The Surprising Way Kelly Slater and John Florence are Setting Themselves up for Success
High-profile surfers and personal brands
If you want to make money as a surfer, you have to have sponsors. Essentially, surfers go out, perform well, get the attention of sponsors, and get paid. Major companies will pay individual surfers thousands — sometimes millions — of dollars to wear their apparel, participate in ads and marketing material, put stickers on their surfboards, and, now, post on social media. However, there is now a shift in how surfers make their money. While sponsorship is still the primary route for surfers to take, some are venturing out on their own by starting their own companies.
It may seem risky for a surfer to start a new brand from the ground up when there are giants like RipCurl, Quicksilver, and Billabong, but this may not be the case. With the rise of social media since the 2010’s, people have begun to connect more with individuals than with a brand. We, the fans, get more of a glimpse into the individual surfer’s life: their likes and dislikes, their family, where they eat, etc. This has led to people feeling much more attachment to singular surfers than in the past.
Starting your own brand has always been a smart business move for any athlete as it allows for them to build wealth for themselves rather than the companies sponsoring them. Social media has simply given athletes more confidence to make that move. The list of high-profile surfers with personal brands so far is: Kelly Slater (OuterKnown), Dane Reynolds (Former), Julian Wilson (Rivvia Projects), Jordy Smith (Smith Shapes), and John Florence (Florence Marine X). Seeing the success these surfers have had so far with these companies, it would not be surprising to see more personal brands being started in the coming years. Perhaps, Gabriel Medina, Kanoa Igarashi, or Griffin Colapinto? Only time will tell.
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