A Day in the Life feat. String King

Lately there are a lot of new lacrosse companies putting a fresh spin on the game.  Many of these companies have been started by younger entrepreneurs while in school, which then exploded into successful brands with expanded offerings.  For all the players out there trying to make money with an idea or service, these guys are role models when it comes to having the lacrosse dream job.  LPG’s “A Day in the Life” series showcases some of these setups so you can see just what a day in the lax business is like.

First up is String King, and I’m extremely envious.  They make a good product, and they seem to have their morning priorities straight as well. Thanks to those guys for letting us in on the operation.


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In Gardena, California, the String King crew suits up before the sunrise, often taking advantage of a healthy morning swell.  Being able to squeeze in a quick surf before the workday must go a long way towards maintaining the work/play balance.

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The company puts a lot of time into R & D.  They’ve just put out a new line of mesh with something they call Twistex.  Pictured here is one of the tests used to dial up new mesh ideas.

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Going further with their research, String King has to invent their own ways of testing and measuring their product.  “We call this the ‘deflect-o-meter’.  The deflect-o-meter measures the stiffness of the head at different temperatures so we can compare different materials and shapes.”

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As String King and their sales have grown, so too have their product offerings.  What began as a mesh-and-strings-only company has expanded into equipment with a line of shafts. They’re also set to release a head of their own this year, called the Mark 1.  String King also has the amazing tool called uString, which helps stringers and newcomers with easy ways to string their own head.

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The business runs like many others, complete with an online department, marketing, social media, and sales.  The team works together to make sure the brand is growing with the sport daily.

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While they may be a serious company, they are, after all, a lacrosse company, and what self respecting lacrosse company doesn’t have a torn up goal in the back for some mid-day stress release?  On top of helping them test their products, the cage is a great way for employees to let out some energy throughout the work day.

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If the AM surf sesh, the mellow atmosphere, and the lax cage aren’t enough to keep the good vibes flowing, the west coast sunset will certainly finish the deal.

 

I asked the String King guys a bit how they got started, and whether they had any advice for other entrepreneurs out there.

“After playing through high school and college, StringKing co-founders Luke and Jake started with the goal to make the best mesh on the market. StringKing started as two kids in their parents’ basement messing around with mesh. It might sound cliché, but take things one step at a time and don’t give up.  Nobody expected us to grow like we have, but we’ve kept working and learning each step of the way. It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s definitely not always glamorous, but if you keep chasing a goal you can make it a reality.”

 


We’d like to thank the guys at String King for sending over the photos and descriptions, and for a sharing a glimpse into their usual day.  If there’s a company out there you’d like to know more about, hit us up on Instagram and we’ll see what we can do.

 

-MM

 

 

 

 

 

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Lacrosse Playground

In 2009, Adam O’Neill, Harry Alford and Thomas Alford launched Lacrosse Playground as the preeminent site for lacrosse gearheads. For years Lacrosse Playground provided lacrosse fans with tutorials and tips on how to string a lacrosse head, up-close looks at the gear the top players used and sneak peeks at equipment and uniforms before they were released. More than 10 years and millions of visits later, Lacrosse Playground has relaunched with a focus on storytelling. Our mission is to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest lacrosse news, share insights into the sports betting and fantasy lacrosse world and showcase the lifestyles and personalities of the sport of lacrosse through articles, videos and podcasts.

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