Transitioning from Pro Skating to Furniture Making with Rob Pluhowski

[lamfordie]

[shannamal]

damn, he must be doing well for himself! multiple dudes on payroll for multiple years, huge workshop, huge commissions. good for him

[Fongstarr.]

Man.....his stuff is beautiful. I wish I could collect, let a lone purchase pieces like that. I still even want an 100% recycled wood piece but Pluhowski's stuff is far beyond classier than that stuff.

[lickcakes]

oh my goodness what a gorgeous human. look at that excitement he has! what a cutie~

[$$LESH]

sanka used to work with him. they were always building the coolest shit

[Rocko]

This is sick

I took woodshop in high school all 4 years and I still think about that smell often

[Cool Ceith]

That's interesting that he mentions how Pops handled pro skating, because I remember he was pretty heavy into making chairs or something back in the day too.

[in love w/ fs shuvs]

Wow this helps so much. Man growing up is hard. Wish i could put these vibes out forever. The time to roll up the sleeves and get a career is here...  sigh... Never thought this day would come. Love all you dudes.

[doublesteveburger]

arrested development is so prevalent in skateboarding

pluhowski fucking rules even more after watching this

[Lessfillingtastegreat]

Self sponsor is the best sponsor.  You can choose whatever you want.  Art etc. 

If you are in love with skateboarding and have a job that pays just about anything. And maintain both, you’re absolutely winning.  More fun if you are meeting your own expectations on the board also.  Ripper, cruiser whatever

My buddy and I met in Ca and have followed similar trajectories in health care.  I consider us both pretty good on boards.  Heck he still gets product.  Both nurses, but we always joke about switching sponsors when we switch shoe brands etc.   

Both have families with children.  YET we waste time on slap.  Watch every video that drops.  Get on group chat with other rippers. 

To me, I could not have made a better decision.  Seeing RP talk like this makes me feel like I wasn’t crazy.  For many of the guys on here with days jobs but still skate rat up, more power to you. And for you still finding you path trust your instincts.

Chances are if you have a full time job you are making more money than your favorite pro. While you cannot skate all day, you can build toward a retirement,  travel, and not be forced to wear cariuma’s.  We’re always one injury away from a full time job and getting into cycling.

Not shunning the life of a pro skater.  I’m sure it’s rad.  Old washed skate rat here. Sharing my experiences. 

[DCLOVE]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

[rocklobster]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

Source: https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2001?amount=2500#:~:text=%242%2C500%20in%202001%20is%20equivalent,cumulative%20price%20increase%20of%2063.25%25.
$2,500 in 2001 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $4,081.15 today, an increase of $1,581.15 over 21 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.36% per year between 2001 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 63.25%.

$4.8k $4.1k isn't bad, but I think his point was that there was a very small window for you to keep earning that money. $60k a year is (I guess) slightly above the median salary, but when you factor in how short pro skateboarding careers are, you'd better have an exit strategy when the sponsor checks stop flowing.

Edit: correcting the $ value

[Atiba Applebum]

I would call it “from tour vans to making divans”

[doublesteveburger]

Expand Quote

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

[close]

Source: https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2001?amount=2500#:~:text=%242%2C500%20in%202001%20is%20equivalent,cumulative%20price%20increase%20of%2063.25%25.
$2,500 in 2001 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $4,081.15 today, an increase of $1,581.15 over 21 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.36% per year between 2001 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 63.25%.

$4.8k isn't bad, but I think his point was that there was a very small window for you to keep earning that money. $60k a year is (I guess) slightly above the median salary, but when you factor in how short pro skateboarding careers are, you'd better have an exit strategy when the sponsor checks stop flowing.

Thank you for this.

Can you imagine making $5000 a month, living in NY and having a mouth to feed let alone a wife, bills and constantly being away from your family?

I don’t know about you dude, but he doesn’t quite strike me as a “dumbass” by any stretch.

[Mean salto]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

[close]

Source: https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2001?amount=2500#:~:text=%242%2C500%20in%202001%20is%20equivalent,cumulative%20price%20increase%20of%2063.25%25.
$2,500 in 2001 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $4,081.15 today, an increase of $1,581.15 over 21 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.36% per year between 2001 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 63.25%.

$4.8k isn't bad, but I think his point was that there was a very small window for you to keep earning that money. $60k a year is (I guess) slightly above the median salary, but when you factor in how short pro skateboarding careers are, you'd better have an exit strategy when the sponsor checks stop flowing.

[close]

Thank you for this.

Can you imagine making $5000 a month, living in NY and having a mouth to feed let alone a wife, bills and constantly being away from your family?

I don’t know about you dude, but he doesn’t quite strike me as a “dumbass” by any stretch.

