Introducing the very first Ride OFFICE !! There have been so many freaking highlights this year & I’ve been working so damn hard to get this one rolling as well…
After being self employed & working from home for nearly 8 years now, one of my biggest dreams & goals has always been to eventually have an actual office away from home. Somewhere to risk taking everything to the next level. Somewhere official. Somewhere to separate home from work (hah that’ll never happen).
It has been 18 months now since making my very first Ride MN hat living in my dad’s basement & the surprise birth of a brand new exciting project. Over the past few months I’ve been transitioning everything into this new space right by West End off 394 in St Louis Park. Proud to say that everything is finally comfortably moved in and I’m so fricken pumped every time I get to drive to the office.
Mom has been my biggest sidekick as well as Robert, you’ve been believing in, more passionate about, and more motivated about this than anyone. It is truly an honor to be working so closely with both of you.
The best part is the network & team that is being built around everything, I’ve blocked out the negative & surrounded myself with truly the greatest people I could ever imagine. Positive attitudes, great role models, incredible personalities, those who continuously lift up everyone around them.
Thank you so much to my mom Joni & my dad Doug to give me the balls to just send it no matter what it is, Matt, Kady, Tommy, my new niece Lydia Alisa!! And the rest of my family during this epic journey… Caleb, Evan, AJ, JMC, Tufty, McElroy, Justin, Dani… Robert, Randy, Dan, Jeremy, Bets, Derek, and all dealers & vendors… College Instructor & Mentor Paul Howlett, Trodies, Link Foundation, 3rd Lair, ATV Big Air Tour, all of my web clients you all run & own businesses you are amazing and motivate me every day… Past jobs, bosses, supervisors, QBP, HTC, etc I’ve learned so much from… All of our keyholders, kids & parents at our warehouse The Factory, neighbors, events & partners… Tyler & the ASA team, Lil Pros Tour fans, YouTube subscribers, Insta followers, Dream Park Builder app downloaders, I could go on & on really all other friends co-workers co-riders customers fans etc who’ve ever supported any of my projects, passions, and riding over the years.
Thank you for putting up with & understanding my chaotic f ed up schedule. I am literally working on something all day every day. Building all of this is one thing, but now the amount of daily if not hourly questions & support for everything is absolutely unreal. Constant distractions. The saying “Entrepreneurs are the only people who work 80 hour weeks to avoid working 40 hour weeks” should be 120 hours/week hah. Seriously starting to test changing sleep cycles here to get more done.
The best part is I love it. It’s not “work”. Every day I wake up following my dreams. It’s not easy but it’s a blast & a new challenge every single day. Trying to figure out every little strategic move. The highest of highs & the lowest of lows depending on how you look at it. Glass is always half full tho right ??
I’m starting to understand why businesses do and do not do certain things. My biggest thing right now is learning when to just say “No”… And I’ve been practicing lol I really am a “Yes” man and it’s been amazing. Watch the movie “Yes Man” it’ll change your life.
Learning more & more every single day, making mistakes, taking risks, and falling on my ass & getting right back up. Just like BMX… Never give up on that trick. Might take hours. Might take months. Work hard. Get it done.
These past 2 years have been so much more focused on work, and now sooooo freaking pumped for this next year and figuring out how to manage, grow, and sustain all of this down the road. I have a whole new respect for anyone who has ever started and/or ran a business, the behind the scenes work that no one ever thinks about is absolutely unreal. The majority of the world will NEVER understand or even think about these things until they do it themselves. I’ve always encouraged people to start their own business, you’ll learn more & experience more than you’d ever imagine.
I’d LOVE to create great jobs & incredible working environments for people who are also passionate about what we all love doing… Riding. 2016 was a year of solid preparation, 2017 we’ll start revving the engines… Love you all.
Come stop by the Ride office. Come stop by The Factory. Let’s Ride. Let’s Travel. Let’s Work. Let’s Live LIFEEEEE. Try new things, change things up. Take the risks & make things happen. -DG
www.GriceProjects.com
The Factory – Minnesota’s 24 Hour Indoor Skatepark
Lil Pros Kids Tour
Dream Park Builder
Ride MN
Link Foundation – The Pink Link And More
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/dustingrice
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dustingrice
Twitter: www.instagram.com/dustingrice
Grice Projects