If you’re an Entrepreneur or Business Owner and would like to come on the podcast then you can apply on the link here 👉 DodgeWoodall.com/guest

Paul Richardson opens up about a journey defined by instinct, timing, and building one of the most iconic modern business success stories from the inside out. After meeting Gymshark founders Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan in a local gym, he stepped into a business that was already growing fast but lacked structure, systems, and experience. Acting as a “fixer,” he brought organisation, connections, and key people into the business - most notably CEO Steve Hewitt - helping transform Gymshark from a £4.5 million operation into a global powerhouse. What followed was explosive growth, fuelled by early social media, smart branding, and a young, hungry team riding a wave few truly understood at the time.

But behind the billion-pound valuation was pressure, tough decisions, and real growing pains - from resolving founder conflicts and implementing structure, to scaling teams into the hundreds and navigating high-stakes investment deals. Paul reflects on the importance of timing, culture, and having the right people around you, as well as knowing when to step away. After exiting, he’s focused on building again - this time alongside his daughters - applying the same lessons in a more grounded way. It’s a rare insight into what it really takes to scale a business at speed, manage success, and stay in the game long enough to catch the wave.

This is the eventful life of Paul Richardson

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Every Friday Dodge gets interviewed by Co-Host Mark Masters (You Are The Media).

This chat is all about why live experiences are more powerful and more needed than ever, how Dodge went from selling queue jump tickets as a ten year old to building a festival that has sold over a million tickets across nearly two decades, and why in a world of doomscrolling and digital everything, getting people in a room together is becoming the most valuable thing you can offer.

Dodge also opens up about remortgaging his house, signing a ten year personal guarantee and the brutal reality of what it actually takes to build a live event that survives long after the competition has disappeared.

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Paul Rooney and Grant Smith open up about a life built on risk, resilience, and relentless graft - from teenage beginnings in the underground music scene to becoming pioneers of the UK rave and events industry. Starting out young, they threw themselves into record production, launched their own label, and quickly learned hard lessons after being burned by shady distributors. As the rave scene exploded, they evolved with it - moving from pressing vinyl and selling records directly to shops, to promoting club nights, running record stores, and staging major events at iconic venues like Bagley’s, Brixton Academy, Alexandra Palace, and the Sanctuary.

But behind the success was constant pressure - financial gambles, volatile crowds, industry setbacks, and moments where one bad call could wipe everything out. From building brands like Dreamscape and One Nation to navigating the shift from underground raves to large-scale festivals, they reflect on a journey shaped by reinvention, risk-taking, and a genuine love for bringing people together. Through it all, their long-standing partnership has remained at the heart of everything - built on trust, instinct, and decades of surviving the highs and lows of the events world side by side.

This is the eventful life of Paul Rooney and Grant Smith.

If you’re an Entrepreneur or Business Owner and would like to come on the podcast then you can apply on the link here 👉 DodgeWoodall.com/guest

All Enquiries - Hello@DodgeWoodall.com

Website: DodgeWoodall.com

YouTube: Dodge Woodall

Facebook: Dodge Woodall

Instagram: @Dodge.Woodall

TikTok: @DodgeWoodall

LinkedIn: Dodge Woodall

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.