Surfpreneurs Founder James on Building a Global Surf Entrepreneur Community

In this interview James, co-founder of Surfpreneurs, shares insights into building our global community for surf entrepreneurs, balancing family, work, and surfing life, and the lessons he’s learned while growing one of the most inspiring surf business networks in the world.

Building the Surfpreneurs Community: Lessons and Insights

Building a community like Surfpreneurs comes with both rewards and challenges. We asked James what he’s learned from the journey so far.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as the founder over all these years?

There’s so many to choose from! If I had to choose one, I would probably say don’t try and do it all alone – it may seem like you can, and you may even be able to make it work for a while but the reality is when you work with others, the sum is greater than its individual parts. Lina’s support on Surfpreneurs is a great example of how that is helping me at the moment, as is the incredible breadth and depth of knowledge we can call on anytime we need it within the Surfpreneurs community.

Even on challenging days, James finds motivation in the very people the community serves.

Q: What keeps you motivated on days when building a community feels challenging?

The members – it probably sounds a bit cheesy, but it honestly is the members. On a certain level I feel a personal obligation to support people, and I know some members really get a lot of benefit from this community, and their encouragement and feedback drives me forward. I just want to do what I can to help, and Surfpreneurs definitely seems to help people which is awesome to be a small part of.

He also thinks about Surfpreneurs in true surf style:

Q: If Surfpreneurs were a surfboard, what kind would it be and why?

Probably a longboard because it can be accessed by everyone from beginners to pros, and they can all use it for different surfing styles of surfing (business types) or ocean conditions (challenges or opportunities businesses face). It is also what you make of it, be it a relatively cruisy, approachable type of surfing that doesn’t take itself too seriously, or competing at the highest level, getting super technical and working on so many different elements, or a bit of everything to just create your own vibe.

Q: If someone is thinking about starting their own surf-related business, what advice would you give them?

Two men in a surf shop talking to each other.

I would always encourage them to just make a start. It is the hardest part, but also in some ways the most exciting. In the worst case scenario you might just spend a few hours doing some basic research and a draft business canvas and find out there isn’t a reason to continue any further. I would argue that even that is a good outcome because at least then you know and you can move on instead of having the ‘what ifs’ occupying brain space. Or, you will get a sense for the opportunity, how feasible could be, how viable it might be and you can decide what you do with that information. Learning how to prioritise and getting comfort on what to say ‘no’ to is a valuable skill, as is having a level of comfort and confidence — without all the answers — to take the next step.

Balancing Surfpreneurs, Family, and Surf Life

James’ life isn’t just Surfpreneurs — he balances family, work, and personal passions, and he’s learned a lot along the way.

A man in a black wetsuit holding his black surfboard coming out form the ocean.

Q: Outside of Surfpreneurs, what’s a typical day in your life like?

During the week, I usually wake up early to have coffee with my wife, and try to exercise before our kids wake up. I’ll then get them ready and dropped off at daycare and head to my day job. In the evenings I’ll try to spend some time with the family, and if time allows maybe watch some TV before going to bed early. The weekends are a bit more flexible, but generally revolve around spending time as a family. We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of New Zealand with waves nearby and we all love spending time at the beach, even through winter. Although kiddies playdates are a big part of our weekends too these days haha.

Q: How do you balance work, family, and surf life?

I am a big believer that you can only really do three things in life well. For me those things I focus on are good time and relationships with my family, my day job (which I try to leave at the office in the city as much as possible), and the third at the moment is Surfpreneurs. Thankfully, the ferry I catch to and from my day job is also good for working on Surfpreneurs which buys me some extra time. I would love to dedicate more time to playing music or even taking care of our garden but know the other things might be compromised…so there are a few weeds out my window and a guitar gathering dust in the corner, but their time will come.

Q: What are some passions or hobbies that people might not know about you?

I love skiing and snowboarding (probably not a massive surprise being a surfer from New Zealand!). I also really enjoy listening to or playing music.

Surfing, Creativity, and Fun Facts About James

Beyond work and family, James loves surfing and has some playful thoughts on what it would be like to have a “superpower” in life.

Q: If you could only surf one spot again in your life – which one would it be?

Probably a secret spot I grew up surfing near my hometown – it is fickle, but when you get it on, it is an unbelievably fun left hand barrel. It is hard to get to and the journey to get there makes it feel like more of an adventure to somewhere beautiful and secluded which is part of the fun. All I will say is it is in the South Island of New Zealand – no more clues sorry!

Q: If you could have any superpower while surfing or running a business, what would it be?

Another great question! I would have to say the ability to identify all of the options and analyse all possible data points at my fingertips in order to make the right decision every time…which simply isn’t possible in the real world. The reality is we have to gather what information we can and make a bit of an informed decision, and educated guess, then hope that we are right. Sometimes we get the tide a bit wrong, or the targeting of a new ad campaign isn’t quite right but hopefully on balance we get better at making these decisions over time and get more right than wrong. Having comfort that we know enough to commit to taking action is the art we can master in the real world.

Q: What’s a random, funny, or surprising fact about you that would make people smile?

I spent two summers teaching at Cambridge University. I had the privilege of living on campus and teaching a finance course one year and then entrepreneurship the next year to teenagers who were considering which courses they might study full time. It was great fun and I loved it.

James’ journey with Surfpreneurs shows how passion, community, and perseverance can create something truly meaningful in the surf business world. If you’re a surf entrepreneur looking to connect, learn, and grow, join the Surfpreneurs community today and start building your own wave of opportunities.

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Surfpreneurs Interview With James