Chadwick Smith – Writer for DailyStoke

What is your current job?

I currently work at Global Social Media LLC as a writer for an online surfing magazine called DailyStoke. Our site covers and reports on unusual, unheard of, common, and funny stories that happen within the surf community. We also review a ton of surf gear; we feel that our audience should know about the best gear in our industry. We are number one on the net for Surf Gear giveaways, and was nominated to compete in Surfer Magazine’s Battle of the Blogs in 2010.

What do you like most about your job?

My favorite part about my job is being able to share and express my ideas, words, and feelings to our followers and fans. I enjoy passing along my energetic and enthusiastic voice to my readers, so they will be psyched on the content they are reading. I like to translate my stoke through my stories in order to maybe change somebody’s day or current mood. Hopefully, when they read my content they take away a positive vibe that might influence their life. I aim to brighten everybody’s day through my words.   

How did you get into the position you are today?

I achieved this position through my enthusiasm, curiosity, and personal character. One day I was just sitting in my local public library surfing the web looking for jobs within the surf industry to showcase my skill, and I came across SurfCareers.com. I decided to upload my resume and portfolio to the site in hopes of finding a job that was relevant to my skills as a writer. With the intentions of not expecting a huge outcome or finding luck in getting hired, I decided to pursue my goal and put in my resume and background information during the spring of 2014. I guess luck did find me and 6 months later down the road in the winter of 2014, DailyStoke asked me to join their distinguished list of staff writers. I was really happy to receive and hear the news that I would be a featured writer in an online surfing magazine.

Faber est suae quisque fortunae

Latin for “Every man is the architect of his own fortune” - my motto.

Do you love working in the surf industry?  

YES. It’s a dream come true to be a part of the surf industry. The surfing industry is my lifestyle; it is very fulfilling and brings out the best of me. Working within the surf industry is very exciting, I have something to look forward to everyday whether it’s writing a review/blog post or going surfing at my local beach. One of the most gratifying aspects about working within the surf industry is forming relationships (both friendly and professionally). It’s really neat to see other surfer’s walks of life and what they are doing to contribute to the industry. The surfing industry provides 100% Stoke everyday and that is what keeps me attracted and addicted to it.

Is it any different from previous industries you’ve worked in?

I honestly cannot make the comparison cause I never really worked outside the industry. I was an ocean lifeguard for most of my adolescent life. I never wanted to settle with working with another type of industry because I have always had a feeling that it would blow. The military is not for me, working at a sandwich shop sucked and I do not see myself working a black and white desk job with a corporation.

How do you combine work and surf now compared to earlier?

Oh gosh. I am a committed surfer. Before my internship I would surf everyday with my squad in good or bad conditions. I always try and get the most out of every session and just enjoy hanging at my playground. I lived on the East Coast so everyday there was waves I would just go. Good or bad conditions. My best sessions always happened when I would skip my college classes to head down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Virginia Beach, VA. Lots of memorable moments down there. Now that I am working 10-5 Monday-Friday and do not have access to a car in San Francisco, I just surf on the weekends.

How long have you been surfing?

When 2016 rolls around it will be my 10th year in my surfing career.


Posted by: Christina Niemi, on October 5, 2015
Categories: Interviews