We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lindsay Shaver a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lindsay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

One of the biggest things instilled in me at a young age, was that if you want something, you work for it. You do the research, you put in the time to learn, the effort, the work, whatever that looks like. I started my first job at 14 so that I could have money to go to shows, and on adventures with friends. When I wanted to drive, I got another job that offered more hours, so I could afford car insurance, and gas. Nothing was handed to me, and it really shaped me to the person I am today. At the age of 17, I started paying rent in my childhood home, which just further encouraged my independence. I wouldn’t have the self discipline or drive to own my own business as I do today, had I not had a mother that instilled such a strong work ethic in me at a young age.

Lindsay, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Growing up a young punk rock girl in Southern California, there was only a few places to shop for music & clothing that fit my taste, which all entailed going to Hollywood (online shopping had not taken off yet!). Being the mecca for Punk Rock that Southern California is, I decided to take measures into my own hands at the age of 18 and begin DeadRockers. I wanted to create a place where like-minded individuals could find music, clothes, accessories, and even unique housewares that fit their individual style. What began as an online store & many local pop-up shops from 2005 – 2012, later turned into a permanent locale in Long Beach, were we still continue to operate today. We spent 10 years on 4th Street in Downtown Long Beach, & just moved a year ago to the Cal Heights neighborhood on Wardlow Road. We now have our largest location yet, where plan to further expand our inventory, and now have the space to host in-store events as well.

DeadRockers is known for specializing in punk rock records, clothing, and style. Over the years we have grown to carry a lot of related sub genres of punk rock including metal, ska, psychobilly, and more. We carry a lot of well-known alternative brands and tailor our inventory very carefully to small & independent brands, bands, and artists. We carry artists from all over the world, and of course have a great selection of local artisans & musicians work available in the shop as well. In 2019, we began manufacturing our own line of exclusive clothing as well, which has a focus on being cruelty free, high quality staple items like leather (faux) jackets & denim vests. And we now offer exclusive record pressings from iconic punk rock bands that are very limited & only available in our shop. We always maintain a very friendly and inclusive environment in our store that we feel is tremendously important. We want everyone to feel comfortable that shops here, and that every fellow misfit out there feels welcomed in DeadRockers.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

We started manufacturing some of our products in 2019, and its been a learning journey the whole way. I did not get formally educated on how to run a business, manufacture, or anything of that nature. I’ve always operated having a very DIY ethic. If something interests me, I learn about it. Read about it, meet people who do it, pick their brain, etc, so that I can develop my own way to operate. When I first decided to start manufacturing, the two most important things to me were: good fit, and good quality. I was less concerned with price, as I feel like good quality can make a price point more valid. I went to trade shows, I connected with manufacturers on line, I reviewed samples from all over the world trying to source the right fabrics, and the right people to help my vision come to life. To this day, sourcing is an incredibly important part of any product we make. While now we have reliable & talented people that we work with to produce products – finding them can be tricky! We did get samples from people who I felt didn’t meet my quality standards – don’t be afraid to say no and move on! You have to find the right manufacture that you trust, and feel comfortable with. Saying yes to someone you don’t feel 100% about, could result in a very costly mistake, and giant amounts of unsellable inventory.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I did not operate in a conventional way for business funding. I started with nothing but two jobs and a very low balance credit card. My first, main full time job was what allowed me to live and pay for all my essentials. My second part time job (which would vary at times, from bartending, to working events, to selling at shows) was my business funding money. All of my second jobs money went directly to my business. And anything the business made, stayed within the business, while my first primary job supported me. I never got loans (I was deathly afraid of getting in over my head), and would occasionally use the credit card for larger purchases, so I could keep a steady cash flow. While I don’t find loans as scary now, I do feel like managing cash flow is so incredibly important, something often overlooked especially in the first few years of business. When you’re building a business (especially retail), you’re generally buying a lot, (& funding the build), if you have another job to support yourself in the meantime, you don’t have to worry about taking from the business, which is a relief for cash flow – and allows you to maintain personal financial stability. The first few years in business are not easy, and if you can make them easier financially by having another personal income stream, I highly recommend going that route.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.DEADROCKERS.net
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/deadrockers
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindsayskulls
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/deadrockers-long-beach

Image Credits
Danny Torres