Driving at the Edge – Leadership Lessons From the Bridan Twins’ Race of Failure, Innovation & Vision
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 2, 2025
- 6 min read
Written by Mark Sephton, Business Mentor
Mark Sephton is a personal mentor to entrepreneurs. His mission to help others has seen him break into global markets while working with startups and millionaire entrepreneurs around the world. Mark's love for entrepreneurship has been expressed through serving as the TV host of the show “One More Round.”
The Bridan twins, Nikita and Iliya, have forged an extraordinary path in the world of automotive design, blending heritage with groundbreaking innovation. From humble beginnings to creating the HF-11, they’ve learned that true leadership thrives at the intersection of failure, creativity, and relentless vision. This article dives into their philosophy, offering valuable lessons for leaders ready to take bold steps in any industry.
Opening scene: Living at the edge
We all love to dream. After all, most things that shape our reality once existed only in imagination. Some dream of the speed of comfort, others see speed as an essential need that must be satisfied. The Bridan twins, Nikita and Iliya, dream at the speed of both failure and success, twice as fast, by their own admission.
From dropping out of high school in Canada to design school in Italy to leading projects with Honda, GM, and Toyota, the Bridan brothers have lived at the edge where heritage collides with innovation. Their latest creation, the HF-11, is not just a car, it’s a statement about daring, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of a vision they believe in.
As someone who has spent years helping leaders uncover their inner story and magnify their visibility, I see in the Bridan twins a blueprint and a way forward that extends far beyond automotive excellence. Their journey is a lesson in resilience, self-leadership, and the kind of visibility that resonates long after the engines cool down.
I sat down with Nikita Bridan, founder and CEO of Oilstainlab, creator of the HF-11, to go deeper into their philosophy, to understand the role of failure, the weight of vision, and the balance between heritage and innovation.
The power of failing fast
“Failure is the best teacher. You don’t know the limit until you’ve gone off-track.” – Nikita Bridan
You often say you either fail or succeed twice as fast. How has this philosophy shaped the way you take risks, recover from setbacks, and build momentum as entrepreneurs?
Nikita: That saying actually came from one of our instructors at the Art Center College of Design. He said, “I know why you guys are moving so fast, because there are two of you, and you fail twice as fast.” It was meant as a backhanded compliment, but it stuck.
Failure, to us, isn’t negative. It’s essential. You don’t really grow when you succeed. Success just means you did it. It doesn’t prove it was the best way. Failure, that’s the teacher. That’s where the lessons hide.
It’s like racing. You don’t know the limit of a car until you spin out, go off-track, or crash. That’s when you know where the line is. If you never push that far, you’ll always wonder if you could have gone further. We embrace failure as part of the process because without it, you’re nowhere near peak performance.
Global roots, bold vision
Leadership lesson
Exposure breeds innovation. The Bridan twins learned that creativity flourishes when you immerse yourself in diverse systems, cultures, and disciplines.
From Ukraine to Canada to Italy to California, your journey is a global one. How has this diverse background influenced not just your design vision, but also your mindset as leaders?
Nikita: We’ve been shaped by different worlds. Born in Ukraine, raised in Canada, dropping out of high school, and then moving to Italy at 14, that was formative. Turin is the mecca of car design. We were surrounded by artisanal craftsmanship, hand-shaping metal, and the tradition of Italian coach-building.
Then we came to California. Suddenly, we were in the middle of Hollywood storytelling, SpaceX, Silicon Valley startup culture, and hot-rod customization. It was the opposite of Italy’s heritage, it was disruption, speed, and constant reinvention.
What became Oilstainlab is really the marriage of those two worlds, Italian craftsmanship with California’s culture of storytelling and innovation. That shaped not only our design language but also our leadership philosophy.
Heritage meets innovation
“A car should be like a pet. Sometimes it misbehaves.” – Nikita Bridan
The HF-11 carries the soul of the 1960s while pushing boundaries with modern engineering. How do you balance honoring heritage with the demand to innovate and disrupt?
