Explain the beginnings of WHTHOUS, why it started and how it got to where it is.
Initially the idea came about bouncing ideas back and forth with Ricky Lopez, who lived in Montana at the time and we were riding a lot together then. At first it was to just create clothing for BMX. And that’s what it started out as, but a bit more in depth. I wanted to create some nice quality cut and sew clothing and expand into different pieces. Turns out that was incredibly expensive for what you get out of it, a shirt… my interest started to shift towards hard goods and the process of how they were made.
What’s the philosophy behind WHTHOUS?
This question is tough, and its something I tend to ask myself from time to time. “Why am I doing this?” I have concluded it seems to change over time. Each year I grow older, and my outlook on BMX and life in general tends to change, and in turn the brand takes a similar shift and change.
We are now making the parts and frames how we want, with the resources we have. All funded by ourselves.
Who aside from yourself, makes things happen on a daily basis?
Ryan Ogawa is our main sales rep. He handles the majority of our dealer sales. Contacting local bike shops throughout the US. He has contributed a ton towards his local BMX scene in Fresno, and continues to shoot amazing photos in and outside of BMX. Check out his work. Both Ryan and I work day jobs at bike shops, so our time is split between that and WHTHOUS.
Who’s on the team?
At this point for us, I am helping out my friends that I have met throughout the years of riding BMX. Having the normal Pro/am/flow team format doesn’t currently work for us. Due to the size of the brand and our shoestring budget, I have felt it is hard to properly support riders with funds or a travel budget.
Here is the list of guys who are apart of WHTHOUS: Logan Ostrom, Andrew Riley, Vince Kroff, and Julian Jamerson.
What are the best and worst parts about running the company?
I handle a lot of different facets of the brand, so its refreshing to work on different parts throughout the week, or even the same day. Machining bar ends for a production run, or building jigs for future frame building can take up part of the day. Office work and media/marketing can take up the evening or other parts of the day. The downside is finding enough time to handle all of this. I still work a full-time job as a bike mechanic at a local shop. Any extra time I have usually have is focused toward WHTHOUS. It can get stressful when my progress isn’t keeping up with the expectations I have in my head. This is something I struggle with and am working on.