SURF JOURNAL

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PART OF THE SURFING INDUSTRY SINCE I STARTED SURFING. I HATED HOW IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE IF I EITHER WASN’T A PRO OR DIDN’T HAVE THE CONNECTIONS TO GET IN EVEN AS AN UNPAID INTERN.

I STARTED AT MY HOMETOWN SURF SHOP IN VENICE CALLED RIDERSHACK WHERE I WAS OFFERED ONE OF MY FIRST JOBS IN HIGH SCHOOL. FROM THERE I KNEW I WANTED TO ADD SOME SPICE TO SOME OF OUR DAY-TO-DAY SURFING ESSENTIALS.

A COUPLE YEARS LATER IN COLLEGE I HAD MET A GUY THAT INSPIRED ME TO BRING MY CONCEPT OF SISTER BETSY’S SURF WAX TO LIFE! WHAT INSPIRED ME TO CREATE HER CAME FROM MATT BIOLOS’S (LOST SURFBOARDS) 90’S RADICAL SURFING EXCITEMENT INVOLVING THE FUN BOAT TRIPS WITH ALONG WITH PARTY ROCKING RIDERS. I KNEW I HAD TO TRY AND BRING THIS GENRE BACK TO OUR WORLD!

PEOPLE ASK WHY THE NAME “SISTER BETSY”? I LIKED THE IDEA OF HAVING AN IDENTITY BEHIND THE SURF WAX AND WAS REALLY INTO A REGGAE ARTIST NAMED SISTER NANCY. FROM THEN I WANTED A FUN WHIMSICAL NAME FROM THE 50’S THAT NO ONE USED ANYMORE SO I THOUGHT OF BETSY! THE NUN WITH THE CRYSTAL BALLS IS MEANT TO FORECAST THE THING ALL SURFERS GET EXCITED ABOUT… A SURF TRIP! WE ARE ALMOST 3EARS IN FROM BEING PANDEMIC LAUNCHED AND TAKING OVER MY DAD’S KITCHEN WHERE I POUR THE WAX. THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTING MY DREAM AND HOPE THIS STORY CAN HELP INSPIRE YOURS!

SEE YOU IN THE WATER

-JAMES