Behind the Biz: Shop2Shred

Cardiff resident Brad Webber recently launched shop2shred.com, an online service that lets surfers, skaters and snowboarders shop for gear by comparing products from more than 50 retailers.

Consumers can browse board-shorts, wetsuits, surfboards, skateboards, snowboards and accessories.  The site aims to streamline online shopping for people who enjoy action sports, and give retailers an outlet to reach their target market.

Webber tells Encinitas Patch why he wanted to start the business, and what he envisions for its future.

Patch: Why did you choose Encinitas to open your business?    

Brad Webber: Encinitas is my home and the perfect place to be for any action sport related business. It's the perfect place to be to interact with our customers.  

Patch: What distinguishes your business from others in the same industry?

Webber: We serve a specific niche. Other comparison shopping engines aren't attractive to our core customer. We satisfy a need for the action sport consumer to be able to shop efficiently for the products and brands they are interested in, without having to sort through the products and brands they aren't interested in.

Patch: What are some of the current challenges you face as a business owner?

Webber: Managing growth is never easy. And its always a challenge to find creative ways to interact and engage new customers. Since we are a new business one of our biggest challenge is creating awareness about our website. 

Patch: What's the best business advice you've been given?

Webber: I've been given so much good advice and I try to make use of it all no matter where it comes from. I try to learn from other people's experiences and advice in order to avoid making critical mistakes. One of the standouts would be: Stay focused on your goals but be open minded enough to see other opportunities.

Do you own an interesting Encinitas business or know someone who does? We want to hear about it. Send an email to editor Marlena Medford at marlena.medford@patch.com.