Entrepreneurs of all sorts will really appreciate the material on this one. In L.A., we interview Geoff Koboldt, COO of Bamboo Skateboards and Bamboo Buddy. He’s a big advocate of the 4-Hour Work Week, and has incorporated many effective methods of time management into his work and personal life. He talks with us about this, marketing, financing, hiring, and much more. He’s also just a really down-to-Earth guy who’s all about getting things done and making the most of his time here. – iWebXpert’s
Geoff had a great time being interviewed by Daniel and Jacob Ballard of iWebXpert’s from N. Carolina, who have been traveling across the United Stated interviewing a variety of business owners to learn more about the entrepreneurial spirit. Many questions were asked about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and run a business, what lessons can be gained, how to manage ones time and balance out life/work, how to be sustainable, etc. Geoff also talked about his daily meditations and spirituality, his pursuit of reading a lot of books including the Charge by Brendan Burchard and the 4 hour work-week by Timothy Ferriss. We hope you enjoy and will help share this video so others can learn. Thanks!
Saturday, March 16th, Bamboo Skateboards President and owner Geoff Koboldt and intern Myles headed over to Hawthorne to visit the Da Vinci High School of Design. The purpose was to provide the students with an overview of what it takes to create and run a small business; from the conception of an idea to a business plan to daily execution of the strategy. A special thanks to our friend Giselle at UCLA’s MBA program who invited us over.
“Geoff provided a candid look into the hard work and dedication needed to be an entrepreneur. However, what I appreciated most was hearing about his values and ethics which he has successfully integrated into his business endeavors.” – Miracle
Geoff started the presentation by first asking the students what they wanted to walk away with by the time he finished his hour long presentation. This ranged from “Tell us about the creative process” to “What level of education do you have?” to “What mistakes have been made” and about 20 other great questions from these future scholars. Let us also add that not once did we lose our connection to these kids from playing on their phones, dozing off, etc. Very respectful youth!!
The 15 slide presentation started with a series of slides identifying the problem in the skateboarding industry: Skateboarding is a major contributor to maple deforestation in N. America as skateboarding has risen over the past 10 years. Bamboo Skateboards hopes to lessen that problem and change the paradigm to use of sustainable bamboo. Geoff then went on to explain that ideas can start from a simple couple of notes and sketches on a napkin, but one must address what problems are being solved, will this create a niche, does the market demand it and will people pay for it? From there, he identified the mission of bamboo skateboards and it’s 3 pillars of Sustainability, Philanthropy and Quality (Pop, Strength).
When it came to talking about the business plan, Geoff further educated them on the Porter 5-force model, which helps companies understand things such as the barriers to entry, competitive rivalry, buyer power, etc. The students also learned about a SWOT analysis, which represents the internal (Strengths, Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities, Threats).
Next, the students were taken through the various business functions from financing to production to operations to marketing to sales. Real-life examples were given beyond the theory, which tied the learning together and helped reinforce the concepts.
Finally Geoff took them through a day in the life of what he goes through owning a business. Towards that end, this included planning out the action items the night before, getting a good nights rest, a morning meditation, only responding to urgent emails in the morning and reviewing emails only 2x/day at 11am and 7pm, working on time sensitive projects, checking in on operations with employees, etc. He then went on to highlight the good and the bad about business, but definitely more of the good such as the freedom to be your own boss, to feel good about the products you put in the market, to feel great when giving back, to choose your own schedule, write your own rules, etc. When Geoff said he hadn’t up to an alarm clock in 5 years, the students got super excited. Nonetheless, he didn’t let them forget the years he spent in corporate america getting up at 4:30am and working 12 hours before driving an hour to class to sit in school for 4 hours, drive an hour back, sleep a few hours and repeat the process, 2-3x/week for 2 years straight while he earned his MBA.
If there was any message to be delivered it was that life is hard but the only obstacle you need to worry about being limited by is that of your own. Don’t limit your potential. Don’t put up roadblocks to your success. Don’t let your past hold you back.
