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Question
QUESTION: Hey Ben! Hope all is well!

Sooo I've got some new questions. First off, drills.
I wanna start some legit training this season, and I was wondering if you knew of any websites that provide a list of drill progressions and stuff. For example, say i just finished 180's all for ways on/off everything possible. Whats my next step? I know most of it is just having fun out there and feeling out what step youre ready to take next, but I got some catching up to do in the getting good department.

Secondly, corporations. My salomon shop rep (I dont know if you know coup, cool dude!) told me that it's impossible to have a snowboard company thats not corporate. What do you think? Are companies whose mind isn't on the money doomed to failure?

ANSWER: Hey Mike,

Well the next logical progression from having 180's all wats is to start working on 3's and then 5's and 7's.  It's just a natural progression.  You don't need to do drills and stuff like that.  Free your mind from the team sport mentality of training and winning and competition.  It'll be a lot more fun that way and you'll probably progress faster anyway if you have fun with it and push yourself to try new things and you and your friends can push each other.  Just go riding as much as possible and enjoy yourself and you'll naturally progress.

As far as corporateness of companies goes, they wouldn't be a company if they weren't trying to make money.  It's a business like anything else.  That goes for the small companies and the large ones, and if you are serious about being involved in that business as a rider, or in any other capacity, you should learn as much as you can about how it works and find what your place is in the system so that you can benefit the company as much as possible.  They more you benefit them the better off you'll be.  That's the reality of it, but it's not a bad thing.  Having said that, some companies are more corporate than others as far as how much they are willing to compromise themselves for money and how they structure their business and how they treat people within the company.  I think in most cases a smaller company like ROME is more close nit than a company like Salomon, but I can't say that for sure.

Take care,
Ben

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yeahh I feel ya, thats why I like small companies, but as I said the rep was like "ohh they cant survive". What do you think, can/do they survive? Unions alright still and I think Nidecker isn't corporate, right? And YES snowboards is trying to make it happen as well and they probably will. And Rome maybe be smallER but definitely not SMALL plus I hear they got their start through Jake possibly with his money.

But yeah how small are they really or are the subsidiaries of some behemoth?

I just wanna get a hold on the structure of the industry, really. As you said figure out all the players and their places, from eeni-weenie brands to bigger brand to mags shops etc. Can you point me somewhere?

Also would you be able to make me a list starting with the companies being willing to compromise the most to those willing to compromise nothing, if possible?

Thanks a bunch man!

Answer
Mike,

Sounds like you're on the right track man.  I think small companies can definitely survive.  I think they are the future for sure actually.  But yeah, just talk to lots of people and research the industry.  Transworld mag does an industry news mag and most shops have them, so you could ask your local shop for a copy.  I definitely can't make you a list.  That's all you.

Good luck,

Ben