Some businesses grow fast. Others grow deep.
Dave Allee started Almond Surfboards 17 years ago in his hometown of Costa Mesa, California. What began as a custom surfboard operation turned into a respected surf brand rooted in craftsmanship, patience, and doing things the right way. Nearly two decades later, Dave still runs the business, while also building a family-run bison jerky company on the side.
He’s also a dad of two, raising a six-year-old and a three-year-old between Costa Mesa, California and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Photo:@scottsnyderphoto
Ambition vs. Presence
For Dave, the hardest part of parenting isn’t a lack of time. It’s managing attention.
As an entrepreneur, his ambitions run deep. As a dad, so does his desire to be present and intentional at home. Those two don’t always coexist peacefully.
His kids don’t love seeing a laptop open, and they’re quick to call it out. The solution is simple but not always easy. When it’s work time, Dave physically removes himself so that when he’s with the kids, he’s actually with them.
The tradeoff is worth it. He gets a lot of time with his family. Midweek pancakes are a thing. Breakfast matters.
The Power of Small Moments
The most rewarding part of fatherhood, Dave says, is all the little moments. The stuff you don’t plan for.
Letting the kids help with projects. Bringing them into the kitchen. Getting them outside and giving them a wide range of experiences to draw from later in life. While answering this very interview, Dave got pulled away to build Hot Wheels tracks with his three-year-old son. That’s kind of the point.
Becoming a dad also gave him a deeper understanding of love. He didn’t fully grasp how much his own parents loved him until he had kids of his own. Fatherhood became a constant reminder of grace, patience, and God’s love.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Nothing, Dave says, can truly prepare you for becoming a dad. No book. No advice. No mental framework.
If he could change one thing, it wouldn’t be how he parents. It would be how he lived before kids. He opened a retail store at 22, which meant weekends were mostly spoken for throughout his adult life. He wishes he and his wife had traveled more early in their marriage. Not out of regret, but perspective.
The advice that stuck most came from John Eldredge: It’s the little things that build a beautiful life. Dave sees that play out daily.
A Day in the Allee Household
Dave’s days start early. His alarm goes off at 5:05 a.m., six days a week. He loves the quiet hours before the house wakes up. That’s when deep work happens. Or a workout. Or reading. Ideally all three.
That early start allows him to pause, make breakfast for his family, and then get back to work once the kids head to school. If he sleeps in, the whole day feels off. The balance comes from going to bed early. Around 9:30.
When work, life, and family collide, Dave tries to be fully where he is. One hundred percent at work when working. One hundred percent present when with the kids. The in-between, he says, is a dead zone and best avoided.
Staying Grounded
When things get busy, Dave resets through simple rhythms. Reading at night. Writing in the morning. Moving his body whenever possible.
His non-negotiable in dad life is breakfast. Burritos. Pancakes. Bacon. Anything goes, as long as he’s making it.
When he gets time alone, it looks like solo surf sessions, scouting for elk, whiskey neat, and old jazz. Quiet, focused, and intentional. Much like the way he’s built his businesses and his family.
You can follow Dave at @almondsurfboards and @rangerbison.