We recently connected with Josh Sanford and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Our skateboards differ from our competitors in the skateboard industry in a couple ways. The standard skateboard design consists of screen printed graphics while our skateboard designs are handcrafted using all natural wood. None of our cruiser designs are created using paint, stain, or dyes. Because our designs are crafted using wood, the design layer is 1/16” thick and will last a lot longer than a screen printed graphic.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

It all started back in 2009 with a crew of young surf kids (ages 9-13) looking for entertainment between surf and skate sessions. Sanford brothers Josh, Ethan, and Robby (along with close friends Connor Dougherty, Brett Naudin, and several others) quickly found inspiration in their uncle’s garage/woodshop. Uncle Don, a renowned contractor and carpenter, began teaching these hyperactive groms some of the safe, easy fundamentals of woodworking. Miniature fingerboards “tech decks” soon gave way to a rideable skateboard, a solid piece of carved wood. Today we’d call it prehistoric, but from that first real ride, the process of refining and developing began. Soon came the first batch of legitimate cross-laminated skateboards, made with shop-sawn thin veneers and a vacuum press. Embellishments continued to follow. First, a few contrasting stripes on the deck. Eventually, the creativity was overflowing, yielding colorful artistic patterns all made with diverse natural wood species.

A positive response from friends and family fueled the evolution. As kinks were worked out and production got underway, the next step was getting the boards into local surf and skate shops. With the support of local retailers, the business was launched. The growth of Sanford Shapes has been purely organic, simply following the feeling and learning as we go. Fast forward to now, and those young surf kids are all grown up. Thousands of boards later, they’ve sharpened their woodworking and business skills, and have developed a pure passion for craftsmanship

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As with every industry, covid shut down the skateboard world. manufacturing, and more. Luckily we were able to make it through, but that wasn’t without changing the way we do things. We learned during this time that we needed to plan a lot further in advance. This meant ordering previously easy items to get like wood glue, wheels, trucks, and more 6-12 months earlier. This was a big wake up call for us and we have since developed contingency plans and prepared for unforeseen circumstances that can arise at anytime. Being prepared gives us confidence for the future.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Sanford Shapes is a family owned business. It all started with the Sanford brothers, some good friends, and neighbors. We all hung out everyday, surfed, skated, and tried to stay out of trouble while cruising around the neighborhood. When uncle Don introduced us to woodworking we were hooked. Best friends, brothers, and neighbors soon became one family. We continue to surf, create, and have fun as we grow this family owned small business.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.sanfordshapes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanfordshapes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanfordshapesleucadia/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sanfordshapes7660?si=-bDSL8rn25R-YRnf

Image Credits
Embry Rucker