Ever since having moved to the other end of the world – Australia – I have begun to embrace my new home also in my free time – by picking up surfing. I never thought that I would write about my new passion and reference it in my business life, but let me try to explain:
Travelling a lot you end up in airport bookstores quite a lot. Roaming these can sometimes be quite interesting, especially if you happen to stumble upon a gem, like Hayden Cox’s new book (published in October 2016), New Wave Vision.
In his book, Hayden Cox describes his journey to make his brand Haydenshapes, founded in 1997 in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 15 – into an international player in the surf world. Inspired by design, technology, innovation and simple & clean aesthetic, Haydenshapes is sold in over 70 countries worldwide with offices and custom manufacturing operations in USA and Australia.
It really shines when delivering further insights from other influential minds, such as skater and entrepreneur Tony Hawk, fashion visionary Karen Walker, Oakley and Red Digital Cinema founder Jim Jannard, Google Maps co-founder Noel Gordon, Aesop founder Dennis Paphitis and entrepreneur Paul Naude. It becomes a real page turner.
What really resonated with me though is the application of some of Hayden Cox’s findings on Marketing to what I have seen in business so far:
- Marketing and the way that we communicate to consumers is constantly evolving
- The power is in the product, but in terms of marketing, it’s in the engagement
- How you market your business or venture should always revolve around and stay true to your messages, values and beliefs. With these as your foundations, you can step outside your comfort zone and try new things.
- Take customers on the journey with you, don’t alienate them.
- Know and respect your competitors. Confidence in your own ability to produce a great product speaks volumes.
Having read the above and agreeing on them 100%, I do think he can add one more, which is quite simple, but I consider it to be the most important asset of them all:
Be your brand!
What do I mean by that? Looking at Hayden Cox – and obviously judging from afar – all I get from his book is that he is living his dream. He is executing with so much passion that you can feel it – no matter where you look. Having visited his shown room in Mona Vale, looking at the advertisement campaigns and finally – riding his product in the waves – there is a level of authenticity that speaks volumes.
This approach is something I am missing – sometimes – in the market space today. I visit a lot of brands and I am glad to recognise this approach in some of them: people in marketing – who live their dream in doing their job and furthermore, a marketing approach that feels natural like a natural and honest extension of their business.
Especially the engagement then takes this to the next level. The right customer engagement in combination with the right story is what excels brands I appreciate in the market. Listening to customer behaviours as part of the journey and applying leading technology in marketing to achieve engagement that feels natural and then also resonates with the story you are telling and delivers marketing as a service – are a recipe for success.
The approach seems to be working for Haydenshapes. Their market leading model called Hypto Krypto has won ‘Surfboard of The Year’ titles in Australia and the US. A hard award to come by in the surfing industry.
I strongly believe that this authenticity mixed with their approach is a key reason why there’s a Hypto Krypto, or 10, at virtually every beach in the world. People feel that the products, marketing and story of the Haydenshapes brand is real and that resonates – and then they obviously like to talk about it.
In order to get to this level of authenticity, you of course also have to surround yourself with the right people. Hayden’s approach can again be easily combined with the ‘be your brand’ approach I am adding to his list:
- Great staff are the backbone of a successful business. Take time hiring the right people and ensure they fit the team culture.
- Carve out paths that give people an opportunity to grow. Motivate them.
- And my favorite: Attitude is hard to beat. It can’t be thaught…
I have been very inspired by Hayden Cox’s story and suggest you do yourself a favour and have a great read – next time you come by an airport bookstore.
And me?
I’ll dream of a great surf…
https://youtu.be/i0hb8ArDH-4
