Role Models
By: Christian Hester
Ryan Friedlinghaus
Ryan opened up a car customization in 1993 from a $5,000 loan from his grandpa. He has since expanded his West Coast Customs to a total to shops all over the world. He inspires me because even though he didn't have a lot of money to start a business, he was able to and expand worldwide.
ASAP Rocky
American rapper born October 3, 1988. Born and raised in Harlem. At 23 he signed a contract of $3 million with Sony. He has one album out, Live Love Asap. He inspires me because he says to always be yourself and not to discriminate race, sexuality, or color because you can lose good friendships that way.
Carroll Shelby
Born January 11, 1923 and died May 10, 2012. He was an American automotive designer, race driver and entrepreneur. He was best known for working with Ford and creating the Shelby Mustang's and also the Mustang Cobra's. He's my role model because he has made some amazing cars throughout the years and I would love to do the same.
Ferruccio Lamborghini
Lived from 1916-1993. During World War 2 he was enlisted in the Italian and when he returned he started making tractors because he lived in a farming community. The company grew and he became the wealthiest man in Italy. He inspires me because he came up from not much in a small community and built these fantastic cars and became very rich off of it.
Rob Dyrdek
Born in Kettering, Ohio, in 1974, Rob started skating at age 12, and in less than a year was the youngest member of the popular G&S (Gordon & Smith) skateboard team. At 16, he turned pro for Alien Workshop.
Rob's most recent endeavor has been to create legal street skateboarding spots for the roughly 10-million street skateboarders in the US. To that end, he spearheaded the creation of the Rob Dyrdek/DC Shoes Skate Plaza Foundation, which actively seeks to build Skate Plazas throughout the US and beyond. In the process, Rob taught himself how to draft and designed to the inch the world's first Skate Plaza, set to open June 2005 in Kettering, Ohio. He inspires me because he doesn't let the fame get to his head and he is constantly giving back.
Rob's most recent endeavor has been to create legal street skateboarding spots for the roughly 10-million street skateboarders in the US. To that end, he spearheaded the creation of the Rob Dyrdek/DC Shoes Skate Plaza Foundation, which actively seeks to build Skate Plazas throughout the US and beyond. In the process, Rob taught himself how to draft and designed to the inch the world's first Skate Plaza, set to open June 2005 in Kettering, Ohio. He inspires me because he doesn't let the fame get to his head and he is constantly giving back.