RIGHT 3H`IHJROHJRH[*SV\KIYLHR -PQP PU6J[VILYf; Photo: Scott Winer BELOW, TOP TO BOTTOM /HUNPUN^P[O)Y`HU0N\JOPHUK+H]L:LVHULH[T`OV\ZLPU.SHJPLY >(K\YPUN -LIY\HY`e;0[^HZ[OLÄYZ[OV\ZL0IV\NO[PUa;HUK0VUS`ZVSKP[YLJLU[S` PUf;;OH[HYLHPZZVILH\[PM\S;OLYLHYLSV[ZVMYP]LYZHUKZ[YLHTZ IPN[YLLZ HUKJSLHUHPY·P[»ZYLTV]LK \UWS\NNLKHUKHTHNPJHSWSHJL 0ÄYZ[^LU[[V.SHJPLYPU >L»KKVULHUL]LU[^P[O,KKPL=LKKLYJHSSLK ¸+H`PU[OL+PY[¹PU4H`[OH[^HZZ\WWVZLK[VIL^P[O7LHYS1HTPU:LH[[SLH[ .HZ^VYRZ7HYR I\[LUKLK\WH[4PRL9HUX\L[»ZSHUKPU9LU[VU[OH[OHKH]LY[ YHTWVUP[>L^LYL^P[O:[L]L.YHOHTHUK+H]L:LVHUL ^OPJOSLK[VTLL[ -PUN[OL4[)HRLYJYL^!*YHPN2LSS` 1HTPL3`UU :JV[[:[HTULZ ;L_+L]LUWVY[  +HU+VUULSS` 1LɈ-\S[VU [OL4LY]PUJYL^·HSS[OVZLN\`Z3H[LY[OH[Z\TTLY ^L^LU[IHJR[V:LH[[SL KYV]L\W[V.SHJPLY Z[H`LKH[;L_»ZOV\ZL HUK^V\UK \WJYHZOPUN*YHPN»Z^LKKPUN0MLSSPUSV]L^P[O[OLWLVWSLHUK[OLWSHJLPTTLKP -H[LS` HUK)HRLYHUK[OL7HJPÄJ5VY[O^LZ[ILJHTLHUPTWVY[HU[WHY[VMT`SPML 7OV[V!>VVSJV[[*VSSLJ[PVU 7PWLZLZZPVUH[;PTILYSPUL 69PU[OLTPKZ0OHKU»[ILLU[V4[/VVKMVY H^OPSLHUKVU[OPZ[YPW 0^HZ^P[O1HZVU:[LYPZ OPZZPZ[LY4HSLUH 1HTPL3`UU  +HUU`.LHY`HUK)PSS`(UKLYZVU>LZ[H`LKPU.V]LYUTLU[*HTWHUKZRH[LK ^P[O[OLJHTWLYZHM[LYYPKPUNL]LY`KH`6ULUPNO[^LZOV^LK The Garden in [OL^VVKZI`[OLYP]LYHUKTVZ[VM[OLTOHKU»[ZLLU[OLTV]PL>LNV[IHJR [VIHZPJZHUK[HWWLKIHJRPU[V[OH[ZJLUL 7OV[V!>VVSJV[[*VSSLJ[PVU GLOBAL TO THE CORE Having the three sports helped because you’ve got winter months, you’ve got summer months, and then you have a global landscape that you’re trying to do business in. And not all three sports are all working at the same time in the same area. First and foremost, snowboarding drove our business in the beginning because it was exploding. We had an insane snowboard team and the snowboard movement was really strong, particularly in Japan. Our distributor there would pay a de-posit up front, which allowed us to fund manufacturing without tak-ing on debt. They were on it and business was good. Japan was driving the snowboard industry. Next for Volcom was skating. We picked up Chet Thomas early on, along with [Hawaiian underground legend] Kale Sandridge and Remy Stratton, who still works for the brand. Eventually the surf business started to come back. We had Gavin Beschen, Ozzie Wright and Bruce Irons, who really helped our surf program. We added skaters Dustin Dollin, Geoff Rowley, Mark Appleyard, Ryan Sheckler, Rune Glifberg, and snowboarders Shaun White, Bjorn Leines and Seth Huot. Later the team grew to include Mark Landvik, Gigi Rüf, Pat Moore, Elena Hight and so many others. It was a dream come true to have all these talented team riders. When you look at Europe, surf was limited. It was more snow and skate oriented. Those sports gave us access to new territories where a single-sport brand might not have been as successful. So, having three sports was a huge benefit from a geographic standpoint. And even if we weren’t finding huge success in one of the three categories or in a certain market, we’d just focus on the core. If you put your time and energy in the areas that really matter, you’re going to be okay. Look at Vans. They have grown a lot, but they have always stayed fo-cused on the fundamentals. Whether it be the skate parks or their con-tests, their products, team riders and movies, they’re always giving back, and that keeps them connected. It’s challenging when you only have so much to spend and you’re going after higher volume or a broader market or a different customer. But you have to take care of the core customer to maintain relevance. They’re the ones who will always be there. I’ve heard people say, “Oh, snowboarding’s dead.” It’s not dead. Maybe it’s not the flavor of the month or maybe it’s not on everybody’s radar with the big marketing agencies, but that doesn’t mean it’s dead. I still go to the mountain. All these kids are still snowboarding. It’s still there. Just focus on the core heartbeat and you will keep moving forward. It’s when you walk away from it that you get into trouble. 080 THE SNOWBOARDER’S JOURNAL
The Snowboarder's Journal frequency 17.4: Page 82
