Brian Smith

Business Speaker Brian Smith is best known as the visionary and founder behind the globally recognized fashion footwear brand UGG Australia.

He has since become a renowned keynote speaker and business mentor sharing his tips on business and entrepreneurship at college speaker series, corporate conferences, and functions for local and national trade associations. Brian spoke at over 35 events in 2015 alone.

Brian was born and raised in Australia before moving to the states and attending grad school at UCLA. He had spent his undergrad years in Australia studying to become a Chartered Accountant but his entrepreneurial drive would soon help him chart a new career course. While still in grad school, Brian realized that nearly every Australian had some sort of sheepskin footwear in their shoe collection but the fad was non-existent in America. So he founded UGG Imports and began designing and marketing his own sheepskin footwear to American consumers.

Over the next 17 years, Business Speaker Brian Smith would pour his heart and soul into bringing the UGG brand to life in the American marketplace. He chronicled his journey in his first book titled The Birth of a Brand published in 2014. The book’s guiding principle is simple: “You can’t give birth to adults.” Starting a business is the same way. Your business must grow from the ground up, through infancy and tumultuous years to ultimately reach maturity in the marketplace. As your business grows, so will your business acumen.

Business Speaker Brian Smith maintains an active lifestyle in southern California while he is not away traveling for events. You can catch him chasing the big wave, doing yoga or going for a jog on beach.