CamBro Conversations 306) Calvin & Ryan Smith | Our Journey Building Suited & Booted
Today’s conversation is with Calvin & Ryan Smith, co-founders of Suited & Booted—a premium tailoring brand built from the ground up in Dubai, known for its sharp fits, honest service, and relentless work ethic.
We rewind the clock to before the stores, the signature suits, and the brand recognition—to the early hustle, tough setbacks, and bold decisions that built the foundations of their success.
Ryan shares how he went from working in recruitment and real estate to selling suits from the back of a rented Toyota Yaris, and Calvin recalls how him and Ryan became friends, business partners , and scaled together.
Expect to learn:
- What led Ryan and Calvin to move to Dubai
- Where the idea for tailoring came from—and how it turned into Suited & Booted
- How they navigated major supplier issues and financial pressure early on
- Why owning your mistakes can be a superpower in business
- How Calvin & Ryan complement each other as business partners
- The biggest milestones in the Suited & Booted journey so far
- The evolution from “use Ryan” to building a scalable brand
- What they look for when hiring and how they train their sales team
- Why so many expats leave the UAE worse off financially—and how to avoid that trap
- What most men are getting wrong when it comes to suits
- How their casualwear range BYSMITH fits into the brand vision
- What long-term success looks like by 2030
This is a deep dive into resilience, reputation, and relationship-based business—from two men who built their business on trust, tailoring, and turning up every day, no matter what.
Today’s podcast is sponsored and supported by Notox Skincare. Get 15% using CAMBRO on natural skin care here - www.notoxskincare.co
Connect with Suited & Booted:
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/suitedbootedofficial/
Website - https://www.suitedbooted.com/
Connect with Col:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/col.cambro/
Email List: https://mailchi.mp/548e38ba5942/colincambro
Patreon: www.patreon.com/ColCampbell