...
Oh, really? I wasn't even aware of that...
Yeah, it really took me... well, it took me out for five years. I filmed this Battle Commander, and it was the first time I felt like my skating was at a level that I was comfortable with it being at. And I was thinking, "Okay, I can put myself out there again, and be confident enough to be able to put on a show"... and push myself. And, I dealt with a lot of...I don't have the same mobility in my ankle, I've got a plate and screws. The recovery on that was years. And physically, it's still not 100%. But confidence-wise, I'm back at 100%. And it just takes time, y'know...?
You just have to adapt to the new reality.
Yeah, yeah! It was a lot of years of adapting. And then through that, I just had to build myself back up, and I realized "Okay, just stay in the fight... just stay in the fight, that's all you've gotta do..." Sometimes you've gotta rope-a-dope, and sometimes you've gotta go into the corner, and take some heavy, heavy blows so you can sort of gather yourself... y'know? As long as you can endure some of those blows, then you can make it to the later rounds, and you can feel like "Okay, here I am, man! Back in the fight!" It's the later rounds that count. And if you ask me, it's the later rounds that are the most interesting ones.
You're a little more than halfway through this tour, right...?
Yup.
And, it was scheduled to be a month, right...?
Right.
And it's been every single day, hasn't it...?
Yeah, pretty much.
No days off...?
I don't really like "days off".
(Laughing)
You definitely strike me as that kinda guy...!
I just like to keep goin', man! Days off are just like... dead time. It's like, if we can be skating, if we can be doin' our thing... I get into a rhythm, I get into a zone... and, hey! If I'm gonna be away from my family? I don't wanna be sittin' around on my ass.
You wanna get it done.
I'm workin'.
Yeah...
You're workin', man...
Keep moving forward. So, you planned this tour... and I think there's this major conception out there that this is a tour designed to promote By The Sword. But obviously...
No. Naw, naw...
... because you planned it before the Element departure...
This should have been an Element tour! But, you know what? Element didn't wanna get on board! They didn't wanna support it, they didn't wanna give me riders... it's like, they just treated me like it's always like "Oh! Well, we don't even have to spend money on Mike because, he's gonna do it anyway!" It's like, they took advantage of how proactive I am...
Oh, really?!
... took advantage of what a nice guy I am even , y'know?! "Oh, Mike will do that! Yeah, Mike, we need you here! Mike, we need you there!" Well, y'know... at a certain point I'm like "Well, you need to fuckin' pay me to do that!"
Or at least help out with the expenses...!
I kinda needed something in here, to break up the interview... so, I figured that now would be a really good time to toss in a rare treat I found online. It's Mike Vallely's part from Powell's 1997 promo video. You can clearly see that this represents a "midpoint" in his skating career, halfway between doing what everyone else expects him to do, and doing whatever the hell he wants to do. On with the interview...!
And, y'know... the business of skateboarding is so archaic that... we're still living with an '80s business model, as far as how pro skaters get paid. No company has ever paid their riders to be in a video! No company actually pays their riders to make appearances...
What?!
Y'know, they give you a pro model, and they pay you your two bucks [per board sold]... and they expect you to drop everything out of a sense of obligation... fuck that! You sell my board, you pay me my fuckin' money! If you want something more than that from me? You've gotta pay me more fuckin' money...!
Well, talking to the industry people... I mean, this is a very interesting thing, because talking to them, they sort of paint this picture of "Oh, no! These guys get paid their royalties... plus like, signing bonuses... plus, a salary... plus, all this other stuff...!"
It really depends on who you're riding for...
Photo incentives...?
Yeah, there's photo incentives... but, basically, what I'm saying is: Every penny that I ever made from Element? I earned it! I earned it...
Oh, right! "And then some..."
And, if I made a million dollars from them? They probably owed me two million more. Because not only did I sell product with my name on it, I also sold the entire brand...
Right. All the softgoods...
Everything. And, that's where they take... that's where they rape you.
Because, they don't have to pay you royalties on any of that stuff...!
I mean, how many team boards... how many of those just generic...
The "logo boards"...
The logos, and all that shit... well, I help to sell those things! I sell the brand...
Just, by association.
Yeah, by association.
The Helium construction...
So, a guy like say, Chad Tim Tim. Like, his board doesn't sell well. Right?! So, he barely makes any fuckin' money...! And they go "Well, it's on you, dude! If you could just sell more product"... but, you know what? He's out there sellin' the brand. He's out there, representing the brand...
So, yes: Some guys get paid a salary. And, if your royalties hit that salary, or above, then you get the royalty on top of it... y'know? That's pretty much the standard deal. But, there's a lot of guys barely treading water, because their name isn't strong in the marketplace... but, they still have a presence in the marketplace, y'know...?
You still can't really have a skateboard company without a team. Traditionally, anyway...
And that still holds true, to a great extent...
