Entrepreneur and former Boys’ Varsity Basketball coach David Beckerman visited campus for a guest lecture in which he spoke with Upper School students and faculty about the history of his former company, Starter Inc., the one-time largest licensed sports apparel manufacturer.

 

Before Mr. Beckerman’s remarks offering insight into what it takes to succeed in business, students viewed a documentary highlighting the company’s and Mr. Beckerman’s iconic rise in the industry.

 

“The toughest thing about business is to do what you say you are going to do,” said Mr. Beckerman. “Preparation meets opportunity is the definition of luck, and it is up to you to use your common sense and be committed to your decisions. It is paramount to build relationships and never burn a bridge because you never know who can help you.”

 

Growing up in New Haven, Mr. Beckerman said his love of sports started at an early age as he played basketball throughout school and into college. His love of athletics led him to switch from pursuing a career in education to entering the sporting goods business. Working at a local sporting goods store, Mr. Beckerman developed his idea from a niche issue: he said he noticed that windbreakers had elastic cuffs and did not fit all players’ wrists correctly. From this idea, he brought a few jacket samples and the necessary materials to a tailor. After building orders, finding sewing contractors, manufacturers, and a financial lender to co-sign a loan along with his own monetary investment, Starter Inc. was formed in 1971.

 

The company’s big break came when Mr. Beckerman was introduced by a delivery truck driver to Joe Torre, the former New York Mets manager. Securing the license in 1976, the Mets became the first MLB team to wear Starter merchandise. That initial exposure led to a plethora of other professional sporting partnerships with the NBA, NHL, and the NFL. The NFL was the catalyst for what the business was to become.

 

“Building an authentic, high-quality product was the number one goal,” said Mr. Beckerman. “Everyone is affected by fashion, and once consumers saw the professional athletes and coaches wearing the apparel, it became legitimate.”

 

With the S and star logo branded on all types of products, Starter Inc. became one-stop shopping for athletes, musicians, and young adults everywhere. The company became culturally relevant outside of sports and continued to grow with multiple manufacturing facilities across the country. Starter employed more than 1,000 workers. Mr. Beckerman ultimately retired in 1996 and moved into real estate. He also began his coaching legacy both at Hamden Hall, where he was on the court from 1993 to 2004, and Pine Crest High School in Florida.

 

His final piece of advice to future entrepreneurs in the audience was to “wholeheartedly believe in your idea, do the extra work, and have conversations face-to-face to build the strong relationships necessary for a partnership.”

 

David graduated from the University of New Haven in 1966. He currently serves as Chairman of the Acorn Group, a real estate management and investment company in New Haven. He was inducted into the University of New Haven’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, awarded the "Alumni Award of Excellence,” and recognized by Hamden Hall via induction into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. Hamden Hall is home to the Beckerman Athletic Center, a recreation facility for our student-athletes that opened in 2009 with a dedication ceremony in 2010. He is also a Hamden Hall past grandparent.