How I Built This with Guy Raz Fanatics: Michael Rubin
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Jan 27, 2025 Michael Rubin, the founder of Fanatics, transformed a childhood challenge with reading into a $25 billion sports branding empire. He shares how trading closeout sporting goods fueled his entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Rubin discusses navigating setbacks with Major League Baseball and Nike, highlighting the importance of learning from criticism. He reflects on the evolution of e-commerce and strategic acquisitions that propelled Fanatics from a small venture to an industry titan while balancing work, personal life, and mental health.
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Early Hustles
- At 8, Michael Rubin hired kids to shovel driveways for $5/hour after pre-selling the service for $20.
- At 12, he started a ski tuning shop, and by 15, he had five, demonstrating early entrepreneurial instincts.
Near Bankruptcy
- At 16, Rubin faced lawsuits and near-bankruptcy after a bad ski season and overspending.
- This experience taught him a valuable lesson about financial management and resilience.
Keys to Success
- Rubin believes common sense, street smarts, work ethic, and relationship-building are key to success.
- He also values not being easily offended, seeing it as a strength in business.