I got it honest...

Now you ain't looking at some dude
That was born with a Silver spoon in his mouth
And I might seem like some kind of low-life
To that high-falutin' crowd
But I'm plain spoken, straight talkin'
And damn proud of what I have acomplished
Some folks appreciate that and some don't
But, I got it honest Aaron Tippin

For over 23 years now Who Skates has been helping to develop the dream of skateparks, skateboards and the lifestyle that we all know as our own. 23 years is a long time and to be sure some of you have had your chances to talk shit, speak praise or just talk in general to us or about us for some reason or another. We've made some mistakes, had more than a few successes and turned more than a few kids on to skating...

We run an open ship here at Who Skates. We proudly discuss our previous projects with clients and skaters and you can damn sure bet I'll defend anything anyone wants to say, especially if they have the huevos to sign their name to it. Whether anyone wants to realize it or not I have always been the one on the other end of the phone, driving through the night coming home from an 8:00 meeting somewhere no one ever heard of, sitting at a computer all night to get some City enough info for their council meeting the next night for approval of their park and on and on. I've always been here and always will be. I will always sign my name to the contract, always answer the phone and always be the one responsible when we make a mistake.

So, what's my point? My point is that we did it ourselves... we started Who Skates in 1987 in a former hardware store in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Everything we ever built, we built ourselves. Everything we messed up, we messed up ourselves. I started Who Skates and it has been my only job since I was 21 years old. I didn't work for 7 other companies and then claim what I did there as my own... I didn't buy other companies and try to convince clients that just because I own it that I built it. Where I come from that's called a POSER...

So, in a day when it's easier to just buy what we need how many companies do you know that have nearly the original staff? Still owned by the original owners? Where every contract and reference, good or bad, was signed by the founder? Think hard...

SO, if you've made it this far without falling asleep, thank you. We are proud of the fact that we are one company, one name, one set of references and two owners- my wife Sandy and I... but here's the real reason for today's rant- do your research before you drink the KoolAid. The biggest "this", the glossiest "that". Before you commit to entrusting the future of your skaters (and tax money) to some wannabe company who has bought everything they claim (including their Facebook friends- true story) rather than building it themselves, decide if you would buy a house from that info-mercial dude Billy Mays or the SHAM-WOW!! dude...

You wanna claim somethin' then you better be willing to earn it... and I did.

TTFN,
Tom Noble