For 17-year-old Alexander Lamb, skating had always been a passion of his. He grew up on a skateboard for 12 years straight, and today he claims that skateboarding was such an important part of his childhood that it changed the way he thinks and he has no idea where he would be without it.
Alexander grew up in an entrepreneurial family, so entrepreneurship is another thing that defines him. He was able to combine these two passions of his to create Avenue, his very own skating company, when he was just 17! Balancing college and running his own company was a huge hassle for Alexander but his determination made it a possibility. He spent hours in the art room during his free time, drawing up designs for his boards. He is a firm believer that “if where there’s a will, there’s a way and it is crucial to understand that if you truly want something, you have to work for it.” Alex put in the effort to make this dream of a skate company a reality and started small, gradually gaining sales and exposure. He used Facebook and Instagram for marketing purposes, and even though social media certainly was not what it is today, he still gained traction quickly. He has gone on to develop his company further and released a plethora of different board series.
Alexander came from an entrepreneurial family, so luckily those who were close to him were able to show him the ropes of building his own business. He was driven by his creative passion for designing boards and the draw of camaraderie that comes with skateboarding. He smartly capitalized on the skating community, engaged in marketing, and put in the time and effort to make it all a reality. His story is inspiring because he was able to take three of his passions – entrepreneurship, skating, and design – and combine them all into this fantastic business that customers flocked to. I think it’s important to remember that you ideally would like to end up in a job that you’re passionate about, and he was able to secure that future by creating that job himself, which is very admirable.
Great post! I agree that it’s very admirable how Alexander was able to combine his passions and create his own dream job. It’s also a great resource to have family in the entrepreneurial world. I think that growing up in an entrepreneurial-minded environment makes a huge difference in whether or not a young entrepreneur is successful. You’re able to learn from those closest to you and have their support. It’s awesome how Alexander has contributed to the skating community at such a young age. Great job articulating his business and the mission behind it.