Check Out Cody Curtis’ Story

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Cody Curtis.

Hi Cody, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I received my first skateboard at the age of five for my birthday, but I didn’t really get started skateboarding until the summer before middle school. I watched the movie “Lords of Dogtown” and was immediately inspired! I fell in love with what skateboarding stood for; it was completely different from anything I had seen or done before, and it didn’t matter where you came from or if you were rich or poor. It was all about your style, your passion, and then your skill. 

I was skateboarding for about five years before I received an offer from my first sponsor. It was a small clothing company out of Clarksville, TN, that was making a skate team, and I had seen a few photos and videos I posted online. They wanted me to be on the team and even offered a way for us to make some money. I quickly noticed that the more time I put into this and the more I educate myself on how things work, the more I might have a real shot at making something out of it. 

I started to talk to more managers and a few pros and took in everything they had to say and all the advice they could give and realized that I needed to build something that would live longer than I could, and the only thing I could think of that would do that was create an authentic skateboard brand. It took some time, but I decided to make and design my own decks (the wood part of the skateboard that the trucks attach to). I didn’t have much cash because, at this point, I was only a freshman in high school, but this was my dream, so I made it happen. I had side jobs, cut grass in the summertime, 

I have pretty much worked every job except the ones you need a college degree for (haha), and after I saved up, I had to track down a blank distributor, a company that would put my graphics on precut skateboards and sell them to me a wholesale, I eventfully found this awesome mall business out of GA called “Drifter” we talked, and he was a great guy and he understood my situation as well as helped me get my 1st few sets of skateboards and is the reason I made my first overall profit. 

As you can assume, I was beyond stoked at what I had accomplished, but I was not satisfied because even though the boards had my graphics, I still was limited by the options that I had to choose from, and that, to me, wasn’t enough, so I decided to take it an extra step and do it all. Which meant gluing, pressing, cutting, shaping, sanding, and clear coating, as well as making a website and marketing my brand which, as you could imagine, proved to be the biggest challenge yet! 

Not only was there little to no information about how to press the skateboards but the equipment needed and where/how to source it, as well as make this affordable not just for me but for my brand. It took me countless hours of researching wood, glue, pressure, temperature, shipping costs, and so much more. It was a lot to dive into, but I remember growing up hearing my idols say, ” If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.’ 

After seeing some of the things I saw working in warehouses, that is something I dreamed of every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every single day for years, so to me, it didn’t matter what I had to do or figure out I wanted and I was going to do it, point blank period! I started off making my first skateboard press out of concrete molds and two hydraulic presses from Habor Fright. While it did work, it came with its own set of headaches, to say the least. I was also not happy with the turnaround time on making a new mold if I wanted to make any changes. 

I went back to the internet and began to research what others had done; it was around that time when I had come across a company that had engineered a code to put into a laser cutting machine, and although I did not have a laser cutter, I did have a friend who had a 3D printer, and with a few adjustments to the design itself and the code it was compatible, so, I ask my buddy, paid him for his time and I had my first custom 3D printed mold. 

I also custom-made a press for my new mold, and although I was nervous at first because I was unsure of the strength, I had the confidence to know that if anything went wrong, I could and would figure it out! I am happy to report I have pressed 100 boards (and counting) with my Custom 3D press, and it has really helped set my brand apart and given me and my brand the freedom I had been searching for! 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make skateboards by hand, and I skate professionally. I specialize in making custom handmade skateboards in the Nashville, TN, area. I am most proud of how far I have come while being educated enough by experience, not by schooling, and how I have made it this far through my passion and dedication. 

I am known for my skateboard brand, Khaoz Skateboards (it is chaos but spelled differently), and for my skateboarding ability. My dedication and passion for accomplishing big tricks and for making amazing skateboards. 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was shy and quiet until I got into skateboarding, and then I started being louder and voicing my opinion, as well as taking up for myself and standing for what I believe in while learning to run a business. 

Pricing:

• Decks = $50
• Shirts=$17.00-$19.00
• Hoodies=$22.00

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thekhaozskateboard.com
• Instagram: @cody_k2010 and @khaoz_skateboards
• Facebook: @Khaoz Skateboards and @Cody Khaoz
• Youtube: @Cody Khaoz

Image Credits
Rikki Khaoz, Skylar Christensen, and Rhyen Hunter