Steve Dunstan
Roles: Speaker
Themes: Business, Lifestyle & Wellbeing, Motivation
Steve Dunstan is the Founder of Huffer, one of New Zealand’s most recognisable and enduring fashion brands.
He co-founded Huffer in 1997 at just 21 years old, alongside skateboarder Dan Buckley, building what began as a grassroots snowboard label into a multi-faceted retail business with stores across New Zealand and Australia. What started with passion and community quickly grew into a brand worn by some of the world’s biggest names — including Orlando Bloom, who famously wore an “I 🖤 NZ” Huffer t-shirt at the Lord of the Rings premiere in Wellington.
But the Huffer story hasn’t been without challenge. After a failed attempt to expand into the United States, the business hit rock bottom — nearly losing everything. What followed was a decade-long rebuild: a disciplined, determined effort to salvage the brand and restore it to strength.
On stage, Steve is thoughtful, humble and candid about both the highs and the hard lessons. He shares the realities of entrepreneurship — risk, ego, resilience and reinvention — with honesty and perspective. His story is entertaining, but it’s also deeply practical, offering insight into brand-building, leadership and what it takes to recover when things don’t go to plan.
Audiences leave with a clearer understanding of the resilience required to build something meaningful — and the courage it takes to start again when it falters.
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Belonging Drives Performance
Why people do their best work when they feel connected to purpose, culture and each other.
Building Culture Through Growth
How to maintain identity, clarity and trust as teams and businesses scale.
Leadership Beyond Hierarchy
Creating environments where people feel empowered to lead and contribute.
Creativity, Identity & Performance
What business leaders can learn from creative and sporting communities about motivation and belonging.
Navigating Reinvention & Change
Lessons from leaving Huffer, rediscovering purpose and building something new.
The Power of Shared Identity
How strong cultures create momentum, accountability and belief.
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Belonging Drives Performance
In this insightful and deeply personal keynote, Steve Dunstan explores the connection between identity, culture and performance through his journey building Huffer, navigating leadership through growth and change, and helping shape AKA alongside Auckland FC.
Drawing from the worlds of business, creativity and sport, Steve shares real experiences about what drives high-performing teams and why belonging is often the invisible force behind success.
From the early days of grassroots creative communities to leading one of New Zealand’s most recognisable brands, Steve reflects on the moments that tested culture, challenged identity and reshaped his understanding of leadership.
At the center of the keynote is a simple but powerful idea:
People perform best when they feel like they belong.
Blending honest storytelling with practical leadership insight, Steve offers audiences a fresh perspective on how clarity, trust and shared identity create stronger teams, more engaged cultures and better performance.
Audiences will leave with:
A deeper understanding of how belonging influences performance
Practical insights into building strong team culture during growth and change
New perspectives on leadership, identity and trust
Tools for creating environments where people feel connected, motivated and empowered
Greater clarity around the role purpose and culture play in high-performing organisations
Duration: 45–60 minutes (customisable)
