It STARTS with the Right Attitude

David A. Beckerman founded Starter, one of the coolest companies on Earth. Athletes, coaches, TV and movie stars, musical artists, and millions of fans wore Starter jackets, hats, T-shirts, and other outerwear.

David loved basketball as a player, a fan, a coach, and a business leader. As a coach, he changed the lives of many student athletes. His loyalty to people and love of the game manifested itself in philanthropic contributions that resulted in recreation centers at Hamden Hall, the JCC, and the University of New Haven.

His generosity also expressed itself with his family, his friends, and his adopted home in South Florida. He never focused on making money. He simply wanted to make a difference. For thousands of people, he did.

Starter was successful for many reasons. Perhaps no other factor made as much difference as the culture evident in the company and personified by David Beckerman. Many former employees consider Starter the best job they ever had. The number of reunions of former employees are a testament to the company culture David developed and nurtured.

In high-growth companies, investors have a mantra: “Culture eats strategy.” Nothing is more important to success than developing the right culture. The reason modern business leaders care about creating the right corporate culture is that the right culture increases profitability and growth.

When you talk to the people who worked at Starter, you hear a recurring theme. “He took me under his wing.” “He was kind of a father figure to me.” “He is my guardian angel.” In other words, David Beckerman treated his employees like family.

Terry Maltese remembered standing near one of the coffee areas one day. “We had them throughout the building to give everyone easy access. David was there, as well as a new, young employee. David asked, ‘Are you new here?’

“‘Yes, I am.’

“David asked him what he did at Starter. After the new employee explained, David put his hand out and said, ‘Hi, I’m David. I work here, too.’ He never revealed his position in the company. I thought that was great.”