Can you briefly explain what happened with The Firm and how you ended up deciding to join forces with Flip?
I started The Firm in 1991, at a time when skateboarding was going through industry changes. I still wanted to be involved, and at that time there was no team I really wanted to be part of. I’ve always been on or part of a great team. At that time my best option was to build my own team as best I could. Did it for 15 years. The skateboarding industry is changing again—my heart has always been to just skate, but I’ll do whatever it takes. Flip made an offer to Bob, Rodrigo and myself, and we decided that it would be the best for skateboarding and us. I think skateboarding is and will always be fine. If there are parks, we will ride them; if there is nothing, we will make something. If it’s on TV more people will see it; if not, we will have our own contests in our backyards or make videos and compete that way. There are always kids who are going to see it and take it for their own, make with it what they want, as we all have. It has a life of its own.
The industry supplies products and influence by the top skaters who push it and mold it, help make it inspiring to new kids, promote it, and care for the directions it takes. I believe all of us on the industry side have done a poor job of nurturing skateboarding in the last 10 years, and the industry is paying for it. We have to do a better job if we want to have any influence. Skateboarding does not need us. It’s not our job to figure out ways to make a living or money off skateboarding. That comes when we offer it something it needs, and do what is best for skateboarding as a whole.
It’s not our job to figure out ways to make a living or money off skateboarding. That comes when we offer it something it needs, and do what is best for skateboarding as a whole.
Lance Mountain interview @ Thrashermagazine.com
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