Everybody Wants To Be Us

Ben Gallaga

Fashion is full of lies. For so long, humongous multi-national billion-pound corporations, who hijacked creatives, have dictated what we hold, put on our back and slip onto our feet. But not anymore. Kids from council estates, people daring to be different and those not even nearly qualified enough on paper, are the new judges of the fashion court. But how did it change so radically? Welcome to the home of fashion's realest stories. Welcome to Everybody Wants To Be Us. read less
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Fashion & BeautyFashion & Beauty

Episodes

Brand & Marketing Expert: from Intern to Vice-President - How to climb the fashion ladder.
3d ago
Brand & Marketing Expert: from Intern to Vice-President - How to climb the fashion ladder.
Start your Humantra journey: ⁠https://humantra.co.uk/products/ben-gallaga-starter-kit⁠ Join the 'us' community - ⁠https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Cathriona Nolan started at the very bottom of fashion. Now she's a brand and marketing expert. Her foot in the door was a three month internship at New York, which turned into a two decade long career which most recently landed her in Bangkok as a senior vice president. She's worked in all major cities across the world. She's been on photo shoots with Rihanna in New York, worked her way up at Burberry in London, and helped scale the startup to over $100 million. She's done it all online and offline, retail and e commerce. In turn being part of a leadership team, corporate companies and start-up scale-ups, heritage luxury and new emerging brands. She climbed her way to the very top through hard work persistence, and the hunger to explore every opportunity that was thrown at her. She's the perfect example of how saying yes to everything can put you in situations that you never would have imagined. I didn't know much about Katrina before I sat down with her, so I couldn't plan any of my questions. But the weird thing is this was the longest conversation I've had with any guest. The conversation was free flowing, gripping, informative, and filled with relatable stories. If you wanna find out what route you actually want to go down in fashion, listen to Cathriona. Your eyes will be opened and your mindset may be shifted. This conversation will help you gain clarity on how to attack the rest of your career in fashion and help you get to the very top.
"I didn't let my eating disorder define me" - Lorna Luxe: The Queen of Influencer Marketing
21-10-2024
"I didn't let my eating disorder define me" - Lorna Luxe: The Queen of Influencer Marketing
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Lorna Luxe is the perfect example of an OG influencer. From growing up in a council estate in Manchester to living in a 2.5 million pound ghost house. She started posting on social media for fun. She then was given gifts brand deals. She then created her own collections for a fast fashion brand… and now has launched her own brand. Lorna has shared her life online for the past 10 years & amassed over 1.4 million followers that she speaks to every single day. Lorna grew massively on Instagram back in the day when it was just posting still images. But since social media's changed to focus more on video, Lorna has had to change her approach from posting polished pictures of her outfits garnished with luxury items. Lorna then took a risk and started exposing her skincare routine and bravely sharing her hair health journey of alopecia. But she quickly realized… The more access you give people to your true self, the stronger your relationship you build with your audience. In this episode: ⁃ Lorna teaches me how she deals with hate online. ⁃ How she knew Instagram was gonna be her career even though there was no evidence that it could be. ⁃ What you really need to do to create a community in 2025. ⁃ How she deals with anorexia & bulimia  ⁃ What it was like growing up in a council estate in Manchester  ⁃ How much works goes in to being an influencer in 2024. Lorna's perspective on Instagram is priceless. She's gone through every up and down creators could have possibly gone through on the platform and provides insights that are unbeatable to match. If you want a career in social media, then Listen to Lorna and she will show you exactly how it is possible.
The Female Role Model Every Woman Needs to Listen to: Aimee Smale - OddMuse Founder
07-10-2024
The Female Role Model Every Woman Needs to Listen to: Aimee Smale - OddMuse Founder
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Aimee Smale is the perfect role model to every aspiring female founder… Aimee Smale is the perfect role model every woman needs to listen to… She started odd muse in 2020, risking her house savings to bring her passion project to life. In 2024 she will turn over £20M… A far way away from the £1m she always dreamed of. She fixed a problem that needed solving… she attacked fast fashion head on and has helped slow it down.  Aimee started a movement and built a community of a more sustainable, conscious, savvy customer, helping build there wardrobes slowly & reducing throway away fashion culture.  Fast Fashion brands are falling whilst Aimee and OddMuse lead the way to new horizons. But now, Aimee wants to slow down. She’s experienced so much growth in the last 3 years that recently it’s affected her mentally. She became stressed, burn out & needed rest. Odd Muse could do £50M next year, but Aimee doesn’t want to.  I spoke with Aimee after she’d just got home from having one month off.  A month break where she relaxed, refrained and reflected on what she actually wants out of her company. A journey all of her followers feel like there on with her.  On Social media Aimee is honest, transparent and welcoming.  Her approach to her audience is one I’ve never seen before. It may seem candid, relaxed an open - but there is a reason for each and every post.  Her creation has been so impressive that people mistake her brand as an ‘influencer brand’  But that’s simply not true.  Her brand made her an influencer because of how good her product is and how much her customers love her. I uncover… The real reason she is so open with her customersHer secret’s on social that everyone normally ignoresWhy her brand is thriving whilst fast fashion is going into declineHow she is now having cultural impact Why she actually has a shop in Covent GardenThe tricks she uses that brands like fear of god and Cole Buxton have also used that have helped grow her brand so quickly… If you’re serious about growing a fashion brand today, you want to understand what it really takes to succeed on different social media platforms or you simply want a female role model in your life - there is no better person to listen to than Aimee Smale.
I've Lost Everything: Tommy Mallet - Founder of Mallet London and CTRNE
23-09-2024
I've Lost Everything: Tommy Mallet - Founder of Mallet London and CTRNE
