The Manufacturing Report

How One Viral Video Brought 600 Orders a Day — and This Utah Maker Wasn’t Ready

Episode Summary

Russ Warner just wanted an extra $400 a month for a car payment and to hang out with his kids. Instead, a single TikTok from an Ohio teenager racked up 50 million views, buried his made-to-order skateboard business under 600 orders a day, and turned a Utah garage operation into a real American factory. AAM President Scott Paul talks with Russ Warner, founder of Ghost Boards, the maker of custom transparent acrylic longboards handcrafted in Utah. Russ shares how he and partner Brent Johnson went from cutting boards on a machine shop’s lunch break to selling $965,000 in boards in a single month, and why he still refuses to send manufacturing overseas. He discusses building fully customizable, made-to-order boards with no minimums, reaching a customer base that’s 68% female, and landing in retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Ron Jon Surf Shop. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories on U.S. trade policy, buying American, and protecting American jobs. And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships Guest Resources Ghost Boards: https://ghostboards.com Resources & Links Sign up for our daily newsletter, Daily Digest. or our bi-weekly version, ManufactureThis Check out our Made In America Directory And sign our petition to bring shipbuilding back to America! https://act.americanmanufacturing.org/ships You can also listen wherever you get podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Socials X: @KeepItMadeInUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/americanmanufacturing Instagram: www.instagram.com/americanmanufacturing