The Nugget: No. 38 - John Shepherd

The term Renaissance Man refers to a man or woman having an interest in a great many things. It heroes the great polymaths of the Renaissance including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and it’s also a pretty apt description for John Shepherd.

John however, humbly describes himself “more accurately as a creative director, nosy parker and failed inventor”.

Either way, with his many interests, you’d want him on your Trivial Pursuit team.

By day John co-owns busy design firm UnsworthShepherd, building brands here and around the Pacific. But to keep the ideas flowing, he reckons he needs to regularly top up the inspiration tank with lots of other ‘fuel’. Like riding motorbikes.

He’s started his own Sunday riding club which includes his wife and 15 mates. The club’s motto? No bigots or bullies, never leave anyone behind and it’s all about the biker not the bike. Not to say he doesn’t froth over his current ride - a Suzuki 1800 V-twin which “purrs like a cat but growls like a tiger when needed” – especially on his favourite ride, Gentle Annie, between Napier and Taihape.

At night you can usually find John tinkering in his shed – his ultimate happy place. He’s pictured here with the drive-unit for his self-designed and built, pedal-powered kayak made from an old Seagull engine, bike parts and a mate’s old hand-drill. (“Hope he doesn’t read this.”)

It’s only taken a few short years to build but it does actually work, “although it’s slower than a wet week”, John admits.

Mind you it was more successful than his recent attempt at designing a hand powered digger.

The only holes that actually ended up being dug were the excuses he told his wife to justify the endless nights spent in the shed “getting so close to changing the world”.

John likes to dress like his personality; smart, casual and with the ability to roll up his sleeves. That’s why he loves our selvedge denim jeans ($120), 100% cotton shirt (The Calabash $120 or 3 for $300) and brogue Chelsea boot (The Jagger $230 or 2 for $333).

With a rich, full life that includes two equally curious lads aged 13 and 10, the days fly by for John. But as that other good bugger da Vinci himself once said: “Life well spent is long”.

Here’s a bit more about John. Even more time well spent, we guarantee.