By the end of it, we got a lot of high fives, hand shakes and photos. The kids seemed very inspired. In fact, one girl wrote 3 pages of notes alone.
After presenting to this outstanding group of students and seeing the intelligent discussion, I don’t worry about the future of these kids. I’m pretty confident that every single one of them is going to college and will do very well for themselves. They are fortunate to go to a really rad school who lets them creatively express themselves without judgment. This year is the first graduating class for this California charter school.
Here’s a video that the students got to watch which helped educate them on bamboo:
Oceanside, CA – January 7, 2013: Bamboo Skateboards, the world leader in eco-friendly, socially conscious skateboards, is giving their brand and overall image a facelift for 2013. After testing out a name change amongst trusted riders, industry leaders and fans, they have officially matured the old name of BambooSK8 to that of Bamboo Skateboards.
President and owner Geoff Koboldt stated, “We are blown away by the explosive positive feedback we’ve received from the fans of our brand on making this name change. 2013 is going to be a great year for us! ” Mark Olson, Sales & Marketing manager says, “We have grown to the point where we are able to expand our brand allowing us to reach a broader target market in our industry.”
With new artists, new collaborations, new product lines, new board shapes, and more, this “upgrade” is going to bring a breath of fresh air to the brand. “There will be a whole new line of skate graphics, clothing, and more that I am beyond excited to be a part of orchestrating and designing. I can’t wait to see this company continue to grow and gain the recognition and respect it deserves!” says Jacquelyn Purvis, Visual & Creative Director.
Bamboo Skateboards manufactures their decks and longboards from managed bamboo forests. By choosing a bamboo skateboard, skaters are helping to reduce the environmental impact of traditional maple skateboard manufacturing which has become one of the major contributors to the planet’s maple deforestation. Bamboo boards are known for their strength, light weight, and their #1 feature: amazing POP. Not only is the company environmentally aware, but it has also built into its corporate DNA a “100 decks for 1” program, in which, every 100 decks sold, 1 free skateboard is given to an at-risk youth. This charitable effort is also coupled with the fact that most Bamboo Skateboard decks are directly tied to benefit various charities and non-profit organizations such as Grind For Life, Standup for Skateparks, World Wildlife Fund, Red Cross, Musicares, Surfrider Foundation, etc. Please visit: http://www.bamboo-skateboards.com
9/10/12 – BambooSK8 attended the FOX television celebrity eco casino and fundraiser at the Book Bindery in Culver City. Over $20k was raised on just 1 wheel spin game alone – supporting charities such as Heal the Bay and Habitat for Humanity. A ton of celebrities from all the FOX television shows was on hand including younger actresses like Zooey Deschanel to veterans such as academy award winner Melanie Griffith, casts of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, NEW GIRL, GLEE, and more. The cool part of this event is that everything was done with an ecological responsible footprint from the carpet to the products given out. We helped contribute to the event by donating an Octobomb locker cruizer longboard, which was won by Max Greenfield from NEW GIRL. The night was action packed with delicious food, drinks, desserts… a variety of gambling… dj/music…a photo booth…eco vehicles from Ford, and a ton of photographers soaking up the celebs that showed up. We felt bad for the fans outside who were dying to just simply get an autograph or photo from one of them but they didn’t. Special thanks to Stefani and FOX for having us out. We look forward to next years event!
BambooSK8 is very proud to again support the Clash at Clairemont event on March 17th 2012 at Krauss Mission Valley YMCA in San Diego. Event goes to support GRIND FOR LIFE – a wonderful charity to help kids with cancer.
Oceanside, California (PR Buzz) October 7th, 2011: BambooSK8, a leading developer of eco-friendly bamboo skateboard decks, will be an impressionable exhibitor at the Sacred Craft surfboard expo at the Del Mar fairgrounds October 8-9th. The revolutionary companies bamboo longboards and skateboards are proof that progress is being made in the skate industry towards more eco-conscious business practices. “The time is now to start making incremental changes in our industry and lead a new generation of responsible consumers,” say’s Geoff Koboldt, President of BambooSK8.
