BPerry - 4/18/02

It's not easy to get sponsored. It sucks when people are more into getting sponsored than actually skating. It drives me up the fucking wall actually. If you think you're good enough to be sponsored then you probably aren't. There's nothing wrong with making 'sponsor me' tapes. Most top shelf skaters did. Neal Erickson has a gem floating around somewhere. But you'll know you're ready when people ask you if you'd like to ride for them. The absolute best way to promote yourself is to just skate and have fun. If you've got it in you you'll be noticed for sure.

Years ago I was down in Omaha Nebraska and the Foundation team was in town and their van broke down so they stayed with us at Danny Mayer's house. We used to go down there to skate with Danny, Steve Berra, Donny Dietrich and some other Nebraska guys. Back then Danny and Dirty D were both on Toxic and I don't even think Steve was sponsored yet. But lots of people around were talking themselves up trying to get noticed by Tod Swank so he's sponsor them. But Swank wanted the one guy that couldn't have cared less about sponsorships, Donny Dietrich. Donny wasn't an amazing skater or anything but he skated just for himself. I remember laying on the floor in my sleeping bag and Swank was practically begging Donny to ride for him. Donny was basically like, "What are you going to do for me?". So that was the negotiation and he was on.

So how the fuck can I get sponsored already? Is that what you're thinking? Well, honestly just have as much fun as you can and things happen. An absolute truth is that if you're progressing you need to start skating with people that push you and basically are better than you are. You don't need to leave your friends for dead but it's important to network and get to know your peers. Find the best skaters in your area and skate with them as much as you can. Push yourself every time you skate. Enter contests to get your name out there. Get to know the skate shops and if you show constant progression these shops will want to you ride for them. And if you get that far you'll start to meet some of the people that can get you flow from larger companies, then full sponsorships, and next thing you know you're pro. Easy as that.