Life has a funny way of laying the groundwork for where you’ll end up down the line.  Take Black Box General Manager Chad Foreman for example.  Rocking a neon green Metallica hat he won from the fair, 14-year-old Foreman strolled into his local skate shop in Alabama to buy his first deck, a Zorlac Mega Metallica.  As he was looking for the deck to match the hat, he met Jamie Thomas (who worked at the shop) and they’ve been friends ever since.

Fast forward to 1999, Jamie approached Chad while visiting Birmingham, Ala., and told him of his idea to start a skate distribution and that he wanted him to move to California and help out.  A decade later, Black Box Distribution is running strong with the Zero, Mystery, Fallen, Slave and Insight brands under its belt.  Read on for more on Chad’s story and how his love for the industry and skateboarding led him to where he’s at today.

At 24 you moved from Dothan, Ala., to San Diego, Calif., to help your close friend Jamie Thomas start Black Box Distribution.  How did this all transpire?  Who approached whom?

Jamie approached me in the winter of 1999 while visiting Alabama.  I was living in Birmingham at the time, working at a hospital and riding for Faith Skate Supply.  He told me he had an idea to start a distribution company, and he needed some help to get everything together and wanted me to move to California and help out.  At first I wasn’t sure about the whole idea.  I had been to California several times and liked it, but my entire family and all of my friends – except Jamie – were really close to me in Alabama.  I thought about it for about a month, and in May of 2000 I sold everything I owned, hopped in my car and drove to California for good.

How far do you guys go back?  How did you and Jamie first meet?

We go back real far.  I met Jamie when I was 14 years old, so a little over 20 years.  I had pretty much just started skating and Jamie worked at the only shop in town.  I went in to buy my first board (Zorlac Mega Metallica), and I of course had on a neon green Metallica hat that I won at the fair, haha.  I was the no-clue redneck kid for sure.  We’ve been friends ever since.

When did the idea for Black Box get put on the table, and how long did it take to put into action?

The original idea was brought up to me that winter of 1999.  By November of 2000 we had our first building and was up and running in Vista (California).

How has your role evolved since the beginning stages of the company?

In the beginning, neither of us had any idea what my role would be.  We had open talks about everything and decided that I’d just dive in and work my hardest and see where it led.  At the very start, I tried to do everything I possibly could to help in every department.  I shot all of the photos for the catalogs, managed the warehouse and the team, put desks together, built walls for new offices, drove the van on tour, cleaned the building at night after hours, anything I could really. As things progressed, so did my duties and responsibilities, and since we had no GM, I organically landed in the position.

How are things similar or different with Black Box from when you started and now?

The main things that have changed are the number of employees, day-to-day problem solving and responsibilities. Other than that it feels the same as far as the company vibe.

What experience(s) prior to Black Box laid the groundwork to help you succeed in your current position?

I’d say the most relevant experiences would be the management roles I had at a restaurant and the hospital job that carried over the most, those mixed with my involvement in the skateboarding community in the south.  I rode for a few small companies and managed one of the teams for a few years, so that helped a bit.  My most important groundwork would be my Mom and Dad’s constant leadership, support and motivation to succeed.

As general manager, what does the majority of your responsibility entail – the big picture?

It entails pretty much everything at this point.  I’m involved in the “bigger picture” decisions for sure, but the majority of my day-to-day work comes from day-to-day issues and problems.  These days, I try to work with every manager in order to make sure every department is safe and sound.  I still try to wear as many hats as possible, but delegate to the other managers in order to free up my time for future growth. I also do the majority of hiring and firing, so that’s always fun.

How do you see your role evolving at Black Box?  What tricks do you have up your sleeve?

My goals for this year and next would be to move into a VP of Operations role, while keeping as much of my GM duties as possible.  The only trick I even know is to work as hard as I possibly can to achieve this.

What do you like most about your job?

There’s so much to like and be thankful for that it’d be a long list.  One of the main ones is being able to work in an industry that you love with people that you love.  I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
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After tearing three ligaments in your knee and three ankle surgeries later, you’re still skating!  Is there anything that will keep you off the board?

Well, all of the above keeps me off my board quite a bit. I still skate when I can and love it more than anything, but these days, by the time I get warmed up, I’m getting pulled into a different direction.  I do plan on skating as much as possible in 2010, so we’ll see.

