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Brad Smith (entrepreneur)

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For other people with the same name, see Brad Smith.

Brad Smith
Brad Smith
Born
Bradley Smith

(1987-07-01) 1 July 1987 (age 37)
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur
Motocross Champion
Years active2007 – present
Known forFounder and Director of braaap
2010 Young Australian of the Year for Tasmania
Australian Young Entrepreneur of the year
Websitehttp://www.braaap.com.au

Bradley “Brad” Smith (born 1 July 1987) is an Australian entrepreneur, speaker, champion Superlite MX motocross rider and advocate for safe motocross riding practices. Smith is best known for establishing the motocross brand “braaap”[1] and the recipient of several achievement awards including 2010 Young Australian of the Year for Tasmania, Australian Young Entrepreneur of the year and International Young Entrepreneur of the year runner up.[2][3]

In 2008 Smith launched the first braaap store, a retail outlet intended to be “the motocross equivalent of a surf shop”.[1] braaap has since expanded to four retail outlets across Tasmania and Victoria, with a franchise model to enable further expansion throughout Australia, and the rest of the world.[4] In 2010 braaap signed a deal with NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose to launch into the United States in 2011.[5][6]

Braaap is the 3 time Australian Specialised retail business of the year.[7]

About Brad

Bradley “Brad” Smith (born 1 July 1987) is an Australian entrepreneur, keynote speaker, champion Superlite MX motocross rider and advocate for safe motocross riding practices. Smith is best known for establishing the motorcycle brand “braaap” and the recipient of several achievement awards including 2010 Young Australian of the Year for Tasmania, Australian Young Entrepreneur of the year and International Young Entrepreneur of the year runner up.

Braaap

In 2008 Smith launched the first braaap store, a retail outlet intended to be “the motocross equivalent of a surf shop”. braaap has since expanded via company owned outlets and existing dealerships in Australia and via Distributors in Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, Ecudor, Mexico. 

In 2010 braaap signed a deal with NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose to launch into the United States in 2011. braaap Exited from the US in 2013 after winning a title at the Las Vegas Indoor MMSX.

Braaap is the 4 time Australian Specialised retail business of the year. Smith now resides between Launceston, Tasmania and Frankston, Victoria. Australia.

2007: Despite being told “street clothes and motorbikes won’t sell under the one roof”, Smith collaborated widely to develop a business model for a motocross lifestyle store aimed towards families and recreational riding. As a result, braaap stores not only sell mini bikes but offer a variety of street apparel, DVDs, equipment and motocross paraphernalia. Each store also has a club and provides access to coaching and in-store bike mechanics.

braaap’s exponential growth created challenges when procuring funding. Smith overcame this obstacle after winning awards for 2008 Australian Small Business Retailer of the Year and Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Years, both sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank. After the award ceremony Smith informally propositioned Commonwealth Bank officials who in turn agreed to provide braaap funding.

The first the braaap store opened in Launceston in 2005, with additional Tasmanian stores in Hobart and Devonport, and another in Frankston, Victoria.

“We are in the business of affordable adrenaline sports, my passion is the Superlite industry but as a retailer our concept store is designed to be the affordable adrenaline sport super store, we are using what we have learned from the Superlite industry to engage other affordable adrenaline sport that line up with our mission and values, E.g. BMX, Extreme POGO, Extreme Scooter, etc.” — Brad Smith, December 2010

2013: Refining the brand The braaap brand went through a major refinement in 2013 as its core customer went from the youth off road market with an average age segment of 15-23 year olds to the more sophisticated road segment with the average customer becoming 28 - 44 year old male. The over 50’s segment grew with the introduction of road motorcycles as did the female segment. braaap Concept stores took a major shift with the introduction of street legal range of motorcycles.

The product mix took a pivotal shift as braaap moved into the road legal market with the 125cc superlite Street and the 250cc “CAFE RACER”. The cafe racer proved a phenomenal success as reported by the Australian Financial review in December 2015. 

"A 250 engine may not be huge on a normal road bike," Smith says. "But a cafe racer is stripped-back and light, so you get performance and fuel economy. A city bike really needs performance from zero to 80." – Brad Smith

Read more: http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/cars-bikes-and-boats/cafe-racers-are-putting-cool-back-into-motorbikes-20151126-gl8gak#ixzz4mayzz4CC

  1. ^ a b "About Brad Smith". braaap website. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "TAS Young Australian of the Year". TAS Young Australian of the Year website. November 2009. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Hayman, Paul (November 2009). "23 Year old entrepreneur first Aussie runner-up in JCI Awards in Japan". Dynamic Business. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Smith, Brad (June 2010). "braaap Case Study" (Interview). Interviewed by Switzer, Peter. Commonwealth Bank. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite interview}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Paine, Michelle (11 March 2010). "Tassie bike firm eyes US". The Mercury Newspaper. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Millman, Oliver (7 September 2010). "braaap founder to expand business to the US". Smart Company. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Five Minutes With... Brad Smith". Motorcycling Australia. 29 January 2010. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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