GemLife Gold Coast Beach Parader - Adam Gauder

Insidegc

Profiling GemLIfe Gold Coast Beach Parader – Adam Gauder

May 10

Having a business on the Gold Coast is without-a-doubt, in our eyes, one of the best places to run a business from. So naturally, it’s no surprise we have seen a boom of start-ups and entrepreneurs taking the Goldy by storm with their innovations. Cordz, an eyewear accessory brand, is no different. We got to speak with Adam Gauder, Burleigh local/lover and Founder of Cordz about what it’s like to run a business on the GC and what his favourite places are. We also spoke about his upcoming involvement in the GemLife Gold Coast Beach Parade and why it’s for such a great cause.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I moved up from Melbourne when I was 7 and have lived in Burleigh ever since. Couldn’t think of a better place to live.

Tell us how Cordz came about.
Before traveling overseas at the end of 2019, I came across this old pair of glasses cords. I’m notorious for losing or breaking my glasses (especially while traveling), so I thought that this would be a lifesaver purely from a functionality standpoint. I successfully made it through 4 weeks of traveling without a scratch on my new sunnies. I saw this as an opportunity to develop a trendy range of high-quality Cordz that people can wear as a fashion accessory that looks amazing and keeps their eyewear safe.

How do you come up with the designs?
I have an amazing supplier, we are continuously innovating to make sure the Cordz experience is the best it can be.

What do you think makes running a business on the Gold Coast so great?
There is a band of young entrepreneurs on the Gold Coast doing amazing things and everyone is willing to share their knowledge and help each other out. The Gold Coast is one big community, even just being involved with the GemLife Gold Coast Beach Parade on May 16th you can see how everyone is willing to bond together and support a good cause.

What’s your proudest entrepreneurial moment?
I would have to break this into two moments. As I launched Cordz in the last semester of my business degree at Bond University as a uni project, we donated 100% of the proceeds to our chosen charity – The Fred Hollows Foundation. We managed to donate over $2,500 which could help 103 people regain vision. The feeling of knowing you’ve helped change someone’s life is second to none, let alone over 100. The second would be the launch of our new Luxe Collection in November last year. This range of Cordz has defined our brand as a premium sunglass chain company in the market. The response from the public was overwhelming and we are proud to produce such a beautiful product for the public.

Why did you decide to get on board with the GemLife Gold Coast Beach Parade?
I have been a Burleigh boy since I was 7 and I am so grateful to live in such a beautiful part of the world. If I can be a part of another reason why the Gold Coast is so special such as a world record, then of course I would.

Why is it so important to spread the word on helping save our koalas?
Koalas are an iconic Australian animal and need all the help they can get. Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world, admitting almost 14,000 animals a year. Koala admissions have increased to over 600 in 2020, and each koala costs approximately $7,000 to treat. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to koalas, the Australian Koala Foundation estimated there are likely to be less than 80,000 koalas remaining in Australia, and could even be as low as 47,860.

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: The Paddock Bakery
Coffee spot: Seadog in the park
Restaurant: The Tropic
Bar or pub for a drink: The Pavilion (especially when I see people wearing Cordz there)
How do you choose to spend your weekends? My weekends consist of a healthy balance of surfing, working on Cordz and hanging with friends.