Word has it you’re a talented photographer.  Is this more of a freelance gig, or is photography more a hobby?

It’s always been just a freelance gig, but after I injured my knee I found myself taking more and more photos.  Since then, photography has taken over the majority of my creative side and I shoot a ton.  I’ve been lucky enough to have some shows in galleries across the U.S. that turned out pretty good.  I’d like to do more of that in the future as time permits for sure.  It’s definitely more than a hobby though.

Riders under the Black Box umbrella are stealing contest wins left and right.  Besides obvious talent, what can you attribute to the recent contest success, and what contests are next on the plate?

I wouldn’t say they stole them, I’d say they worked really hard for them.  One of the things that has helped them succeed is our skatepark attached to the building.  All of the riders have keys and can come and go as they please.  With new contests popping up quite often, who knows what’s next, but the main contests are on the schedule for sure.  Hopefully this year will be as good as last.  It’s a huge morale booster when you hear of a rider winning a big contest.  It get’s the whole building excited.

Will more of the team get involved in mainstream contests like the X-Games, Dew Tour, et cetera?

I’d say yes.  If our riders are invited, we’ll try and get them there for sure.  The contests are getting a lot better too, so this helps riders want to be there.

Tell us a little about this year’s Crossroads at ASR.  What can we expect from the relocated venue, and what will be similar or different about this year’s show?

I’m really excited about our new relationship with ASR.  It’s going to allow us to hopefully bring the best of both worlds within a few blocks of each other, and on the same days.  It also allows us to grow our Crossroads show and have it off of our own property, which is a huge bonus.  As far as what will be different, not very much.  All of the rules will be the same, prices for space the same, free food, etc.  We’re just going to be in a more convenient location.  The vibe will also stay the same because it’s going to be run by skateboarders.  Even the security will be skateboarders, and the majority of them are from Black Box so no hassling at all unless it’s warranted.  We’ll also be building a new skate area for the best trick contest down there, so I’m looking forward to that.

How are things going with Insight since the acquisition?

So far so good.  A lot of people had some hesitations when the news dropped, myself included, but it’s been as seamless as possible.  It’s exciting to have a new brand outside of our normal to get to learn from and help build.  Having women’s clothing for a change also makes me more popular with my wife!

What new or up-and-coming projects are in the works for the brands under Black Box?

We do have some tricks up our sleeves for this year, but everyone will have to wait and see.  Nothing is concrete enough for me to talk about, but it’s exciting for sure.

Fave 5:
1. Keep it mellow on the cruiser board, or keep it real on the shred stick?
Keep it real!

2. Alabama Football: Northview or Dothan High – big rivalry?
Dothan High for sure, and Crimson Tide is a must for college football.

3. More knar: Leap of Faith, or leaping from car to car on a moving freight train?
Since I’m more capable of jumping from train to train, I’ll go with that.  Even at my highest peak, Leap of Faith was out of reach by a mile.

4. Lifestyle/landscape, or skate/action photography?
I like shooting everything, but I’m drawn to Landscapes and stuff I can shoot alone while camping.  I do enjoy shooting skating, but on my own time with no pressure.

5. Home sweet home: California or Alabama?
Alabama for sure, or Northern California. When I visit Alabama I get bored very quickly, but I miss four seasons.   I love Northern California a lot, like above San Francisco where it’s deserted beaches and forests.

You can check out Chad Foreman’s photography here:
www.foremanphotos.com

The Berrics with Pro Skater & Entrepreneur Steve Berra

Company Q&A by Malakye.com

The Berrics, simply put, is Steve Berra and Eric Koston’s skatepark – hence the name.  Berra and Koston brought The Berrics to life with a mutual goal in mind: promote professional skaters, bring up-and-coming skaters into the limelight, and help out the companies that made this industry what it is today.  The Berrics, which originally started out as a legit, no-hassle skate spot for friends and fam’, eventually morphed into a full-blown online juggernaut, stealing the eyes of skaters and fans of skateboarding across the globe.

With more than 6 million visitors and 20 million page views per month, The Berrics is running full steam and crankin’ out some of the best skate footy in the industry – on the daily nonetheless.  Whether it’s at the park, the evolution of online content, or out in the streets, The Berrics is constantly pushing the progression of skateboarding, which ultimately benefits the industry as a whole.  New and exciting endeavors are no stranger to The Berrics, so keep an eye on the horizon for great things to come.

