The Wire by Firewire Surfboards

Latest Episodes:

The Wire ep. #3 - Dan Mann Will Out-Paddle You Feb 10, 2017

Show notes

Dan Mann has retired in Australia. And Spain, South Africa and Portugal, all while being the most successful surfboard designer no one has ever heard of. And in this episode, we crack his secrets wide open. Consider for a second some of the surfboard models you've ridden: The Baked Potato, The Sweet Potato, The Potato-Nator... The list could go on for another ten or twelve surfboards. But Dan's face remains unrecognizable when walking the streets of Coronado in San Diego, and he receives 2% of the attention that more well-known designers do, even though they might have less than half the amount of surfboards under the feet of surfers that Dan has. And the best part? This has been intentional. Dan rides a bike to the beach on most mornings with his son Lance, and surfing isn't the only activity taking place in the Mann household. His wife dances Flamengo. His daughter does Ballet. And his family has a vibe that seems more similar to Swiss Family Robinson than his proximity to downtown San Diego would imply. Behind it all is Dan's decision to devote time and energy to family and surfing, and participating in uncommon ways of thinking that inspire his yoga and movement practice. So join us in the studio behind Dan's home, for this episode of The Wire.

The Wire ep. #2 - Mark Price; CEO of Firewire Surfboards Jan 12, 2017

Show notes

Before becoming CEO of Firewire Mark Price had executive positions at many of the surf brands you've heard of - Gotcha, Rip Curl, Reef and others. He competed as a professional in the early 1980's before beginning a career in the surf industry that has spanned 35 years. Today he arrives at work in board shorts on many days where he runs a surfboard brand that is owned by Kelly Slater and his group of environmentally minded investors. This makes Mark one of the better examples in our industry of making a living as a surfer, close to the beach, over ones entire lifetime. This episode functions as a toolkit for business owners, entrepreneurs and others who want to navigate buzzwords like "sustainability" and "environmentally friendly". But we also cover much more. Enjoy!

The Wire ep. #1 - Jess Ponting of The Center for Surf Research Jan 06, 2017

Show notes

Jess Ponting was the first person in the world to earn a PHD in Sustainable Surf Tourism Management years ago. Today he is the Director of The Center for Surf Research at San Diego State University. Sound fun? It is - he dables in many exotic surf destinations you've heard of promoting environmental and social sustainability. He is also the co-founder of Stoke Certified; the world's first sustainability certification program for surf and ski tourism operators. Jess is exciting as a case study on how to align career ambitions with life passions, but he's also much more than that: this conversation contains a fascinating look at the way our actions as surfers in the ocean (or in wave pools) have impacts both good and bad, on everything around us. Enjoy!