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It has been almost 20 years since professional skater Paul Rodriguez received his first skateboard from his famous father as a Christmas gift.
Since then the younger Rodriguez has taken the sport of skateboarding to the next level.
Four of the eight medals he has earned during the X Games are Gold, and he has managed to parlay his success into big business. In addition to major endorsement deals and owning his skateboard deck company called Primitive Skateboarding, Rodriguez owns a skate park in Canoga Park, California.
Paul Rodriguez has reached the heights of skateboarding.
He has accomplished many of his goals, including landing lucrative endorsement deals, winning competitions and awards and starting his own skateboard brand. So how does Paul Rodriguez continue to be inspired to push skating culture forward around the world?
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The answer can be found in Hip-Hop mogul Jay-Z.
Paul Rodriguez is following Jay Z’s blueprint to build an empire, according to various interviews, including a recent one with Sports Illustrated.
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| A board inspired by Tupac, designed by Primitive Skateboarding |
“I look at a guy like Jay Z; he shows you that it can be endless. He made music super young, crushed the game,” Rodriguez told S.I. in an essay just published on the site. “[He] Still makes music, but music is now secondary to his business ventures. I want to live a life that’s constantly progressing. It’s not, ‘I want I was an athlete, now I’m just some dude.'”
P-Rod’s net worth is pegged at around $10 million. Sprinkled throughout the interview are some gems for new skaters who are also trying to adjust to an ever-changing industry.
1. Whether or not you’re a purist or mainstream isn’t what’s important, it’s all about what you envision for yourself – what drives you to skate.
2. You can take different paths in this industry, and there are examples of people leaving their mark on skateboarding from each path.
3. Try not to get too lost building a name or an image. If those things are important to you, then go for them. But don’t forget why you began skateboarding in the first place.
4. A brand, if you do it right, it will outlast you.
5. Guard your passion. Don’t let it fade.
