Legacy: Reimagining Family Business & Bottling the Bondi Lifestyle with Briony Oayda

What does it mean to inherit a legacy—and then boldly redefine it? In this episode of Core & Commerce, host Perry Howell sits down in Bondi with Briony Oayda, owner and managing director of Bondi Active, the premium Australian label turning the Bondi lifestyle into wearable wellness. Briony grew up around the iconic Between the Flags stores founded by her father—but rather than simply stepping into the family business, she chose to build her own perspective first. After years in consulting at PwC and working on the launch of HBO Max in the U.S., she returned to Sydney during COVID to help steer the business through one of its most uncertain periods. From relaunching Bondi Active with performance-driven design and sustainable fabrics to opening new retail spaces and preparing for international expansion, Briony shares how she’s blending heritage with a modern brand vision. In this conversation with Perry, she opens up about: - Growing up inside a family retail business in Bondi - Why she left to build her own career before returning - The realities of taking over a business during COVID - The future of activewear and the rise of elevated leisurewear - Building a brand rooted in community, movement, and wellness At its heart, this episode is about legacy and leadership—how to honour what came before while creating something entirely your own.   Chapters 00:00 Core and Commerce Intro 01:12 Meet Briony and Bondi Active 01:52 Childhood and Independence 04:08 Growing Up in the Business 06:00 Lessons from Mom and Dad 09:46 Between the Flags Origin 11:46 Reimagining Bondi Active 14:03 Athleisure and Swim Trends 16:45 Sustainability and Quality 18:27 Consulting to HBO Max 20:40 LA vs Bondi Lifestyle 21:24 Bondi vs LA Mornings 22:04 Bringing Lessons Home 23:06 Taking Over in COVID 24:16 Legacy Meets Innovation 25:53 Resilience and Mentorship 27:22 Bold Storefront Strategy 29:12 Future of Physical Retail 30:27 Popups and Brand Community 32:32 Brand Why and Bondi Life 34:07 Rapid Fire Retail Stories 37:34 Legacy and Global Expansion 38:54 Next Year Vision   Core & Commerce is the space where ambition meets wellbeing. Hosted by Perry Howell, marketing leader, wellness founder, and media powerhouse - and inspired by her own journey of redefining success, balance, and health. Bringing realness to wellness, each episode goes deep in honest, unfiltered conversations with the founders, creators, and innovators moving the wellness world forward.   If you enjoy the show, subscribing, rating, and leaving a review makes a real difference. It helps the podcast reach new listeners and allows me to keep creating intentional conversations like this one.   Subscribe to Core & Commerce on all platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCV1IYtabu3mc3SGxRDc5EiA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/core-commerce/id1858299411 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VO0pBexqGMMCNM3kXnafC?si=6Uk3WZRaSMy-s2wa2l5F4Q   Follow Core & Commerce: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreandcomm/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coreandcomm Follow Perry Howell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perryhowell/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrymhowell/ Website: https://www.perryhowell.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@perryhowell_ ShopMy Episode Look: https://shopmy.us/shop/perryhowell Amazon Picks: https://www.amazon.com.au/shop/perryhowell?ref_=hype_hm_sf_e   Explore Bondi Active: Web: https://https://bondiactive.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bondiactive