What led you to start your own business?
We founded APL in our college dorm room at USC in March 2009. As former athletes, playing both basketball and football, we envisioned providing revolutionary products symbolizing the ultimate intersection of design and performance.
ADAM GOLDSTON, 29
RYAN GOLDSTON, 29 (twins)
Athletic Propulsion Labs, athletic footwear company in downtown Los Angeles
Number of employees: 12
Financials: Revenue tripled in 2015
Where did you get the startup money?
We were able to start APL with no outside funding.
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
Dealing with logistics on a global scale is way more challenging than we ever imagined. There are so many details involved that you just can’t anticipate without experiencing first-hand.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?
It’s better to ask for forgiveness then permission, this is a motto we live by on a daily basis. Our best decisions have been those based on instinct.
How many hours a day do you put in?
We work airport hours Sunday to Sunday, even when we sleep we are thinking about APL. Asia is a huge market for us right now, and we are spending a significant amount of time in the Far East. Our only wish is that there were more hours in the day.
Has your youth led to any awkward situations, such as when you supervise employees who are older than you?
Our youth has been one of our biggest advantages. We’re in our target demographic. We are part of a generation that creates trends instead of reacting to them, so we see our youth as a great asset.
Would you start another company?
Never say never. Starting APL has been an incredible experience and given the opportunity we would do it again in a heartbeat.
Could you ever work for someone else?
We love working for ourselves but are fortunate to have so many mentors within the industry that we constantly talk to and learn from.
What do you do to unwind?
Working out is really important to us, it is how we clear our heads and prepare for what is in front of us. We also love to spend any free time we have with family and close friends.
— Sandro Monetti
