He has been called a trust-funder, a miscreant, and a bad example to kids.
Lesh slashes some Swiss pow while shooting with Powder and Freeskier Magazines.
WhenLast Fridaywas released, I myself was concerned.
It depicted young athletes and role models flying planes, drifting cars and shooting guns.
Without doing any research, I judged David and his company.
I was on the bandwagon.
David jumps his sled in Last Friday in the Gore Range, Colorado backcountry.
Two thoughts came to mind.
The first was surprise.
It was amazing how much of an impact a video likeLast Fridaycould have.
A year after its release, it was still being scrutinized.
The second was, is there a story behind this and was I wrong in my judgment?
Spanning Davids life, his family was never focused on material possessions but rather the quality of their life.
David plays with his childhood friends in Panvel, India.
This news came only 4 days after the birth of Davids sister.
At this pivotal moment, the Lesh family found themselves facing the reality of a potentially volatile cultural conflict.
The deciding moment came when Davids father walked into the hardware store he had frequented for years.
David butts heads with his goat Mantra.
Upon returning to the States, David had trouble adjusting at first.
He got back into school and quickly became disenchanted.
He also sold wreaths door-to-door to pay for his yearly hockey team fees.
His second job at Play-it-Again sports opened new opportunities into other sports, more specifically skiing.
They were different lengths, different brands, with different bindings.
Lesh boiled the tails in hot water, jammed them under a doorframe and made his own twin tips.
This gave him his first real taste of freedom.
Lesh shooting with a photographer at Keystone for an article in Skiing Magazine.
During middle school, Davids parents got divorced.
Lesh had a strong opposition to authority and lashed out against his mothers attempts to be a traditional parent.
Partially as a result of his stubbornness, their relationship was rocky for many years.
Lesh coaching and riding at Windells.
He broke up with his girlfriend, packed his Accord, and made the move from Oregon to Colorado.
Lesh getting his first taste of the Colorado backcountry with friends.
When he arrived in CO he continued making the ever-important industry connections that kept him in gear.
As with most new comers, he wasnt making any money.
Fast forward a few years, Lesh is a pro skier getting paid to ski.
Why is paid in quotes you might ask?
This brings us to First Drop.
David is a real do it yourself punch in of guy.
After extensive research, he found a few factories that could produce the products he wanted.
He then began searching for start up cash.
Lesh visits factories in China, Hong Kong, and Korea for the first time.
No one would give me a single dollar, Lesh stated, remembering back on the experience.
Much like his childhood, he was forced to rely on his own independence.
Like pulling teeth, it took some time and some finesse, but he was finally paid.
Leshs first production run sold out before he ever received a single item.
He single handedly packed every order and moved the boxes back onto the front lawn for pickup.
FD wasnt all rainbows and gumdrops; it was a struggle.
Part of FDs mission was to provide a great customer experience which meant standing behind its products.
Lesh went above and beyond to replace/credit all unsatisfied customers, which nearly bankrupted the company.
He ruined his credit supporting his customers and further committed himself to FD/Virtika.
Lesh brings the FD crew to China to check out new factories and develop samples.
I was blown away that people took it that seriously, said Lesh.
The video was in fact produced in controlled environments.
Lesh isnt a fucking idiot, out running around shooting guns into neighborhoods.
Hes smarter than that but did stress, This is how we live, take it or leave it.
Lesh car surfs for B-TV episode Gillahouse NZ.
He does however enjoy shooting guns occasionally and supports the right of gun ownership.
Lesh is a young man trying to find himself in this world.
With that in mind, he isnt a role model in the traditional sense.
He has made, and will continue to make bad decisions.
He will get in fights, crash cars, and shoot guns.
He will undoubtedly find himself in the spotlight again with the upcoming release ofThis Friday.
As with all people, he has good traits and bad.
Like the hip-hop artists he relates to, Lesh is living the American dream.
FD is the product of an individual who works hard and plays hard.
He has improved his life and company every year since 2009 when he started FD / Virtika.
Without research, we would believe Lesh is a trust funder wasting his parents money.
What I now know is that nothing could be further from the truth; he has earned his success.
As I wrap up writing this article I realize a simple fact, dont judge what you dont know.
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/788461/Virtika-Outerwear-presents--quot-Last-Friday-quot-
Last Friday
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/788462/Virtika---Lesh-Apology--for-Last-Friday-
Apology
