How Did I Get Here: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO
How Did I Get Here?\ PRAISE FOR TONY HAWK\ "Hawk, like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, belongs to that rare breed of athlete-entrepreneurs whose names and brands have transcended their sports and become mainstream icons in the popular culture."\ —USA Today\ "Hawk has also pulled off the near-miraculous feat of being as popular with parents as he is with their offspring."\ —Bloomberg Businessweek\ "Hawk drives the sport harder than anyone else, having transformed himself from cult hero into a...
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When Tony Hawk got his first skateboard at age nine, he had no intention of ever making a living at it—even as he rocketed up the sport's amateur ranks. And of course he had no idea he would become the most famous skateboarder of all time, let alone the head of several successful related businesses. The same focus that drove him to pick himself up off the pavement again and again, that kept him riding through skating's lean times, and that fueled his celebrated ten-year quest to land the elusive 900 (two-and-a-half midair rotations), also helped him build his brand into a worldwide empire. From skateboards to clothing to sports tours to video games to online media, Tony Hawk has dominated markets with a laid-back style that masks his formidable business sense. Now, in How Did I Get Here?, Tony reveals the convictions that enable him to navigate between the skateboard and the boardroom.How Did I Get Here? takes you back to Tony's first business, the still-thriving Birdhouse Skateboards, which he and a friend started long before he had mainstream fame. He describes the lessons he learned (some of them hard) building Birdhouse on little more than a home-equity loan and the street cred he'd gained within the tight skating subculture of the '80s. You'll also find out how, by staying true to his passion and his instincts, he's been able to build his businesses into a global juggernaut.Whether working with tiny skate shops or national chains like Kohl's, Tony found long-term success by insisting on authenticity. You'll see how he very consciously brings skating's homegrown style, DIY ethos, and underground heroes to each of his enterprises—from start-up Web sites to mega-selling video games. True to Tony's twisted sense of humor, How Did I Get Here? also doesn't flinch from what didn't work (pink backpacks, anyone?), recounting his entrepreneurial mishaps in gruesome detail.Tony Hawk is living proof that you can stay close to your roots while going big in business. Discover the secrets to his success—everything from brand strategy to the real meaning of "Boom Boom HuckJam"—as Tony answers the question How Did I Get Here?
Preface. Credits. Chapter 1 Toucan Sam Teaches Me a Lesson. The day I knew it was time to take control. Chapter 2 Building a Better Birdhouse. The birth and near-death of our first business. Chapter 3 Hey Kid, Want to Buy a Hoodie? Risking our homes to make T-shirts and hats. Chapter 4 "Is Tony Hawk a Real Person?" From motion capture to gaming franchise. Chapter 5 What the Hell Is a HuckJam? Innovation and improvisation on a million-dollar ramp. Chapter 6 "Extreme" Is a Four-Letter Word. "This is how we do it in our world". Chapter 7 The Denim Debacle. Some business ideas that didn't quite fly. Chapter 8 Final Cut. The key to image control: get your own editing bay. Chapter 9 Hashtag Is Not a Death-Metal Band. Reaching out through tweets, apps, and satrad. Chapter 10 How to Never Get a Movie Made. Hollywood will break your heart, or at least piss you off. Chapter 11 Stinky Diapers in First Class. How to balance travel and family: bring 'em. Chapter 12 Giving Back. Family, friends, Regis, and a very smart fifth-grader help me build a charity. Acknowledgments. Index.
\ Publishers WeeklyIn a follow-up to his 2001 autobiography, Hawk: Occupation Skateboarder, the pro skater and his sister, Pat, collaborate to tell the business side of his story. Combining modesty, insight, and an eye for detail, the Hawks chart Tony's meteoric rise and ability to capitalize on opportunities in a variety of media while staying true to his roots. In spite of the many opportunities to cash in via co-branded products with companies like McDonald's and Powerade (which he took advantage of); Hawk also used his celebrity to educate the public about the sport. He went so far as to create a 128-page guide for municipalities interested in designing skateparks for local youth and volunteered with a number of benefits and foundations, like Sport for Good. Though tales of trademarks and legal battles, key financial decisions in his video game and clothing lines, and promotions such as the Tony Hawk Twitter Hunt may cause fans' eyes to glaze over, there are enough anecdotes of celebrity run-ins and tours to hold readers' interest. While his advice (follow your passion, work hard, continue to innovate, stay humble) may seem more common sense than cutting-edge, this is an inspiring, if not quite memorable, look behind the boardroom door for fans and budding young businesspeople. (Oct. 2010)\ \
