So, 15 years later and I find myself doing the same job I was doing at 19 years of age across the United Kingdom only now Im doing it up and down the coast of California. Many people think we are a big company with lots of people and although combined we do quite well and we call upon some great people whom I call friends along with colleagues. I also have enjoyed the things that Nineplus has enabled me to do which one might call ‘the donkey work’ – the hard initial slog of building a brand. Of course this does have its perks; This past weekend for instance having been in Mexico surfing some awesome waves at Baja Malibu & San Miguel (albeit without some hassle from Mexican learners) we have enjoyed both sun and surf and after staying on a vineyard close to Ensenada where we are trialing a holiday which we will be offering for people who want to come and surf California and Baja where they can surf, wine taste and sample the cuisine all cared for and using surfboards and wetsuits that we have based here.
Pleasure Point Board Meeting, Santa Cruz with Alex Thompson
All enjoyable stuff although coming on the back of travelling the whole California coastline in the last week as we continue to establish the Nineplus brand in the 25 carefully selected retailers within the sunshine state, 1200 miles with early mornings and late evenings as we drive PCH and the 1 North does get you tired. As the owner of the brand and the primary responsible party when things go wrong it has been a privilege to go back to the same job I was doing 15 years ago and that is literally filling the car with samples, products and catalogues and head out into the sunrise and building relationships with the people I am beginning to call friends. Why? because we enjoy the fact we don’t have the budget of a corporate machine and well…..I am of the opinion you don’t cook brands in microwaves but instead build them over time, listening to the retailers and learning from the very people who meet and understand the customer. Behind most surfing companies are shareholders demanding growth and profitability which dictates the brands stratergy. Ours is the same as the mission statement: Grow in line with a demand for products that appeal to the core surfing market, if you make a living doing it then you are fortunate, if you start making alot of money, reduce your prices. No Nordstroms, No JC Penny, No Rosses & No Target. We are surfers and we work with surfers whom work with surfers to help surfers surf. Its been enjoyable to ‘Pop the trunk’ and allow the customer to chose some in-fill, select some fins, tell me about their shop and how its been getting through the problems the recession has placed upon them. I enjoy it and as we slowly start working with the sales people whom will take the pressure of the relentless schdule my trips place upon me in doing the job that others invest thousands in doing by standing in a tradeshow booth, I wanted to publicly on the site say thanks to everyone who has bought anything with ‘Nineplus’ attached to it. It is a privaledge to serve you. I would also like to think that over time the investment of an owner on the road was the right decision and its been great doing the same things as I had to did right back at the beginning – finding the customers and building freindships, what first attracted me to ditch school and chase the surfing industry. Isn’t that why the surf industry is so attractive, as its way of living the dream and making waves part of our daily lifestyle. Now here in CA and with being based close to San Onofre, a warehouse close to Rincon and the first sales person based at Santa Cruz linking the dots have never seemed like so fun. Oh yeah Robbie at Esteem, Pismo – it was great to meet you. Thanks for the shirt !!!