Meet the Creatives: The Prince of Down Under

Q: How did you first get involved with VIBAe, and what drew you in?

Well, to be completely honest I never thought I'd get into the shoe world to begin with. I've genuinely been surrounded by shoes my entire life, at least as far as I can remember. Maybe this played a subconscious role in how I found myself in this position... who knows?

I will say, my love for Australia and my dream of moving down here at some point in my life definitely spurred the idea of starting up the Australian side of VIBAe. At the time (two years back), Australia was competing to be VIBAe's third biggest market… we knew that there was something special down here.

During this time, I met a very special lady who just so happens to be born and raised in Sydney – the stars had aligned. While thinking about potential jobs down in Australia, a fun idea sparked up in casual conversation with Tammy and Ludo that I'd head down to Sydney and start up the Australian side of VIBAe. This fun idea snowballed into something more than just that... and the rest is history.

Q: People call you the "Aussie son" of the company. What's it like being part of this tight-knit (and sometimes wild) international crew?

I'll take a lot of pride in holding that name, the "Aussie son". I feel as though Australians are seen as incredibly joyful people and quite rambunctious at times, and I'd like to think that I fit in that category.

I'm always here for a laugh and certainly here for a good time. Obviously we gotta take what we do seriously, but you always gotta remember to have a little fun with it – that's certainly something that this team has taught me.

And let me tell you, this is a work hard play hard (sometimes harder) team! It's important that you enjoy working with the people around you, it's what makes a company more than just a company. This team is family and certainly makes life easier.

Q: You bring a lot of fresh energy to the team. How do you keep things fun even during busy or stressful days?

Being that I am the sole operator down here in Australia, you'd think that I'd get lonely every now and then. But to be honest, I never really get lonely... it's actually something that I don't even think about.

If I'm having a busy day, or even a really slow day, I'll typically just throw on some bumping music and jam out while I work. It also helps that I am really close with my parents so if I do happen to get bored or just wanna have a chat (if I'm able to catch them with the time zones), I'll give my parents a FaceTime and we'll chat while I'm working away. 

Q: What does customer interaction mean to you? Any memorable encounters in the store?

I've worked in customer relations for the majority of my working life post-university and having a good relationship with the customer is genuinely everything. There are heaps of individual encounters that I can mention, but one that stands out is with this one customer and her daughter who always come in with the brightest smile and with a genuine appreciation for what we do and the product that we have.

They have about a dozen pairs between the family and the daughter has gifted me some of her homemade chili oil as a thank you! They're more than just customers, they're what we idealize as individuals who love and respect the quality of what we provide. 

Q: If you could design your own VIBAe shoe, what would it look like?

Hard to do much better than what the shoe god himself has created. This might not be the flashiest answer but I don't think I'd change a single thing, nor would I add anything to what we have. They're perfect, to the T!

Q: You work in the Australian market, which has its own vibe. What makes VIBAe click with customers down under?

This might be specific to Sydney, but people down here are soooo chilled out. They need something very simple that they can slip on without effort, and without thinking twice about it. There are heaps of alternatives, but none of which are as comfy and stylish as what we have. We embody the Aussie lifestyle, all the while showcasing our Scandinavian beauty, which is a little different to what you normally get down here.

Q: What's the one thing about the brand you think your generation especially connects to?

We're simple beings... we relate to simplistic values and products of such nature. While there's much much more to our story and our shoes than what you can get just by seeing our product face-to-face, we still fully embrace the simplicity of an elegant, ergonomic design. 

Q: If VIBAe were a song, what would it be?

California by The Lagoons. Gives off the vibe of driving down the coast with your feet hanging out the window during sunset.

Lenny proves that the best businesses are the ones that feel like home. And down in Sydney, he's making sure our Australian story stays exactly that – family.