What a 400-Year-Old Brand Can Teach the Surf Industry About Relevance
For surf brands and retailers, the Zildjian story is a reminder that staying relevant isn’t about chasing what’s trendy, it’s about building a foundation that lasts. Quality, authenticity, and adaptability never go out of style. The surf industry’s most resilient brands will be the ones that honor their roots, invest in their communities, and evolve with purpose, just like Zildjian has for nearly 400 years.
Q&A with Vipe Desai, Executive Director of the Surf Industry Members Association
I started my career in 1991 when I bought a small surf shop with little experience, learning quickly from mentors who taught me the business from the ground up. That experience led to opportunities in marketing, helping brands like Red Bull connect authentically with action sports and discovering the power of giving back through nonprofit work. Today, as Executive Director of SIMA, I focus on supporting the entire surf industry—from startups to global brands—by strengthening the business, culture, and sustainability of surfing.
The Value of a Wave: Surfing’s $194M Impact on Santa Cruz
A new report from Save The Waves Coalition reveals that surfing generates an estimated $194.7 million a year for Santa Cruz’s economy, driven by over 783,000 annual surf visits, local gear purchases, and visitor spending.
RECAP: Surviving 2025: Brands and Retailers Share Their Strategies
The power-packed webinar, moderated by Tiffany Montgomery from Shop-Eat-Surf-Outdoor, focused on the impact of tariffs on the active lifestyle industry featuring insights from industry leaders including Josee Larocque, Paul Naude, Bryce Phillips, and Matt Powell. Discussions covered supply chain adjustments, pricing strategies and consumer sentiment amidst ongoing economic uncertainty.
RECAP: NRF 2025 Back-to-School Consumer Trends
For those who didn’t catch the recent National Retail Federation back-to-school briefing, here’s a quick recap. The session covered what to expect this season, including fresh consumer data and the impact of tariffs on spending.
The speakers spotlighted major trends shaping back-to-school shopping, touching on consumer sentiment, economic pressures, and shifts in spending behavior.
The Biz: Leading Through Turbulent Times: 5 Things Every CEO Can Focus On
If there's one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: turbulence is not a detour—it’s the road. And the CEOs who navigate it well don’t just adapt reactively. They build the conditions for resilience—on purpose, with purpose, and alongside the people who power their organizations.
Here are five core leadership priorities that can help you build a resilient, focused, and adaptable team.
THE BIZ: The Benefits of Outsourced Fulfillment (3PL) vs. an Owned Facility
As brands grow, scale, or pivot, managing fulfillment effectively becomes a critical decision. The choice between using a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider or maintaining an owned facility has significant financial, operational, and strategic implications. Here are 8 key benefits of partnering with the right3PL provider.
2025 Outlook by SIMA Executive Director
What’s in store for the industry in 2025? Expect some disruptions, changes, and a host of new opportunities. Instead of getting caught up in the flashy headlines, let’s concentrate on how we can strengthen and bolster our industry. More people are getting into surfing, the Olympics are just around the corner, and shoppers are still excited about surf products. However, we need to collaborate—brands, retailers, board builders, athletes; everyone has a role to play. Let’s tackle this together!
Explore, Innovate and Thrive!
The September Surf Expo show is in the books. While lots of changes are taking shape, a new chapter is already being written. Read the show letter to attendees from SIMA Executive Director, Vipe Desai.
