But before you go full ham on your biz idea, seek advice from ledges who have lived and breathed local and international success stories themselves – from failing to hiring the right people and standing out, there’s a lot to keep in mind when going down this fruitful path.
1. HAYDEN COX
Founder of Haydenshapes Surfboards and Inventor of FutureFlex technology. 
Photo: Supplied.
ON FAILURE: “Failures are not to be feared. Just because you have invested time, energy and money into an idea does not mean it will work. It shouldn’t be forced if it simply isn’t good enough. Scrapping my initial FiberFlex design may have crushed me at the time, but it was crucial. FutureFlex would not exist, nor would it have succeeded like it has today, unless I could accept I’d failed in the initial design.”
2. KAREN WALKER
Fashion designer.
Photo: Facebook / Karen Walker.
ON STANDING OUT: “Authenticity is what makes a good brand. There is no way to be in business without a unique voice, it’s crucial. New ideas, all the time.”
3. TONY HAWK
Professional skateboarder and owner of skateboard company Birdhouse.
Photo: Facebook / Tony Hawk.
ON LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES: “I was signing away my rights for people to make whatever they wanted with my name on it. I had to pay to get out of some pretty embarrassing contracts that were damaging my reputation. I learned the hard way.”
4. NOEL GORDON
Co-founder of Google Maps.
ON HATERS: “‘Umm, maps are boring and there’s no money it.’ If we had listened to those people, who were our peers, and taken it to heart we would have stopped.”
5. JIM JANNARD
Founder of Oakley and Red Digital Camera.
Photo: Facebook / Oakley.
ON PASSION: “Passion is like jet fuel. The more I am into it, the more driven I am to make it. My 1st wife was 8 months pregnant. I paid the doctor and hospital for her to
deliver. I paid the $151 a month house payment that I used to sweat bullets over…had $300 left and started Oakley. Apparently I was too dumb to know what not to
do.”
6. DENNIS PATHITIS
Founder of Aesop.
Photo: LinkedIn / James Bruand.
ON TEAMWORK: “The team can only be as effective as the expectations that are embedded into the blood of the company. Decency, integrity, trustworthiness – these are essential attributed, not optional extras.”
Not bad inspo leading into 2017, amirite?
All of the above quotes feature in Hayden Cox’s new book, New Wave Vision, available from all leading books stores worldwide, iTunes and on the HaydenShapes website for $39.99. It’s a candid and honest story about starting something outta nothing and yep everyone in my fam will be getting it for Chrissy. 
Photo: Supplied.
Photo: Instagram / @karen_walker.
