Friends of Thankyou: A Conversation with Cam & Elise, Founders of Zorali.
We’re always cheering on our friends and fellow do-gooders, and when we’re fortunate enough to connect and have a chat, we learn that often, epic people can have some pretty epic stories and lessons to share, too.
We recently chatted with Cam and Elise, founders of Zorali, an outdoor clothing and gear company at its core but with a mission that is much deeper than that. Cam, Elise, and the team at Zorali are on a mission to get the world outside and are committed to ethically making clothes and restoring forests with every purchase sold.
Here’s what they told us 👇
How did Zorali begin?
Every dream starts somewhere. Ours began while exploring our favourite rugged coastline, the Surf Coast of Victoria, Australia. We’ve always shared this deep appreciation for nature with others – inviting friends for a dip in the ocean (even in winter), walks along our beautiful coastline, and camping trips further afield. Because for us, nature is the place we find rest. It brings a sense of renewal to our lives and friendships.
Like everyone else, we were becoming programmed to the pings, rings and looming deadlines of modern life. And, even as lucky ones with nature on our doorstep, getting out there started to feel more and more difficult. Then we heard about a pervasive but little-talked-about global trend: the great migration indoors. Caught up in ever-growing cities and distracted by the lure of technology, humanity – us included – was experiencing a collective dislocation from the natural world.
As we navigated the pushes, pulls and stressors of modern life, we were feeling increasingly antsy. So we went back to what we knew, and we stepped outside. We breathed in hard. And we breathed out Zorali – consciously designed gear to help get the world outside to reconnect with a sustainable lifestyle. In August 2019, we introduced Zorali to the world. And in just five years, what began as a celebration of our shared passion for seeing people experience the fullness of life outside has grown to surpass even our wildest expectations.
Was this your first business venture?
Zorali is an evolution of my first business venture which was called Monsta Surf, a small surf brand that started in my parent's backyard when I was fresh out of high school in 2012. Long story short, there was a global company that disliked our brand name and my dream of scaling the surf brand was slammed shut by these green-energy-drink-fueled lawyers (pun intended) and I had just 18 months to wrap things up. At first, I was devastated. But I began to see an opportunity to take the community I had built through the surf brand on a journey towards something new, focused on the mission of getting people outside and into nature, alongside my fiance at the time (and now wife and co-founder), Elise.
What does Zorali do and why?
We help people have fun exploring the great outdoors by providing sustainably made gear to get them outside with a considered approach to style and function.We’re passionate about what we do because we believe we all need more chirps, rustles and roars of the natural world. To make us feel awe. To make us feel small. To make us feel happier and more connected to ourselves and each other. Yes, Zorali is tents, hiking gear, base-mid-and-outer-layers, bottoms and pants, hats, backpacks, and more. But it was never just an outdoor brand for us. Zorali is an invitation to reconnect with nature: a therapeutic remedy that renews and restores.
Highest (metaphorical) mountain top in the journey?
It’s hard to pick just one high point in our journey because there have been so many. The moments that stand out the most are those where we’ve connected deeply with the Zorali community—through our meetups, hikes, and camp-outs. These experiences have been the highlights of our journey, each one marking a key moment of progress and reminding us that we’re on the right path. The community has always been at the heart of what we do, and these events have truly been the peaks of our adventure.
Lowest valley in the journey?
The lowest point in our journey came a few years ago when we became so consumed with the daily grind of managing and growing the business that we lost sight of what made Zorali unique. We were so focused on operational tasks that we neglected the essence of what distinguished us — our community and the distinct qualities that define Zorali. This period was challenging, but it taught us a crucial lesson: the importance of celebrating and staying true to what sets us apart is fundamental to our success.
What do you wish you knew in business when you first started out?
When we first started, we wished we had grasped the importance of "laser focus” sooner. Laser focus means saying no to irrelevant tasks and acting on what's most important. It means aligning your thoughts, your beliefs and your actions with the future you wish to create. It means not looking at two paths, but focusing like a laser on the one that's calling you. It means the relentless pursuit of a singular vision. It's the key to great work and a productive life, and it took us a number of years to find clarity on what we were actually aiming for, and, more importantly, how we could best execute that vision of creating a world where more people are outdoors, more often, collectively answering nature’s call – to find connection, restoration, and calm.
What’s on the horizon for Zorali?
The next 12–24 months are going to be big for Zorali. It marks the next step of our mission of getting the world outside, with expansion not only domestically, but globally. With further product releases in hiking gear, and in response to rapidly increasing demand, we’ll be reconnecting more and more people to the greatest outdoors through meetups and events.
To follow along on the Zorali journey, head to their website or Instagram for more.
