News

BOULDER START-UP HAS THE "RAGE" TO WIN

10/26/1998
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By Shayna Zweben

It was two weeks before the Buffaloes’ home game against Baylor, and
CU-Boulder coach Rick Neuheisel wanted to boost school spirit as well
as launch his own school tradition. He went to Rage Sportswear and Design
for help.

When CU reveled in their win, a victory flag created by Rage flew high
over Folsom Field, giving the Boulder-based logo design company another
reason to celebrate.

Rage, a $1.5 million-a-year enterprise that began as an on-campus T-shirt
sales operation, is commemorating its 10-year anniversary. The business
has created identities for everything from local mom and pop shops to
Fortune 500 companies.

"We have a knack for keying in on what people really want and getting
it to them quickly," said Jon Colby, 31, Rage president and co-founder.
"This flag was a perfect example of that."

Repeat customers for Rage’s custom T-shirts, logo designs, ball caps,
advertising layouts and corporate identities include FM radio station
KBCO, the Boulder Valley Humane Society, Ideal Market, IBM, Amgen, and
the Wynkoop Brewing Company.

Rage has grown every year since its inception, increasing its revenue
by 30 percent over the past two years, even as it decreased the number
of employees. Colby’s staff includes vice-president Ted Church, marketing
director Chris Ekx, college representative Justin Shadow and graphic designers
Josh Hindson and Kevin Morningstar.

"We’re a tighter, smaller, more focused company, definitely doing
more business than ever," Church said. "We don’t want to become
so busy that we lose the personal touch that got us here.

Merchandisers at the Wynkoop in Denver recognized Rage’s personal touch
10-years-ago when they first began doing business together.

"They usually give us five or six designs to choose from, and it’s
really hard to decide sometimes because they are all so good," said
Wynkoop merchandising director Lana Cook. "They are super nice guys,
they’re quick and they make us feel like we are their biggest account,
but I don’t think that’s true."

The philanthropic work Rage does for the community is recognized by such
organizations as the Boulder Valley Human Society, the March of Dimes
and United Way.

"Aside from their corporate sponsorship, Rage always gets us T-shirts
or bandannas, whatever we need, even if it’s last minute," said Martha
Myers, event and marketing manager for the Human Society. "With our
other corporate sponsors we have more of a business relationship, but
with Rage it’s on a much more intimate level."

What began as a cut-and-paste-a-logo operation for Colby in 1986 has
become a $140,000 a month business in a plush Pearl Street office.

Back then, Colby cut his artwork by hand with an Exacto knife in his
bedroom-turned-office. He and a few friends then sold sample sweats and
T-shirts baring the CU logo to fellow students. Realizing that practice
could lead to legal problems, Colby pursued the CU rugby team and became
their official merchandise supplier. His fortuitous logo-design fate was
secured when he was awarded the Vail Valley account via Denver’s Schenkein
Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations.

"I didn’t get into this thinking it would be my career. I just wanted
to make money while I was in school by selling T-shirts to sororities
and fraternities," Colby said. "I didn’t foresee working for
the best clientele in the state of Colorado – accounts everyone seems
to be going after now."

The company philosophy to "work hard while you work, but enjoy living,"
is the right perspective for both Rage employees and their clients.

"That attitude keeps us fresh so we don’t get jaded by the day-to-day
grind that other people experience," Church said.

The approach worked for Rick Neuheisel, the CU athletic team and the
Inter-fraternity Council, who collaborated in their efforts to gain more
student spirit and approached Rage for creative input on the victory flag.

"They were immediately satisfied with the victory flag design,"
said Ekx, the company’s marketing director. "They gave us a few guidelines
and finalized Kevin’s first draft right then and there."

Morningstar took Neuheisel’s vision and added his own twist. "They
mentioned a victory flag and they mentioned Jolly Roger, the pirate skull
and crossbones, and I decided to make it a bison skull," Morningstar
said.

Though Neuheisel’s new tradition hasn’t caught on just yet – the 10 foot
by 12 foot victory flag will only wave when an imminent win during the
fourth quarter provokes CU students to chant, "raise the flag, raise
the flag" – Rage’s own CU legacy lives on.

As Rage enters into its second decade of business, Colby and crew hope
to cater to larger corporate clients, develop a Web site with a company
catalog and increase the more lucrative side of their business – corporate
logo design.

"As we head into the future, we don’t want to create a plan we can’t
deviate from," Colby said. "It’s an ever-evolving plan, one
that changes according to the needs of our customers, our employees and
our industry."