BambooSK8 will maintain an exciting booth in the “skate zone”, a section that will feature ramps, a longboarding slalom course, and tarp surfing. Along with surfboard shapers, designers, and manufacturers they will be spreading the word about how the surf and skate communities are becoming more eco-conscious and changing the paradigm. They will also be showcasing a range of longboards from the 31.5” locker cruizers to the 42” double-kick, as well as the new “Ride for Earth” skateboard deck, which plants a tree in Europe for every deck sold. Forward-thinking products such as their wheels, made from 20% corn; which helps to displace the petroleum in traditional urethane wheel production, will also be seen on their completes.
Why skateboards at a surf expo? Mark Olson, Operations Manager, at BambooSK8 explains, “Surf brands, such as Lost, are expanding into the skateboard market which is why one of the most impactful surf events, Sacred Craft Expo, has expanded this year into having a skate zone. With us being a local and growing manufacturer of skateboards with a longboard division it is important to support our industry as it grows and progresses.” BambooSK8, like the surfboard manufacturers that will be present, is focused on being at the forefront of innovation and eco-friendly practices.
The Sacred Craft surfboard expo will feature over 150 booths, making it the largest consumer surfboard expo ever produced. Another highlight will be during the Sustainable Craft Showcase, an area that is dedicated to the manufacture of surfboards using more environmentally friendly materials. Surfboard designer and futurist Carl Ekstrom will be honored at the event during the “Tribute to the Masters Shape-off” where six shapers chosen by Ekstrom compete to shape the best surfboard based on an original Ekstrom design. The event, which includes a lot of music, food, surfboard shaping and giveaways starts on Saturday at 10am and ends at 6pm while on Sunday it starts at 10am but only goes until 4pm. Follow BambooSK8 on twitter @bamboosk8 or Facebook @bamboosk8 for exciting opportunities to win special prizes at this monumental event – www.sacredcraftexpo.com
On 4/22/11, we were featured on CW6 morning news in San Diego to promote skateboarding and sustainability per Earth Week festivities. BambooSK8 promoted their bamboo skateboards and longboards while Jeff Wright and Nick Sauls tore things up in the background.
Wyatt, Geoff and intern Linsday had a great time speaking to 125+ high school students at HTHNC in San Marcos on Thursday, 17th. It’s always exciting to see kids ask intelligent questions, as many of the students did. It’s also nice to see a school put focus on sustainability, music and the arts, etc. We also hooked the schools art class up with decks to paint on for an upcoming art project. Photos to come soon! Thanks again HTHNC!
Mike Rogers from Grind for Life and Geoff Koboldt of BambooSK8 were featured on NBC TV in San Diego at 6:45am to promote the Clash at Clairemont event this Saturday which benefits the cancer charity, 11-6pm, $10/door – www.clashatclairemont.com
Pro skaters to include: Tony Hawk, PLG, Bucky Lasek, Andy Macdonald, Christian Hosoi and many others.
BambooSK8 will be selling limited edition bamboo “clash” decks which proceeds will benefit Grind for Life. These are perfect for autograph signing – limited to 20 decks only!!!
Growth, in terms of business, is necessary in order to survive. Some times, and in many markets, that growth can come at too high a cost to the environment. Geoff Koboldt of BambooSk8 is a highly conscious individual who’s actively growing business attacks these concerns. You might even call him an activist, and not just an entrepreneur. This is why we are pleased to feature him and his company in this weeks : “10 Q’s With…”; our question and answer series that’s aimed at offering insight to our readers who are interested in the ‘Adventure’ of becoming: The Boss.
