Locally-designed longboards are a family affair

Starting a business while you are working by day as a teacher isn't easy. But, starting a business with your two sons? Now that's a different story--in a good way.

Scott Diment started out on a skateboard as a child and, about seven years ago, when longboards started to become popular on the scene, he took that up, with his two sons eventually following suit.

"We all skateboard together; it was just something that I wanted to do with them... I  initially showed them some stuff and taught them some stuff now they're way better than I am," he says.

A middle school science and technology education teacher, Diment runs 3DEE Boardworks with sons Dugan, 18, and Jensen, 15.

The 3DEE boards aren't quite the same board you would find anywhere else. First of all, they are American-made, designed in the basement shop of the Diment home, tested by local Traverse City area boarders, then produced in a manufacturing plant in California. But, the design of the board is also different from most mainstream boards.

"The board design that we have, we were going after a hybrid board--something a lot of companies haven't done yet," Diment says.

The 3DEE longboards are a combination of a park-style board and a carving board so riders can do more with it and perform more tricks like ollies and carving. Not sure what any of that means? Just check out their video.

Having just started their business last year in Traverse City, Diment says they are working on getting more boards sold. During the first year they focused on perfecting the design of their board and working out the kinks, and now it's time to focus on selling, he says.

In addition to selling more boards, Diment is working on the company's website and visiting stores to get them to sell their product; he is hoping to sell about 50 boards this year through the 3DEE website and through various skate shops.

While Diment does a lot of the running of the company right now, his sons, especially his eldest, are learning about running a business, with Diment hoping someday to place it in their hands. In the meantime, Diment is finding that working together as a family has had a positive impact on the business.

"We're family and we tend to value each others' opinions," Diment says. "We're all trying to accomplish the same thing, which is good."

Having his sons on board with the business really helps in other ways too, Diment says.

"Because I'm the old guy I kind of trust what they're saying more, because they kind of represent the target population that we are selling to," he says.

Being a middle school teacher and having sons who are part of the generation that is really into longboarding is helpful, he says, because he can get feedback and have the boards tested by some of the main demographic that may buy the board down the road.

Those interested in buying a 3DEE longboard can do so online with a PayPal account or in select skate shops.

In the end, whether the business becomes really successful or even if it doesn't, it's all about family. Longboarding allows the Diment sons to spend time with their father, and that is something that is invaluable.

Julia Woehrer is a freelance writer, photographer and social media coordinator. She attended the School of Art and Design at Northern Michigan University where she concentrated in photography and minored in journalism. She volunteers at a local no-kill cat shelter and enjoys spending time with her cats, Bella and Macy.