Senior Brianna Enders plans to officially debut Breezy Boards after graduation
Most people who own a longboard treasure the wood on wheels and treat it as one of their most prized possessions, and Brianna Enders is no different.
Enders, a senior at USF St. Petersburg, said she first discovered skating when she was 10, after a family friend let her try out his handmade board.
And she immediately fell in love.
“Since I always skated (on) boards I was proud to ride, it sparked the idea that I wanted to give that back to people – so they could feel that same sense of pride,” Enders said.
Enders said she came up with the concept for her longboard business, Breezy Boards, in middle school.
“I bounced the idea around with my mom, she had some ideas, we were going to be business partners,” Enders said.
But in 2013, not long after Enders’ turned 21, her mother passed away from Ovarian cancer at the age of 43.
Since the tragedy, Enders said she has remained determined to make the plans she discussed with her mother a reality.
“I feel compelled to make this awesome and do it as successfully as I can.”
Enders said the business’s name comes from her nickname “Breezy,” a word she feels perfectly represents skateboarding. The activity, she said, is about “breezing through life” as it helps riders let go of their worries when it’s just them and the pavement.
At USFSP, she received a full-tuition scholarship and thought the university would give her the strongest skillset.
She decided the journalism program would be the best major, but knew she wanted an entrepreneurship minor to build a stronger understanding of the business world.
USFSP senior Brianna Enders will officially launch her longboard company, Breezy Boards, after she graduates in May. Enders said her goal is to become a key player in the longboard market and give back to the community that’s given her so much.
Apart from the university, Enders said the amount of support she’s gotten from the St. Petersburg community has been monumental.
“I moved up here, and ever since I’ve just made connection after connection (and) that really inspired me,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get as far as I have without the support of the community.”
She decided to give some of that support back to the community that helped her and created a local art contest to design Breezy Boards’ first line of boards, “Adjective Dragon.”
The project received artwork submissions from artists around Tampa Bay. When the contest ended, Enders chose five designs to make up the collection.
The boards are available for pre-order, and will be distributed on May 13, during Breezy Boards launch party at World of Beer in downtown St. Petersburg.
Enders said she also plans to introduce her merchandise line at the launch, which will include/includes clothes, stickers and koozies.
The event, she said, will feature a fire truck serving wood fired pizza and a raffle with prizes from vendors she’s connected with throughout St. Pete.
“I’ve got four local bands playing and World of Beer is working on having only local drafts,” Enders said. “A food vendor called Devout and Devour is going to tailor a menu to fit the drink specials.”
Enders said though the next month is going to make her life hectic, she’s excited to get Breezy Boards up and running.
The launch party takes place five days after she graduates, but Enders said she chose May 13 for a reason.
It’s her birthday.
Come out to World of Beer at 100 Fourth Street S on for the Breezy Boards launch party on Friday, May 13 at 8 p.m.
To learn more about Breezy Boards, visit the company’s website at: http://www.ridebreezyboards.com/