Here’s Steve Berra to break down his take of the tale.

Was The Berrics something you and Koston had been talking about for years, or was it a spur-of-the-moment idea that was put into action?

Actually, it was neither one. We had our place downtown for almost four years before the idea hatched. Although I used the internet for a lot of research, I never used it to look at or get information about skateboarding. It’s just not how I grew up. I had such a traditional pattern to how skateboarding reached me: magazines and videos. But the landscape has changed on many, many levels because of technology, and it was something we looked at and thought there could be an opportunity. There has been a grand paradigm shift in media much like there has been in music. I don’t even know if the shift is something I even like, but I do know that’s just the way it is.

What put the wheels in motion?

I had just come off a year long journey of directing a film. It was an extremely tough experience; the toughest experience I’ve ever had professionally. When it was over, I started coming to the park again and was just completely in awe of everyone’s skating. I remember sitting there thinking that if I get this much enjoyment out of this, what would a skater from Nebraska (where I’m from) get out of it. I was aware that I’m on the other side of the looking glass and that I have an opportunity to bring this to all those skaters who were like me, the ones who dreamed of California and hanging out with the pros and seeing what they were like. I wanted to make that happen. I wanted to fill that void.

What was the original intent in creating The Berrics’ website?

It wasn’t just one thing really. Bringing pros closer to the public was the impetus, it was what got us thinking, but after Eric and I put more and more thought into it we saw this opportunity to do something that had never been done. We wanted to promote pros. We wanted to bring new kids up. We wanted to help companies. We wanted people to be excited about all aspects of these parts of skateboarding because, like it or not, we’re all in this together, for better or for worse. We wanted to use the names we built over the past almost two decades to accomplish these goals, no matter who we were sponsored by.  Most of the people in the industry, pro or behind the scenes, are friends of ours and people we’ve inadvertently grown up with. We want to see these people do well; we really do. This was our contribution beyond jumping down stairs.

How has it evolved and changed since the original idea?

I think it got more popular than we thought it would in a shorter amount of time than we thought it would. Other than that, it really hasn’t changed that much idea-wise. I mean, we’ve added more sections and will continue to do that, but they’re only added if at the end of the day the answer to the question, “does this help someone?” is a yes. That’s the bottom line. Does this reflect this person or company in a good light? Does this promote something, for lack of a better word, positive? That’s what everyone here thinks with.

Are the skate parts featured on The Berrics selected through people who submitted footage through the site, friends of friends, skate companies looking to promote their company and/or team riders, or a combination of any one of these?

Well, it’s kind of everything. We’ve had various contests like Bang Yoself, where I saw Corey Kennedy and Josiah Gatlyn skate for the first time. This contest put both of them on the proverbial map. It was the push they both needed to take their relationships with their sponsors to another level. I’m proud of that fact and I think both of those guys are what skateboarding is and will be in the future. We’re doing this YOUnited Nations contest which, so far, has been extremely successful. I hope to find some new guys in that but also bring some shine to other skaters as well, skaters who may not be as good as a Corey Kennedy or Josiah Gatlyn, but have as much passion for skateboarding as anyone ever has. The contest isn’t just for guys who are future professionals; it’s for everyone. As far as the other sections, like stuff in the Berrics, everything is filmed by our filmers, Chase Gabor, Shane Auckland and Daniel Duarte. How guys get a Battle Commander, Bangin or a Recruits part is basically up to them. If they want to put the time into coming here and filming some stuff, then we oblige them with putting it up. Well, that’s mostly true. Not everyone can come; there are still some qualifying factors.

Can anyone skate The Berrics?  What gets you in the door?

Not everyone can skate it, we just don’t have the insurance to do that. Also, you have to be sponsored or professional and you’ve got to have some kind of ties to the people here.  As loose as some of those ties may be, there has to be some slight degree of connection. So if you make it that far, the way we do it now is you gotta call because there’s always so much going on there.  People are filming and we don’t like when random people drop by with eight of their homies because it halts progress of the site. That’s the good and the bad side of growth.

Not long ago The Berrics’ website was a small piece on the map.  However, now the site gets almost 6 million visits a month with more than 20 million page views.  What do you attribute to the rapid growing numbers?

