Epiphany Skateboards is an up and coming skateboard company founded by Robert Prado.
I caught up with him on twitter recently and we got to talking. It didn’t take me long to realize he and his company are for real.
He has a great perspective: do it for the art and the sport, not the money or fame. Now that’s a sentiment any skater can get behind.
And oh yeah – the team rips:
In addition to shredding and making skateboards, Robert is a darn nice guy. He took some time recently to sit down and answer a few questions from yours truly.
Why did you start Epiphany Skateboards?
Prior to starting this company I co-owned a small art gallery/ skateshop in downtown Lake Elsinore, CA. The concept behind it was to synergize the arts with skateboarding to allow room for each sub culture to truly appreciate each other & understand it’s somewhat of a ying-yang theory (without one there can’t be the other). Our lease for the shop was only for 6 months; which I saw as being a very low risk commitment & in the back of my head I knew the worst that could that could happen was to loose a couple hundred bucks but at the same time I would gain a lot of experience. The entire time was a success as I found a way to make it pay for itself but, the economy picked back up & our rent was going to double upon renewing the lease. My only option was to close those doors. Immediately that same month (late April) I got my tax return & subconsciously I realized I no longer wanted to hold an identity of being “sponsored” anymore. I was at a crossroad & made a solid decision within myself to create my own brand.
When you start a company you want to do it with people you know, naturally I knew a couple kids in my area that had create attitudes & that I felt deserved more coverage. Christian Holt & Josh Valadao were the first two people that came to mind, they’re both still in high school & have a lot of years to look forward to & I plan to guide them in the right directions. The brand ultimately represents the feeling that skateboarding gives you. Look up the definition of epiphany & nine times out of ten you’ll realize skateboarding is your epiphany & what you realized was import to you as a kid & the feeling it gives you are what kept you doing it all these years. I want this brand to help aid in keeping skateboarding art driven.
Tell me about the team riders and their skating styles:
Right now the team is composed of Josh Valadao, Christian Holt, & myself. There is a great kid from Roseburg, OR I just started flowing as well. It’s a small friendly vibe at this point, within the past 2 month’s there’s been some instances where I had to let people go & someone quit. I know that there is a difference between taking things personal & taking it as a business decision. Epiphany Skateboards isn’t for everybody & that’s ok. We have a strong following locally & I’m spending my time with people that are dedicated & that are in it for the long haul with me.
If there were anything you can change about the sport what would it be?
With skateboarding, there is always room for improvements. I’d want to stop hearing about local skateshops closing, see more kids falling in love with skateboarding & sticking with it, & see more people buying decks that actually support core skateboarding so our industry can pick back up (no more blanks).
Where can we catch up with the Epiphany riders?
Personally, I’m the hardest one to find rolling around. I’m always running on a hamster wheel with my day job or in solitary deliberation between 4 walls in my home office with a pen & a pad getting this brand off the ground. I know for a fact Christian can be found at Santana skatepark in Corona, CA. Josh can be found on the streets of Moreno Valley, CA on any given day rolling his urethane on everything in sight. Eric is always at Roseburg skatepark. Holler!
What’s in store for 2011?
We’re going to be on the phones a lot calling core skateshops domestically around the continental US aiming to open as many accounts this year as possible, every season we’ll be releasing 3 new products, coordinating events/ demos/ contests throughout the year (one every 2 months), adding 2-3 new additional riders to our team, & releasing a full length DVD will full parts from each rider. 2011 is our prime year to be welcomed into everyone’s skateboard world.
random residue by this author:
[...] it out: HERE. [...]