Getting Stoked .. Nick Madrick

Getting Stoked
Lindsey Manthei 4/13/09


When most people graduate from college, they find an entry-level position and slowly work their way up. Not 23-year-old Petoskey native Nick Madrick.
The 2007 graduate of Hope College took a risk and started his own business before graduation. As the managing partner and sales representation of STOKE International, Madrick has grown the business into a full-time job for himself and part-time work for several others.
The idea for STOKE clothing grew out of Madrick’s passion for kiteboarding and the action sports lifestyle. STOKE International carries a line of inspirational t-shirts, sweatshirts, board shorts and hats for men and women sold in stores locally and across the U.S. and Caribbean.
Madrick began kiteboarding about six years ago when he took his first lesson with Broneah Kiteboarding in Traverse City. He was hooked the very first day, bought an entire kiteboarding set-up, and began practicing daily. The next summer, he became a certified kiteboarding instructor, immersing himself in the sport’s culture and lifestyle.
“Instructing is great because it allows me to help students get stoked on the sport,” Madrick said.
For Madrick’s company, STOKE is an acronym that stands for Seeking To Open Klosed Eyes.
“We believe in living life to the fullest and really opening the eyes of others to the excitement and passion we have for life. Our main goal is to just get one person stoked each day,” Madrick said.

SELLING ON THE ‘NET
In 2005, Madrick teamed up with designer Chad Coe, who happens to be his best friend.
“I’m not an artist, but I can see a vision of what a design could look like and Chad and our other artists really bring that to life,” Madrick said.
STOKE slowly gained momentum as Madrick and Coe started selling his t-shirts and hoodies to friends on campus. Soon, they were selling through Facebook and MySpace.
“It was a balance between school and work,” Madrick said of the early days. “We launched our website with an online store in the summer of ’07 and that’s when the business really took off.”
The number one goal of the STOKE brand is to remind people that they only have one life to live and should live it to the fullest.
“It’s not a cliché for us because we actually do it,” Madrick said. “I want a person to go to their drawer and pull out a STOKE tee because it means something to them and they can wear it with pride. It’s about the lifestyle, not necessarily the brand.”
The business has been entirely self-funded, and is paying for itself.

‘STILL LEARNING’
Madrick majored in communications at Hope College, a degree he describes as “vague” in that it allows a student to pursue many different directions. He said his schooling has helped in talking with buyers and dealing with potential customers at trade shows. The more technical business matters Madrick has picked up along the way.
“I’ll ask anybody for advice about running a successful business. People really like to give advice and want to help. Needless to say, I’m still learning,” Madrick said.
Today, STOKE works with several different designers including Coe and Paul Dillon, and often collaborates with notable artists such as actor Dante Bosco (known for his part as “Rufio” in the movie Hook). A poem by Bosco appears on STOKE’s “Destined for Greatness” tee.
Many of the clothing designs have words, lyrics or poetry embedded in the artwork. “You really have to look closely to see it sometimes,” Madrick said.
STOKE recently signed on two new artists that have a tattoo artist style that brings an edginess to the table.
“We believe in collaboration,” Mardrick said. “Our artists come from all different backgrounds—from studio art, to theater, to musicians, to tattoo artists.”
The action sports clothing industry is not an easy industry to break into, Madrick said. In addition to selling online at www.stokeinternational.com, 17 retailers carry the STOKE clothing brand in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Madrick also attends trade shows, such as Surf Expo, to gain interest from retailers. Madrick says he expects to pick up 10-15 more retailers on the East Coast soon.
Locally, STOKE clothing can be found at Ride 45 Board Shop in Petoskey, Broneah Kiteboarding in Traverse City, and Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak in Empire.
Madrick handles every aspect of the business, aside from design. He works with North Coast Imagewear in Petoskey to do all the printing and does shipping and orders from his home office. Most of the models in the STOKE catalogue and on the web are friends or family of Madrick, Coe and Dillon.
STOKE also sponsors a wake board team, a kiteboard team and a surf team, sponsoring competitions and events.
One of Madrick’s aspirations is to set up an organization that will help kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the action sports lifestyle get a taste of what it means to be stoked.
For more information or to check out STOKE’s online store, visit www.stokeinternational.com.

View On Our Website