Battle of the Berrics was big for us, there’s no doubt about it, but I think what continues to make our site grow is that we really do this for the betterment of skateboarders and skateboarding. We have a good goal. We support everyone we can through various efforts in one way or another, from the unsponsored am to the biggest pro, and we make great content that’s like no one else’s.

People who make up TheBerrics.com community are given a voice through pro skaters reading and answering text messages from community members, and so on.  Has that acknowledgement of the audience been a key to growth?

Absolutely, we want skaters from all over to be involved as much as they can and as much as technology will allow. Like I said earlier, I’m a fan, not a jaded skater who can’t possibly like anything, but a fan, a true fan like I was when I was 13, so I just try to come up with content that would make the biggest fans happy. There is an unfortunate malady in the skateboarding industry that blinds it from realizing who the consumer is. The consumer is not the jaded skateboarder who hates everything and everyone and tries his hardest to get everyone else to feel the same way he does. This person is a slight, slight minority, but wreaks the most havoc for brands and skaters because these brands and skaters tend to think it’s a majority opinion when it’s not.  The majority of the skaters out there are excited about skateboarding and professional skateboarders. They don’t hate everything and everyone. I know because I get thousands and thousands of emails and I read every single one and I know what they’re like and I know what they’re saying, probably more than anyone in skateboarding, just because I’ve taken the time out to really listen. I think as a result of this, we’ve seen fantastic growth. I also try not to use the word kid because they are skaters, just like I am, and I think sometimes people use the word kid as a derogatory term.  I remember being 13 and not appreciating being called a kid, despite being one.

In a perfect world, where do you see The Berrics (the facility) and TheBerrics.com (the website) headed?

That, my friend, is top secret.

The Berrics, as a name is not limited to skateboarding.  Will TheBerrics.com include other aspects of the culture that surrounds skateboarding?

We will definitely be adding more content that isn’t just skateboarding, like what we have with Wednesdays with Reda, Butteryass Mondays and the visits to Deathwish, etc. As soon as we get some more money to pay more filmers, we will put some of the ideas I’ve been sitting on into motion so that we can show people a better understanding of how the entire skateboarding industry works. But in addition to those things, we will definitely expand into other fields of interest such as films and music, but nothing will overshadow skateboarding or be out of left field. There will always be some reason as to why we are doing what we are doing, and that reason will be that it has ties to skateboarding.

Will The Berrics (website and / or park) include other sports?

The Berrics will always be skateboarding. I don’t know anything about motocross, or surfing, or bmx, or snowboarding, and no offense, I don’t really want to. I’m not interested in those things. I like the guys who do it and have nothing but praise for all of them, but I’m not interested in doing it enough to ever include those things in The Berrics.  Well, we might actually have a BMX night sometime soon cuz those guys are pretty gnarly and I heard a lot of BMXers watch The Berrics. I like BMX guys.

As of now, at what point does this become true: “No.  We’re not going to cover that on TheBerrics.com.”

The X-Games. The Maloof Cup. The Dew Tour.

How many people are working on a daily basis behind the scenes to make TheBerrics.com happen?

Right now we have 10 people. This isn’t including our incredible reps out in the field, and Reda and Donovan.

Who does what?

Salman Agah is responsible for ad sales and business development; he’s been a huge asset for many, many reasons. He understands skateboarding. He understands business. He has an immense amount of respect, and I trust him to talk to brands about getting involved in The Berrics because he just knows skateboarding. I mean, tell me one company in skateboarding that has a Skater of The Year working for them in this capacity.

Danny Bickerstaffe is our head programmer.  He built the site, has worked as many hours on The Berrics as I have – if not more and has never once complained – and this site would not be what it is without him.

Zach Driscoll started out as an intern and now is responsible for all the Wednesdays with Reda you see, all the Butteryass Mondays and whatever else I throw at him.

Chase Gabor is our head filmer/editor. We picked him up out of Chicago on a referral from a former employee. He’s only 21 and he’s just the most incredible work machine I’ve ever seen.

Shane Auckland helps Chase film and edit. He’s from Seattle. I got him after I watched Corey Kennedy’s Bang Yoself which Shane had filmed.

Daniel Duarte was just brought on to start helping with some of our more lifestyle driven content that we are going to be doing. He’s a great friend of Billy Marks.

Matt Rodriguez is the graphic designer who does all the art for our tee shirts. Basically anything you see aesthetically, it’s Matt. He used to work at Vans but got laid off. They lost out BIG time.