We are very happy to have chosen WORLDVERSUSME for the #1 spot on the Green Washed Ritual II music compilation – based on submissions from Reverbnation. WVM, from Los Angeles was chosen for their incredible artistic vision along with songs that crossed different genres such as rock, techno, industrial, alternative, etc. With over 180,000 fans across a variety of social media platforms, they have tons of great things happening for them right now. http://www.reverbnation.com/worldversusme
#2 place went to E-dubble
E-dubble has a smooth rap style, great story-telling and a solid amount of people consistently listening to him daily. He is represented by Black Paisley Records in Baltimore. http://www.reverbnation.com/e-dubble#!/edubble
In addition to these great musical acts, we decided to offer 2 additional opportunities to 2 more bands that were very well received from the skateboard community.
1/11/11 - Reverbnation featured our opportunity to over 1 million people for 2 artists to be selected and featured on our Green Washed Ritual II; a digital music compilation that will be distributed by us in the coming months. We will provide access to the compilation via our website and at a variety of action sports events in 2011 (X-games, Malouf Money Cup, Dew Tour, Vans Warped Tour, etc.) We are excited at this new opportunity to work with ReverbNation, who have created an amazing platform for artists utilizing the latest in social media tools. Other artists already selected for this compilation include: Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, Giving Tree Band, Noush Skaugen, Cherri Bomb and the Aggrolites.
ReverbNation is the leading online music marketing platform used by more than 1,000,000 Artists, Managers, Record Labels, and Venues to grow their reach, influence, and business across the internet. ReverbNation provides free and affordable solutions to individual Artists and the music industry professionals that support them in the areas of web promotion, fan relationship management, digital distribution, social media marketing, direct-to-fan e-commerce, fan behavior measurement, sentiment tracking, Web site hosting, and concert booking and promotion.
BambooSK8 Unveils the Latest in Environmentally Friendly Skateboards at THE KI event
SAN DIEGO, October 21, 2010 – BambooSK8, a leading developer of eco-friendly, bamboo constructed skateboard decks, today announced that the company will be a featured partner at THE KI (key) event on San Francisco’s historic and proposed self-sufficient Treasure Island, October 22-24th.
BambooSK8 will be setting up a series of ramps built amongst a myriad of BambooDNA art installations while providing skate demonstrations throughout the weekend. Guests will have the chance to touch and feel the amazing quality of the bamboo skateboards and longboards and meet some of the pro skaters, including guests from Mostic.
BambooSK8 is releasing a series of new longboards ranging from a 39” square tail to a 42” double-kick to a 44” pintail. Furthermore, their innovative 65mm custom wheels are made from 20% corn; reducing the dependency on traditional 100% urethane. Another forward-thinking activity by this revolutionary company! Also, 4 new short board graphics will be released along with 2 brand new decks; a 7”x28” kid’s board and a 10”x31” old-school pool deck shape for pool skaters.
THE KI embraces the smart-living lifestyle of innovation, creativity, technology and sustainability. Established as a platform to present the latest in advanced thinking and smart-living, THE KI will join some of the world’s most innovative brands, designers, thinkers, leaders and influencers to share the future of better living.
“The world is changing and responsibility to the environment has become a top concern for us across the board as it should for most leaders, said Geoff Koboldt, president and owner of BambooSK8. Tens of millions of maple trees are ripped down yearly to make skateboards after taking 40-50 years to mature. We pride ourselves as being innovators in eco-skateboard deck design while reducing our impact on the environment by using bamboo, a grass that easily regenerates in 3-4 years.
BambooSK8 decks are not only ‘green’ and environmentally friendly but extremely durable and field tested around the world. BambooSK8 creates extremely light weight bamboo boards that are significantly stronger than maple decks. Furthermore, the process allows the molecular fibers of the bamboo to be pressed under intense pressure creating supreme stiffness and resilience within the deck. The combination of these features creates a highly responsive deck with a long lasting pop resulting in less skateboards going into landfills. Towards that end, many decks are recycled and reused in various art projects including those found at Burningman.
About BambooSK8
BambooSK8, a bamboo provider to the skateboard industry is breaking new ground (without hurting the environment) with a patent-protected process involving a truly sustainable eco/green source: bamboo. BambooSK8 is a superior choice for the high-impact, active skateboarding warrior who wants to be at the forefront of a true revolution. Bamboosk8 is headquartered in Oceanside, CA and has collectively over 50 years in action sports. For more information, please visit www.bamboosk8.com.
