Saturday Musings

Saturday Musings

by the Founder

Some Saturdays feel slower than others. Not because there’s less to do, but because there’s finally time to breathe; to look around and realize how far we’ve come.

Eighteen years ago, Gnarly! was just an idea on paper, a few shirts, and a dream that we could build something honest from the ground up. No investors. No playbook. Just long nights, late print runs, and friends who believed.

Today, it’s a full machine. Departments, systems, stores, licenses, and a family that carries this brand every single day. It’s bigger now, heavier too. Some days it feels like we’re catching up to the weight of what we built.

Sales have their highs and lows. Cash flow tightens. Deadlines stack. But somehow, the heartbeat of Gnarly never stops. The team still shows up, production still runs, designs keep coming, and people still wear what we make. That’s the magic I don’t forget.

This year hasn’t been easy. We’ve had to restructure, tighten belts, and rethink how we move. But behind all of that, there’s a quiet kind of strength that only comes from years of building from knowing we’ve already survived harder times.

To the team: thank you for holding the line. For the patience, the hours, and the belief that we’re not done and we are just rebuilding for the next climb.

To everyone who wears Gnarly!: you’re part of this story. You’re proof that something made with good intentions can last almost two decades and still matter.

Here’s to pressure, resilience, and showing up. Even when it’s hard.
Here’s to knowing that every setback is just a reset before the next push.

It’s Saturday.
We’re still here.
And that means we’re still winning.