Push Completes: a skate brand with a mission to make a difference
Push Completes is a brand with a mission to do more than just sell skateboards. In this interview, we learn about how Push is inspiring more people to start skateboarding and making a difference in the skateboarding community.
Please give us an overview of how the brand began?
When we started Sidewalk Skateboard Distribution last year, there was meant to be a fourth brand, which had a strong completes line. At the last minute, it didn’t come on board, which was disappointing, but I think things happen for a reason. Completes are such an important part of the business, and we didn’t want to make Opera or Jacuzzi completes, so we decided to create a brand purely focused on completes and that’s how Push, “Skateboarding for a Cause,” came to be. Looking at the history of skateboarding, since the ’70s, a pure-play wheel company has always done better than a line extension of a best-selling deck brand. We want to make Push the go-to for complete skateboards.
Who is on the management team, and what are their backgrounds?
I ran the Dwindle complete program from 2004 to 2016. Louie Barletta, professional skateboarder and former Enjoi team manager, is the frontman of the Push brand. I’m really excited and proud to have him on board everyone loves Louie. The art department is led by Eric Wollam, who handles all the art for Opera and Jacuzzi, and has worked in the past on brands like Almost and Madness. The creative services director and packaging expert is Ernie Diaz. Both Ernie and Eric worked at Dwindle for nearly 25 years.
What is the mission of Push Completes?
Our mission is to give back in a variety of ways and also to turn more people into skateboarders, rather than just people who own a skateboard. Let me ask this question that you can’t answer: what percentage of skateboarders out there have never used a skate tool? It’s a scary thought, but can you really be a skateboarder if you’ve never adjusted your trucks to what you personally like? I can’t see how you can. Through our completes, we hope to inspire beginners to become lifelong skateboarders, not just people who own a skateboard. We believe that when a young skater gets to assemble their first setup with a friend or at a local shop, it creates a deeper connection to skateboarding that leads them to a lifetime of freedom and self-expression.
Please tell us about your partnership with Make Life Skate Life.
I’m on the board of Make Life Skate Life, and I really respect and love what they do. I want to help spread the word by supporting them through our products. For every Push complete sold, a portion of the proceeds goes to MLSL. We recently finished a park in Siargao, Philippines, and we’re hoping to start a new park in Baghdad in January.
What impact do you hope to have on the skateboard industry or community?
The number one thing is to help create skateboarders for life, not just people who own a skateboard. The difference is huge. Why didn’t we keep the new COVID-era buyers who picked up completes? It was a huge missed opportunity—some of those people could’ve been the next Tom Penny, Jimmy Wilkins, or Grant Taylor. Tragic!
It’s also really important to us to spread the word and teach about mental health. We’re working on a “toolkit” for our riders and employees, but also for shops and other brands out there. If we can help just one person, it will be worth it.
Lastly, we’re focused on growing skateboarding in underserved communities around the world and supporting skate causes through guest pros and artists. We want to give back, and we encourage others to do the same.
Do you have any upcoming collaborations with pros or artists that you’re excited about?
Our current collaboration is with Ruben Sanchez from Spain. We’re so stoked he’s on board for his signature board, and Louie Barletta is also coming out with his own. The next one is with Don Pendleton for Spring ’25, and we’re thrilled to have him on board. So far, we’ve had a 100% success rate, every person we’ve approached has said yes!
How do you market the brand to consumers?
We market through our website and social media. We’ll also be launching a “How-To” series on YouTube in partnership with Converse, as well as in-store marketing with QR codes on the product and packaging.
How do you envision the brand evolving in the next few years?
We hope to make Push the premier brand for completes and incomplete skateboards.