Also had a part in mosaic. Habitat had "popped off". Also Tim o Connor has said a couple times all their pay took a massive dive after 9/11 so he maybe even got to experience some of the good years. Wasn't like he just quit for no reason/money reasons either he was a good skater but not at the Silas, janoski, Danny Garcia level. He knew his time was up.

[HORSES]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

He quit in 2006. He was 27 years old, he didn't have a board, and was making $750 from one sponsor and he had a kid.
 
Dude is the exact opposite of an idiot.

[rocklobster]

Expand Quote

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

[close]

He quit in 2006. He was 27 years old, he didn't have a board, and was making $750 from one sponsor and he had a kid.
 
Dude is the exact opposite of an idiot.

If you're making $750 a month in your mid-20s with a kid, it's time to give up the dream of being a pro skateboarder and grow the fuck up.

$4.1k a month may seem like a lot in your 20s but when you factor in insurance, rent, taxes, transport, saving money for a rainy day and retirement, you're not left with a lot leftover to plan for a future outside skateboarding.

Always like Pluhowski, hopefully Thrasher's Sovereign Sect's "Memory Lapse" series gives us more footage from him and the mid-2000s habitat team (Delatorre, Guru)

[assvogel]

Honestly, people would be much better off watching this "for inspiration" than that Gary episode on Nine Club. Way to go Rob!

[Mean salto]

Honestly, people would be much better off watching this "for inspiration" than that Gary episode on Nine Club. Way to go Rob!

Prob is the super hussle hussle grind grind mindset ding dongs that take inspiration from that shit couldn't last one day in any job that requires actual labour.

[ralf_]

[RoaryMcTwang]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

Trying for POTY this year?

Always glad to see an ex-pro who has his act together.

[sizzle_chest]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

When did Habitat pop off for you? I remember it being poppin circa y2k, when it launched...

[Shrinedescender]

Great to see him on his feet and thriving doing something he seems passionate about. Pro skateboarding is a fickle thing, and I always admired Pluhowski’s attitude towards it since I first saw him in Pops’ Epicly Later’d. Still, the dude was pretty good on a board. I feel like perhaps the fact he was surrounded by the era’s greatest made him underestimate his skill. Hope he’s still finding time for a little skating between luxury table construction.

[thebacker]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

dear diary

[Mandatory Reload]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

wow what a take

1. Professional skateboarders are independent contractors, not full-time salaried employees, which means they don't have taxes taken out of their checks, nor do they get benefits (health insurance, 401k, etc.) like you would from a normal full time job. After you put aside 25-30% for taxes at the end of the year, a few hundred for health insurance, and a lil bit for a 401k/retirement, you're probably pretty much just able to cover your rent and bills and some food on $2500 a month.

2. Rob was on Habitat in the golden years, he was in Mosaic... When do you think would've been a better time to be on Habitat?

3. The reason someone would come to him to make that table instead of ordering it from the original designer in Europe is because he can do it faster and cheaper. If they wanted to pay full price, they would just order the real thing lol

[TranquilElephant]

I love how genuinely stoked he is on it

[Sanka Coffie]

One: his takes on money are stupid cause $2500 a month in like 2001 was pretty fucking good. Two : dumbass literally quit skating before habitat even popped off . Three  he charged like 1/4-1/2 of 50k for a stupid knock off table just cause he could do it quicker. Bro if you’re replicating something faster than the original you should be charging more than the original price for it.  This dude is an idiot.

My boss and I redesigned that table he's talking about. Original table was in marble, we wanted to alter the footprint, adjust the curvature, and give it a sharper edge. We couldn't get it fabricated, let alone shipped and deal with customs, for a year for a project that's currently in construction. Marble to lumber costs are drastically different and obviously none of that is gonna be talked about in a 5min video. Knowing Rob and how busy the shop is he definitely wanted them out of the shop as soon as possible to get back to work. I saw it right before it got sent out and they all killed it on that table.

Rob is hands down the best dude I've ever worked for. Got me a job with one of the designers he's talking about in this right when I finished grad school and still lets me come in on weekends and work on my own stuff.

[truthislie]

I understand that money was an issue when he started to fade out of skating, but what seems 1000 times more important: This guy seems to be into woodworking just as much as he was/is into skating. I think once you are a full blown skaterat it´s not easy to find a job that can match this passion. Seems like Pluhowski did, so congrats on that.

[Mallie]

Hope he’s still finding time for a little skating between luxury table construction.

IIRC, in his Bobshirt interview he said he hasn't set foot on the board in years and doesn't intend to anytime soon.

Maybe I'm mixing him up with someone, dunno.

[ok boomer]

^ you are correct
Also, Pluhowski is awesome on and off the board. This got me hyped on real life