CJ Kester is working on production of shirts as well as assisting Matt in graphic design. He also worked at Vans.

Greg Custer is our warehouse manager/buyer. He came from Active.

Ryan Ward is our other programmer. He came from Adio. He and Danny Bickerstaffe are working on some really incredible things that are launching this month, next month and the month after.

Kevin Fernley communicates to everyone what needs to be done and stays on top of everything that needs to be done at the park, at our new warehouse and with all the employees. He’s an all-in-one maestro.

Basically, this site could not exist without the incredibly hard work that these people put into it. They do the work of 50 men and I have not one complaint about what they do, or who they are as employees or people. They are the most incredible team of employees in skateboarding. It’s a true team effort here and I couldn’t be any prouder about it.

In January of 2008, The Berrics advertised employment opportunities on Malakye.com.  Was anyone hired as a result?

Yeah man! Danny Bickerstaffe was hired on that one, and we got Matt Rodriguez with our other post.  Truly, truly, truly unbelievable finds. All through Malakye!

When The Berrics looks to hire new employees, what advice can you give to help ‘em through the door?

For instance, with Matt Rodriguez, he sent us his resume in a total Berrics style mock-up. He didn’t straight up rip off what we have on The Berrics, but he created an even better aesthetic that was Berrics-esque and attached his resume to it. We got hundreds and hundreds of resumes but this one stood out. He took that extra effort and it’s what got him the job. It wasn’t until we started working with him so much that we discovered what a quality human being he is. That was the bonus.

As far as anyone else, the bottom line is, they’ve got to understand skateboarding. They’ve got to know that it’s tough work at The Berrics and I watch over it all very closely. They’ve got to know that they are going to work a lot and sometimes that work is not the work they are going to want to do, but if I understand what they want to do or what they are aspiring to do, they will get to that position. I want an employee that strives for big things and has big dreams.  I want them to achieve those things and I want to help them achieve those things, but those things come through hard work. I don’t want a guy who is happy with working in the warehouse. I want a guy who is willing to work in the warehouse so that he can move up to a graphic designer, or a programmer, or an ad-sales guy, or even run the place because he’ll do a great job, but at the same time work hard to get out of it. We have those people now and are looking for more of them. This absolutely could not have happened without Malakye. There would be no Berrics if there was no Malakye, and that’s a cold, hard fact and I thank you so much, you have treated us incredibly well.

Visit The Berrics: http://www.theberrics.com.

Ryan Rush – VP Men’s Merchandising & Design at O’Neill
Industrial Profile by Malakye.com

If there’s one thing about the ASI that can be written in stone, it would be the fact that this industry is full of unique, talented and amazing people – more so than its corporate counterpart.  Not only is it full of upbeat characters and “board-sport” enthusiasts, everyone seems to share one thing in common, the love for the action sports industry.  Ryan Rush, VP of Men’s Merchandising & Design at O’Neill, is the perfect example of the latter.

Ryan’s love for skateboarding, music and fashion eventually led him to starting his own apparel company, Drawls and Dawls.  In the midst of his company’s success, Ryan became ill and lost his company; however, this professional experience propelled him into the likes of such companies as Ezekiel and O’Neill.  When Ryan’s not powering through the work week, you might catch him flyin’ by in his NSX at a buck forty-five at Cal Speedway’s race track!  Ryan’s story will enlighten you on the reality of the apparel “biz” and the skill set you need to get your foot in the door in the month’s industrial profile.

When you first started your career, you worked at the retail level.  What made you decide to dive into the apparel and fashion industry?

As a kid I was really into skateboarding, music and fashion.  However, not having the skills to go pro in either skating or music, I took the fashion route.  Right out of high school I took a sales position at Nordstrom.  This was during the early ‘90s when Stussy was changing the game in the surf/skate market, and streetwear designs were on the come-up.  I went to my first ASR in ’90 and was immediately hooked on the action sports industry.

You started Drawls and Dawls back in the early ‘90s—shortly after high school.  What made you decide to take the entrepreneurial route?

I got along well with a Nordstrom buyer who was cool enough to take me to some of the sales presentations.  I met a sales rep from one of the new brands we were carrying and naively told him that I’d like to start my own line.  He told me it would be pretty easy to get started, and gave me the contact info of a screen printer and an apparel attorney that I still use to this day.  However, I was definitely misinformed about it being easy!

