I've been doing REBEL8 for so many years it's hard to remember what life was like before the brand. I used to get asked a lot about when is the ideal time to quit your day job and focus full steam on your own company. I think many entrepreneurs struggle with timing; when to take that big leap and stop sitting on the fence and go all in with your passion. And the answer is usually not very clear. But instead of guiding anyone or telling them what they want to hear, I just inform them that I've never seen a company succeed early on without the founder being so absurdly dedicated to the vision and that they'd be willing to die for...
Gonna get a little into the weeds on the inspiration behind some of the last products we released. I spent many years freezing my ass off at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. To this day I hate SF weather and I no longer even live there. I was born a Giant's fan in 1980. I grew up sitting mainly in the nose-bleeds, wearing my glove the entire time, only taking it off to eat the lunch my mom packed or a chocolate malt she bought. Well that, and Cracker Jacks, but I think my mom packed those as well. I never did catch a ball. Anyways, Will Clark was my hero, and the entire Giant's organization of the late 80s will always...
A couple of years ago I wrote down the vision I had for REBEL8. That may sound odd as we've been around for 21 years now, but I didn't start REBEL8 with a business plan or with more money than some people carry in their pocket. My original intent, that still holds true today, was to showcase the lifestyle of me and my friends to the world through unique products. REBEL8 has been amateur-hour out the gate: forever failing, continually learning, and adapting in real time. It's amazing how far stubbornness can take you, especially when most people prefer you to lose. Strangers don't give a fuck, and most are haters anyways. But friends and family don't necessarily want you...
