Brian Smith is the founder of UGG, known for its iconic sheepskin boots. Originally from Australia, he moved to California in 1978 and started selling the boots to surfers in 1979. Despite early challenges, his persistence paid off as UGG grew into a global fashion sensation. After selling the brand to Deckers Outdoor Corporation in 1995, UGG became a multibillion-dollar business.

Today, Brian is a speaker and author, sharing his entrepreneurial journey in his book, "The Birth of a Brand"

Connect with Brian Smith!

briansmithspeaker.com

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

03:21 - What has Brian's journey been like after selling his UGG company?

06:25 - How does Brian plan and organize his day-to-day life using a notebook planner?

09:24 - Why does Brian only talk about the disasters that happened to UGG during his speaking gigs?

11:27 - Brian shares some story about the disasters that occurred during his journey with UGG

13:46 - Brian shares why it took him six years to pull any money from the UGG

17:10 - How Brian discovered there were no sheepskin boots in the U.S. and how UGG started from there

22:34 - Brian talks about using his Canon SureShot camera to take photos of UGG boots, which helped him grow his earnings from $10k to $220k

29:36 - Don't advertise your product, advertise the features and benefits

31:34 - Brian discusses how he used magazines to increase sales for UGG

34:52 - How did Brian manage the finances of the UGG business?

38:12 - Brian talks about how he handled UGG's inventory to keep up with demand

40:33 - Brian on his journey working with UGG Co-founder Doug Jensen

42:57 - UGG's success reaching $2 billion in sales with Deckers Corporation

45:43 - Brian on how he started his journey as a speaker

47:34 - How does Brian market his book, The Birth of a Brand?

51:38 - Brian's advice on finding the right partner in life

54:14 - Has Brian passed his entrepreneurial DNA to his children?

55:00 - Brian on how to invest or save money after exiting a company

59:20 - Brian's recent life discoveries

1:01:19 - Brian's advice on how to stay focused on your day-to-day life

1:04:46 - Brian's personal goals for the next six months

1:05:24 - Connect with Brian Smith

1:05:54 - Outro