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Nike Archives - The Punk Rock MBA

Finn McKenty 0
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Lessons
December 6, 2015

Lesson 6: Help your competitors & welcome copycats

In theory, bands compete with each other to get on shows, sign to labels, and for the attention of fans. Competition is part of the DNA of skateboarding, where athletes face each other in contests, push to outdo each other in video parts, and for a very limited number of sponsors-- even people who ride for the same team compete for the attention of their sponsor. Clothing companies and brands in both spaces all compete for marketshare, retail space, and so forth. Yet despite so much rivalry over extremely scare dollars, you'll find that DIY bands, brands, and athletes collaborate far more often than they compete. What people and brands with roots in DIY culture understand is that there is often more to be gained from working together and helping each other than there is from trying to keep you "competitors" down. Instead of fighting over pieces of the pie, they work together to…
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Finn McKenty 5
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Lessons
June 15, 2015

LESSON 2: Pay your dues

At one point, even the most seasoned skateboarding veterans were the new kid. We all had that moment when we showed up at the local spot for the first time, wanting desperately to fit in and be accepted by the cool older kids. Which of course never happens right off the bat: instead they vibe you for sucking, having a dumb haircut, and anything else they can think of. But if you really love skateboarding, you keep coming back, paying your dues until you've earned your place. https://youtu.be/pUc4xZX2194?t=24m27s Footage from "Bones Brigade: An Autobiography," which you should definitely check out in full My favorite example of this is Tony Hawk. While today he's an icon who is all but universally respected, that was definitely not always the case. At the beginning of his career, he was the new kid. In stark contrast to the super cool punk rock guys of the previous generation who…
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