If the shoe fits with Nick Dreyer

Sometimes knowing nothing can be like a naive superpower, says Nick Dreyer , the co-founder of Veldskoen Shoes .

This might be surprising coming from the CEO of a global brand selling in 32 countries. Hearing radical honesty like this from industry forerunners is one of the reasons I started my podcast, Willing & Abel. I wanted to democratise this kind of hard-won knowledge that you won’t find in textbooks so that anyone can access it.??

The origin story goes like this: the idea for Velskoen Shoes was sparked between two buddies, Nick and his childhood friend Ross Zondagh, while on the phone together. “It was born in a car, and it was born to parents that had zero experience in shoes, zero experience in marketing, zero experience in e-commerce, zero experience, even in starting their own businesses, really,” Nick told me. “The two of us were the least likely people ever to start a footwear business. But it was in that moment that Veldskoen was born, and then the race was on. We had to go.”?

As our conversation progressed, it became clear how friendship, determination and intuition catapulted this truly South African brand to international success – and onto the feet of South Africa’s best at the 2020 Olympics.

But it wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t even a side hustle, initially, which is the way a lot of businesses begin. Veldskoen was the only thing Nick and Ross had to hold onto. The co-founders faced the reality of having young families, almost no income, and massive holes to climb out of. The idea was more a hopeful dream that kept their spirits up over that difficult time. When they built Veldskoen, it was because they had to build Veldskoen. It was born out of absolute desperation. ?

I think the truth of this is incredibly valuable for young people to hear. It coincides with one of my posts on LinkedIn: a picture of an iceberg where I say that people only get to see what shines in the sun above the water. Nobody knows everything that actually lies beneath: sleepless nights, hard times, disappointments, fears, betrayals, cash-flow challenges, tough economic conditions and grinding trading environments. The list goes on. What I admire is how Nick speaks so candidly about his challenges.

So how did this new shoe brand make its way as the official uniform of South African athletes at the Olympics? It’s an unbelievable story (which I encourage you to listen to) that reveals how the Veldskoen team asked for help the whole way through. They never let their own shortcomings stop them.

“We had to be truthful about who we were. You've got to recognise in critical moments that you don't, you don't have all the answers. And if you open yourself up to that, that's where growth happens,” says Nick.

What's so beautiful about this story is that when you want something badly enough, the universe conspires to give it to you. People don't often share their hopes and dreams – they keep them very secretive – but the universe listens when you put stuff out there.

Nick had a feeling that our best representatives at the games should be wearing a shoe with cultural significance, something that reflects the soul of South Africa. And it paid off. In business, people drastically underestimate gut feel. It’s not an instantaneous moment; gut feel is the accumulation of your life experiences telling you something in that moment. It’s your collective memory, experience, hope and ambition that leads you to a decision.

It's so inspiring to see a South African proudly take on the globe with a brand that is so unique to this land. It really shows that you can achieve incredible things when you have a good idea, backed by good people who believe in it.

The Willing & Abel Podcast is the home of hopeful conversations that challenge perspectives. Listen to my conversation with Nick if you’re interested in how to build something meaningful in this uncertain world, and be sure to click the subscribe button on our podcast profile to make sure you don't miss more episodes!

Season 1 of Willing & Abel Podcast is brought to you by M&C Saatchi Abel , a proudly South African award-winning creative company founded on the principle of Brutal Simplicity of Thought.