TAGS: #legends
Those active in the world of skateboarding would surely find this name familiar; Rob Drydek. Rob has become somewhat of a legend among his peers, having begun skateboarding since an early age, having his career take-off at the tender age of twelve, and having broken numerous world records. But there is more than this person than meets the eye. Proving that he is a jack of all trades-and adding to his already impressive resume of skater, actor, philanthropist, and producer- Rob proves that he has a flair for entrepreneurship by acquiring his own skateboard company.
Skateboards are not Rob’s first dabbling in business. During his early careers, he received sponsorships and acted as contributor to several big-names in the skating industry. Most notably among these is DC Shoes, where Rob helped design his own signature shoes. He had also briefly opened his very own skate shop and even a hip hop music label. However, what made his fans truly excited was when Rob purchased the skateboarding company Alien Workshop in April 2012. Alien Workshop was established in 1990, and produces skateboarding gears, apparel, and accessories. Rob was one of the riders for this company in his early years, but now he that he has become its owner, he is wielding the reigns of creative and marketing power.
It is interesting to note that Drydek has actually worked with Alien Workshop in its early years. Back then, the brand was a fairly small one, waiting to break into the market, and Drydek had helped secure its future. There are several skateboard decks bearing Drydek’s namesake sold by the company, with its signature futuristic theme. They are some of the most well-received of the bunch, having a rating of five stars on a prominent skateboarding shop’s website. Rob’s product line is not limited to technical gear; he also has up an array of DC shoes and shirts.
Rob has further shown that he is qualified to take up such a huge responsibility in Alien Workshop through his latest television show, “Ridiculousness” on MTV, where he shows and comments on sports mishap videos. His business aptitude is shown by how “Ridiculousness” has gone from the screen to stores with its very own clothing and skate line. And it is not only a matter of what Rob does; his success has also largely been because of the effect he has on people. His fan base has even taken to make their own decks as homage to this great skater, as evidence of their dedication to him. Hence, there is an overwhelming support from the industry in this venture, as it is highly anticipated than in Rob’s hands, the brand will flourish even more.
Given his eye for quality, this skater’s skateboard venture is met with great anticipation. After all, this is a person who has broken numerous world records (among them for largest skateboard), learnt at an early age what his dreams were and how to pursue them, as well as has ample experience in the industry. Knowing Rob, with his unrelenting strive and desire to always grow and improve, the future of Alien Workshop would not disappoint.