E133 | Steve Dunstan

Episode summary | Steve Dunstan

Steve Dunstan is the Founder and Brand Director of Huffer, one of New Zealand’s most loved and iconic fashion brands inspired by innovation and style.

The 21-year-old snowboarder started the company in 1997 (together with skateboarder Dan Buckley), and it has grown it into a multi-faceted business with 12 stores across New Zealand and one in Melbourne.

We talk about the humble beginnings of the Huffer story as a brand loved by their community, through to peaking globally when Orlando Bloom wore a “I 🖤NZ” t-shirt at the Lord of the Rings premier in Wellington. A failed attempt to break into America and hitting rock bottom and nearly losing it all, and the 10-year salvage mission that followed to get the brand back to where it is today.

Steve is a kiwi icon, a thoughtful, humble, optimistic winner, whose epic story of business success is as entertaining as it is inspiring.

Show notes | Steve Dunstan

0:00 Between Two Beers step into the world of fashion

7:00 A $35 million commercial for Sprite?

16:08 Who is Steve Dunstan?

18:05 The makings of the Huffer story

25:00 A hands on business built from a brand

34:56 A Huffer Puffer interlude: boosting the business

38:28 The Huffer World Tour of New Zealand and the Huffer House of Horrors

43:45 Sponsoring Hayley Holt and thoughts on Olympic snowboarding

49:10 I heart New Zealand

52:58 Orlando Bloom on the red carpet in a Huffer t-shirt

1:00:25 The lowest point: 2010 – 2012

1:07:04 A 10-year salvage mission

1:10:40 Creating spaces and connecting people: Free Coffee Friday’s

1:15:36 Learnings after 25 years of Huffer

1:24:01 Steve Dunstan: The person

1:36:28 The mystery of Piha

1:39:31 Reflecting on the Huffer journey

1:48:19 Last words from Steve, Seamus, and Steve