Nikita: We’re in a strange phase of automotive design. The digital revolution and electrification have made cars into appliances. They’re perfect, too perfect. But people miss the soul.
A car should have personality, even quirks. With the HF-11, we’re not making flawed cars, but we’re avoiding sterile perfection. We inject a little chaos.
Back in the ’60s, cars were simpler and more understandable. Now everything’s hidden in software. We want to bring back authenticity while using the best of modern technology. That’s why we use carbon fiber monocoques, safer, lighter, and more efficient. It’s about creating something authentic, soulful, and fun.
Resilience in the ride
“We remind ourselves, we’re building the coolest stuff in the world. How many people get to say that?”
Launching something as bold as the HF-11 takes enormous resilience and clarity. On the hard days, what practices or inner disciplines help you keep going?
Nikita: This has been the biggest roller coaster of my life. There have been failures and delays alongside the highs. But the thing that keeps me going is my brother.
It’s rare that both of us have a bad day at the same time. When one is down, the other carries the vision. That’s powerful. We also see problems as privileges. We get to solve the hardest challenges in the automotive world and do it our way. That perspective keeps us moving.
A beacon of possibility
Oilstainlab is producing just 25 HF-11 cars. What do you hope those cars represent, not just to the buyers, but to the world about design, innovation, and daring to dream big?
Nikita: At first, we weren’t trying to be a lighthouse. We just wanted to build what we thought was missing. But people have reached out saying, “What you’re doing is what the industry needs.” That’s humbling.
The 25 HF-11s represent a possibility. They prove that a small team can do what massive companies can’t. They show that vision, obsession, and discipline matter more than resources. That’s our message, even two “idiot twins” can disrupt one of the biggest industries on the planet.
The legacy beyond cars
And beyond the cars, what legacy do you want to leave behind in the industry?
Nikita: When we started, the dream was to become chief designers. But once we saw the corporate world up close, we realized that wasn’t the dream anymore.
Now, we just want to inspire people to build cool things. Whatever your passion is, chase it. Don’t wait for permission. The world needs bold ideas.
With today’s tools, it’s never been easier to bring ideas to life. Yes, competition is fierce, but the opportunity is greater than ever. Our legacy, I hope, is to show people that you can take the “crazy” idea everyone tells you not to do, and make it real.
Final thoughts: Lessons for leaders
The Bridan twins’ story is about more than cars. It’s about leadership at the edge, where failure, innovation, and vision collide.
Failure as fuel. Growth comes not from avoiding mistakes but from testing limits.
Heritage with disruption. The past can be a launchpad, not a cage.
Vision with resilience. Leadership is about holding the line on the hardest days, with the right people beside you.
The HF-11 may be limited to just 25 cars, but its message is unlimited. For leaders in any industry, the Bridan twins prove that boldness, passion, and persistence can bend reality.
Because at the edge of failure and innovation lies the future. And sometimes, it takes a pair of maniacs to drive us there.
Follow Mark on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Visit his website or email Mark at info@marksephton.com. You can also buy his books Inside Job & Plot Twist on Amazon!
Mark Sephton, Business Mentor Mark Sephton is a personal mentor to entrepreneurs. His mission to help others has seen him break into global markets while working with startups and millionaire entrepreneurs around the world. Mark's love for entrepreneurship has been expressed through serving as the TV host of the show “One More Round.” When not on the big screen, Mark is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine and a speaker for corporate events, entrepreneurship summits, and major conferences worldwide. His expertise in personal and professional development has positioned him as an expert in the industry, resulting in transformational experiences for audiences, clients, and businesses alike. Drawing from personal experiences, Mark has taken the essence of what he has experienced and built a business that helps draw out the magnificent potential that every person beholds using his GPS system to highlight blind spots, efficiencies, and deficiencies. He is also the author of two personal development books, “Inside Job” and “Plot Twist,” and is elated at the opportunity to continue to teach and influence through writing for Brainz magazine.
