Startup Theatre Podcast Bikes, Rats and Natural Perfume: The Wild Career of a kiwi globally
Goodnature CEO Dave Shoemack has had one of the more unusual startup careers you will hear about.
From big beer at Heineken HQ, to helping turn VanMoof into the “Tesla of e-bikes” in Amsterdam, to leading Wellington trap-maker Goodnature and living with a founder at home through natural perfume brand Abel.
In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy and Serge sit down with Dave to talk about building global hardware companies from tiny teams, dealing with bankruptcy and rebirth, and why focus and courage matter more than almost anything else.
You will hear:
The inside story of VanMoof’s rise, the brave anti-car ad that was banned in France, and what it felt like to watch the company go bankrupt after he left
How Dave walked away from a cushy global role at Heineken, battled crippling imposter syndrome, and learned to love “lobster moments” where growth only comes from discomfort
Why VanMoof eventually doubled down on one bike, one audience, and one moment, and how that extreme focus translated directly into brand power
The move back to Wellington, joining Goodnature’s board then stepping up as CEO, and what it is really like to manufacture smart, humane traps 100 metres from the Basin Reserve and ship them to the world
Dinner-table startup life with his wife Frances, founder of natural perfume house Abel, and the difference between pioneers who start things and settlers who grow them
How Goodnature keeps “founder chaos” alive in a 20-year-old company, and why Kiwi companies should stop selling out too early
In a new “Behind the Curtain” explainer segment, Serge also breaks down ESOPs and share options:
What ESOP and options actually are, and why most employees do not receive real shares up front
How vesting, cliffs, good leaver and bad leaver provisions work in New Zealand
What happens to your options if the company sells early, or you leave
When tax hits, how net settlement usually works, and whether ESOP is really “worth it”
Practical advice on negotiating salary first, then treating options as upside rather than your base pay
Finally, Troy and Serge answer audience questions, talk through the new Behind the Curtain segment, and explain how you can be in the draw for a $1,000 Prezi card as they work towards the 100th episode.
Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Vanta. If you are starting or scaling your security programme, Vanta automates compliance for ISO 27001, SOC 2, and more.
Get USD $1,000 off at: vanta.com/startuptheater
Links from this episode:
Goodnature: https://goodnature.co.nz
VanMoof: https://www.vanmoof.com
Abel fragrance: https://abelodor.com