This time I had the pleasure to have David Lesh answering my questions.
David might seem an extravagant, carless and foolish guy, however he is one of the most talented, efficient and smart persons I’ve ever met. He is the First Drop outerwear company owner and founder, he still is a professional skier and he is good at pretty much every single sport you can imagine.
Their last videos “Last Friday” and “Lesh Apology” have been very controversial and it’s true that hanging out with him and his crew around the Globe I’ve discovered that he might not like the rules, but his creativity makes the everyday life much more exciting.
How would you describe FD Wear?
FD is a small ski/snowboard outerwear company based in Boulder, CO that was founded in 2009 and has seen exponential growth over the last few years. We make some of the best outerwear and accessories in the world, and strive to provide only the best customer service and products. We also are the originators of customizable outerwear.
What makes First Drop different from other outerwear brands?
A number of things:
Fit- uur stuff fits pretty tall, but also has long sleeves so if you want it to fit more traditionally, the sleeves will allow you to wear a smaller size.
Materials- top quality name brand zippers and fabric.
Construction/features- 100% seam sealed, bar tacked and double stitched in critical areas, breathable liner, zip off sleeves and bib, 17 pockets, 8 vents, etc..
Regarding your marketing strategy, do you agree with the saying “any publicity is good publicity”?
To some extend yes. As long as people know you run a professional company with good customer service and products, I think some controversial publicity is exactly what we need.
How do you address the critiques of your latest videos “Last Friday” and “Lesh Apology”?
We made the “apology” video to address the reaction we got from “Last Friday”. I’ll let the videos speak for themselves.
If you haven’t watched them yet, here you have the videos!
“Just be free” is what you stand for. Explain yourself.
I try not to be too concerned with what others think about me. I live my life the way I want, without regrets, and if it’s not in line with what others view as “correct”, I really could care less.
Nowadays many people try to begin outerwear and clothing companies, but very few are successful. You are obviously one of the few. What does it take to make it work?
A lot of hard work, the right connections, a good vision, and the ability to take major risks.
You are not just running a successful company but you are still skiing professionally, how is that possible?
Although I guess I’m still a “pro skier”, I really don’t have any pressure to push myself as a skier. I just ski for fun, and if I’m still able to keep some sponsors, great! I try to set up my business so that it runs itself (to some extent) so I still have lots of free time to ski, snowmobile, etc.
What would you change about the ski industry?
I would like to see skiing become more like skateboarding or snowboarding. Skiers are a lot more conservative, and most are a bunch of pussies who are more concerned with talking about skiing than actually doing it. I’d like to see more creativity, more fun, and ultimately I think this will bring the industry more money and success.
Do you want to say anything else?
Just be free!
Thank you David!
