Action Sports Trade Show season is in full swing, so I’ve been cruising around the trash-boards wasting time instead of diligently booking high-profile media appointments for my clients.

During a break from selling my soul to journalists reaching out to my friends in the media, I came across one rant (I’m not going to post it) from a retailer who was mad that certain brands his store helped build are now in XY&Z big retailer.  He’s bummed and I understand it.  If I was a retailer in the ’90s and still kicking now, I may be bummed too.  But, I wasn’t and I’m not going to weigh in on what’s right or wrong and good vs. bad business.  I don’t own a brand and it’s not my place to say what’s right for the life cycle of someone else’s business.  What I am I’m going to tell you about is my friend Tim Swart and something called hustle.

You may know Tim.  He’s speaking at the upcoming Action Sports Conference (where I’ll be too – drop me a line!).  On the marketing side, he’s been either in house or acted as an external consultant for more than a few of the major brands in action sports today.  More than what’s on his humble resume on the Action Sports Conference site.  In addition to his marketing background, Tim also owns his own retail store and clothing line, named UNIV.

There are two things I really like about UNIV, outside of their excellent grip tape that I use exclusively on my stuntwood (thanks Tim!).

1. UNIV is different. Right next to UNIV is Hansen’s, an independently owned store that is like an orgy of things you can get gnarly on or wear to look like you’re going to be getting gnarly.  They also do excellent base grinds if your snowboard needs love.  Hansen’s is great and established in the Encinitas community.  It’d be hard for UNIV to compete against them directly.  That’s why Tim doesn’t.

UNIV carries a lot of its own stuff (including excellent selvage denim), which makes sense as Tim is growing the brand beyond the one storefront.  But UNIV also carries a lot of other brands not saturated in the area.  They may carry some skate or surf stuff, such as Vans and SB, but primarily what you get at UNIV you’re not going to get anywhere nearby.  They’re not a skate or surf shop.  They’re a store that carries some cool brands and if skate fits in there, they’ll consider carrying it.  Could I get Vans somewhere else?  Yeah, sure.  But see point #2 for some reasons why I may not.

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Vapor Studio is right next doot to UNIV. Ricardo Camargo, the studio's director, has had his hand in building (literally) more than a few of the brands we know and love out there. If you're looking for a studio to handle not just branding, but take a project from the design phase through production, check out Vapor Studio (http://www.vapor-studio.com).

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2.  Tim has built a community around UNIV. Every other week I’m hit up about some cool event I don’t go to because I fear leaving my house on the weekends I’m so green that I don’t like to burn fossil fuels for the sake of fun on the weekends.  But from what I can see online, table-tennis tournaments, art shows, pop-up shops and random collaborations with BMX brands and pros (see below) happen on the regular.  Cool.  If I wasn’t so green and felt comfortable sacrificing fossil fuels for the sake of fun, I’d go up there on the weekends.  From the pics I’ve seen online though, Tim usually gets a pretty cool turnout without me coming.

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Now you might be saying “Eff off Bill, you don’t know what you’re talking about!” and you may be right, maybe I don’t.  And maybe my examples were too long, so I’ll just sum it up here.

Be Different: I remember hearing once about this brand “Volcom” where a few guys were doing something “new” around the early ‘90s. They seem to have done ok for themselves.  Stores that stocked them in the beginning gave customers something different to choose from.  There are more than a few brands that have been successful by being different and new during their time.

The SH*T Won’t Sell Itself: Tim’s events and projects take extra time for him and his staff.  Maybe you’re not hooked up with BMX pros – so a collab like he just did is out of reach.  Fine.  Do something else.  Hold a clinic for “first time surfboard or skateboard buyers” and invite parents to come in pre-holiday – if you didn’t grow up surfing or skating, buying your kid a new board can be a daunting task.  Or have a Facebook contest.  Host games of skate in your parking lot.  Do something to get me in there.

Good luck to everyone heading to the Action Sports Conference, Agenda HB, ASR, Outdoor Retailer and Surf Expo.  Drop me a line if you want to hook-up on site.

Tim, thanks for the griptape and support, I really appreciate both.  Especially the grip… I get a lot of compliments on it as I cruise to brunch on Sunday afternoons in my khaki pants.