Define your Position of Trust.
Build everything else from it.

Some people build brands. Jon Laurenson has spent more than three decades helping shape the industries they live in.

From eyewear and fashion to tourism, hospitality and surfing, Jon's career has been defined by recognising cultural shifts before they become obvious — identifying opportunities others overlook, building trust around them, and transforming them into commercially successful brands, products and experiences.

His philosophy is simple.

“Define your position of Trust. Build everything else from it.”

It isn't a slogan. It's the principle that has guided every chapter of his career, long before he had the words to describe it.

The Beginning

Jon's career began in the Australian eyewear industry during the 1990s with Arnette Optics, where he became Australasian Brand Manager during one of the most influential periods in action sports.

When Arnette was acquired by Luxottica in 1999, Jon witnessed first-hand how world-class brands are built, scaled and positioned globally. It laid the foundation for a lifelong career in design, product development, wholesale, licensing, branding and business strategy.

While the eyewear industry was evolving, Jon was already seeing another opportunity.

Seeing Tomorrow Before Everyone Else

In the late 1990s, Jon helped introduce Poko Pano to Australia, establishing the country's first Brazilian swimwear brand.

The Brazilian cut was unlike anything Australian consumers had seen. Its confident, feminine silhouette would go on to reshape the swimwear landscape and influence an entire generation of Australian bikini design.

Jon simply recognised the shift before the market did.

In 2000, he co-founded Electric Visual in Australia, helping build one of the most influential eyewear brands in global surf, skate and snowboard culture. Under his leadership the business grew into a highly successful operation before being acquired by Volcom in 2009 in a transaction valued at approximately eight times EBITDA.

In 2008, while Electric continued to grow, Jon introduced Brixton to the Australian market — years before the Californian label became a global lifestyle icon. At a time when hats were still considered accessories, Brixton helped redefine headwear as an essential part of modern surf, skate and street culture.

Three industries. Three market shifts. One consistent instinct — recognise where culture is moving before everyone else.

Building More Than Brands

Jon's career has never followed a conventional path.

Between 2010 and 2014, he founded Summersite, a travel and lifestyle publishing company that became Queensland Tourism's number one travel blog in 2012.

Summersite produced the Islands of OZ coffee table book and worked alongside Tourism Australia, Tourism Western Australia, Tourism Queensland, the WSL, Billabong, Quiksilver, Volcom, Seafolly and Havaianas.

It was proof that the same principles used to build brands could also build audiences, communities and influence.

See Jon's creative direction & production work →

In 2012, Jon co-founded Anchor Bar Bondi, serving as Creative Director and shaping every aspect of the venue — from its name and identity to its menu, sustainable seafood philosophy, progressive Western Australian wine list and one of Sydney's earliest guava chilli margaritas.

Different industry. Same approach. Understand the market. Create something distinctive. Build trust around it.

Purpose, Product and Entrepreneurship

In 2018, Jon founded Childe Eyewear, creating a sustainable eyewear brand built on the belief that premium design and environmental responsibility could coexist.

Childe grew into more than seventy independent boutiques across Australia, proving that purpose-led businesses can also achieve commercial success.

His exit from the business in 2025 marked the completion of another entrepreneurial chapter and reinforced the lessons that now underpin his work with founders and business owners.

Giving Back

Throughout his career, Jon has remained deeply connected to Australian surfing.

In 2024, he produced the Australian Surfing Awards at Bondi Beach for Surfing Australia and worked across partnerships for the ABB Australian Boardriders Battle, continuing a lifelong commitment to the industry and community that helped shape his career.