More than the incredible (true) story of one founder’s journey to turn around the company he created, this is a public coaching session on what it takes to win as a 6–7 figure brand.

Sean Frank and Matt Bertulli sit down with Ben Leonard, founder of Beast Gear, a strength and conditioning brand he built from scratch in Scotland, sold to Thrasio in 2019, and bought back after watching it decline for years.

Together, they dig into what went wrong, what Ben is doing to resurrect it, and why he’s launching a new product at the same time. The conversation covers the rise and fall of the Amazon aggregator model and the brutal math of earn-outs when a buyer stops investing in your brand. Ben walks through how Beast Gear went from $6 million in revenue to barely $500k after Thrasio killed the website, email marketing, and social media.

The hosts also guide Ben through their turnaround playbook, from TikTok Shop and founder-led content to reclaiming damaged Amazon listings.

Connect with Ben Leonard

https://www.youtube.com/@benleonardpro

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjleonard/

https://www.beastgear.co.uk/

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What does it take to build a ~$300M apparel brand from scratch?

Matt Bertulli and Mike Beckham sit down with Ryan Bartlett, Co-Founder, and Ben Diamond, CEO of True Classic, for their first-ever joint interview. Together, they unpack how a professional poker player and a Meta executive became one of the most formidable partnerships in DTC + built a men’s and women’s wear empire on the back of white t-shirts.

From the early days of consulting on Facebook ads to their obsessive focus on fit, speed, and customer value, Ryan and Ben reveal why they cut 80% of their product catalog, how tariffs forced their most profitable quarter ever, and what it really means to “seek the truth” instead of being right.

Plus, they get into AI-generated creative, why big brand activations are overrated, and the surprising power of giving away $100 poker chips to Uber drivers.

What separates billion-dollar celebrity brands from total flops

Sean, Matt, and Katy Mimari (CEO of Caden Lane) break down why some partnerships become massive exits like Rhode and Skims, while others like The Honest Company and Kylie Cosmetics struggle to survive. They dive deep into deal structures, red flags to watch for, and the real math behind putting famous names into your brand.

The crew debates whether fame equals influence (spoiler: it doesn’t), why alcohol brands have an unfair advantage, and how Gordon Ramsay became the blueprint for celebrity integration. Sean shares the inside story of his MKBHD partnership at Ridge — including how they structured the deal, why YouTubers beat traditional celebrities for DTC brands, and whether Guy Fieri might be showing up in a Ridge ad soon.

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Operators Newsletter

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