Craig Anderson Reflects On Turning Down The Biggest Contract Of His Life

For as long as he has graced our planet, Craig Anderson has evoked the nostalgia of an analog man living in a digital world.

“There’s something about him that just works, he navigates through life so smoothly,” his business partner, Austyn Gilette, chuckles. “It can be frustrating but, at the end of the day, I love him to death.”

On December 31st, 2016, Craig followed the risky paper-trail of both Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds, leaving long-time sponsor Quiksilver for the perilous world of entrepreneurship. At the time, it meant passing up what he says, “Would have been the most amount of money I could have ever made.”

Jordy Smith says he heard it was 600K.

“To be honest, we just thought we could do it better,” says Craig, echoing Dane’s sentiments from Ep 5. of How Surfers Get Paid.

“It just felt like we had so much momentum,” Dane told us, laughing. “And then, we knew nothing about starting a brand, owning a business, or running a business.”

Though the reality of creating Former was far harsher than any of its founders anticipated, they’re finding ways to float. Just recently, they shelled out some significant coin to sign Shaun Manners — a major accomplishment for a fledgling brand.

Thanks to Sam Moody and the Db team, here’s a satiating look at one of the most influential surfers ever, with unusually urban scenics and unheard insights from Dane, Austyn, and BSIES star Tom Jennings.