After saving money and continuing to work at Nordstrom for another three years, I finally launched my own clothing company—Drawls.  I had no professional education in apparel, and frankly no idea what I was doing.  I personally designed the line with amateur pencil-and-paper sketches, and had the tailor from the Nordstrom men’s suit department make the patterns and sew all of the jeans, shorts, jackets and sweatshirt samples from his home.

I launched Drawls in ‘91 at the ASR tradeshow and did $30,000 dollars in sales.  I thought I was on my way to success; however, I hadn’t thought about how I was going to manufacture and ship the orders!  I hired my sister and my buddy from high school and somehow we figured out how to produce and ship the first collection—albeit six months late.

What made you decide to position your company in action sports instead of streetwear, lifestyle, or any of the other markets it could have been in?

As a kid, all I knew was skateboarding and fashion, but I didn’t want to start a skate company.  Therefore, I created a brand that had one foot in fashion and one foot in action sports.

Your company lasted for 10 years—well beyond start-up years.  What kept it from living on?

The Drawls men’s business had tapered off in the mid ‘90s as the small boutique and streetwear shops started to shut down.  I was too much of a brand snob to open up distribution to major accounts.  Sun Diego storeowner Dave Nash and I still laugh at the fact that I wouldn’t open them as an account because I thought they were too mainstream.  How ridiculous was that!

In 1995 I launched a juniors’ line called Dawls.  The brand quickly gained success and went from zero to ten million dollars in annual sales in five years. These 10 years were an intense crash course in merchandising, design, marketing, sales, finance, operations, production, sourcing, licensing, and general business skills.  You could say I received my MBA from the School of Hard Knocks.

Why did you decide to go to work for a company rather than staying on the entrepreneurial route?

In 2001, I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer, and my life and company started to spiral out of control.  At this same time, my new business partner and I weren’t seeing eye-to-eye on fundamental issues such as brand strategy and personnel.  I couldn’t fight cancer and save my business at the same time.  In the end I beat cancer, but lost my company.

I was hired at Ezekiel in 2001 to build a creative team that would launch their juniors’ division.  After 18 months, I was promoted to creative director, overseeing both the men’s and juniors’ divisions—including all merchandising, design and advertising.  This was a complete product-and-brand repositioning project, and was very rewarding.  We built a great team and repositioned Ezekiel into a uniquely competitive niche.  I remained in this roll for five years before moving on to O’Neill.

Seventeen years later we find you in the role of VP of Men’s Merchandising & Design at O’Neill.  What professional expertise do you rely on to succeed in your position?

While my experience in overseeing both men’s and juniors’ merchandising, design, and marketing teams has given me a diverse set of skills, actually having owned a successful apparel company gave me an excellent understanding of how the entire corporate enterprise needs to operate.  This has allowed me to formulate strategies and decisions that work for the betterment of the entire organization—not just my department.

In terms of successful leadership, I follow some straight forward principals:

1. Formulate a competitive product and brand-positioning strategy for the enterprise.
2. Be slow to hire and quick to fire.  Put the right people in the right places.
3. Adhere to streamlined processes.
4. Build a results-driven culture.
5. Establish clear priorities and motivate the team towards the common goal.

Do you do any of the design work yourself?  How are you involved in this process?

I haven’t personally designed anything in many years. However, one of my main roles at O’Neill is that of Design Director.  I’m intimately involved with our merchandising and design teams in regards to line planning, design direction, pricing, sourcing, etc.  I’m a product person at heart and enjoy being close to its lifecycle from start to finish.

In a previous interview on the Web, you mentioned that you wanted to add a “Street Edge” to the beach culture of O’Neill.  What have you done to accomplish this?

By the term “street edge” I do not mean “streetwear.” For lack of a better term, we’ve mixed in a bit of indy fashion to our product mix, as well as slimmer silhouettes, shorter trunks, slim-fit colored denim, hooded flannels, retro tank tops and bold colors.

What direction will you take O’Neill in the future?

I don’t want to get into specifics, but our goal is to have the industry’s most relevant and competitive product assortment.  This is no easy task considering the incredible talent among our competitors.  However, we have an amazing team and we’re quickly making a lot of progress.  The product you’ll see from O’Neill in the next 18 months is going to be amazing.

