Meet The Team: Beau

What are some learning experiences you've had since opening FallenFont?

Negotiate, just because it might not be the status quo, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t negotiate.

Negotiate terms. Negotiate whatever you can. People might say no, that's okay, it’s always worth a shot. Don't just accept things as they are.

How has the business changed since you took over?

Aesthetically, it's changed a lot. People who've been here before will have noticed that when they've come in since we took over.

We've added some new brands, some local brands, and the customer service experience is at the forefront of what we're doing here. The owner is here every day, getting to know our community, getting to know our customer base and making sure that they feel valued.

How has the industry changed since you started?

When I started working at the Cheapskates in Dunedin, we used to send away orders with a fax machine, I’m that old. So it's changed a hell of a lot. There wasn’t any internet shopping back then, that’s been a really big thing adapting to that.

A lot of the fashion has come full circle, and we're seeing re-releases and young people discovering what we grew up on in the 90s.

A lot has changed, but some things are fundamental. A good experience in store will always be converted into a sale eventually.

How do you deal with stress and pressure of running your own business?

Man, I probably need to work on this to be honest. I get a lot of enjoyment out of what I do and that does help, because although it's stressful at times, seeing our staff grow, step up and develop new skills is actually a huge reward for me.

My partner Hilary is incredibly supportive, holding down accounts & payroll while also working full time, I couldn’t do this without her.

I like to go to the gym, go for skate, just do something physical and just try and forget about work for a minute, but I'm still learning, so check in with me and see how I'm going in a few months haha.

Favourite clip you've got?

Man, I don't know. Like, I think like the front nose that we had in the first interview, that front nose on that rail was pretty cool.

What video was it in?

I don't know, I filmed a bunch back in the day. Some shitty Daggers video, probably.

What's your approach to customer service and training staff?

I think a lot of people want to bag on Gen Z because they say this or that or that about their work ethic.

But I think the problem is people from my generation all want the finished product. They forget that it's our responsibility to teach younger generations that work ethic and those principles. If we're not being good mentors, we're not being good leaders, and we're not going to get good results.

Everybody looks finished product but I prefer to hire on attitude and train for skill, and I’ll shout that from the hill tops. People would be shocked if they learn about the journey and the progression arc for some of the staff that we've trained over the years.

I believe that if you get somebody with the right attitude, no matter how shy, you can teach them skills and bring them out of their shell. That's a hugely rewarding thing to be a part of, not just for the business, but as a human helping to develop other young people. I feel like that's just one of the many roles we play in our community as a local skate shop.