My First
December 28, 2009

Most of you know the story of how I started the biz. (I went to school and part of my project was to do a plan on what I wanted to do when I graduated) Each week, we had guest speakers that came back and told “their story” on what they did. When I think back, it was really the only thing I remembered from school that made a difference in going to class. Whenever you get a chance to listen to people that went through all the ups and downs of doing their own thing, it's kinda inspiring. Picture a 20 year old sitting in class, it was overwhelming. Well, one of the speakers was a dude named Steve. He graduated years earlier but was the first person I could relate to (A student who went to school, found snowboarding as an outlet, became one of the best big mountain riders in the world, then started a store in Mammoth called Wave Rave.) I was like “Shit! Man you can go to school and NOT become a banker, lawyer, corporate dude, and actually go into making a living doing what you already love to do?!” Sounds a little silly, but it was a big revelation as a kid with no experience. I was already making T’s, Beanies and Denim in LA as a creative outlet. Once I met Steve and told him what I was doing and my ideas in riding, he was like “Great, let me order a few things and see how it goes.” So in 1992, Wave Rave in Mammoth Lakes, Cali was the very first shop I sold to (as well as actually the first to pay me!) Check the pict of Wave Rave over 17 years later.

Now check the picture of Steve today. Mr. Mountain-man has mellowed out a bit and is a true pioneer in the snow industry (The premier core stockist in the Western US, if not the entire nation). Big ups to Steve on giving me that first shot and STILL being a great partner.