UGG: Brian Smith. How an epiphany, surfers, and $500 launched an iconic sheepskin footwear company.
How I Built This with Guy Raz
- Published
- June 1, 2026
- Duration
- 1h 28m
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Jun 10, 2026
Discusses In 1978, Brian Smith quit his accounting job in Australia and headed to California with a surfboard,…
Summary
In 1978, Brian Smith quit his accounting job in Australia and headed to California with a surfboard, some savings, and ambition. He figured California was where he’d find an idea or a product to bring back home to Australia to build a business. A year in, he was still looking.But then he saw an advertisement in a surfing magazine for Australian sheepskin …
Intelligent report
Sign in to read teasers, or upgrade to Research Pro to commission a new dossier for this episode. Learn more →
Show notes
In 1978, Brian Smith quit his accounting job in Australia and headed to California with a surfboard, some savings, and ambition. He figured California was where he’d find an idea or a product to bring back home to Australia to build a business. A year in, he was still looking.But then he saw an advertisement in a surfing magazine for Australian sheepskin boots. Uggs were so widespread in Australia at the time, the name was a generic term - like flip flops - not a brand. Brian was immediately sto