Rory Sutherland, Elfried Samba and Ben Francis on building a billion dollar brand
This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast explores what it really takes to build a billion-dollar brand. Ben Francis MBE, founder and CEO of Gymshark, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to discuss how obsessive focus, community, and self-awareness turned a side project into one of the UK’s most successful global companies.Together they unpack the real story behind Gymshark’s rise — from sewing T-shirts at his nan’s dining table to leading a worldwide fitness brand — and reveal why staying close to the customer, thinking like a 19-year-old entrepreneur, and protecting startup energy remain at the heart of Ben’s philosophy.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Ben:Instagram: @benfrancisTikTok: @benfrancisLinkedIn: in/gymshark/YouTube: @BenFrancisA @Sassy+ original podcast series
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1:21:41
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1:21:41
Rory Sutherland, Elfried Samba and Jess Butcher MBE on the age of distraction
This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast explores how our digital world has turned attention into the ultimate commodity. Jess Butcher MBE, founder of Scroll Aware, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to discuss the hidden costs of constant connection and what it’s doing to our ability to think and focus. Together they trace her journey from early tech pioneer to advocate for balance, reflecting on how business models built on distraction have reshaped society, and why making analogue cool again might be the next great act of rebellion.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Jess:Instagram: @jessbutchermbe @moresoulsociety Linkedin: in/jessbutcher/https://www.scrollaware.com A @Sassy+ original podcast series
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1:44:24
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1:44:24
Rory Sutherland, Elfried Samba and Max Osborne on marketing's next wave
This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast dives into the uneasy relationship between creativity and data in modern marketing. Max Osborne, co-founder of This That, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to explore how performance metrics and short-term thinking have reshaped the industry—and why it’s time to put intuition back in the mix.Together they unpack the origins of brand lift, the limits of benchmarking, and why true marketing success often looks like failure before it becomes a breakthrough. From influencer measurement to community-driven brands, they discuss how embracing uncertainty may be the only way to grow.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Max:Instagram @ maxosborne/Instagram thisthat.tt/https://uk.linkedin.com/in/himaxhttps://www.youtube.com/@thisthat-tthttps://www.thisthat.com/A Sassy+ original podcast series Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1:42:27
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1:42:27
Rory Sutherland, Elfried Samba and Timothy Armoo on the future for influencers
This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast explores the future of influence — who really holds it, how it’s shifting, and what that means for brands. Timothy Armoo, founder of Fanbytes, joins Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba to dissect the state of influencer marketing, the rise of niche communities, and why today’s real tastemakers might just be 16-24 year-olds on TikTok.Together they dive into the mechanics of trust, the art of showmanship in advertising, and how brands can stop borrowing attention and start becoming influencers themselves. From perfume to Gymshark, TikTok “aura farming” to the early misfits of AI, this episode unpacks how cultural waves are created — and how smart companies can ride them.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Tim:Instagram: @timothyarmooTikTok: @timarmooX: @timothyarmooLinkedin: in/timothyarmoo/https://www.timothyarmoo.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1:32:49
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1:32:49
Rory Sutherland, Elfried Samba and Jordan Schwarzenberger on scaling the Sidemen
This episode of The Bottleneck Podcast explores how creators turn audiences into real businesses — and why many struggle to grow. Jordan Schwarzenberger, manager of The Sidemen, reveals how they built an empire that spans restaurants, vodka brands, and sold-out stadium shows. Together with Rory Sutherland and Elfried Samba, they explore the forces reshaping the creator economy, the opportunities ahead, and the funding hurdles that hold many aspiring entrepreneurs back.Join Rory, Elfried, and Jordan for a deep dive into the business of creators and what it takes to turn cultural relevance into long-term success.Follow Rory:Instagram: @rorysutherland_clipsTiktok: @RorysutherlandclipsX: @rorysutherlandLinkedin: in/rorysutherland/Follow Elfried:Instagram: elfriedsambaLinkedin: in/elfriedsamba/https://www.butterflyeffect.xyz/Follow Jordan:Instagram: @jordanschwarz/Linkedin: jordanschwarzenberger/tiktok: @jordanschwarzenbergerX: jordanerschwarzhttps://www.jordanschwarz.com/https://www.thinklikeacreator.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, and Elfried Samba, CEO and Co-Founder of Butterfly Effect and former Global Head of Social at Gymshark, explore the hidden blocks that slow teams down, from flawed strategies to missed cultural signals and outdated thinking. Each episode breaks down a real challenge through the lens of behavioural science, digital strategy, and lived experience. Through conversations with industry pioneers and creative thinkers, they unpack why teams fail and reveal secrets for driving progress. Joined by guests who’ve built, rebuilt, or reimagined entire industries, Rory and Elfried challenge assumptions, unpack failure, and explore what moves the needle. Powered by Sassy+ www.sassyplus.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
UK