At 29, Brian decided that a life in Public Accounting was not for him! He quit his job and went to California to look for a new business idea and to surf. He soon noticed that there were no sheepskin boots in California, so he and a friend brought six pairs from Australia to test and so, “UGG” was born.

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Resource

The Birth of a Brand – Check out Brian’s book on Amazon!

3 Value Bombs

1) You have to have a certain amount of ignorance to be a good entrepreneur because if you knew all the obstacles ahead of you, you would never start.

2) You have to capture the image of what you want your target market to feel; the more you put emotions to your visuals, the more successful you can be.

3) The most disappointing disappointments will become your greatest blessings.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: The Upside of Adversity with Brian Smith

[1:06]– Brian shares something about himself that most people don’t know.

Brian played Rugby against England and New Zealand during his prime years, and he coached San Diego State Rugby Team when he first got to America 40 years ago.

[3:35] – Brian shares how he decided to bring UGG boots to America.

Brian was an accountant in Perth, Australia 40 years ago; he always had a feeling that he wanted to run his own business.
He had a realization that there are no sheep-skin boots in America…

[9:05] – How was Brian able to accomplish building a market for a product when there was no perceived need?

American’s didn’t understand sheep skins like Australians. Australians know that sheep skin cannot be ripped; you can get it wet and it keeps your feet warm.
The popularity of the product in Australia kept him going.
You have to have a certain amount of ignorance to be a good entrepreneur because if you knew all the obstacles ahead of you, you will never start a business.

[11:34] – How did Brian get into mainstream stores?

He got two young surfing professionals to be the models of UGG.
You have to capture the image of what you want your target market to feel. The more you put emotions to your visuals the more successful you can be.

[15:55] – A timeout to thank our sponsor, ZipRecruiter and Thinkific!

[15:59] – How did Brian survive the lean times with seasonal products?

It is important to get somebody who understands financing because the bigger your business grows, the worse the problem gets.
Growth can kill if you do not have the right financing in place.
Make sure you understand finance and the cash flow side of your business.

[20:14] – Many people seem to be afraid to start something because they do not know exactly how to do it. What does Brian recommend to those who are potentially going the same path as he did?

So many people are waiting for the perfect moment, but it does not work that way. Once you start on a path, the universe will conspire to work with you.
Get started, you will never get anywhere sitting on the couch waiting and wishing.

[23:51]- Brian talks about his book, The Birth of a Brand.

The book is about his story: when he first thought of importing boots all the way through his 19 years in the business.
Lots of successful things are written about in the book, but the important part is the disasters that he created and how he surpassed those situations.
The most disappointing disappointments will become your greatest blessings.

[26:26] – Where would Fire Nation go to find out more about the bookThe Birth of a Brand?