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Alfonso Frederick Borda III (born January 18, 1972) is a self made Millionaire of Italian American descent.

Family and Early Life

Borda was born on a US Air Force base in Blytheville, Arkansas where his father was stationed. At the age of one, Borda’s parents divorced and shortly after, his mother remarried and relocated to Europe along with Borda's sister and stepfather. At the age of six, his family chose to move back to the United States int the city of San Diego. Every couple of years, Al would go back to Philidelphia to spend time his father.

Early Career

Borda’s first step into the business world occurred at the age of fifteen, when he started an auto detailing business called Soap and Suds. While still in middle school Borda worked a variety of part time jobs, including being a bus boy and gas station attendant. At the young age of sixteen, Borda went to work for an exotic car dealership and became passionate about his profession in automobile sales. Borda decided to drop out of high school with very little savings, knowing that there were some serious uphill battles ahead and that the odds were against him. In 1989, times were good for the wealthy, Reaganomics were in full effect, the Cold War was over, and money was easy to make. Anyone and everyone who had money craved exotic automobiles. Borda saw an opportunity to make big money and jumped, head first, into the game of buying and selling of exotic automobiles (e.g., Ferrari and Lamborghini) for Vintage Motor Car Company. Borda had a successful, but short, carrier while employed there. He was fired after only 2 years, by his boss, and now friend Marc Chase for trying to sell a car outside the Vintage dealership to their customers. Borda was shattered by his unexpected firing, but moved forward and started his own auto brokerage business.

Current Career

After hustling in business for the next decade, Borda stumbled onto something new and exciting. As a big fan of motocross racing, for most of his life, he combined his passions for both business and motocross by designing custom graphics that he put on a t-shirts. And the t-shirts became an “instant underground must have”. Borda’s neighbor was also in the motorcycle graphic business and suggested that he let him make a few graphic sets for Borda’s dirt bike. The first set they printed came with Borda’s name on it and everybody wanted a set for their own dirt bikes. Borda didn’t want his name plastered all over town, so he decided to keep the logo pictures on the graphic kits, but substitute his name with a new company name. While brain storming for a new company name, it was suggested that Borda use a name that consumers can associate with the end product, “Skins” (the industry slang for the plastic pieces covering the motorcycle). Borda, in a moment of brilliance, said let’s keep it simple and named his new company “Skin Industries”. Today, Skin Industries makes about 250 different logos for t-shirts. The success of the company allowed it to create a full line of headwear, jeans, underwear, shoes and accessories designed for Men, Women and Children. Skin clothes can be found in a variety of retail stores, from small mom and pop shops, to medium retailers (i.e., Tilley’s, No Fear) and large retailers (i.e., Pacific Sunwear, Zumiez) to even mega department stores (i.e, Macy’s and Dillard’s). Borda grew from street hustler to a boardroom hustler. He spent long hours running every facet of the business, from marketing, to overseeing each and every design used in his company.

Press

Borda’s story of success has been featured everywhere in print, from local magazines and newspapers to well known publications distributed worldwide. Borda is a frequent guest on SIRIUS radio's Bubba the Love Sponge show. He has also appeared as a guest on the show Loveline with Ricky Rackman and Dr. Drew as well as the Howard Stern Radio Show. Magazines that have featured Borda include DUB Magazine ([July 2008][1]), Heavy Hitters (March 2008), Skinnie Magazine (August 2007 & May 2006), 951 Magazine (December 2007), OC Weekly (September 2007), IE Weekly (July 2008), Saturday Night Magazine (US), College New Strip Magazine (June 2008), MMA Sport (October 2008), DXL (March 2008).