Andy Kinyon's early life was an unusual mix of youthful rebellion and entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up in an upper-middle-class neighborhood of Palo Alto, Andy was an greaser at Cubberley High School, embodying a street-tough, James Dean-like persona. Despite his hardened exterior and penchant for trouble, his life took a romantic turn when he met the younger sister of a school cheerleader he was dating. Geri truly captured his heart with her humor and open nature, leading to a clandestine relationship as they cruised the local carhops and were swept into the burgeoning beatnik and blues scene of the early 1960s.

From a young age, Andy had a knack for business, starting with breeding and selling homing pigeons at 8 years old. His ventures expanded to mini-bikes and go-carts by age 10, all self-taught and managed, reflecting his natural salesmanship. His teens were marked by a love of streetracing, co-founding the Imperial Rodders car club, and clashing with law enforcement over his customized creations. This tension with authority and his family's lack of involvement in his life led to his early independence, dropping out of school to pursue his own path. His relationship with Geri blossomed amidst these adventures, culminating in a hasty elopement and the start of a new life together, filled with the hustle of magazine sales and the nomadic lifestyle of their growing family business. Within two years, he was honored as the top national salesman for LOOK magazine publisher, Cowles Media.