Dude, the skaters have been getting ripped off since the '80s. And they're still getting ripped off to this day.
Guys who have good, corporate sponsors, and energy drink sponsors, and all that shit... y'know, you can't blame 'em, man! Because if they were just relying on skateboard companies to make their living...?
On their royalties...
There's only a handful that can even make a decent living that way. And if you ask me, pro skaters deserve to be rich. Why not...?!
Everyone else seems to be...! (Laughing!)
Hey man, that's the business we're in! We're in the business of entertainment, we're in the business of celebrity. And our peers in other sports, and in other walks of life, in entertainment... they do really well for themselves! So, why shouldn't skaters? We sell an entire youth culture. We sell products across the board...
And, the clothing...
Yeah! And so, I have no problem... it's just hard to have an issue with it. I mean, the industry itself created the necessity for skaters to go outside the industry to make money.
And now, the industry is like... did you hear about George Powell's speech at one of those IASC meetings or something... I just saw it recently on Shop-Eat-Surf...
What did he say...?
He said that the skateboard industry needs to take action against all of these outside interests that are trying to come in, and basically steal our lifestyle out from under us...
Uh-huh...
... that we need to take "Our Brands" into the mainstream, and basically defeat like, the Nikes of the world, or... y'know, the non-skater-owned mega-goliaths. Instead of the skater-owned mega-goliaths...?
Yeah, yeah...
But, what you've basically just said is that the industry itself sort of sowed the seeds for this, by not keeping you guys close at heart, and by not paying you enough!
Yeah. I mean... well, they want their cake, and they wanna eat it, too. And, it doesn't work that way...
(Laughter)
Skaters are basically, independent contractors...
No benefits... I mean, is that still the case?! No health insurance, no benefits...?!
No... you're not an employee... you're just, y'know... (Mike thinks)... to me, it's just archaic... y'know, it's been the same, since I turned pro...
I mean, it's pretty amazing... you know that I have a day job, right? I work in a warehouse, making under fifteen bucks an hour. But, even I get full medical, full dental, full vision...! And, all I do is drive a forklift around!
Yeah?
Yet, you guys are out there, on the road, all these days out of a year... and, you don't even have medical insurance...?! [Shit, man! I get better benefits than you do...!]
Awww... well, yeah! We get to be famous! But: They get to be rich...!
Right! And: Covered! Like if they break their leg, they could just go to the hospital or whatever...
But, if we break our leg...? It's like "Oh, well, looks like you're shit out of luck! We're just gonna find the next new little kid that can rip...!"
I mean, your medical bills as an un-insured skater could easily, easily wipe you out. Financially...
If you don't make enough money to get your own insurance? Yeah, you're gonna be pretty bummed. Y'know, I lived through the entire '90s without health insurance, and I broke my collarbone five times... broke my ribs, broke my foot... and yeah, a lot of those things didn't get fixed. I had to get surgery on my shoulder and my collarbone, and I didn't get it. I went to the emergency room one time, and that bill was outstanding until early 2000, 2001... (laughing)... y'know what I mean...?!
Wow. The kids don't even know that this stuff happens...
Yeah. I started acquiring a lot of sponsors around 2001... and people were like "Oh, this guy is a sellout, this guy's this, or that..."
And, you're still paying off medical bills from the '90s...! These are the things that nobody wants to talk about...
I was excited about the opportunity to play a role in helping to grow skateboarding, and I figured that collecting these sponsors and being put in the limelight and on the front lines was the right place for me, because I felt like I had a unique voice and something to offer. And, if I was able to make good money doing that... then, that was just whipped cream on top of my sundae.
So, what do you think you have to offer...? Like, if you had to break that down...
I think that it just really comes down to... it's a unique perspective. And it's one that is about reminding skaters, and teaching new skaters, that skateboarding is an act of self-expression and creativity. And, it's an independent thing. Which... as skaters, we know these things. We develop them... but, if your introduction to skateboarding maybe is the X-Games, then maybe you think that skateboarding is about winning a gold medal, y'know...?
Right...
I went to the first two X-Games, y'know...?
Oh! Did you?! You mean, as a competitor...?
As a competitor. And politically, I was involved... I mean, we, the industry... we were on the fence. "Should we go? Or, should we not go?" I said, "We should go. We should go, because it's an opportunity to represent ourselves, and to show the world what skateboarding really is..."
On your terms.
Yeah! On our terms. Well... now, I feel like we don't really have "terms". They just do whatever the fuck they wanna do, and... they've taken it, y'know? And, the industry let 'em take it. But early on, I thought that these things were opportunities to spread this thing that I thought was profound and sacred... and, I wanted to do it in a profound and sacred way. And, that's still my approach.
That hasn't changed much, over the years...
It hasn't changed at all. So, there ya go: That's where I'm comin' from.
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...!
