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Sole Tech President and CEO Pierre Andre Senizergues launched the Etnies brand in California16 year’s ago and has been instrumental in revolutionising the industry.
Born and raised in Parisian suberbs he became one of the top skateboarders of the 80’s, but his focus and passion took him beyond competing. A degree in Industrial Software from the University of Paris and an engineering career with IBM France gave him a technical perspective that was to help him change skateboarding forever. Etnies was originally founded in Brittany, France, developed by a traditional footwear manufacturer but back then it was all about fashion. When ex world champ Senizergues retired from skateboarding his mission was to contribute to skateboarding and stabilise the dying market and footwear he felt was the way to do it, with board production already over saturated. He took over Etnies in 1986, took the brand to California where he established Sole Technologies, and with an approach that blends skateboarding spirit with outstanding commercial vision created a global force. His business achievements were recognised in 1999 with the award of Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young and CNN.
Winning a high profile business award is not something normally associated with a hard core skater is it?
It took me a bit by surprise as, you rightly say, the Action Sports industry is not normally recognised for this kind of thing. Especially as it was Ernst and Young and CNN – skateboarding had not been featured in a positive way in Paris, it was all about kids causing trouble and suddenly shown on CNN when they were chased by cops.
What did it mean to you personally?
It made me more confident in my business skills.
And Professionally?
Unbelievable, it creates connections and enabled someone from this industry to be taken more seriously. I had always wanted to create an Etnies skatepark to give something back so that kids could skate for free supported by the brand and the Cities, as a result of the award I was able to have contact with the Mayor and tap into a wealth of entrepreneurs in the O.C. Doing the audit for nomination with Ernst and Young was unbelievable really they saw that I had come from France with no real business background and grown a strong company from nothing and were amazed. I thought I had no chance as I was up against big companies with success in the millions.
Sole Technology has real corporate structure isn’t this unusual for a market where strategy seems all about "keeping it core"?
I went to Engineering school and trained with IBM, but the suit and tie didn’t fit me so I left Paris for California and a pro skate career. But my engineering background definitely figured when looking at skate shoe development, in terms of product and company success. I saw the need for function as well as aesthetics in design and used my skills to create a structured approach to back that up.
So which are you business man or skater at heart?
I never considered myself a businessman, more of an entrepreneur trying new things…like a skater tries new tricks! But thanks to my background I am very logical and therefore don’t tend to fail as decisions have to make sense. I approach it all with the same passion as my skating but it has to work and grow into something.
That’s not very radical or hard core is it?
I don’t look outside at what is expected, but at myself. I respect the way things should be done, that is a great influence from my upbringing and my parents. I always consider how they would look at things.
But skate is very much a cultural business that resists the mainstream label?
What is important is the spirit of skateboarding and anyone can have that. And you don’t have to just keep it for yourself. There is no point in being scared of creativity and innovation and you can still be individual. Mainstream is not necessarily bad – only if it is done badly!
Yet isn’t skateboarding all about non conforming?
Well, I think family values make sense in the end. I always think that I can’t take it with me, but I will leave a legacy behind. Yes you have to be profitable with resources to grow, but doing things the right way is more important than making money. I also believe you must look at now, not ahead or back. It’s more about the way of growing, not the next financial quarter and the answers are inside ourselves.
Any brands or business influence your business motivation?
Patagonia in particular, because they are serious about eco commerce. I want to do the same thing, but we have a younger demographic following the brand. Maybe we will join forces. Meanwhile Sole Technology is a very eco aware business.
How involved are you in the day to day business?
More in core projects than the big project. I have my eye on everything but if I take on someone good for a job I give them free reign. I’m not a control freak about it. I wanted to create the product and the place where people would be motivated and inspired, not do it all myself. I focus a lot on the company structure as it grows, spending time to ensure that the ethos doesn’t change, taking the staff to the beach once a year and stuff like that.
With sport many young people joining the industry seem to feel they no longer need to work a trade, whether for careers or professional sponsorship?
I have seen this more on the West Coast USA than in Europe, perhaps because kids here expect to get it easy. It’s a given. I remember my first job it was hard work but I think it’s school that is more defining.A school has impact on you, a job has impact on others. Education needs a reality check to get students motivated, kids need to do things where they see results.
So creativity, not just discipline. You also did military service – and were shot?
I had to leave California and go from a skate career to running round with a gun. I almost went crazy but managed to turn it round so I was even skateboarding in the army, jumping over soldiers. But I couldn’t cope and in one fight they shot and hospitalised me! They thought I could kill someone if I didn’t skate and thought it would calm me down. I was given an afternoon to skate, then they asked me to do demos for the officers and families and for my last six months in service I spent half the time in uniform and half skateboarding.
Can you ever be too old for skate?
When you start out you are young and tend to go crazy. It’s the same with all action sports. As you get older you are more limited in what you can do, but this doesn’t mean you are too old or no longer cool. Some people leave skate, but come back to it with their kids for example. Brands are now creating labels for their maturing fans, we have the Silver Edition. It’s the same working for brands, you just have to adapt your style. In California kids think their parents are cool if they work for Etnies!
