True Classic CEO Ryan Bartlett Built The Ubiquitous $250 Million Brand Following This Unconventional Advice

True Classic co-founder and CEO Ryan Bartlett didn’t dream of building a clothing empire—he dreamed of being a famous producer. But despite having obtained a graduate-level education in the music business, when faced with the disenchanting realities of the industry he decided to reconsider: “You see working with Eminem, but in reality you’re cleaning toilets and picking up garbage and getting food for people—all for free.”

Scraping by as a musician at the time, and uncertain what to do next, Bartlett leaned into his affinity for poker. He tells the story of how he moved to Las Vegas, where he “promptly went broke,” then transitioned to the nightclub industry only to quickly burn out.