Balancing the Bro

Ok, someone just wrote me an email in response to one of my recenty entries saying that treating a snowboard brand like a business is the problem with the industry today, and it's the bro's that really make snowboarding what it is. This email is kinda good in that it tells me that someone somewhere is actually reading my crap. On the other hand, someone somewhere isn't seeing the big picture. In business, any business, the goal is net profit. Otherwise, it's a charity. My point was that to keep a business alive, business based decisions must be made, sometimes at the sake of the bro's. At the same time, I understand that a straight up profit attack is something that kills the spirit, which is represented by the bro's. So one one hand, if we have an industry that's only business minded, we'll end up with something like skiing; a mindless herding of vacationers not concerned with the progression of our lifestyle. On the other hand, if snowboarding is gonna be run by a bunch of bro's, nothing's gonna get done. There must be a balance. Enter Automaton. I understand, and I'm learning everyday, how to operate a profitable business. I also understand that I cannot forget the roots, what made snowboarding great in the first place, and why I keep doing it season after season. Believe me when I say that I make bro decisions when I can afford to. Otherwise, like any other startup, I have to watch my back, budget, and where I'm heading.