Show notes
Can losing your father, losing the business you built in his honour and taking a job you never expected become the foundation for your biggest opportunity?Danny Gray is an entrepreneur, commercial strategist, former Commercial Partnerships Director within Steven Bartlett’s business ecosystem and co-founder of LVLS, a wellness brand launched into 750 Boots stores from day one. After losing his father to Parkinson’s disease, Danny became driven to build businesses that improve people’s health, going on to launch an award-winning functional nutrition restaurant before joining Steven Bartlett’s early team, helping build the commercial engine around The Diary Of A CEO. Through his Venture Capital fund building, he has now co-created Hide, stocked in 1,000 Tesco stores, and launched LVLS alongside Beta Squad’s Sharky, brokering a deal to get the product into 750 Boots stores from day one. In this episode, Danny explains how Levels secured major retail distribution before launch, reduced its funding requirements through smart payment terms, built authentic creator partnerships and set out to make wellness more fun and accessible for everyday people. Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Join the Building The Brand newsletter: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterKey Moments: 0:00 — Losing His Dad Two Weeks After Launch1:21 — Danny Gray: Entrepreneur and Levels Co-Founder2:14 — How Money, Shame and Family Created His Drive6:53 — His Father’s Battle With Parkinson’s Disease10:58 — Opening a Restaurant Before Losing His Father15:05 — Creating a Functional Medicine Restaurant18:54 — Building One of London’s Breakout Restaurants20:09 — Manifestation as Tactical Business Planning23:38 — The Final Phone Call From His Father27:00 — Sleeping in the Restaurant to Pay Staff30:09 — Why Founders Cannot Outwork Grief34:41 — Scaling Into Google, Chelsea FC and Retail39:22 — Pivoting From Restaurants to Healthy Ready Meals42:45 — Joining Steven Bartlett With Three Bullet Points45:39 — Commercialising The Diary Of A CEO48:40 — Leaving Steven Bartlett to Become a Founder51:33 — Why Taking a Job Is Not a Step Backwards55:58 — Launching Hide Into 1,000 Tesco Stores57:46 — Athlete Equity Deals and Business Ownership1:01:01 — Identifying the Mainstream Wellness Opportunity1:03:46 — Launching Levels Into 750 Boots Stores1:05:34 — Retail First vs Direct-to-Consumer Strategy1:07:24 — How to Structure a Mutually Valuable Deal1:09:40 — Partnering With Sharky From Beta Squad1:11:33 — Why Creator Equity Beats Celebrity Endorsements1:18:32 — Why the Wellness Industry Is Too Serious1:21:25 — Building a Wellness Brand for Everyday People1:23:18 — Entering the Crowded Electrolyte Market1:28:20 — Building a Business to Make His Son Proud1:31:15 — Funding a 750-Store Retail Launch1:32:19 — Negotiating Payment Terms to Protect Cash Flow1:34:16 — Taking Risks and Building Without Regret
