No Investors, No Problem - how George Sullivan has grown his bootstrapped business, The Sole Supplier, to drive £50million GMV per year

"If I had taken investment in the early years, it would've wrecked me. I wouldn't have been able to deal with investors breathing down my neck."

George Sullivan turned his obsession with trainers into The Sole Supplier, a business driving £50 million GMV annually - without a single investor. His biggest insight? Bootstrapping isn't just about keeping control; it's about growing at a pace that matches your capacity as a founder.

In today's episode, I'm joined by George Sullivan, founder and CEO of The Sole Supplier, Europe's leading sneaker marketplace. After discovering parkour at 13 and building various side hustles, George launched Sole Supplier at 22 and has grown it over 12 years to work with the world's biggest brands, building a team of 30 and generating billions in content views. His journey includes navigating untreated ADHD, rejecting the toxic hustle culture narrative, and proving that sustainable growth beats venture-backed chaos.

Together we unpack:

• Why taking investment would have destroyed his business in the early years
• How ADHD can be both a superpower and a liability in fast-growth environments
• The danger of being bamboozled by credentials and investor pressure when you're young
• Why quality beats quantity and hustle culture is destructive for motivated founders
• How to validate spending decisions when bootstrapping with limited resources

👆 If you're a founder questioning whether you need investment to scale, or struggling to balance ambition with sustainable growth, this conversation will completely reframe how you think about building a business on your own terms.

About George Sullivan

George Sullivan is the founder and CEO of Sole Supplier, a leading sneaker marketplace that has driven over £50 million in GMV annually. After starting with parkour and various entrepreneurial ventures, George built Sole Supplier from the ground up without external investment, working with major global brands and building a community-focused platform. Over 12 years, he's proved that bootstrapping, when done strategically, can create a sustainable and successful business without sacrificing founder autonomy.

Connect with George Sullivan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-sullivan-tss/

More from James:

Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com