# Burton Snowboards: Jake Carpenter

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-10-23
- Length: 45m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter

## Summary

Jake Carpenter, founder of Burton Snowboards, recounts building the company from a barn in Vermont in 1977, starting with prototypes made from wood and laminated materials. He details the early struggles of selling to uninterested ski shops, the pivotal sponsorship of rider Craig Kelly, and the decision to remain a private company despite the success of competitor Ride. The episode also covers Burton's cultural impact, the challenges of gaining resort acceptance, and Carpenter's personal health battles.

## Chapters

- [0:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=24) Introduction: Jake Carpenter and Burton Snowboards
- [5:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=319) Prototyping and Early Manufacturing
- [11:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=706) Sales Challenges and Word-of-Mouth Growth
- [19:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=1141) Sponsorship and Building the Brand
- [23:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=1386) Competition and Financing Strategy
- [27:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=1648) Olympics and Corporate Culture
- [37:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter#t=2232) Health Battles and Personal Reflection

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Burton Snowboards (company)
- Snurfer (product)
- Brunswick (company)
- Sims (company)
- K2 (company)
- Ride (company)
- Stratton (company)
- Bromley (company)
- Guac-Lock (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [51 - Jib Hunt CEO of Kemper Snowboards](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-03-10-51-jib-hunt-ceo-of-kemper-snowboards) (People of Packaging)
- [228 - BUCKED UP FRIDAY! Use code CEO50 to get 50% off! interview with CEO Ryan Gardner](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-11-24-228-bucked-up-friday-use-code-ceo50-to-get-50-off-interview-with-ceo-ryan-gardne) (People of Packaging)
- [STL INT: Interview with Garrett Wade founder Garry Chinn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2020-10-02-stl-int-interview-with-garrett-wade-founder-garry-chinn) (Shop Talk Live)
- [Jake Holland (CEO, HAViK)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2025-09-10-jake-holland-ceo-havik) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-10-23-burton-snowboards-jake-carpenter. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.