Change Wired Nick Dreyer, cofounder of Veldskoen Shoes, the sole of South Africa - resilient mindset practices that built Veldskoen to global success, one sole at a time.
“Complete and total assault on your entire being, – this is what entrepreneurship is and you have to be prepared for it.” ~ Nick Dreyer.
BIO:
A late starter in the entrepreneurial world, Nick Dreyer opened his first
business at 37 years old. Before that, he studied hospitality management and
worked as GM at the world-renowned Ellerman House, Cape Town. There,
Nick met the world - from the Kardashians to Wolf Blitzer. It was here that
Nick became ensconced in the world of art and would later become a director
of South Africa’s oldest and iconic gallery Everard Read and director of the
Museum of African Design in Johannesburg. Nick then started Auriti, an Art
Advisory and then a travelling exhibition business that successfully hosted
major entertainment exhibitions in multiple cities in SA.
In 2016 came Veldskoen Shoes. What started as a car journey conversation
between Nick and his friend Ross Zondagh has now become a global fashion
brand in just seven years selling in over 32 countries. Veldskoen Shoes are
worn by royalty (now ex), Oscar winners, sporting icons, music legends and
more importantly, folks who love South Africa.
Veldskoen has partnered with some of the greatest companies in SA,
including Nandos and FNB. Its most notable sponsorship deal includes the
South African Olympic team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and became
the official supporter shoe of the Springboks (SARU).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR CONVERSATION:
Why late starters entrepreneurs succeed more often, and are probably the best bet for investors;
What makes “spectacular failures” the crucial stepping stones to entrepreneurial success;
How Nick overcomes self-doubts when things aren’t going well;
The first step to preventing burnout – getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, and with the idea that it’s supposed to be hard for a LOOOOOOONG time;
On work-life balance and boundaries;
Nick’s view on health habits, exercise, sleep and nutrition for the founder’s high productivity;
How to build a culture that makes people want to come back to work and do their best;
The biggest danger to business when scaling;
Mindful consumption of the right stuff – the most useful and simplest way to build the resilient mindset we need to succeed;
The fastest way to stop stressing out about any business problem;
The missing piece to keep yourself motivated through tough times;
How Nick and his cofounder kept themselves focused on one thing;
Failure as a business success strategy at Veldskoen;
Parting advice from Nick to last long enough to succeed,
“Start. And… - TUNE IN TO FIND OUT! 😉
CONNECT:
https://www.veldskoen.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-dreyer
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Brought to you by Angela Shurina
Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant