Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Geske.
Hi Benjamin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello, my name is Benjamin Tyler Geske. I’m the founder and CEO of Board Life Clothing Company a.k.a Boardom Universal, an international clothing brand with the mission to allow members of the board culture to represent The Board Culture. As I see it, the board culture is broad. It exist all over the world in ever community. If you ride a board, any board, you are a part of the board culture. Whether it’s everyday or once a decade, it doesn’t matter. The board culture doesn’t discriminate between sex, race, or religion, if you ride, you’re in, and one of us. I also own and operate a local San Diego swimming pool and hot tub service business called San Diego Pool Life. We aren’t here to talk about that, we’re here to talk about the clothing brand I created, so let’s get into that. I grew up snowboarding, 1st time I was 9 and in the 4th grade, by 7th grade I was hiking the out of bounds bowl, charging steep powder runs, I also did some skateboarding and wakeboarding at different times in my life while growing up. I actually had to make my 1st skateboarding with random tools and stuff I found in the shed; which included my sisters barbie roller skate. My parents wanted me in organized sports and not riding boards because of injury and the bad rep associated with drugs and alcohol. When I turned 18 I moved out of my hometown and I went to a state university for 4 years. It was Springbreak of 08 my 4th year at a University when I decided to come visit some friends I grew up with who had moved to San Diego to become surfers. In my mind these guys were slackers who chose an easy route and where not challenging themselves or building themselves productively, and were living a fun and easy life. That swell that was in San Diego for Spring break of 08 would change my mind and life forever. Initially I thought surfing was going to be the easiest, most fun, and relaxing board sport of them all. Up until that point in my life, I had never been so wrong. First time going out, I got absolutely destroyed. Completely obliterated. I was fighting for my life, getting slammed by each and every wave in every set. Struggling to breath, hoping not to but considering that I might drown. I barely made it out alive. Now, I know it’s not uncommon for others to have this same experience; 1st time surfing during a decent sized swell, where people say “wow, that wasn’t easy. Infact, that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to do”. Then they go home and go on with their lives and might tell someone that they’ve tried surfing and they might share how difficult surfing was for them. Not me. I was absolutely hooked and fathomed. I wasn’t graduating with others I knew after 4 years at University and not gonna lie, that bummed me out. So, I did what any rational 22 year old would do at that point, I left school, decided to extend spring break 08, and moved to San Diego to become a surfer. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but it was the difficulty of the task and the physical endurment of surfing that had me hooked and obsessed with mastering. I knew and it was confirmed that I had chosen a very hard and difficult path and I loved it, every part of it. With a lot of trial and error, broken bones, lacerations, torn ligaments, attacks by sea creatures, tattoos, broken boards, passport stamps from almost every continent, meeting people from different cultures who speak different languages but all have one common passion of surfing, I can proudly say I achieved my goal of becoming a surfer that I set out on 18 years ago when i decided to stay on Springbreak 08 forever, I stand here today, very proud of myself and this culture that I’ve clung and thrust myself on top of unwilling to let go, a true surfer. Ha, well, that’s just my orgin story on how I’ve become the “aging” 40 plus year old surfer that I am today. There’s a lot of in between we could go into but this orgin story I feel is very important when explaining where and how I came up with Board Life Clothing Company. The brand itself, has nothing to do with me or my pride. I’ve never won any competitions riding boards, heck, I’ve never competed. As I stated earlier when mentioning the mission of Boardom Universal, the goal is to help allow people who love to ride boards; rep the board culture. People don’t ride boards because they have to. People ride boards as a passion and an expression of their own free will. If you think that’s not one of the most beautiful things in life, I’m sorry, we won’t agree on what is. I see a giant culture that exists all over the world, in every community, by people of all different sizes, ages, races, religions, and sexes all connected by the passion of riding a board the way they want to ride a board. My personal goal is just to help unite the board culture and allow is members to rep it through a brand that acknowledges it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ha. Definitely have not been on a smooth road to get here. It has been a trail with many struggles. Personal life, financial, education, experience, and more, pretty much whatever type of struggle you can imagine, it has come my way. The most important lesson I’ve learned along my way of being a trailblazer like I have, is that you have to welcome the struggles, know that you’re going to make mistakes. It’s ok, the struggles and mistakes are necessary to move forward, its all trial and error when you’re being unique and trying to do something a different way that’s never been done before. Mistakes and struggles are necessary to learn from in order to progress and accomplish goals.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Well, to be completely honest, I have to create, I have an urge in me that’s always wanting to create something. To create is a description I use very broadly. Same with my definition of art. To me most the creating I do is art. I go as far as to say that business is an art. I consider business as one of my favorite mediums. I also paint, sculpt, build, and consider riding boards an art form.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you have to love yourself and believe in yourself, if you don’t believe in yourself or feel that you deserve to accomplish your goals, you wont. Also, it definitely helps to keep a positive attitude toward others, being a hater has helped very few people reach their goals. I’m always cheering on, not just people I know or like, but I’m cheering on anyone trying. I have a lot of empathy for anyone putting forward an effort and really giving it all they got. I know the feeling of put yourself out there and be focused and disciplined to achieve goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: boardlifeclothing.company
- Instagram: boardomuniversal
- Facebook: BoardomUniversal
- Youtube: Board Life Clothing Company
