Things I Learned Along The Way — Huck's Fiftieth Special collects lessons learned and creative advice from fifty of the most inspiring people we know. Each day we'll be sharing a new excerpt from the magazine. Today, Zoo York co-founder Eli Morgan Gesner shares how he flipped his priorities in life.

#9 – Eli Morgan Gesner

As the co-founder of Zoo York, Eli Morgan Gesner saw his brand gain the adoration of skaters and denim-heads worldwide. What’s more, by the time Ecko purchased the company, he’d managed to achieve the sort of financial success that eludes many small, independent fashion labels and skate brands. In many ways he looked to be living the dream. Before long, though, Gesner chose to leave the company in search of new adventures. Now making his first film, Gesner told us about his insatiable desire for new challenges.

“You have to figure out what you value in life. Our society tries to sell you on the idea of accumulating money and material good — that makes you successful. The house, the hot car, a dope sneaker collection — it’s a fucking lie. I’m the person that sells it to you and I’m telling you it’s a fucking lie. The value in life, is life.”

This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.

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