We are gearing up for our 2nd Green Washed Ritual music compilation… if your band or someone you know has high-energy, unique music they would like to contribute – send us an email. Check out the link to learn more about the 1st compilation brought to you by Out of Step Entertainment and New World Artist Management.
Click to read an interview with Ron Stebenne of Oceanside, California BambooSK8 talking about the ecological benefits of bamboo as a superior choice for building skateboards. Thank you transworld.
BambooSK8 was proud to join the Tony Hawk foundation for the 2nd time by attending another charity event in Beverly Hills. This event took place at Billionaire ROn Burkles humble abode; yes, I said Billionaire. I believe that only 800 people are allowed to attend based on starting donations of $350 but additional money is raised by numerous auctions such as an autographed fender bass from the Dave Matthews band or a guitar signed by Social Distortion to autographed skate decks to vacations to sport memorabilia to a vehicle (spiced up by DUB), etc. In addition, around $50,000 was raised for the watts skatepark just from pure donations on the whim. 20 at-risk youth were brought in thanks to donations. In fact, one of our little Loopd Eco Tribe skaters made a donation, so I made sure I got him a special autograph from Tony Hawk. Reality is, this event is filled with a mix of celebrities and rich folks but all of which who enjoy doing their part to help the skateparks, all the while doing the horse-and-pony show for their kids who get to meet Tony Hawk. I must say Tony does a great job keeping it real and down-to-earth. In fact, Tony went for a 900 not one, not twice, not even three times but more like 5 times – pulling it off until running off the side of the ramp. Dude is over 40 and killing it out there for the crowd! Bucky Lasek, Andy Macdonald, Kevin Stabb, PLG and a few others joined him on the ramp. About a dozen booths were set up from organizations or companies like Yo Baby / Kick flipper, UFC, Best Buy, DUB magazine, Pinks Hot Dogs, Nixon, etc. Literally, you walk away with bags of goodies including shirts, hats, stickers, belts, drum sticks, guitar picks, shoes, and tons more. This year Blink 182 performed, which was really cool to finally see them live – not that they are even remotely talented in light of other musicians, but they have catchy songs and are incredibly funny with their interactions with each other onstage and with the crowd. Tom joked, “This song was a hit in the 90′s.” I do have to say that Travis Barker is a mad man on those drums and I have the utmost respect for him, as a drummer and as a businessman. Many years ago, I looked at buying his house out in Corona… in fact, it was right down the road from me at the time. Anyhow, other celebrities included Jeremy Piven, Eric Estrada, Vern ’mini me” Troyer (who gave $1000 for TOny hawk’s shoes and deck he skated), Chuck Liddell from UFC, Perry Farrel (Janes Addiction), Johnny Knoxville, Holly Robinson Pete, Tom Green, and a bunch more. A special shout out to the entire crew that makes this event happen…from the valet guys at the front gates to the mansion, to the food crew, to the security, to the organizers and promoters, to the Tony Hawk Foundation, Ron Burkle, and all the people who generously donate year after year; without these folks our youth might not have a safe haven to go skate at. It is these skateparks that keeps kids out of trouble and gives them hope for a better life while also keeping them healthy and positive.
I recently visited a local Venice school to speak to the students about life, business and bamboo… The presentation was well received by the skaters and I will likely be returning to do some hands-on learning lessons about business.
The goal will be to teach the students the entire process of starting a skateboard company from ordering product, handling logistics, quality control, how to market it, how to understand sales, understanding profit margins and income statements, balance sheets, etc.
Who knows – one of these sharp studens might be leading the next hot skate brand…you just never know.
If you are interested in having BambooSK8 come speak at your school – by all means – let us know, we would be happy to contribute.
