Today we’d like to introduce you to Vipe Desai.
Vipe, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I got my start somewhat by accident when I bought a surf shop right out of college. I was instantly thrown into the world of entrepreneurship and had to learn a lot in those early days. During that period, I really learned a lot about consumer behavior and that I also had a knack for creating events and marketing.
Out of the shop came a surf and snowboard contest with a concert that would go on to inspire the Vans Warped Tour and the ESPN X Games. After the surf shop, I helped start a youth marketing consultancy where we would help to launch Red Bull here in the U.S. It was also at the agency that I would begin my journey into philanthropy and be appointed to the Board of the Surfrider Foundation – the first of many Board of Directors roles.
Over the past few years, I’ve really started moving towards more roles on company boards, impact investing and philanthropy. These three areas allow me to keep learning but also share from my experience to help more people and companies succeed in their endeavors. I think I’ve gotten to the point where I racked up a variety of knowledge and its difficult to keep it directed at one venture but sharing insights with as many people as I can keep me creative.
In addition, I also started a podcast, Army of Gamechangers, where I interview influential leaders across many sectors to share their best career and leadership insights. This has been fun and it been a good way for me to tap into my network plus there aren’t very many podcasts that bring together the president of Oprah Winfrey Network, the lead singer of Pennywise and a former Secretary of Defense to download inspirational messages.
Has it been a smooth road?
I believe that nothing good is easy and that some of my best lessons have been learned while I was experiencing a challenge or struggle. Those struggles sometimes meant having to move outside of my comfort zone and taking on new opportunities – sometimes at the expense of my health. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in 2008 and that meant a new challenge but one that would shape my future and set me on a path to not only look my own health issues but how to be an example to others.
The more you take on the more challenges and struggles you are more likely to face but this is also where you’re going to grow the most and I’m not afraid to step into harm’s way. If there’s a lesson to be learned from success or failure, I’m all about it.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the HDX story. Tell us more about the business.
Today, I have several roles and projects under my belt but with HDX Hydration Mix, healthy sports drink mix, being the priority. I started HDX to offer people a healthy way to hydrate while on the go but also reducing the waste as well.
I wanted to create a company that had a purpose built into its operations and product – not just a heart-tugging mission statement. Our team lives this brand and its purpose every day with everything that we do. We want to give people a viable healthy option that minimizes the impact on the planet – and I’m proud to say we’ve been doing this since we started back in 2011.
Outside of HDX, I serve on the boards of Ocean Champions, Lonely Whale Foundation, Skateistan, and RichUncles.com – an SEC reporting company managing more than $350M in assets. In addition, I’m a campaign ambassador for AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.
I’m also at the early stages of writing my first book where I explore the role of disruption, democratization, and activism as it relates to businesses and consumer behaviors and trends.
When you add all this up, there’s a lot going on but I have a great team that keeps me on schedule and on track but all of this fits into my passion – business and philanthropy. I believe business should be used as a force for good and in my line of work, I get to meet business leaders every day that want to learn how to use their business for good and for doing the right thing.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I’m an entrepreneur first and foremost and I look at all industries for trends, challenges, and shifts that are on the horizon. I see three areas for businesses to be on high alert – and this is the basis of the book I’m working on but I’ll explain the points briefly:
Disruption: Hacking Your Way Into the Infrastructure
Not to be confused with innovation, disruption occurs when an individual looks at the machine churning out products or services and rather than invent the whole new machine, they find ways to improve the infrastructure – financial controls, communication tools, transportation services, payment processes, and gateways – of the existing model.
Democratization: More Opportunities to Grow When You Build Bridges
What business doesn’t want more customers? Well when you democratize your products or service, you allow more people to benefit from your brand, which grows the brand as a whole.
Activism: It’s Mainstream and It’s Deliberate
While activism may have had a negative reputation in the past, today many people now view activism as a badge of honor. Not only does this include protests and petitions, but also includes public displays of support for events like the Paris attacks. Consumers are driving the rise of brand activism and this movement is at the forefront of defending our democracy.
Why Does All This Matter?
Making the world a better place is more than just a dream for many entrepreneurs. It’s now a growth opportunity and competitive strategy. Businesses can and should do more. Power is shifting from corporations and governments to consumers and activist brands.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5811 McFadden Ave Huntington Beach, CA 92649
- Website: vipedesai.com
- Phone: 949-436-5896
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vipedesai/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vipedesai
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/vipedesai
- Other: http://armyofgamechangers.com
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