Robert Brink - Writer

Catharine Lyons

July 5, 2005 | Skip To The Comments (0)

Catharine Lyons
Founder/Co-owner, Rookie Skateboards
By Rob Brink
SG August/September 2003

With no specific or prior business education, Catharine Lyons and friend Elska Sandor started Rookie Skateboards in New York City in the summer of 1996. Sick of her retail job and ready to bring something new to skateboarding, Lyons admittedly conducted minimal business research and dove in head first without much serious planning before taking the plunge. “We simply felt we had something to offer the skateboard industry and thought it might be fun to start a company of our own. We share an attitude of ‘do this while it's fun and have fun while we're doing it.' There really is no point if it's not fun,” says Lyons.

Rookie's concept is to celebrate the art and spirit of skateboarding, the independence and creativity of skaters, and be a company that draws from and is inspired by the energy and style of New York City. Although they sponsor many female skaters and have grown to be viewed as a “girl's skateboard company,” Rookie aspires to be accessible to any skater who is down with what they are about—young, old, boy, girl—it doesn't really matter. And Catharine has found that there are folks all over the world that agree with this concept and enjoy it.

In the West Coast, male-dominated industry of skateboarding, being started by females on the East, Rookie undoubtedly had challenges (on top of those that any new business must face) ahead of them. The company was initially funded with the little amount of money they could scrounge up. “We only had as much as would pay for our first samples and would get us to the ASR trade show in San Diego that year. We asked customers to put down deposits to help fund production and financed the rest on credit cards. Probably not the wisest plan, but workable—and no one said we were wise,” Lyons admits. The response to Rookie at the trade show that year was great—fast forward to 2003 and Rookie has outlasted many companies that started when, or after, they did.

Catharine's job isn't that of a typical nine to five businesswoman—it's more like 24-7-365. Her job title and day to day agenda varies, considering she has a huge, endless list of responsibilities, including design, production, packing boxes, sales, accounting, public relations, and team managing. When asked how her job compares to other “real world” jobs like accounting or being a stockbroker, for example. Lyons replies “I don't have set hours, but I don't have a set income. I don't have anyone telling my what to do, but then again it all needs to get done in the end anyway.”

Catharine has learned that running Rookie has some really great aspects and some “really sucky” ones. She views running a business is about 85 percent stressful and tedious and 15 percent creative and fun, with results can be extremely rewarding, and not just in a financial sense. “I should mention that owning your own business isn't always lucrative,” says Lyons, who also works as a bartender three nights a week.

To Lyons, it's a toss up. She imagines there are stockbrokers who would prefer to own a skateboard company and other stockbrokers who are happy where they are. Certainly, within the action sports industry there is the stigma that being involved is for the young at heart, or people “stay young” from their involvement. Lyons doesn't know if doing this work keeps her young or connected to youth—she simply doesn't think of herself as anything but young. “Although sleep deprivation can be pretty aging,” she says jokingly. “However I do notice at my other job the investment bankers on their weekend tear who are my age or younger but look much older. Age in this industry it seems almost insignificant. There is a touch of “Never Never Land” in this business. You can grow up, but you don't have to grow old or grow out of it.”

Lyons suggests to anyone who may want to get involved to “Just do it. You
really don't need anyone's okay. Life truly is short and I reckon that it should be sweet. My advice to a young girl: Be nice to yourself and in general. Don't take yourself too seriously. Laugh a lot and at yourself. Know how to party. Stay true and loyal to yourself and your friends. Don't be scared to take a risk.” She stresses to do what you enjoy and ignore the criticism—especially for girls. Obviously you need to be smart about things and have an education. “I don't think I could suggest a specific college major for what I do—maybe Business, Design, Marketing, etc. But, I studied Sociology at a liberal arts school and my partner studied Film,” says Lyons. Go figure—once again, skateboarding defies the laws of nature, culture and society. And Catharine Lyons is further proof of that.