id also just like to add im not looking to come in and work for free and ruin what work has been done im just trying to make a connection and learn from people who have gotten to a place i would in sometime like to be from what ive herd trev your a pretty smart business guy i would appreciate and advice you could throw my way
i went for a job packing boxes at globe a year ago and said i wanted $60,000 a year to do it to try and raise the industry standard but they didnt give it to me :(
they only pay their worker in rice, in box packing division
Oh man this tread is going to be awesome!
I'm sure nothing I say is going to change trev's thoughts on me, as I apparently single handedly ruined volley, but anyway as you have come out to attack me I would just like to correct a few things when I get home... Being king of the kids and all I wouldn't want my army of disillusioned youth to be upset at me!
Fuker it sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. Just get your foot in the door. A lot of the guys I know working good jobs in the industry went from packing boxes or working casual. Just get your foot in the door and work hard. Little things like being 15 mins early and taking initiative go a long way in any job. I really reckon mentors help. It don't have to be anything formal, just someone who will lend an ear and give you advise. Inspire you and vouch for you at a later stage potentially.
I am not a good example. My little label breaks even almost!
Oh and beware of skate industry guys that don't skate. In my limited experience they are the biggest douchebags on the planet and often two faced money whores.
Word on the grapevine is that Trev regularly sold out cheap or undercut Renton when negotiating demo fees. Is there any truth to this rumour Trev?
Well, anyway this is naturally directed at Trev, as I knew he had some problems with me but also knew he was misinformed about info about me... and was hoping he would email me instead of bringing this on a public forum (although everyone that gets to see this all unfold would have been disappointed, everyone loves a good show i guess haha)
Like i said before i'm guessing you just didn't know whats actually happened, and built up this whole thing from rumors or whatever, and that's fine, i would be angry too i guess if someone was doing what you're saying.
but it's simply not the case, and as much i would like to have just been like 'ah man he's got it so wrong' and left it at that, since you came out on this forum instead of just emailing me to clarify this then i guess i'll just do the same.
Anyway, first up with Stussy.... i have no idea what you're talking about man. See, Stussy doesn't have a official skate team. They have flowed product to their 'family' like HUF, montoya, johnston, and others for years now and thats how they keep it, no ads, no paychecks, etc.. just how they do things. The rep who is a friend of mine asked for help with chosing the product and i helped her choose out stuff for the aussie program, and that was it. Everytime i tried to organize something or get the riders some better deals it just couldn't happen, and i find it flattering that the board members of Pac brands knew who i was as i just worked for the rep and never delt with anyone higher than that.... anyway theres more to it but i just don't want to get into those details on a public forum, but like i said please email me and we can talk or something to clear it out.
But anyway i was always down for what Glenn and you were doing at volley and was looking at picking up the brand at the 3 shops i run.
Wait, that's right, i didn't just pop in overnight, as you said. I grew up in skateshops in Japan and worked at my friend's shop Yellowbox in okinawa japan, then came to australia and had to start off at jetty surf just because i wanted to work in skate so bad and they had a skate counter, and then finally got that dream job at PSC, and then over to street machine were i worked my ass off and now we've built up to 3 stores that i run and think are doing a good thing. but hey, i guess working with skateboards for over 12 years doesn't qualify you for a TM's job huh?
Next, whats this crap about converse and adidas? I never have worked for converse, when the program was about to launch and way before i had anything to do with adidas, a friend of mine was approached to perhaps head up the australian program, and thats as far as a connection goes.
and i'm not working for adidas for free.. I get paid like a TM does...and if after i get paid i want to give some of that money to my riders to help them pay their bills, then thats my business. as far as I'm concerned I sure have paid my dues, and things just worked out. My job with adidas is my business, and again I don't want to air out details online but once again i invite you to contact me so we can clear this out.
No one is perfect, i have lots of faults and probably have pissed people off, but just get the fact straight too. I've heard plenty of not so flattering stories about you too, but as I don't know the truth behind them i don't think it's my business to just rant on like you did...
I don't want any beef with you or with anyone, but hey after this if you still hate me that's fine.
I'll be in brissie for the part and parcel premiere, hopefully you can make it and we can have a drink and sort this out, if not then i dont really care but just out of respect to what you've done in australia.
I can't decide.....
Is Tangent undercutting hard working skaters?
or
Do companies not want to pay someone $30k a year to order a few shoes, forward on some photos to mags and watch a few sponno me tapes?
not wanting to get into the debate but i'm surprised the stussy international team didn't get paid. ie. huf, montoya, sj, mulder, etc... i'm sure those guys (in their time) could have got solid contracts on other companies
Yea, I smell jaded veteran who's pissed off that the industry isn't like 'the good old days'.
