How did I get here?

Unless your child was seriously into skateboarding while growing up, there’s a strong chance you’ll never have heard of Tony Hawk. To put it mildly, Hawk is the most famous and influential skateboarder of all time. He is the man who put skateboarding on the map in the US, and right around the world – transforming it from a fringe pursuit into a respected sport.
How Did I Get Here? is Tony Hawk’s amazing story, written by the man himself with help from older sister Pat, tracing his journey from young skateboarder to CEO of Tony Hawk, Inc – a company he continues to develop and grow.
Hawk talks about how authenticity has served him well in all his achievements and how his story has shaped many of his fundamental values – including his huge desire to win and his strong sense of realism.
This is a story with many business lessons. It is a story about one person who became a living brand and learnt how important it is to stay true to your passion and your beliefs. It is a story that inspires – one of extreme sacrifice as the company founders put everything on the line in order to finance growth initiatives. It is also a story woven around incredible marketing strategies. In a deal struck with Activision, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series of computer games, launched in 1999, became the best selling action-sports game franchise of all time. Sales totaled more than $1 billion worldwide. Activision has since released 79 different versions of his game across the various gaming platforms, including mobile and online adaptations.
The story behind the Boom Boom HuckJam action sports tour is also one of innovation and improvisation. This marketing exercise was a smart strategy that followed on from the 1999 X games, where Hawk got his first taste of performing in front of big crowds, and where he executed his first-ever ‘900’ – his most famous skateboarding ‘trick’, which I won’t even attempt to describe here.  The HuckJam tour ended up being, in his words, “a juggernaut – one of the most complex and expensive arena-based road shows in history”. The ramp system and lighting for these events ended up being bigger than a lot of rock ‘n roll tour productions and filled the entire floor of huge arenas. The marketing spin-offs were impressive, right down to the McDonald’s Happy Meal toy set.
Hawk’s world is one of multi-million dollar sponsorship deals, product endorsements and special licensing – and a fair amount of commercial risk-taking as well (as opposed to the skateboarding kind). All along the way Hawk has stayed true to his beliefs and to the life-long passion he has for the sport. He has stayed in touch with fans young and not-so-young, in more recent years through the savvy use of social media. 
And Tony Hawk is a man who cares for the community – raising millions of dollars through the Tony Hawk Foundation – working tirelessly to bankroll and create skateparks around the US and empower youth in low-income communities.