BambooSK8, Out of Step Entertainment and New World Artist Management pre-Launch the Green Washed Ritual at ASR
20 free digital songs from around the world to promote sustainability
SAN DIEGO, September 9, 2009 – BambooSK8, a leading developer of eco-friendly bamboo skateboard decks, announced today that they have just launched a digital music compilation “The Green Washed Ritual”. This launch coincides with the introduction of 5 revolutionary new bamboo skate decks, and will serve to celebrate the company’s presence at the ASR tradeshow in San Diego, booth #2627, inside the ASEC Green Room.
“Music has the powerful ability to inspire change and there is no better time than now to make life-changing moves towards a more sustainable future – one bamboo skateboard at a time, one download at a time,” said Geoff Koboldt, president, BambooSK8. With the caliber and diversity of bands involved, this compilation has the potential to ignite awareness that no other medium has been able to attain in the action sports world and for that we are sincerely stoked.
Matt Philips of Silverback Music, who represents the artists Slightly Stoopid, Fishbone, Pepper, Rebelution, the Expendables and the Beautiful Girls said, “We are proud to have our artists involved with this innovative project and I respect that BambooSK8 is thinking outside the box! We are finally moving in the direction where music can be used to benefit the environment, which is an exciting time for all. I look forward to seeing companies continue to progress like this, and happy to have our artists contribute to this great cause!”
This revolutionary and energetic compilation consists of a wide variety of genres of music, as well as an eclectic mix of both major and indie label artists who have graciously donated 1 song each to promote sustainability. These artists include CKY, Fishbone, It dies today, Slightly Stoopid, Sex and Patriotism, Theory of Disorder, Rebelution, Story of the Year, Dropout Year, Buck Brothers, Doxy, Social Dropouts, The Beautiful Girls, The Expendables, Madina Lake, Arthur Autumn, The Takeover UK, Vallenbrosa and Avery Watts. Record labels include Roadrunner, Epitaph, Rykodisc/Warner Music Group, Law, Controlled Substance Sound Labs, Nightmare, TrustKill, New Ettiquette/The Orchard, and DKE.
BambooSK8 will provide access to download all 20 digital songs for free with the purchase of either a bamboo skateboard or a bamboo t-shirt off of their website at www.bamboosk8.com
These five brand new eco-friendly skateboard decks by BambooSK8 have been highly anticipated—three 100% bamboo longboards, and two short boards: one 100% bamboo, the other a 70% bamboo hybrid; always with amazing pop and durability.
About BambooSK8
BambooSK8, a manufacturer to the skateboard industry, is breaking new ground (without hurting the environment) by using bamboo, a truly sustainable and environmentally conscious natural resource, to create decks of the highest quality and the lowest eco-impact. BambooSK8 is headquartered in Oceanside, CA and has collectively over 30 years in action sports. For more information please contact:
The Green Washed Ritual features 20 artists from around the world who have kindly donated one song each to promote sustainability. For every bamboo deck or t-shirt you purchase, you will receive a collector series download card giving you access to the whole compilation. We are confident this music will inspire you to get off your butt and do something good… like recycling, mentoring someone, hugging your mom, forgiving an old friend, removing hatred from your heart, or just going out and skating like you’ve never skated before.
Out of Step Entertainment, New World artist management and BambooSk8 are proud that this compilation is revolutionary by mixing major label bands with indie label acts proving that music doesn’t need to be categorized.
At the end of every purchase on the bamboosk8 website shopping cart, you will get the access code to go to an offsite link to download 20 free digital songs from the following bands:
We want to thank Dr. Twede and the Michigan State University packaging department (PKG 485 class) for their assistance with designing a skateboard package with an environmental and cost-effective focus. 11 students spent this past semester working on the project; Geoff Koboldt (MSU graduate) first spoke to the class about sustainability and skateboarding in January and then Ron Stebenne came in for the final presentation at the end of April. The 11 students got their special own bamboo skate deck with a “S” for Spartans and Michigan State University logo screened on.
Venice Ramp on Lincoln Blvd.
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