The Birth of a Brand: How Brian Smith brought Uggs to America

What does an accountant/surfer dude in the late 70s to do after quitting his job? He looks for signs from the universe!

And THAT is how Brian Smith began his journey of bringing the Ugg Brand to America. Brian shares with Brad his wins, his failures and his secrets to building one of the most iconic brands in the world.

If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, in marketing or sales, THIS EPISODE of Awakened Nation is filled with the secrets to figuring out your marketing and customer.

Brian Smith Bio:
Brian Smith, Founder of the world-famous UGG Australia Brand.

Graduating in 1978 as a Chartered Accountant in Australia, Brian came to California looking for the next big opportunity to bring back to Australia.

While studying at the UCLA Graduate School of Management he observed that there was no sheepskin footwear in the US.

With only $500 in capital, he imported boot samples and over the next seventeen years built the UGG Australia brand into a multi-million dollar international enterprise. He sold in 1995 and the brand has continued to grow to exceed a billion dollars in annual sales for the past six years.

Brian is one of the most sought after International business leaders in the country today. He is committed to teaching entrepreneurs how to leverage their most precious assets from within, and to recognize and pursue their passions to create a fulfilling and successful life.

Brian has authored the book “The Birth of a Brand – Launching Your Entrepreneurial Passion and Soul”, is a sought after Keynote speaker and mentors small business owners.

He spends his time with his family and friends in Southern California and enjoys surfing and contributing to humanity.

Host: Brad Szollose