Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Hoki.
Hi Travis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hoki Skateboards is a family-run company that launched in September of 2018.
In late-elementary school, I fell in love with skateboarding. Around the age of 12, I created a logo that spells out my last name “Hoki”, but when flipped on its side it is a little skateboarder. I always thought it would be cool to do something with my logo one day.
In college, I studied Digital Media. I started with an emphasis on animation and later switched to web development. I played with and updated my logo a little during college. I also focused more on my love of breakdancing during this time and didn’t skateboard very much. I returned back to skateboarding when I became a father in 2016. I found that skating was a good way to exercise and have fun and still have my son and family around.
I decided to launch a skateboarding brand so I could have an outlet; somewhere to put my creative skills and passions. This is a perfect place to combine my love for skateboarding and the excitement of creating digital media. I decided to name it Hoki Skateboards to be able to incorporate my logo, and also because of the meaning. My last name “Hoki” is Japanese, it can be roughly translated as “keeper of joy”. I want to encourage people to get out there, be active, and keep the joy in their life.
I’ve worked with a lot of small business owners. After a while, it’s hard not to get the bug yourself! It is so extremely rewarding to build and grow a small company. I completed UVU’s “Small Business Development Center” program. They helped me get set up as an LLC and helped with some of the necessary documentation.
At the beginning of 2019, I organized and hosted a skateboard competition at Milo Sports in Orem. I put together sponsors, created marketing for the event, then emceed. This was a really cool experience. I was proud that everything came together so well, and I hope to do more events like this in the future.
In 2019, I created and published an illustrated kids book named “You Should Always Skateboard! Well, except for sometimes”. My son loves when I read stories to him. This book was a fun way for me to introduce my son to my passion for skateboarding in a fun and lighthearted way. He has loved watching every step of the process and even practices illustrating his own stories.
This last year I’ve been invited as a sponsor at skateboarding events, and have done a couple of vendor booths. It’s been very satisfying to see everything come together as a brand and feel like a part of the skateboarding community. My family and I have fun creating skateboarding video content and sharing it on social media when we can. I love being creative and my brand is a good mix of my many passions: Skateboarding, video creation, exercise, web and app development, art, and creative writing.
I’ve been able to create some special experiences for myself and my family. I’ve also been able to meet some really cool people both in and out of the skate community through my business. I’ve completely loved connecting with other small brands and local skaters. Now, I often can be found skating in the front yard with my oldest son riding his bike and the baby in his bouncer chair watching me ride. I still love to skate as a way of “pushing” myself and blowing off steam.
I’m inspired by the small business owners I’ve been able to work with, I’m in awe of the athletic talent of the skaters, and grateful for all of those that have supported me in this passion.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
This is a passion project for me. I’ve pushed myself to learn and grow. I believe that it’s helped to enhance my skill sets in many different areas. Sometimes it has been hard to have a clear direction for my business and brand as I am passionate about a lot of different things. It can be hard to justify the time, cost, and energy put into my passion projects. Finding time to grow a business while having a full-time job and a young family is hard.
There is a lot to learn when starting a business; finances, marketing, time management, networking, and so much more. There are always new things that I am learning. All of this learning can be a challenge, but also very rewarding and fulfilling. Self-publishing my children’s book was a particular challenge, as I knew nothing about it. Every step was new to me including learning drawing software, publishing standards, lingo, and formatting. I found helping people in the indie-publishing communities helped me along the way.
One of the biggest challenges for me is my own mental health. Fighting depression and anxiety is a daily fight. Skateboarding for me is a way to escape. Such a demanding sport helps me to let go of my other worries and concerns while I am skating. Physical activity is important to me. I feel like my mental health is best when I’m staying active. I really encourage my sons to get outside. I see the difference it makes for them as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Hoki Skateboards is different from many other skate brands in that we are a small family brand where our whole family is involved through much of the process, from design to marketing, content creation, web development, photography, packaging, etc. We also don’t just advertise to the typical teenager demographic. We put a particular emphasis on skateboarding being something for the whole family including adults and young children.
Hoki Skateboards has a dual purpose:
1. To help youth find a passion and outlet. Skateboarding teaches kids to work hard, fail gracefully, and “push” themselves.
2. To encourage adults to continue pursuing passions, such as skateboarding. People should always have something to work towards, even amongst the everyday hustle. Skateboarding is an excellent form of exercise, means of distressing, and a way to stay active and motivated.
One thing that is so unique to skateboarding is how often you fail. I think there are important lessons to be taught in falling and failing over and over again; learning to get back up and keep trying until you finally succeed.
This has often motivated me in life to keep pushing forward through the hard times and has set up a foundation for me to work through the challenges in growing a business, and also fight through the mental health battles that I face. This is something I want to be able to share with others and help them learn as well.
Skateboarding for me has been a great pastime. I am proud of the personal growth I have had in growing a company and have enjoyed learning and meeting people along the way. I am proud to teach my kids about hard work and dedication and teach them they can fall and get back up and can accomplish anything they set their minds to.
It has been incredibly rewarding being able to teach and help others with skateboarding. It is so fulfilling and powerful to see someone conquer fear and persist until they land a trick or reach their goal.
Hoki Skateboards hopes to contribute to the skate community and add to the lives of those within it.
Pricing:
- Hoki Skateboards Deck (Grip Tape Included) $45
- Kids Illustrated Book $10
Contact Info:
- Email: admin@hokiskateboards.com
- Website: http://hokiskateboards.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/hokiskateboards
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hokiskateboards
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HokiSkateboards
Image Credits
Lindsey Hoki Photography
