Who doesn't love a bit of unconventional business wisdom! Ben Leonard has no business training. In fact, his background is in Ecology. Oh, and he’s a whale and dolphin nerd, who had no interest in fitness, until his mid 20s, when he decided to build a successful online fitness brand called Beast Gear which, in its third year, turned over six million large ones! It’s an unbelievable episode 654 of The (14 year-old, award-winning) Small Business Big Marketing podcast.
A little more about this episode
First and foremost Ben Leonard is an ecologist by trade, and a self-confessed whale and dolphin nerd.
Thanks to a health scare, he’s also the founder of Beast Gear, an online business, built on a laptop, in a cupboard, in his spare time, with an initial £1,000 investment.
Three years later, Beast Gear was turning over more than £4 million at which point Ben achieved business’s Holy Grail …. and exited for life on a hammock.
Well, that’s not exactly true … whilst he did exit with a nice little earn, he’s already in the throes of at least two more online business ideas … one which I absolutely love.
Oh, and he’s also written a book titled Quit Stalling & Build Your Online Brand. What is it with these millennials?!
In this chat, Ben generously shares where the idea for Beast Gear came from, how he scaled using chatbots and Instagram, why a huge fitness brand tried to sue him and failed, plus he’s a big fan of the business learnings from Sonic the Hedgehog!
With all this success, and with so many eCommerce stores out there, I started off by asking Ben whether it’s too late for the average Joe to start one.
Links Mentioned
Grab a copy (plus some free goodies) of Ben Leonard's book Quit Stalling And Build Your Online Brand.
Businesses that make this podcast possible
StudioHawk - No generalists, just a damn good SEO agency (award-winning actually!).
Patreon - Join Timbo's Business Owner Membership and take control of your marketing.
Book Tim Reid - Keynote or conference emceeing.
As always, thanks for your support. May your marketing be the best marketing.
Timbo Reid
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stay-at-home mum turned toy manufacturer is winning in an over- saturated market | #444
David Silvestri may well be Brisbane’s most passionate business shop owner | #443
It was do or die for tie store owner Jeremy Chen when people stopped wearing ties | #442
Full-time student and bakery owner Phillip Kuoch has just launched a donut franchise as well! | #441
Sub-mariner now retailer Peter Wells on building an iconic local business | #440
Part 2 of the best SEO tips for small business from Dana DiTomaso, one of the world’s leading SEO experts | #439
Best SEO tips for small business from Dana DiTomaso, one of the world’s leading SEO experts | #438
A business-triggered breakdown inspired Billie Goat Soap founder Leanne Faulkner to help other small business owners | #437
Young entrepreneur Mick Spencer has built On The Go Custom Apparel in to a multi-million dollar global powerhouse | #436
Ethical butcher, Sam Canning, used to be a vegetarian … Now he runs six fancy butcher shops in Melbourne’s most affluent suburbs | #435
Lifestyle business owner Brendan Torazzi only ever works on, not in, his four lifestyle businesses | #434
How to create a highly profitable customer manifesto with Platinum Electricians Joshua Nicholls | #433
Ex-pilot Saya McDermott thanks social media for her skincare brand’s success | #432
Scumbags Barber Shop is a polarising brand … but for those that love it, they wouldn’t go anywhere else | #431
Crazy adventurer (or is he?) James Castrission on why and how we need to take more risks | #430
How a stand-up comedian used comedy to build two million dollar mortgage-broking businesses (and had a breakdown in between) | #429
Shark Tank shark Andrew Banks on how to build an empire … and which rockstar he’d love to be! | #428
This iconic Australian business has been quietly keeping customers happy for 48 years | #427
A marketing mindset hack I've been using for 9-years +++ plenty more marketing G.O.L.D. | #426
How to successfully pitch your business +++ plenty more marketing G.O.L.D. | #425
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Communication Research Podcast
newbooksincommunications.com
Powerful Insights
Solo Practice University® Guest Lectures
Podcasts - Autopilot Your Business