TPM Episode 281: Mark Fankhauser, Creative Director

Mark Fankhauser has been a creative force in snow for over 20 years. “Fank” grew up worshipping Glen Plake, Scot Schmidt, and Mike Hattrup before he found the opportunity that came with snowboarding. From there, Fank chased Peter Line down the mountains of the PNW before landing his gig at Ride Snowboards while still in college. Eventually, Fank created and led the in-house design agency at K2 Sports; he spent time inside the walls of DOE, Mystery Made, and REI. These days Fank is a part-owner and head of design over at J Skis, and his story is a fun business episode.

Mark Fankhauser Show Notes:

3:30:  Embarrassing story, growing up in Woodinville, getting into skiing, and the ski bus

9:00:  Falling in love with surf culture, inline skating, ski culture, being a super grom, and skiing with a mohawk

14:00: Rave life, the Seattle music scene, seeing snowboarding, the opportunity it created, seeing Peter Line, and Art

21:00:  Stanley:  Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast

Peter Glenn Ski and Sports:  Over 60 years of getting you out there

10 Barrel Brewery:  Buy their beers; they support action sports more than anyone

23:00:  Picking a college, Styk speaks to your class, getting hired to do freelance for Ride, seeing his product in the field, and getting a job offer while he’s still in school

30:00:  What it was like at Ride when he first got there, the cool factor of Ride, the K2 acquisition, ad how did the Ride folks take it

40:00:  Rollerblade: Ski season may be over, but that feeling lasts all year with inline skating

Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better

42:00:  Reinventing the snowboard ad, F the Ferry, going to Department of Energy, getting recruited back to K2, and differentiating brands

58:00:  Planet Earth, J Skis, Mystery Made, REI, and back to J Skis

69:00:  Inappropriate Questions with Mike Styskal