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Tommy Mallet has been through things you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Over the last 18 months he’s: Suffered a devastating loss of his baby to a miscarriage. The brand he founded took him to court… & he was diagnosed with ADHD…He’s lost it all. But none of that has given any sign that it’s stopped him. In fact, it’s motivated him even more. He promised me he’s on his way to new heights that only few can imagine. Before today, He’s never spoken in so much detail about his traumatic experiences. Tommy Founded Mallet London at the age of 23. JD bought into him, then he bought them back out. He made himself and the people around him multi millionaires.He took the brand global, even cracking the states, something very few entrepreneurs are able to do. But Tommy was very 1 dimensional, he never celebrated his wins, he was so focused on reaching his goals that he allowed nothing to get in his way…But now he’s changed…After a toxic relationship with his business partner sealed his decision to resign from his own company…He started a new brand… CTRNE, the worlds first crystal infused sneaker. He now talks about how life is for living How everything is already written for you His experience with Spirits and psychics. How becoming a dad changed him. This is by far the most goosebumps I’ve ever had in the space of 2 hours. Tommy’s ability to story tell is impeccable. His energy is infectious and his ethos on life is well worth listening too if you are open minded. You believe everything he says because he says it with so much conviction. It’s impossible not to be intrigued and inspired by the things words he spoke.If you’ve ever gone through tough times, if you have to deal with trauma, Tommys perspective on life will help you navigate your way through it.
Ex On The Beach to Affordable Luxury Founder: Ross Worswick - The Couture Club Founder
09-09-2024
Ex On The Beach to Affordable Luxury Founder: Ross Worswick - The Couture Club Founder
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Ross Worswick is the perfect example of what people call and influencer brand owner. but he’s managed something, that very few reality TV stars have succeeded in doing… The Couture Club have gone from JD to Selfridges. From being so close to giving up to having its most successful year in 2024. Many people think their success has come from Ross’ appearance on ex on the beach or the fact JD took 40% of his company to help grow it. But people don’t know the real story, the truth of what’s actually happened over the last 10 years. And when I listened to him, I was surprised, moved, motivated & inspired by the up and down, rocky, winding road he’s been on with his company. His clothes have been seen on some of the most influential people in the UK.  But gone are the days where you could put celebrities & influencers in your clothes and sell out a collection. And that’s why The Couture Club are still around today. They’re adaptable, resilient but what impressed me the most is their self awareness to identify their weaknesses on where and how to improve in an ever changing landscape of fashion. We debated whether it’s easier to start a fashion brand 10 years ago or today.  Why he sold his company to JD then bought it back. If content creation is just as important as the quality of the product. Whether going on reality TV is a good strategy to start a fashion brand in 2024. How important re branding is to get you back on the right track. And what he’s done better than other brands to last 10 years in the game. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not on the path you once where or you’ve fell out of love with something that was once an obsession, Ross’ story will teach you that it’s not over, this is not the end, and you still can achieve your dreams with small, consistent & purposeful actions.
From Bankrupt to the Fastest Growing Men's Jewellery Brand: Danny Buck - CRAFTD Founder
26-08-2024
From Bankrupt to the Fastest Growing Men's Jewellery Brand: Danny Buck - CRAFTD Founder
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ This guy promises success - but no one wants to listen to him.  Not only does it guarantee you to become rich, but also free and happy too. He’s the E-com expert who’s made over $100m on Shopify with 3 different brands. So why is no one copying his blue print? Well, people want things quick, over night & NOW.  But Danny preaches something different. Something human nature won’t allow most people to act on… Patience, slowing down and doing things one step at a time.  Danny has tried so many things, that I could have done an episode for each venture he attempted He has so much wisdom that without all his previous failings would never have gained to be able to share with you He’s now evolved into what I would describe as the perfect modern CEO who understands how people actually want to work… He’s been: Hijacked and ransacked by his own agency he founded Made Bankrupt after being scammed into a deal he didn’t understand  & had to rely on his wife to be the bread winner whilst he figured out what step to take next We talk about the painfulness of working in an agency, what it takes to leave your current career to pursue something new, how working with family really is, if remote working is better than going into the office, the importance of company culture, if experience in fashion will determine your future success and how big Craftd is going to be…  If you’re thinking of leaving your current situation to pursue a burning desire you just can’t stop thinking about - Danny will guide you along the pathway of exactly which steps to take…
How To Believe In Yourself: Noah Lyles - Fastest Man In The World and Olympic Gold Medalist
12-08-2024
How To Believe In Yourself: Noah Lyles - Fastest Man In The World and Olympic Gold Medalist
Join the 'us' community - https://k2oxbmv3.paperform.co/ Noah Lyles, grew up in a religious cult. He was physically and emotionally bullied in school by girls and suffers with asthma. But he’s just won the gold medal in the 100m sprint at the Paris olympics. I first met Noah last year when he walked for Hugo Boss in their TechTopia Show with Gigi Hadid & Anthony Joshua. Since then I’ve seen him chill with Snoop Dogg, appear on Jimmy Fallon & be the main character in the new Netflix Series Sprint. People call him, arrogant, obnoxious & overconfident - but I sat down with a man who’s guilty of only one thing. Having an unwavering belief in himself incomparable to anyone else I’ve ever met. Noah has ADD, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma yet allows none of this to stop him. What inspired me the most was none of his accomplishments but his ability, in a world of such judgment and comparison, to expressively and unapologetically be himself. He’s dismissive of his downfalls and refuses to see them as barriers. He’s unashamed of his emotions, therapy and dependance on his mum which only seems to make him stronger and more secure. I’ve never met a super hero but Noah is the closest thing to what I imagine one to be like. We talk about his love for fashion, his runway experience in Milan, his highest grossing Netflix documentary & so much more. If belief in yourself is what you need, listen to Noah. His advice and energy is infectious.