Like a freestyle skater poised at the edge of a half-pipe, Hobo Skate Co.
founders Jared Hancock and Chad Swensen were fearless when they launched their skateboard company five months ago. “With the power of social media right now, it’s never been a better time to leverage a company,” said Swensen, despite the no-spend trend among consumers. Hancock of Cave Creek and Swensen of Scottsdale both have 14-year-old sons who are friends and skateboard enthusiasts. The dads met and realized they’re still skateboarders at heart. “We talked about skating, and then about how you end up doing things that are not tied to your passion,” said Hancock, who grew up surfing and skateboarding in Honolulu. He was working as an insurance sales rep and relaxing after work on a half-pipe he built in his back yard. Swensen, a Utah native who is a skier and skater, told him, “Let’s start a skate company.” Hancock jumped at the chance. Swensen had started two technology companies and knew what he was doing. Before they even had a name for their company, the two knew their venture would be tied to helping homeless people. Swensen came up with the Hobo name as a tie-in. They started the Hobo Foundation simultaneously with the business. They will give a portion of their profits, when they get some, to the foundation, which will partner with local charities that benefit the homeless. The two briefly considered whether “hobo” might be considered politically incorrect, but they decided the term fit their mission and would appeal to the young people in their target customer base. The company motto is “We share the same streets.”
The charity aspect was a key draw for Meyer, Hancock said. Meyer, who also lives in Cave Creek and is a family friend of Hancock’s, invited him to design a one-of-a-kind skateboard for a cancer-charity auction she was hosting in the spring. The deck sold for $1,500, and she was so impressed that she approached the two men about partnering on a line of gear.