[ep 105] Gary Lenett on Building a Meaningful Life & Business, Resilience and Non-Attachment

Born in Vancouver and shaped by the spirit of the 1960s and 70s, Gary Lenett—founder and CEO of denim brand DUER—grew up between two contrasting parental influences.

His mother was cautious and conservative, a loving stay-at-home mom whose anxiety left a lasting imprint. His father, who lost his own parents at the age of twelve during the Great Depression, was larger than life: charismatic, courageous, and comfortable with risk—sometimes a little too comfortable.

A former teacher and lawyer, Gary is no stranger to starting anew, with these two forces of caution and boldness continuing to inform the way he moves through the world and navigates business.

He has spent decades in the apparel industry, building one of the largest denim manufacturers in North America. At 48, he lost everything while raising three young children, beginning again with a deeper understanding of risk, resilience, and what truly matters.

But this conversation is about far more than business.It is about the opposing energies that shape us: openness and discernment, discipline and surrender, fear and trust.

From a young age, Gary sensed something profound within but didn’t yet have the language to describe it. A lifelong admirer of The Little Prince and a self-described “curious skeptic,” he eventually found his way to meditation and a philosophy rooted in presence, honesty, compassion, and non-attachment.

In this open-hearted episode, we talk about failure, fear, profit and purpose, and what “enough” means after a life marked by both collapse and renewal. It’s a dialogue about being self-led, surrendering to what is, and the art of building not only a meaningful business, but a meaningful life.

[TIMESTAMPS]
00:00 Introduction to Gary Lenett

02:30 Contrasting Parental Influences

10:48 Career Transitions and Personal Growth

15:06 The Collapse of a Business

19:32 Ego Death and Rebirth

20:40 Finding Fulfillment After Loss

23:57 Navigating Fear and Anxiety

26:42 Openness vs. Discernment

29:42 Lessons from The Little Prince

32:50 The Concept of Effortlessness

35:47 Experiencing Flow in Life

39:52 Overcoming Anxiety and Staying Present

43:30 The Nature of Risk in Entrepreneurship

46:11 Lessons Learned from Business Failures

50:00 Choosing the Right Business Partners

53:16 The Deeper Impact of Doer

56:49 Legacy and Life Lessons