We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Ball and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Square State Skate started as a weekend operation and was not initially viewed as a business. A friend and I just started doing skateboard lessons on Saturday mornings. Interest grew quickly, though, and we began adding programs, including camps over the summer and on school days off.

For a long time, my primary job was working a special needs program with BVSD and Square State Skate was a supplementary gig. At the same time, I went back to school to further my education. I was able to use the business to set up an independent study to show the social-emotional benefits of skateboarding, especially in youngsters with emotional deficits and special needs. During that, one of my staff members continued to grow programs and made Square State Skate his full time job. It did not take long for me to became jealous of what he was doing, so I quit BVSD and focused on the business full time.

Essentially, we grew organically and we followed the needs of our community, growing to offer programs through several municipalities along the Front Range as well as through our two indoor locations, our Squarehouse Warehouses. While we have been legitimate since 2010, it was not until a few years later until if felt like a real business to me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the things that sets our skateboard programs apart is our focus on social-emotional learning and growth mindset. My history with BVSD, as well as several other staff members’ in-school experience, really guides how we work with kids. Our tagline is “Anyone can learn tricks, we focus on the kids.” Relationships really are our North Star that guides our work. We pride ourselves in knowing that any kid that walks through our doors can make a connection, feel safe, and then start to have fun on a skateboard.

Without getting too in the weeds about it, I will briefly state that skateboarding really is a great “catch-all” for a lot of kids that don’t fit with traditional sports. Perseverance and “grit” are hot topics in school and it’s easy to recognize that in skateboarding, but there is also a lot of problem solving and self-analysis that is less recognizable. Along with that, there is a skewed sense of success in skateboarding. There is a lot of falling and what would traditionally be considered “failing,” but it’s recognized as a natural part of the learning process on a skateboard. And all at the same time, skateboarding is social. There are no teams or leagues, but there is a strong skate community with a proud culture and etiquette we all agree on. If you’ve got a skateboard, you can find friends almost anywhere you go. I stand by that.

After I went back to school and conducted an independent study on the social-emotional benefits of skateboarding, I was invited to present it at a conference in Malmo, Sweden. That connected me with a lot of like-minded skateboarders and academics who are shining a positive light on a counter-culture activity that has been largely scorned by the general public. Shortly after that, a global pandemic changed things. Coming out of that – seeing the deficits in social skills and awareness in kids – prompted us to really lean into the social-emotional part of our job. What we formerly had as a sort of “hidden curriculum” became something we started wearing on our sleeves.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Haha… most of my friends would want to know about different skate spots. Along with all of the great DIYs and street spots, we also have some of the best skateparks in the country, like in Arvada, Frederick, Lafayette, and Thornton. After skating, I’m sure we would visit some of the favorite eateries in and around the area. I’m a fan of Avanti in both Boulder and Denver and was also just introduced to Edgewater Public Market. I like the food hall places… like an adult, more mature mall food court.

No visit to Colorado would be complete without a visit to the mountains. My family was just in town and we took them to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park. That’s one of my favorite places to take out of towners. Pretty hikes and lots of wildlife. And for some reason, salt water taffy stores. Motorcycles on Trail Ridge Road… just be sure to be off the mountain by noon (a story for another day)!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a lot of people to shoutout that deserve recognition for Square State Skate’s success. I will start by saying that skateboarding has the most amazing community and here in Colorado it is the most supportive and positive. Our community has guided so much of what we do and who we are. They deserve the biggest shoutout.

At the risk of this sounding like a cliche Oscar speech, my wife Denise deserves recognition as she has been instrumental in the business growth and development. She supported and encouraged me through some rough patches and is the one that guided me to go back to school. The company would not be where it is without my wife’s support and encouragement.

One of the undercelebrated people in the organization that needs a shoutout is David. Following the business restructuring in 2013, David became my “right hand man” and helped develop countless programs. He was also the voice that was convincing enough for us to get our own location in 2018. That dramatically changed our business, increasing our ability to grow the skate community, deepen our relationships and kids and families, and to offer programs all year long. David deserve a big ol’ shoutout… we would not be the same without his dedication and sacrifice.

Website: squarestateskate.com

Instagram: squarestateskate

Facebook: square state skate

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@squarestateskate/featured

Other: Squarehouse Warehouse Locations: 5757 Arapahoe Ave Unit B1 in Boulder 4321 Broadway #4 in Denver

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.