Dorry Kordahi has built a career that spans fashion, merchandise, sport, and investment — but at the centre of it all is a relentless drive to build things that last. As the CEO of Swanky Socks and founder of DKM Blue, Dorry has turned ideas into multi-million-dollar ventures while staying true to his core values of integrity, innovation, and discipline. In our conversation, he talks about scaling a business from a $40,000 startup to a global brand, how sport shaped his leadership style, and why balance and perspective matter just as much as growth.
You’ve built and led companies across fashion, merchandise, and even professional sport. What does a typical day look like for you? How do you stay grounded through it all?
There’s no such thing as a “typical” day for me and that’s what I love about it. My days can shift from creative meetings developing collections, to commercial discussions, or catching up with the Como Sydney crew on the harbour. What keeps me grounded is routine and perspective. I start early, train most afternoons, and make time on weekends to reflect and reset.
I’ve learned that being present is key. No matter how many moving parts there are, I try to give my full attention to what’s in front of me. Staying grounded also comes down to the people you surround yourself with and never losing sight of where you started. I remind myself often that we all began with nothing, and being grateful for that journey keeps life in perspective.
Swanky Socks went from a $40,000 start-up to selling over three million pairs of socks. What were the key decisions or habits that helped you scale so quickly without losing focus?
It came down to three things: vision, discipline, and execution. From day one, I treated Swanky Socks like a brand, not a product. We invested heavily in storytelling, in getting our foundation right, and defining what we stood for as a brand.
We also built a strong model in custom socks at a time when the market was still new, leveraging our retail brand value and selling the story behind it. The lesson was simple: scale only works when the foundation is strong. Growth without structure just burns momentum.
Entrepreneurship can be relentless. How do you look after your wellbeing and energy, especially when you’re juggling multiple ventures?
I’ve learned to treat my health and mindset like another business; it needs consistent investment. Exercise, travel, and time on the water recharge me. When I travel, I love to walk for hours, it clears my mind and keeps me grounded. At home, I’m big on reformer Pilates; it’s become part of my balance.
I’ve also learned when to switch off. It took time, but balance is now non-negotiable. You can’t lead others well if you’re running on empty.
You’ve spoken about integrity and innovation as core business values. How do those ideas manifest in your daily leadership style?
Integrity is the foundation of trust and trust is everything in business. I lead with transparency and accountability. If something doesn’t align with our values, we don’t do it.
Innovation, to me, is about never standing still. I encourage my teams to challenge how things have always been done. I also believe integrity is truly tested in tough situations, how you handle mistakes or setbacks says everything. You earn more trust with customers by being upfront and honest. That mix of honesty and curiosity drives everything we build.
You’ve worked in very different environments — from basketball teams to boardrooms. What lessons from sport have shaped how you approach business and teamwork?
Sport taught me resilience and unity. You can’t win alone, no matter how talented you are. Culture wins championships, just like it builds great companies.
Having played Basketball myself, I’ve drawn heavily on those experiences. Teams are built on leaders and role players, and that structure mirrors business. I had no degree, so I relied on my sporting background to shape my business mindset and visualisation. In my book, Win Big, Risk Small, I dedicate a chapter to this, because I genuinely believe that team sport and business are deeply connected.
Being around professional teams and sports administration in my older years, showed me that success is built on preparation, accountability, and chemistry. In business, I’ve brought that same mindset, creating environments where people want to perform, grow, and win together.
For people chasing growth or thinking about their next move, what’s one piece of advice you’d give about balancing ambition with sustainability?
Don’t rush the journey. Ambition is powerful, but without patience, it can destroy you. Build businesses and lives that last. Be intentional with your time, values and relationships. The goal isn’t just to grow fast, it’s to grow well.
For me, sustainability is about legacy creating something that outlives the hustle. As the old saying goes, profit is sanity and turnover is vanity and I know which one I’d choose.