What does your crystal ball tell you about the future of apparel, beyond what’s going to be hot next season—more of the long-term?

The Internet has changed the game of fashion design.  It has equalized the power for all designers and marketers to know what’s going on around the world in real time. That being said, the ability to remain far ahead of the pack is much more difficult now.

The ability for a brand to stay fresh and relevant with consumers will require very strategic brand management.  My crystal ball tells me that strong chief brand officers who have an intimate knowledge of competitive product and marketing strategies are what’s needed for brands to remain competitive.  The superstar merchant, the superstar designer and the superstar marketer need to be the same person in the future.

It’s been said you’re a race car driver!  How did you get into that?

About 10 years ago I started racing remote control touring cars, then Go Karts, and then a friend of mine with a Subaru WRX told me that he was going to take his streetcar to a real racetrack. I couldn’t believe this was possible and decided to take my car as well. I had so much fun I almost lost my mind.

What type of vehicles are you whipping around the track, and where do you race?

I have an Acura NSX that is prepped for the racetrack, but still street legal—barely.  I run the car at most of the West Coast racetracks, including Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, Cal Speedway, Laguna Seca and Spring Mountain.

My Go Kart is a Trackmagic that I race in a spec 200cc four stroke series. I’ve run it at most of the local tracks including Perris, Adams, Grange and Willow Springs.

Which is sketchier: flyin’ around the track at 70 mph in your Go-Kart, or unleashing the NSX around the track?

I would have to say the NSX.  I’ve driven it at 145 mph into turn one at Cal Speedway’s Roval road coarse, which is pretty sketchy.  Additionally, I spun the car twice on the racetrack without serious damage—once at about 80mph with my wife Jessica in the car!  Needless to say, she doesn’t go to the track with me anymore.  If you crash, it could be all over because insurance companies (including mine) don’t cover accidents on racetracks.

Which one’s more fun and why?

I enjoy them both for different reasons.  However, I really like racing Go Karts since I get to do it with my father, sister, brother-in-law and his brother.  We’re on a four-person team and race in a monthly six-hour enduro at all of the local karting tracks.  The format is very exciting and includes pit stops and driver changes.  The karts do nearly 70 mph and we cover the equivalent distance from LA to Vegas in one race.

Have you ever got 1st place in either category?

Our Go-Kart team won the ’06 and ’07 overall championships.  The best I’ve done in the NSX is a 4th place finish at a Redline Time Attack and a 4th place finish in a NASA Time Trial (Class TTC if anyone cares).

What advice can you give someone looking to start a career in the apparel industry?

What I look for in an applicant is passion, instinct and experience.  I’ve been known to hire people without experience as long as they have passion and instinct.  Building superstars out of people with these two characteristics is easy.  If you want to make it in this competitive industry, you need to have both.  Getting a good job is one thing, but keeping a good job requires exceptional performance, a solutions-oriented mindset, and a positive attitude.

My advice for anyone with passion and ambition, but little experience or connections, is to do the following: Contact the company of your dreams and ask if they would consider a full time, “FREE” employee for three to six months in exchange for an opportunity to work in your particular field and be hired if you perform well.  This may sound drastic, but for your efforts you will have worked with a top-rated organization and developed valuable skills and resources for your entire career.  Additionally, you will have networked with industry leaders and influential decision makers, and have positioned yourself for a potential full-time job.  At the very least, the experience will look great on your resume.

How about some advice for the adrenalin junkies out there?

The easiest and safest way to take you streetcar to its limit is by doing it on a racetrack, not the streets. There are several inexpensive schools and open track clubs that can teach you the basics.  Four local SoCal clubs that allow you to take your car to the track are:

http://redlinetimeattack.com/
http://speedventures.com/
http://www.nasa-tt.com/
http://www.bmwcca.org/

For a Go Kart driving school, contact:

http://www.jimhallkartracing.com/

Fav’ 5: Which Do You Prefer?

1. Inspiration trip or trend report?
Fashion trip to London, Tokyo, Australia or Barcelona.

2. Flat sketch or Adobe Illustrator?
Flat sketches look cool, but Illustrator is what’s needed to get the job done.

3. Spring/Summer or Fall/Winter?
Fall/Winter because there is more design variety.

4.  Behind the wheel or in the pits?
Behind the wheel smoking the tires of the car.

5.  Straight-aways or hairpins?
Esses.