All right, get ready because today we are taking a deep dive into the story of Davey Fogarty.
Davey Fogarty.
And his crazy journey.
Absolutely.
From a $500 investment.
Yeah.
To a half a billion dollar empire.
Empire, that's it.
Yeah.
Half a billion.
Davey's YouTube video, how I went from $500 to half a billion in five years lays it all out.
It's all there.
The highs and lows, the failed ventures.
Oh yeah, son.
Family ultimatum.
Ultimatum.
Ultimatum's had those.
Even a run in with the Australian federal police.
Yeah, I don't want to mess with them.
But what I think is so fascinating is how he went from this insecure kid in Adelaide to
this entrepreneurial powerhouse in just five years.
Five years.
It's incredible.
It's not just about the money though, is it?
No.
Davey's story really highlights how much power there is in self-delief and how our early
experiences shape us.
Right.
And it's just so much more pudgy.
I hate that word.
Yeah, I know.
Like who even says that anymore?
Well, it sounds like that's what he heard.
Yeah, yeah.
And being told he was stupid growing up.
Oh wow.
These weren't just like little comments.
They stuck with him.
And influenced his drive to prove everybody wrong.
It's like they became this fuel.
Yeah, exactly fuel.
What's inspiring to me is that he took these negative experiences and turned them into
fuel for success.
Totally.
And this, he finds inspiration not in textbooks.
No.
Not from some big business guru.
Right.
But from Nike commercials.
Nike.
Huh.
This is not wild.
He talks about how Michael Jordan's words.
On all of the go.
About failure being a stepping stone to greatness.
I love that quote.
Really resonated with him.
Yeah, that's great.
And it's such a powerful reminder that inspiration can literally come from anywhere.
Absolutely.
Even a shoe ad.
Yeah.
It's a valuable lesson for all of us, honestly.
We put these limits on ourselves.
We do.
Thinking that inspiration has to come from specific sources or people.
Oh, I know.
I'm guilty of that.
But, you know, think about it.
What are some of the things that have inspired you?
Ooh, that's a good question.
Maybe a song.
Ooh, yeah.
Music's a big one.
Or a quote from a movie.
A movie.
Or even like a conversation with someone you didn't know.
You never know where that spark's going to come from.
Exactly.
It's about keeping an open mind.
Being receptive to those little sparks of motivation.
Totally.
And then there's how Davy's story shows the power of small, consistent actions.
Small actions.
He starts out, you know, with these minimum wage jobs.
Like everyone does.
Moving boxes in a warehouse.
Backbreaking.
But he uses that money to invest in himself.
Smart.
He gets a gym membership.
Good for him.
And a tutor.
Wow.
He's so serious.
Yeah.
And it's like he just intuitively understood this principle of compounded growth.
Right.
Even back then.
Fascinating how some people get that, isn't it?
It is.
It's not like these massive leaps.
Right.
It's just about those consistent little steps that build on each other.
Exactly.
It applies to so many things.
Oh, I know.
Learning a new skill.
Mm-hmm.
Starting a business.
Yeah.
Even getting in shape.
Yeah.
It's universal.
It is.
So he takes this invest in yourself thing even further.
Oh.
And enrolls in mining engineering at university.
Mining engineering.
I know, right?
That's right.
But here's the kicker.
No.
He hates it.
Oh, no.
I know.
I think a lot of people feel that.
Do you?
Yeah.
Choosing a path.
Yeah.
Based on money or what other people expect.
Uh-huh.
Only to realize that.
It's just not for you.
Yeah, it's tough.
It is.
But he doesn't just sit around complaining.
No, he doesn't.
He's what does he do?
He starts a side hustle.
A side hustle.
Nice.
No way.
He's juggling all this.
I know.
So what's the side hustle?
He jumps into the world of Instagram.
Instagram.
Reviewing supplements.
Good weekends, okay.
Selling shout outs.
Even flipping accounts.
Wow.
He was really hustling.
He was a resourceful entrepreneur in the making.
Classic, classic trial and error.
Yeah, you got it.
Testing different things out.
Uh-huh.
Learning as he goes.
Exactly.
Building his skills.
That's Davey.
That period's so crucial.
It is.
It lays the foundation.
It really does.
It's the foundation that comes later.
And don't forget, he's juggling university and those warehouse jobs.
This guy's a machine.
This guy is a hustler.
Total hustler.
But then just as things start looking up.
What happens?
He gets hit with a major setback.
A setback, right?
He loses $40,000.
$40,000.
He plays in an Instagram scam.
Ouch.
That's gotta hurt.
Evestating, right?
Yeah, especially when you're just starting out.
Exactly.
It'd be so easy to just give up.
Oh, yeah.
What's striking about Davey is his resilience.
