SKWOK / Clothing Brand / Outdoor Marketing & Branding Services / Trademarked

John Byrd's journey began in 1994 when he moved to the Outer Banks in mid may right after graduating college, chasing his dream of surfing. That passion with some simple luck & a little sweat led him to live in a surf shop in Nags Head next to the restaurant he was temporarily parked at, fully immersing himself in the culture he loved.  Those days changed his life path.

His time there opened doors to working with major action sports brands, ultimately taking him to the Action Sports Retailers (ASR) shows and surf expos of the mid-90s. Those experiences propelled him to Pacific Beach, San Diego, where he spent 27 years enjoying the southern California Surf Skate and Snowboard scene, also enjoying the motorsports scene as well. Southern California is a desert sunshine play ground. Home to the many performance off-road machine shops of East County and the Temecula area and with easy access to the desert playgrounds of Glamis, Ocotillo, Superstition, and Gordon's Well, San Diego and the hills of east county are truly a hub for motorsport fun. It's the mecca for Motocross and it's also the mecca for the surfing industry. With it's relationship and proximity to San Clemente and Orange County, San Diego is nearly perfect.

Now, John Byrd is returning home to the Outer Banks as he launches SKWOK — a brand inspired by his family name, born from his roots and built on the foundation of trust and integrity. And most importantly, the reason for relocating to the east coast in the first place, to be close to his mom who was widowed in early 2025'. SKWOK is a platform to encourage others to "Have a Voice."  It's more than just a name, it's a way to honor his father, it’s a tribute to those who are leaders, it's a reflection of his journey and again, it's a platform to encourage others to "Have a Voice."

Leaning on 20+ years of outdoor marketing experience, the brand will also dabble in the branding sales services side offering outdoor branding and marketing items.  An authorized dealer for Action Sports Canopies offering an array of canopies and special event related expo display services. The brand will have a Marketing & Branding Division that will focus on outdoor special event services. We started selling canopies and banners in 1999.  We'll be merging BannersWow and those services and vendor relationships under the Skwok Umbrella in 2026'.

SKWOK is for free spirits and those who carve their own path. Anyone and especially Surfers, Skaters, Racers, Motorcyclists and Athletes on a solo stage.  It’s about authenticity, passion, and the community (the village) that keeps the stoke alive.  It's about self love and being your own best friend as a platform to build upon and to shine. To be a good person.  Your reputation is what you take with you.

Note:  A phonetic word is a word written to represent its pronunciation based on how it sounds, rather than the standard spelling. Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. These words are used to create a sound-based effect in writing, making it more vivid and engaging for the reader. 

Remember Batman in the 80s? Bam, Wham, Pow, & Wow ...

Well now you have SKWOK - Have a Voice!