What does it take to grow a family business and remain true to the values that built it?

In this episode of PeppTalk, host Alexa sits down with Henning Strauss — CEO and owner of STRAUSS, Europe’s leading workwear brand, and Seaver College’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus — to explore how purpose-driven leadership can shape both a company and a life.

Henning traces his unlikely path from a small town in Germany to the Malibu coast, sharing what led him to take a leap of faith and study at Pepperdine. As a business administration major, Strauss quickly felt at home within Pepperdine’s welcoming campus community. He immersed himself in his coursework with the goal of one day contributing to his family’s business back home. For Strauss, Pepperdine’s values-centered curriculum, emphasis on servant leadership, and guiding Christian mission cre ...