Resilience.
That's the word.
He doesn't let this define him.
He doesn't.
He bounces back.
And his family is crucial in helping him do that.
It's so important.
He talks about how their support was a lifeline.
I know.
Dying that difficult time.
Support systems are everything.
They are.
Who in his family was especially helpful.
His dad gave him this really great advice.
What was it?
Davey, to imagine carrying a rock in his shoe.
A rock in his shoe.
Representing that $40,000 loss.
Okay, I get it.
And he asked Davey, would you keep walking?
With a rock in your shoe.
With that rock in your shoe?
The weight.
Or would you take it out?
Of course you'd take it out.
It's such a good reminder.
It is.
That holding on to past mistakes will only hold you back.
Absolutely.
Powerful analogy.
So simple, yet so profound.
It really is.
Makes you think about your own rocks in the shoe.
Doesn't it?
Things we dwell on.
Oh yeah, we all have them.
But we have a choice, just like Davey, to move forward.
So after this, Davey decides to make a change.
Okay.
And moves to Melbourne.
Melbourne, new start.
A fresh start, exactly.
What's he do there?
He lands a job.
A job, okay.
At Fifth Watches.
Fifth Watches, a watch company.
Yeah, a watch company.
Nice.
And he just immerses himself.
He immerses himself.
In all things e-commerce.
Smart.
He becomes like this jack of all trades.
Wow.
Histography.
Videography.
That's got skills.
Digital marketing.
Wow.
This guy just had this hunger to learn.
He's not just passively learning though, is he?
No.
He's actively applying it.
Yeah.
Experimenting.
That's how you really learn.
And that leads him to his big idea.
The big one, okay.
Calming blankets.
I've heard of those.
He comes across this article about weighted blankets.
Weighted blankets, yes.
Insomnia and sensory disorders.
Interesting.
And he realizes there's a gap in the market.
A gap, okay.
He literally tests the idea out by piling blankets on himself.
Uh-huh.
I could just imagine that.
Right.
That's great.
So he's got his idea.
The idea.
But he's only got $500 to his name.
$500, that's it?
That's it.
So what does he do?
This is where his experience hustling on Instagram comes in.
Okay.
He uses a strategy called pre-selling.
Pre-selling.
Smart.
You know what that is, right?
Yeah.
You take orders.
Yep.
And get paid before the product is even made.
Exactly.
Smart for startups with limited capital.
Very smart.
Minimizes the risk.
It does.
You validate the idea before investing a ton.
So clever.
But I mean, come on.
What?
No entrepreneurial journeys without its bumps in the road.
That's the truth.
What happens to Davey?
Davey's first shipment.
His first shipment.
Gets held up by Australian customs.
And then he has this near disaster.
When the Australian federal police get involved.
You're kidding?
I know.
Crazy, right?
Wow, that's stressful.
But he stays calm under pressure.
He does.
Yeah, he finds solutions.
Impressive.
It's amazing he didn't just give up.
For real.
This whole thing could have derailed everything.
I know, that's a thing.
But he handles it.
So the shipment clears.
Duh.
He's officially in business.
Davey's in business.
His first day.
First day.
He makes $200.
$200, not bad.
Not a fortune.
Not yet.
But it's the start of something much bigger.
I bet it is.
$200.
That's $200, the first step.
The first step.
Toward a multi-million dollar empire.
And this is just the beginning?
Just the beginning.
Can't wait to hear what happens next.
D2.
That $200 turns into something huge.
It does.
Within a week, he's making $1,000 a day.
Wow.
And by month two.
Month two.
Sales explode.
Can blow it.
To $10,000.
$10,000.
By the end of that first year.
First year?
It brings in a mind blowing $1.5 million.
$1.5 million in profit.
In profit.
From $200 to $1.5 million in profit in just one year.
It's amazing.
That's the dream.
It really is.
Perfect example of what we were talking about earlier.
The power of compounded growth.
It's not just luck though.
No.
Davey knew what the market needed.
He gave people a product they really wanted.
He found that gap.
And he understood how to use social media.
Oh, absolutely.
The right people.
He did.
It's not just about the business though.
Right.
He achieved some personal goals too.
Yeah, he does.
He buys a Range Rover.
A Range Rover.
Nice.
Helps his girlfriend get her dream car.
That's sweet.
Even buys a house.
A house, wow.
But he doesn't forget the bigger picture.
The bigger picture.
He reflects on the journey.
It's important to reflect.
And share some lessons.
What kind of lessons?
He talks about enjoying the process.
Enjoying the process.
Which is easy to forget.
It is when you're in the thick of it.
When you're hustling.
The grind.
But he reminds us that the journey matters.
I like that.
Just as much as the destination.
