From eco surfboard startup into global industry authority

Aug 17

What did it take for our guest today to help an eco surfboard startup become an industry authority and leader?

What do we need to inspire a collective shift to valuing our needs over our desires? Mark Price, CEO of Firewire Surfboards and former executive at REEF and RipCurl, shares his wisdom with you. Let's dive in.

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This is a conversation on Green Dreamer Podcast with Kaméa Chayne, a show exploring environmental and intersectional sustainability from ideas to life. Subscribe to Green Dreamer on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or any podcast app and let’s learn what it takes to thrive in every sense of the word!

Highlights

[2:30] What first got Mark into sustainability.

[3:58] Mark: "It will tip when people figure out they can make money by doing the right thing. I think that's part of the reason the environmental movement has gained so much momentum."

[5:09] Kaméa: "What have you personally experienced change over all of your years in surfing?"

[7:40] Mark walks through the process of manufacturing conventional surfboards versus Firewire's eco-conscious surfboards.

[11:49] Mark's greatest personal challenge in growing Firewire from a startup.

[14:33] What Mark believes allowed people to break through their initial resistance to riding eco-boards.

[17:58] Kaméa: "How do you decide what to try and then when it's time to let an idea go, or pivot?"

[20:32] What Mark believes has been key to Firewire going from startup to becoming a global authority.

[21:49] Kaméa: "What do you see as a common struggle that eco entrepreneurs face today?"

[22:16] Mark: "If you're looking to start a company with an eco component, that cannot be the only point of difference."

[23:14] Kaméa: "What do you think sustainability-driven startups or small companies need to compete against large corporations that already dominate the scene?"

[24:48] Mark: "We need a complete reset on how we manufacture, consume, and dispose of goods and services."

[25:57] Mark: "You have to be optimistic and fight the good fight. But at the same time, if you're not realistic about the challenge, then you might get a false sense of the progress we're making."

[26:09] Kaméa: "How can we inspire this global shift in valuing needs over wants?"

References

Keep in Touch

Firewire Surfboards

Tips

To follow: Our Planet Daily, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, and Waking Up Podcast by Sam Harris

Words of inspiration: "Don't get discouraged by the enormity of what's going on, and focus on the small changes that we're making, because they are exciting and meaningful."

Health tip: "Stretch."

Green tip: "Stop using single-use plastic bottles. And stop buying so much stuff."

Element of hope: "The global consciousness around environmental issues, and the next generation."

Words of Wisdom: "We've got to keep fighting the good fight. Because the alternative, becoming a cynic, is far worse. Get politically engaged; it's going to take a collective effort."