Clemens, first of all thank you so much for your time. Tell us how did Surf got into your life?
 

I grew up snowboarding and skateboarding. Living close to the Alps we could snowboard almost all year round on the glaciers. So surfing was never really on my radar.  One day my dad brought home a surfboard. He had seen it in a window display in our town - more then 500 km from the next beach. It was strange. The shop owner didn't even really wanna sell it. it was just decoration. so there I was in the middle of the Blackforrest looking at this strange board that someone had made in South Africa and that somehow had found its way to Germany. it had to be tried. so I packed it up and drove down to Hossegor because me and a friend had heard that this was where people surfed. we were super clueless but I still remember the feeling of my first wave. how there was zero friction. I was hooked. 

 
 
And how Indonesia came into your life? a life time passion?
 

when I first started surfing I was lucky and got to travel to a couple very nice places, central america, brasil, Europe, that sort of thing. 

but everywhere I went people would be like " this place isn't bad but just wait until you go to Indonesia". it was sort of this "Shangri-La place". so I put it on the top of my list of places to go. when I got back to my hometown they had just started this new course of studies for international management which included a one year overseas work and study experience in Indonesia. it just all fell into place. 
 
Clemens, you created one of the biggest Surf Companies in Bali. How did it happen? A big goal achieved in your life?
 
i wouldn't call us big by any means. more like a bunch of crew looking out for each other and doing what we love. 
in terms of goals I am very grateful to have made it this far. but there is always more, I like leaving the comfort zone. 
 
it all started with a internship at Rip Curl. When I first showed up in Bali after 6 months in Yogyakarta, Rip Curl were looking for a Marketing Manager. 
I guess I was just at the right place at the right time. I stayed with Rip Curl for 7 years and ran all their south east Asia marketing. after the Rip Curl pro Search event in Uluwatu it was time for something new so I joined forces with Aristidis Giorginis as an investor and we just sort of pulled it together. It was a big step from organizing marketing budgets to running a full company but Ari already had a full business background and I learned a lot from him. There was time when I felt like a 16 year old driving a Ferrari. I don't mind the risk but there comes a lot of responsibility for the crew working for you. They have to feed their families and want to develop their careers and we want to help them with this. Like all startups we had a couple close calls in the beginning but now we are in year 3 and it's all gotten a lot smoother. 
 
 
about the brand - the strategy of Eléctric is wide, why u also make the brand communication so close to surfing?
 
the marketing strategy is all developed by Electric in California and we then take it and "translate" it into what we feel works best for the Indonesian market. 
it is true that surfing is a core part of our marketing effort and also what we most enjoy here in Bali but we are also work with selected skateboard athletes and musicians.  
 
 
about Indonesia - how have u been observing the reaction of the Indonesian general population into the surfing scenario? do u think surfing fits completely into a country that still don t have a big ocean culture? 
 
that is a good question. surfing is definitely growing in Indonesia. the country has some of the worlds best waves and some outstanding surfing athletes. on the other hand on the national level competitive surfing is still not a recognized sport . there is some very active people such as Tipi and Arya and the crew of the ASC that are working towards getting surfing to become a recognized sport. Once this has been achieved we should see some change. 
 
 
Do u think the Ocean Culture is beginning to spread out into Indonesian people? I see it spreading everyday. 
 
 
"The biggest arquipelago in the World… the best waves in the World…."What would you say to the Indo young generation? your message to them?
 it is yours. take it and make the most of it. don't wait for the older guys to step it up. these places and waves are unique and can never be rebuilt. preserve what you enjoy.
 
 
about the company - speaking about Indonesian, how is the filosofy of Electric to contract the  local skilled people to work in prol of the brand?
apart from me and Julia all our crew is fully Indonesian and we are proud to have people from all over Indonesia and all cultural backgrounds and religions working together as a team and making it happen. there was never so much of a question of where you are from but whether or not you are up to the challenge of constant personal development.
 
 
goals already achieved in 2013? and to 2014, what can we expect?
 

2013 had all the ups and downs. the government changed all the import regulations and made it very difficult for us. but we got through that and still finished 30% above last year. Mega Semadi won the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang and our skateboarders are killing it so overall it has been a great year. Product wise next year will be all about bringing Electric Watches to the market, further grow outside of Bali and last but not least catching a lot of good waves.