Powerful message.
Not just for entrepreneurs.
No, not at all.
It's so easy to get caught up in the outcome.
The outcome.
That we forget to appreciate the little wins.
The little wins, those are important.
And the lessons we learn along the way.
He's got another big one too.
Yeah.
Never giving up.
Never give up.
And always keep learning.
Always learning.
It's like he's living that Michael Jordan quote.
The one about failure.
That's the one.
Full circle.
It's pretty cool.
He embraces the failures.
He does.
Use them as fuel.
To keep going.
Speaking of going forward.
Baby's journey doesn't stop at calming blankets.
Calming blankets was just the beginning.
He launches the Ooty.
The Ooty.
Which takes things to a whole new level.
That's the one everyone knows him for.
I think so.
He's using what he's learned.
Mm-hmm.
Applying it to something new.
Exactly.
He finds another gap.
Tell me.
People want comfy, oversized blankets.
Wearable blankets.
That's the thing.
It's brilliant.
It is.
And it becomes a global thing.
Millions to tens of millions in revenue.
Incredible.
A brand all about comfort.
Yeah.
Inclusivity.
And fun.
Fun is important.
It is.
What's cool is.
Yeah.
He uses those same strategies from before.
Like what?
Pre-selling.
Smart.
Social media marketing.
It worked before.
Why change it?
The Ooty's success.
It's pretty amazing.
It's all about the emotion of the brand.
The emotion, okay.
It's not just a blanket.
Right.
It's a feeling.
A feeling, interesting.
It's about comfort, warmth, connection.
You're making me want to get one.
It's a product that makes you feel good.
Yeah, I get it.
That's powerful.
It's like he's back to those Nike commercials.
Full circle again.
He gets it.
Emotional branding.
Before it was even a thing.
He's ahead of the curve.
He is.
Davey's story is so inspiring.
It is.
It shows that anyone can achieve amazing things.
With enough passion.
And determination.
And a willingness to learn.
$500 and an idea.
It's all it took.
Have a billion dollar empire.
In five years.
That's the power of entrepreneurship.
That's the power of Davey.
He really shows us what's possible.
It's not a straight line to success though.
No, it's not.
He had setbacks.
He did.
He never gave up.
What stands out to you?
About Davey's story.
Yeah, what's the big takeaway?
Anyone can achieve their goals.
Anyone.
If they work hard.
Work hard.
Embrace the tough times.
And never stop learning.
Never stop learning.
Davey wasn't born an entrepreneur.
He built those skills.
He did.
Trial and error.
Persistence.
He wanted it bad.
He did.
His story shows us.
It does.
Success isn't for the lucky few.
It's for anyone with the right mindset.
And the willingness to put in the work.
Exactly.
So empowering, isn't it?
It is.
We all have the potential.
We do.
To create something amazing.
Even with something small.
$500 and an idea.
Like Davey.
Davey's story shows us you don't have to have all the answers right away.
You don't.
It's about having the guts to start to start to experiment.
To experiment.
To adapt.
It's a process.
Davey even says to those watching.
What's he say?
You're not too stupid.
Oh, I like this.
You are in a position to make a change in the world.
A call to action.
It is.
It's like he's challenging us.
It is.
To step outside our comfort zones.
To embrace the possibilities.
Davey's story loaves apart this myth.
That success is only for a chosen few.
Yeah.
It shows us.
Anyone can do it.
With dedication and a willingness to learn.
Remarkable things.
Markable things, yeah.
We can't forget about finding the joy in it all.
Finding the joy, right?
Even when it's tough.
Because it will be?
Davey puts it perfectly.
How does he say it?
Try to enjoy the ride.
Enjoy the ride.
I love that.
It's about the hustle, the experimenting.
The hats and downs.
Yeah, the constant learning.
Talk about part of it.
So as we wrap up this deep dive.
Into Davey Fogarty's journey.
An incredible journey.
I have a question for you.
Okay, hit me.
What's one small step you can take today?
Today.
To get closer to your goals.
Doesn't have to be huge.
Nope.
It's finally starting that project you've been putting off.
Been there.
We're taking a course to learn something new.
Always learning.
Maybe just shifting your mindset a little.
Your mindset.
To see challenges as opportunities.
Love that.
Davey started with just $500 and a willingness to learn and hustle.
And look where he is now.
Imagine what you can achieve.
With the resources you have.
What's stopping you from taking that first step?
That's the question.
We hope this deep dive has left you feeling inspired.
Davey.
I'm ready to go after your dreams.
Whatever they may be.
Davey's story shows us.
It does.
The path to success is rarely a straight line.
So true.
But the journey.
The journey.
It's full of amazing learning experiences.
And unexpected rewards.
That's what it's all about.