How do you build a performance wear brand in one of the most competitive industries in the world… while trying to fix one of fashion’s biggest environmental problems?

In this episode of Building The Brand, James Burtt sits down with Rory McFadyen, co-founder of Reflo, to unpack how a startup launched in 2021 and grew from an ambitious idea into a fast-scaling sportswear business working with major partners across football, golf, motorsport and elite sport.

Watch more episodes and connect here:

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

https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter

Rory explains why Reflo positions itself as a performance wear brand with sustainability at its core, not the other way around, and why great product and great storytelling matter more than green-washing. He shares the origin story of the brand, how he and co-founder Pete turned a problem in the fashion industry into a commercial opportunity, and why they chose one of the hardest categories in business to enter.

The conversation also goes deep on startup reality; building products with no industry background, learning how to scale systems, evolving from founder chaos into process-led growth, and recognising when the original business model needs to change.

Rory also reveals how early inbound interest from the Australian Open and WM Phoenix Open changed the route to market, how Reflo built real traction in teamwear and partnerships, and how Harry Kane became both an ambassador and investor in the business.

CONNECT WITH RORY /REFLO:

https://reflo.com/

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

https://www.instagram.com/refloofficial/

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 Why fashion is such a huge environmental problem

1:09 Is Reflo a performance brand or a sustainability brand

1:59 Why customers buy product first and sustainability second

4:23 Where Reflo is now and what changed after major growth

5:00 Why building systems and data became the next phase of the business

7:32 What happens when a startup becomes a 50-person company

10:00 The early story of Rory and Pete as childhood friends

14:10 The moment the Reflo idea really began

15:00 Turning waste plastic into high-performance apparel

17:37 Why apparel was one of the hardest possible businesses to start

20:00 How the founders researched the market before launching

22:15 Why co-founders need different strengths, not identical ones

30:00 The first prototype products and early product mistakes

32:18 The reality of fixing bad first samples

33:48 Reflo’s innovation drops and recycled car part capsule

36:12 The early days of selling to friends and first real customers

37:16 The first moments Rory saw strangers wearing Reflo

40:00 How Rory still reads customer feedback, reviews and returns

43:55 Why Reflo does not lead with sustainability messaging alone

45:00 The original DTC plan versus what actually happened

45:53 How the Australian Open and WM Phoenix Open found Reflo

47:48 Why teamwear became a major growth opportunity

48:21 The huge commercial and environmental problem in sports kit

49:15 How Reflo built Reloop and circular recycling into teamwear

50:24 Why genuine partnerships matter more than logo placement

52:26 Why founders must stay focused but flexible

54:20 How Harry Kane discovered the brand

56:38 How Harry Kane became an investor and ambassador

57:03 Why Reflo chose crowdfunding over traditional VC

1:03:06 What the next six to twelve months look like for Reflo

1:05:00 Why DTC is becoming a bigger focus now

1:06:47 Building an in-house agency model inside the marketing team

1:10:16 How Reflo operates as a remote international company

1:13:00 What Rory is most excited about next

1:16:37 What Rory has had to change as a founder to keep scaling

1:18:44 Why leadership structure had to evolve as the business matured

1:22:35 The difference between being a founder and becoming a CEO

1:24:19 Rory’s dream future brand partnerships

What does it actually take to build a modern talent brand in a world where followers mean less, engagement means more, and creators now hold more power than the platforms and brands trying to use them?

In this episode of Building The Brand, James Burtt sits down with Jake Lee, founder of Alpha Talent Group, to unpack what is really happening inside the creator economy, celebrity talent management, and the new rules of influence. From managing major personalities and sports talent to navigating brand deals, reputation risk, platform shifts and long-term career planning, Jake gives a sharp behind-the-scenes view of an industry that many people still misunderstand.

Watch more episodes and connect here:

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

https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter

Jake explains why engagement matters more than follower count, why creators should think like business owners, why LinkedIn is wildly underrated, and why the smartest operators are planning for life beyond the current wave of attention.

He also opens up about working with high-profile names including Tommy Fury, how trust is built in the talent world, what brands still get wrong when working with creators, and why the future belongs to people who own their audience rather than just rent attention from traditional media.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why owned media has become as powerful as, or more powerful than, traditional media

• Why follower count is often a vanity metric and engagement is what really matters

• How brands should brief creators if they actually want better content and better ROI

• Why talent management today has to go far beyond brand deals

• How creators can turn content into a genuine full-time career

• Why long-term planning matters for creators, athletes and founders alike

• How Alpha Talent Group thinks about trust, reputation and 360 management

• Why LinkedIn is one of the most overlooked platforms for creators and public talent

• What the future of sports creators looks like ahead of major events like the World Cup

• What happens behind the scenes when managing talent through public controversy and career-defining moments

Connect with Jake:

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 – Why creator work can now be a genuine full-time career

01:07 – Jake Lee on building Alpha Talent Group across entertainment, digital and sport

05:32 – Why engagement matters more than audience size

09:07 – Has owned media now become more powerful than traditional fame?

10:00 – Why creators now hold more power in brand relationships

14:30 – How Alpha Talent approaches talent-first dealmaking

16:14 – Why the government is now taking creators seriously

22:23 – How brands are thinking more about ROI, conversion and performance

25:34 – Why the best metric is the one tied to the actual outcome

27:52 – Affiliate deals, hybrid deals and the changing economics of creator partnerships

30:00 – Why creators need stable income before taking bigger commercial risks

32:29 – Setting expectations with talent and treating content like a real profession

36:47 – Which platforms are working best right now for creators

38:18 – Why LinkedIn may be the most underrated platform in media and talent

41:18 – Why athletes and creators need to plan for life after the peak

45:15 – The real value of 360 management and trusted advisors

49:45 – Why talent agencies should build brand visibility without becoming the talent

53:21 – Managing Tommy Fury, public scrutiny and protecting talent through difficult periods

59:25 – The business of boxing, showmanship and selling attention

01:05:41 – Why Alpha uses a three-month trial contract instead of locking people in

01:11:09 – Why the best businesses often win by rejecting lazy industry norms

01:12:25 – The milestone moments that made Jake realise the business was real

01:21:15 – What Jake is most excited about in the next phase of the creator economy