Meet Mike LaVecchia

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mike LaVecchia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mike, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My purpose is my passion. I’ve always been driven by what interests me most at that time in my life. I’ve never been a person who wants to do it all. I enjoy deep diving into my passions and chasing them as far as I can, exploring it’s history, contemplating where it’s at today and where it may take me. I guess I have a bit of a one track mind in that way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I was a terrible student and really disliked school. When I graduated high school and learned that I didn’t get into any of the colleges I had applied to, I wasn’t sure what the future held. Then one day I remember my dad told me that “not everyone has to go to college” and those were the most magical words I’d ever hear. My mind was now set free to dream about all the things I loved as a kid, skateboarding, canoeing, snowboarding, sailing small boats, playing in the ocean, etc. My first big decision was which activity did I love the most.

I had started snowboarding in the early days of the sport. In 1987 I moved to Vermont and got a job with a still very young Burton Snowboards. In those days, if you snowboarded, you were hired. I spent the next 15 years or so immersed in the industry, building snowboards, fixing snowboards, selling and marketing snowboards, travelled the US and Europe to ride and manage photoshoots and snowboard contests, and best of all met my lifelong friends.

By the late 90’s, I found myself spending more and more time looking out the windows to see the wind in the trees. I was dreaming of sailing, of living on boats and seeing the world from the water. Over the course of a few years I transitioned away from snowboarding and reignited my love of boats. I got my captains license and started running charter boats. I would sail all summer and work in boat shops and sail lofts in the winters. Or pack up and head south on my boat or someone elses.

In 2005 I had the incredible opportunity to oversee the construction of an 88′ canal schooner, a replica of a once common boat type on the inland waterways of the Northeast. For four years I got to work alongside some incredibly talented woodworkers, professional and volunteer, riggers, sailmakers, bronze casters, educators and more. I enjoyed every minute of it.

But surfing had entered my life thanks to those old snowboard friends and I was quickly drawn to it. I began researching the history of surf, board designs, materials, locations, innovations over the last 200 years. And before I knew it, I was living in a small coastal beach town in Maine building wooden surfboards from local woods. And that was now just about 20 years ago! The longest I’ve ever done anything.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I have to say passion and a curious mind are crucial. Then, at least in our line of work, the ability to stay nimble and light on our feet. We work hard to keep things interesting, always working on new shapes, new methods and materials, partnerships etc. That keeps not only our crew engaged and excited to come in every day but gives us the opportunity to continually engage with our customers and community. We’ve all been through a lot over the last 20 years, lot’s of ups and downs. An open mind, passion for experimenting and avoiding getting buried in debt has been key to our survival.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Showing us the value of a strong community AND introducing us at a young age to the great outdoors. I’m part of a big family, and we always had lots of friends around. Ever since I can remember, our folks would pack us all up to head to the beach, go on a mulit-day canoeing camping trip, head to Vermont to cross country ski, hike, sail, head to the country to pick fruit and vegetables for big family cookouts. Since I was a kid, I was always drawn to the mountains and the sea. The 4 seasons were all equally enjoyed for what they offered. This love for the outdoors, and my dads achnowledgement that maybe college wasn’t for me, lead me down the path I’ve been on.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Nick LaVecchia and Mike LaVecchia.

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