George Heaton - The Clothing Brand That Should’ve Died, But Became a Cult
Open Residency
Trademark Lawsuit Nearly Ending Represent
George recounts the two-year trademark battle, its stakes, fear, and initial legal strategy.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:09 Back in 2019, You Got Sued. What Goes Through Your Head?
00:07:58 Unpacking George Heaton's Personal Branding
00:16:30 What Does Your Content System Look Like?
00:19:32 How Do You Define Taste?
00:23:13 How Important is Offline Events?
00:25:04 How Important is The Consumer in Informing You What To Do?
00:32:51 What's Your Product Development Philosophy at Represent?
00:46:03 The Business of Represent - You Sold A Part of Represent?
00:55:50 Why Did You Hire a CEO? What Was That Process Like?
01:07:23 How Did Hiring A CEO Make You Better?
01:12:03 Having a Girlfriend Now, What is That Like? What Are Your Thoughts on Work-Life Balance?
01:18:06 Moving to US, What Has Changed?
01:27:55 Quickfire Questions (From The Community)
In this episode, I sit down with George Heaton, co-founder of Represent, to unpack how a two-year trademark battle nearly wiped out the brand and how overcoming it sparked the creative fire that pushed Represent into its biggest years ever. George opens up about the fear of losing everything, why he kept building even while the lawsuit loomed, and how that pressure transformed him into the founder he is today.
We dive into how Represent became a global force: George's personal brand flywheel, his obsession with product and taste, the content machine behind Owners' Club and 247, and the offline community strategy that built true loyalty. He also reveals how much of the company he sold and at what valuation — and why he's still all-in while protecting the DNA that made the brand what it is. This conversation is a masterclass in brand building, product discipline, and staying authentic as you grow.
🔗 LINKS MENTIONED
REPRESENT: https://representclo.com/
Ghost.io: https://www.ghst.io/
75 Hard Podcast: https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/mfceo-...
Art of Seduction: https://amzn.to/3LRnIiK
House of Errors: https://www.houseoferrors.org/
KODYPHILLIPS: https://www.kodyphillips.com/
The Row: https://www.therow.com/
424: https://fourtwofour.com
HOORSENBUHS: https://hoorsenbuhs.com/
David Goggins "Who Is Going To Carry The Boat": https://youtube.com/watch?v=...
🎙 GUEST
George Heaton, Co-Founder of REPRESENT
Instagram: https://instagram.com/georgeheaton
Website: https://representclo.com/
📬 GET IN TOUCH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/openresidency
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Email: info@openresidency.com
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