Hamboards, Huntington Beach, California, United States

"I heard the air brakes set, and the big diesel engine. This guy comes out of the concrete truck and says, 'These are really cool, why don't you sell them?' " Hamborg told the truck driver about the problems with the wood, and the man told him about an Anaheim supplier that carried a special European plywood that could take the stress. The tip proved correct, and Hamborg began to experiment with the rigid wood.
The 18-ply European wood was strong enough to build the skateboards 6 feet, 8 inches long. Hamborg painted the decks himself in striped patterns reminiscent of the long surfboards on 1960s Beach Boys album covers. Hamborg found a financial backer in Steven Bray, a businessman and friend from church who was a fan of the boards.
Just after Christmas 2006 ("really bad timing," Hamborg said), the boards went on sale.
He advertised them in niche skateboarding magazines and created a website. Skateboard shops took samples on the trade show circuit. Orders began to quickly pour in, Hamborg said. But as with many start-up businesses, an unforeseen problem hit the company in its first year.