Dude...the good old days are finished?
Wow, crazy thread. I bet you didn't expect that Fuker.
Fuker, you have my email address if you want private service in regards to advice or work experience.
If your keen enough something should come up, get some retail exprience under your belt if you haven't got it. Watch the Powell, Vision, Santa Cruz and H Street videos, watch 1281, then Trilogy, Mouse, Let the Horns Blow and the early TWS videos a million times, read a shit load of Dave Carnie stories, wear baggie pants and shit coloured tee shirts (and volleys for a moment or two), skate bearing covers, watch Second Hand Smoke, buy some plan B and Prime boards, skate some slicks, do some nose slides and shuv it's with out popping them, ahh shit, the story goes on and on and on........... love skateboarding, take the good with the bad and be prepared to work hard.
I like troy's advice there, you forgot tiny ass wheels though..
I'm not surprised that the Stussy riders were riding for free. I have never thought that most pros get paid much at all (with the exception of Koston, Reynolds, Kirchart and the other big names). I assume that most pros don't have much leverage when negotiating contracts, because there are so many amazing ams without big sponsors or a high profile.
Look at the guys in the new Powell video. They all have really amazing parts and I've never heard of any of them except for Dallas Rockvam!
Oh, don't accuse me of trying to be an 'expert'. I'm NOT an expert, I don't work in the 'industry', I don't know many 'industry' people. I just skate. The closest I get to the 'skate industry' is sometimes skating in a comp or going to a skate video premier. So maybe I'm completely wrong.
These are just my impressions.
DEY TUK OUR JEEEEEEEERBS
[img]
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3511591165_031ba41138.jpg[/img]
Ever seen that southpark episode Trevor?
thanks to all who have contributed, troy(elemeny guy) trev, and adidas guy i take on all that has been expressed in this thread thanks for an insight to the skateboard industry if any one could allow and opportunity for me it would be greatly appreciated troy i have emailed you with my resume with no response i would greatly appreciate anything you could do im based on the gold coast (as are you) if you email me im sure you will be able to see that i have close connections with all skateboarders within the gold coast skate community im sure you have even seen me at a skate park around the coast. troy if you are able to respond to one of my emails or contact me through this it would be greatly appreciated as i say again im am only trying to make connection and stay out of what is not my business in regard to the squabling between industry officiald as should all who do not have a proper clue one what these people are saying just because you skateboard dosnt mean you actually have an educated opinion on matters, and again troy or trev if you would respond and allw me to talk even for 5 minutes it would greatly appreciated
Joshua.
19:37 23/Jun
Get a job in a skate shop and work your ass off and then if you are not a jerk it should come your way
that doesnt work, they just throw the reaposible ones out and keepp the non skate jerks in there who know nothings about skateboarding let alone have never skated. i worked ym ass for over 4 goddamn years, rpomsied lots of things, then quit from being fucked around and didnt even get thanks.
dont work in a skateshop. it puts you off alot of things
oh and in sayig that,, there are good people in the skate industry, just make sure you get a job with the right people.
tangent kills it.
he doesn't help people out for his own benefit!
it's in his nature, he just can't help it.
he's more likely to hook up a skater for their personality rather than their skill
( . Y . ) tits?
Davo the goog old days finished when the bastards took out New Old. R.i.p
Good*
At the risk of being a kook and bringing this thread back onto the topic...
Starting at a skate shop is without a doubt the best way to get into the industry. Even if it's a surf/skate shop, it's all good. I started at Goodtime when I was 15, eventually worked my way up to doing the buying etc, which put me in touch with the distributors and eventually led to a job at Kwala. The rest is history...
All I can say is that if you want a job that pays well, stay out of skateboarding. Most of the crew in our industry have extremely modest wages for a retarded amount of work (at one point I was TM, Graphic Designer, Web Guy and Marketing Manager all at the same time). That beng said though... If you truly love skateboarding like I and the other long time industry guys do, it's all worth it.
OK, now let the ranting continue...
Fuker, try me again on troy.archer@elementaustralia.com because I haven't received anything from you. Also, I lke swear words personally, but our email filter doesn't so leave them out and your email will get through.
cheers troy ive popped it through
I'm old and jaded and considered an industry veteran in some circles.
Now quit wasting time on these forums and get back to work or I'll have the lot of you sacked!
