Former Mountainview Soccer Coach Brad Namdar Lights the World Up with his Successful Candle Business, and Volunteering at 30 Local Agencies

Brad Namdar is a Renaissance Man.

The proud owner of two college Football Bowl Championship rings, he is also a former soccer player, Estagio for FC Dallas, College Soccer Coach, former championship figure skater, and has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves collecting coins and stamps and singing Frank Sinatra songs. His latest success has been in the art world and Home Décor. His scented luxury candles are a hit and the sweet smell of success is strong.

A proud Texan, born in Medical City Dallas, he is a first generation American born and raised in Dallas, Texas. His parents are Persian. 

He currently lives in Uptown but was raised in Plano, along with his older sister Mora. He graduated from Plano West, where he admits, “I did just about everything: football, wrestling, Debate team, French Club, and I was a Select soccer player soccer to be on the US Youth National Pool Player.” He wanted to grow up to be many things: a professional soccer player, NFL Quarterback or kicker, President of the United States, an attorney, a successful businessman, “Even a secret agent like 007, or an actor!” Brad admits with a laugh. Deep down he knew he just really wanted to help others.

He attended Texas Tech in the fall of 2007 and played college football under Head Coach Mike Leach. His team won the Gator Bowl in January of 2008. Brad transferred into SMU in 2008 and helped the Mustangs win the BBVA Compass Bowl under Head Coach June Jones in 2012. 

Academically, Brad was awarded the William J. O’Neil Business Journalism Scholarship at SMU and the winner of the SMU Big Ideas grant and scholarship which included receiving awards from the White House in 2010, CBS’ “Texan with Character,” and among countless other awards and honors. Brad helped promote the “Dream Big” program and it spread like wildfire to 11 college campuses, providing scholarships for many other college students. Additionally, during his undergraduate studies, where he earned his Journalism Degree and Philosophy Minor, he was also the Estagio for FC Dallas Estagio; the first in the history of US Soccer and MLS for FC Dallas under HC Schellas Hyndman and USDA Academy Head Coach Oscar Pareja, and a Private Kicking Coach and Soccer Coach at St. Mark’s School of Texas.  .

After Brad’s undergraduate studies he became the SMU Men’s Soccer Director of Operations for two years, where Brad continued his education, receiving a Masters in Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management from SMU in 2014 during which time he became a license Mediator and received his Executive Business Coaching Certification in 2013.

While in college, to decompress, he began making scented candles. He learned how to do it from googling it and eventually his dorm room was so full of candles his teammates told him he should sell his wares. A business was born, and this year Neiman Marcus featured his candles in their Black Friday sales.

As busy as he was, he admits his toughest year came in 2014 when he took a job as a Finance and Accounting Teacher and Head Boys Soccer Coach at North Dallas High School in 2014. Dealing with hundreds of students—some in rival street gangs—plus lesson plans, after school soccer practices, soccer games on the road and an administration he found unsupportive, Brad did his best to keep positive. “I gave everything I had to the kids and the school,” he says proudly, “But I learned what was wrong with the bureaucracy in education and what holds our kids back.” After North Dallas, Brad Coached College Soccer for 1 year at Mountain View College as the Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach (the youngest college soccer head coach in the country at the time), and after the season, he decided to pursue his business opportunities to take a break from the field. 

One thing that hasn’t gone away is his love for business and for his fiancé’ Pia Lara. Although they attended the same University, they met on Facebook. Pia was the captain of the SMU Swim team, and graduated with her Bachelor’s in Business and French, then earned an MBA from SMU's Cox School of Business. Brad says “She’s out of my league. I’m a lucky guy.”

The two traveled to the UN last weekend when Pia was invited to attend the National Hispanic Summit. Brad was invited to attend as an ally for the Hispanic and Latino community regarding Business and Political Affairs due to his success being an entrepreneur. The two said the experience was phenomenal. 

Brad is the CEO of Namdar Décor, The House of Namdar, and has other ventures including consulting, he named his first company PRSB LLC, after his beloved family dogs Pepe, Romeo, Simba and Bella. 

He is most known for two of his primary businesses, the House of Namdar Art House and Namdar Décor – Luxury Candle Fragrance Company/Home Décor.

As president of the Namdar Group his Consulting Practice, Brad says his passion in life is to help people. He’s already assisted over 30 non-profits. At just 30 years old Brad has experience in International Trade and Commerce and the manufacturing supply chain, wholesale, distribution and commerce. He’s happy to coach others in these areas, having been mentored and guided by others in his journey to a successful business.

He's met a lot of famous people in his coaching and business worlds, but Brad says he wishes he could have known his grandfathers who passed away before he had the chance to meet them. He’d love to play poker with the “old school Hollywood legends” and actors like A Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walker, and Frank Sinatra if possible.

Few people know Brad is a state champion figure skater, earning a gold medal in 1998 at the Level Free Style 3, or that he has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do & Kung Fu. He also collects coins, currency notes, and stamps which says he knows makes him sound like an old man. He even did a Stand-Up Comedy routine in front of a sold-out crowd at McFarlin Auditorium at SMU and can still kick of 60-yard field goal and juggle a soccer ball 100 times without the ball hitting the ground.

He admits challenges and tough times in athletics as a coach and a player, as a teacher, a family member, a business owner, and a philanthropist have made him who he is today, and looks forward to a future where he can continue helping others through his coaching and mentoring. “No experience is a bad experience,” he says, “because without the bad ones we don’t know the good ones. When you have a bad experience, you can learn from it, and become a stronger person because of it.” 

What does the future hold? “I see myself still helping people and being married, with kids.  Who knows what endeavors I will be pursuing then? But I can guarantee you this, I will be pushing to grow and will continue doing everything I can to keep helping others.”

Got a question for Brad? See him on Social Media:

Twitter: @bradnamdar

Instagram: @bradnamdartx

bn@namdardecor.com

Judy Porter lives in Dallas and writes about local heroes. Contact her at judy-porter@sbcglobal.net.