Meet Taylor Watson | Founder and Owner at SKETCH

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Watson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started SKETCH in 2008 initially as a means of self-expression to combine art and design styles that I gravitated towards with my passion for skateboarding. Growing up skating I always supported more independently owned brands or chose graphics that were different from what everyone else was skating at the time. After a while I wanted to design my own board graphics, so I started testing blanks from different manufacturers and painting on the boards by hand. These custom boards started to gain popularity around my local area and I had friends and local skaters asking for custom board designs, so I wanted to add a mark, or brand name, to my work so that people would begin to recognize it, thus SKETCH was born.

Today, SKETCH has grown into a global brand that specializes in skateboarding, snowboarding and streetwear fashion. The skate culture is the core of the brand and I have worked to expand that into other realms to work with musicians, fashion designers, artists and bring many other facets of expression and passion back through the SKETCH brand. The original mission of the brand, to drive self-expression and individuality, and promote creativity is still what pushes our collections today, and going forward.

What should our readers know about your business?
When hearing that grouping of questions, the two words that come to mind are ‘connection’ and ‘creativity.’ Skateboarding and snowboarding, as with many other sports and cultures, are just one big family. Whether it’s your close friends, your team, or the locals at the park, or on the mountain, everyone is on their board to progress, have fun and share in this passion that they love, together. I would say running a brand is the same in a lot of ways. The team, the people around you, everyone who skates a SKETCH board or puts a SKETCH shirt on in the morning, I want all of these people to feel connected to something larger.

Secondly, creativity and bold, bright, eye-catching artwork is an element that I believe sets SKETCH apart. We just released four new collections this summer, the City of Angels, Philosopher, Greek Goddess and Warbirds collections. Each of these use bold graphic elements that create stand out pieces for someone to truly connect with when they wear the garments or skate the boards. Going back to the earlier questions in regards to self-expression, if you want to make a statement, these designs will catch the eye.

In terms of challenges, starting a business is never easy. Maintaining your relevance and continuing to push yourself and the brand to be innovative is also never an easy feat. One big lesson that I continue to remind myself every day, which may sound cliché, is to always keep working, keep gathering inspiration and keep participating in the cultures and communities that drive your passions. Life and business both have tons of obstacles that you will have to face, and complacency can catch up to you quickly. However, I find that if you are constantly involved, creating, networking and simply putting ideas out into the world, then you will find growth, friendship and opportunity.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Such a tough question, there’s always so much to see and experience around Los Angeles! Living in Santa Monica, I spend most of my time on the west side, however a sprinkling of other areas mixed in would be necessary.

Let’s start with the must, everyone visiting California has to eat In-N-Out at least once, that’s mandatory. Other favorites of mine for eats and drinks would be: Water Grill, Lunetta (for brunch), Gilbert’s, Tito’s Tacos, Urth Caffé just to experience it, Melroseplace, The Strand House (for brunch), The Lighthouse Café, any restaurant in Downtown Culver City, any restaurant around West Hollywood and perhaps a spot or two out in the Palisades and Malibu. Too many to name!

For sweets and snacks, definitely Diddy Riese, Salt & Straw and See’s Candies.

Sights and locations that everyone needs to see: Downtown Santa Monica including the beach and the pier, Malibu beaches and hikes, the views from Will Rogers Park in the Pacific Palisades, the South Bay beaches, one mandatory walk or drive through Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, a walk down Melrose, catch a Lakers game Downtown, Rams at SoFi, or head to Dodgers Stadium, check out the Griffith Observatory or the Hollywood Sign hike. An even mixture of local experiences and city landmark viewpoints.

Then round it out with some sports and fun: skate parks, golf courses, tennis courts, basketball courts and parks galore.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh wow, what a question, and an important one at that. I couldn’t agree more that every person and every life journey has different people supporting them along the way, and those people deserve so much thanks. It’s all about who you surround yourself with, and what positivity you can put out into the world, because you will receive back ten fold the amount of help and support. A list or answer to a question like this could turn into a long one, but I would love to highlight a few key individuals who are super close to me and have supported my journey since the beginning.

My brother, Troy, is always there for me to ask him a question, bounce an idea or even talk through the difficult business obstacles that spring up every now and then. Of course being brothers we have each other’s back no matter what and he fully supports SKETCH and the journey that I have been on building this brand. From phone calls, to helping me run events and trade show booths, to promoting SKETCH via his social media channels and word of mouth, whenever I need his help or just need to talk through something, I know I can count on him.

My lovely girlfriend, Monica, has been more supportive of my passion for SKETCH than one could ever imagine, even since day one of meeting me and hearing me talk about the brand. She raises my energy and pushes my creativity every day, and she’s the best at letting me talk through ideas endlessly, any hour of the day, and gives me her full attention. Being an artist herself, she is a great person to have by my side to ask questions, discuss brand opportunities and ask opinions on new artwork and garment designs. From conversations and questions over dinner, to scouting photo shoot locations and assisting with shoots, to helping me run events and trade show booths, I always know I can count on her. We feed off of each other’s creative energy and Monica’s passion for art and support for SKETCH keep me inspired daily.

The team is another crucial component to keeping the SKETCH brand thriving, and the brand wouldn’t be where it is today without their dedication and commitment to literally shedding blood, sweat and tears for skateboarding and SKETCH. With that said, I have to shoutout one of my best friends, my boy Winn, for being a day one OG member of the team and for always showing love and support towards SKETCH and my vision. So many great memories have been formed on skate trips, at contests and even just on long, late night phone calls talking about what’s coming up next in life and for SKETCH. Winn is always there for me to brainstorm ideas and to give his expert opinion on how the products feel and perform while skating. Two additional members of the team, and best friends of mine, that I need to shoutout are Steven and Ernando. Years of dedicated time spent skating, filming and creating content for SKETCH have brought us all super close and I know I can go to them with anything.

Website: www.sketchskateboards.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sketchskateboards

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/sketch-skateboards

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sketchskateboards

Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/SketchSkateboards

Other: www.la-tay.com

Image Credits
Taylor Watson, Ernando Evangelista, Rich Manriquez and Toan Tran.