In this pod I catch up with Dani Kiwi Meier, who joins me from his family's farm in Castetner, in France’s rural south-west, a scant two-hour drive from the fires currently sweeping through the region. Dani left New Zealand in 1988 as a toolmaker with experience in plastics engineering. His first job in Switzerland was building an ice rink. Not bad for a guy who'd never ice-skated before, let alone constructed a rink for the skating aficionados of Europe. Snowboarding then opened the door to an international life. As an elite snowboarder, Dani became an Australasian speed snowboarding record holder, a New Zealand & British champion, competed at the World Extreme Championships in Alaska, and was later a Head Judge on the World TTR Snowboard Tour. But this conversation is about more than medals, mountains, brands, campaigns, and awards. We talk about Dani’s childhood in Lower Hutt, the influence of his German-born Dad and Swiss-born Mum, and an upbringing spent mainly in adult company. We discuss a life shaped by water, land, snow, speed, risk, injury, reputation, clarity, discipline, creativity, trust, parenthood, and what actually matters once the exotic locations, wins, losses, egos, and excitement have been through the wash. Dani’s career has moved from pro riding to product design with leading global brands, to helping build the culture and iconography around snowboarding. His agency’s most recent work includes the internationally award-winning campaign for Moncler featuring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. We touch on what action sport teaches you about authenticity, New Zealanders as islanders, and what parenthood teaches that no mountain, campaign, award, injury, or adventure ever could. A huge thanks to Dani for joining me on Kiwi Flees. This was a generous, thoughtful, and wide-ranging conversation with another remarkable Kiwi Flee doing it his way offshore, while staying keenly connected with Aotearoa New Zealand. Support the show If while listening to Kiwi Flees you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Someone really should give this guy three dollars,” I bring great news. You can now be the someone you’ve always dreamed of by clicking on the support link above. But if money’s tight, please don’t - listening to and sharing the show is hugely appreciated. On behalf of OFNZ, thank you for listening and sharing the pod. My huge thanks to the Kiwi Flees for candid conversations, and to my sound engineer Robbie Mulligan and the team at Matrix Digital (Wgtn). Thank you, too, to Kea for promoting the pod. If you're a Kiwi Flee or know someone who should be, please get in touch at: kiwiflees@onlyfromnz.co.nz Please subscribe, leave a review, and join me in a fortnight for our next episode.
