Brad Smith

Brad Smith's Biography

Brad is the founder of braaap Motorcycles. “braaap” is the only Australian motorcycle company and one of the country’s most exciting emerging brands. braaap has been named National Retailer of the year for four years. The multi-million dollar company has grown exponentially in what others say is the world’s toughest time for the economy.

Smith was knocked back by over 50 manufacturing plants and 20 banks/financiers during the start-up of braaap. He is the son of parents who came from government housing, and had no financial help or experience. This is a story of persistence, faith and courage. Brad takes you on his journey and shares the stories and tools he used and still uses to lead and inspire his team, measure, question and grow his company into the multi-million dollar award winning company it is today. “Getting laughed out of the office of over 50 motorcycle manufacturing plants taught me some hard and fast lessons about sharing vision and persistence”.

Nine years on, braaap works with major manufacturers from all over the world to produce arguably the best motorcycle of this type. It’s the only dirtbike on the planet with lifetime warranty and the first production bike to win a title at the World championships. Braaap has grown into a multi-million dollar, multifaceted empire as a manufacturer, a distributor, company owned retail network, franchise system, dealership network, online retailers and of course the consumer lending company Brad created to make the cost of buying a motorcycle more accessible with low weekly payments from $3 a day.

An admirable example of drive, passion and an appetite for growth, he will revolutionise the way you navigate growth and solve problems in your business. Tasmanian born businessman Brad Smith is the designer of the braaap motorcycle and founder of the multi-million dollar Australian specialized small business of the year, braaap motorcycles.

• Australian entrepreneur, speaker, champion Superlite MX mini motocross rider and advocate for safe motocross riding practices.

• 2010 TAS Young Australian of the Year and the 2008 Australian Young Entrepreneur of the year - he is also the Mini Supercross Champion of Australia.

• At 17, he imported his first mini bikes from China and was disappointed with the quality. He researched the market extensively and went to China where he sourced two factories prepared to make bikes to his specifications. He now produces arguably the best pit bikes available in the world.

• With a vision to sell motorbikes alongside street clothes Brad opened his first store. This business, braaap, turned over in excess of a million dollars in his first year of business and has gone from strength to strength. He’s now franchising across Tasmania and Victoria, as well as opening stores in the USA.

• He has set up two not-for-profit companies aimed at "creating a place that kids want to go, by helping them find their own passion and direction." ... and he's still only 25!

• Brad is a dynamic and enthusiastic speaker.

• In 2013, Brad won the Australian Retail Business of the Year Award at the Australian Business Champion Awards - for the fourth time!

Speaking Topics Include

Growth - Brad reminds us that the areas of our lives that we are most passionate, the areas of our Lives that make us feel most alive are the areas of our lives that we are growing. Growth is the essence of life. This session inspires us to create consistent and compounded Growth in our lives and organisation.

Passion - Passion comes from how you do it, not what you do. Find Passion in right now. Brad talks about how no one gets to do the things they love everyday. The secret to growth is not doing what your passionate about, but being passionate about what your doing. Passion is an attitude.

Vision - Vision is the corner stone to growth. Vision overcomes challenge. We all have a visionary inside of us. Brad shares stories and strategies to solidify the vision you have of yourself and your organization.

Be Afraid - Your ability to live outside your comfort zone is directly proportional to your ability to grow as a person. Brad’s ”Be Afraid” session inspires you to embrace fear, to make fun of failure and to step outside your comfort zone.

Yes - “It is always YES in the end, if it’s not a yes, it’s not the end” This session equips you with the tools and skills to deal with rejection, to overcome “NO” and to move towards the outcome. Brad shares how he got laughed out of the office of over 50 Motorcycle manufacturing plants before he found a manufacturing partner.

Do More than you’re paid to do - The habit of doing more than you’re paid to do is the science of growth. Reward follows value. Brad speaks about why would we want to do more than we are paid to do, sharing stories and lessons to inspire action from the audience.

Think - “The brain is a muscle, treat it like one.” How do we feed our brain the thoughts required to grow into the people we want to become? Brad speaks about proximity and how  to get in proximity of people who think at a higher level than we do, hold us accountable and push us forwards.

"Do It Real Big"

Grow Against The Odds