I Went on Dragon’s Den, Got Investment, Built a Fashion Brand From Nothing — Then Lost Everything & Retrained as a Therapist at 50

Episode 39 | Mike Longthorn — The Alcohol-Free Introvert: Dragon’s Den, Bankruptcy & Finding Out Who He Was Without a Drink

Mike Longthorn grew up in a happy home in Anglesey but spent his school years feeling different — quieter than others, struggling in ways he couldn’t name. It was only through therapy decades later that he understood why: he’s dyslexic, and had spent his childhood quietly mortified by spellings on the board and the quiet cruelty of kids who spotted weakness. The first drink, when it came, felt like a solution. He was shy. Alcohol made him extrovert. He filed that away.

Through his twenties he worked in Audi sales, was good at it when sharp, less so when perpetually hanging. He was into house music, making tracks, smoking weed — the drinking was there but not the main event. Then in 2008, inspired by meeting business owners as part of his Audi advocacy role, he left — or was quietly pushed out — and launched a business importing wellies from China. Wellies with a wedge heel. He got a design registration on the wedge, went on Dragon’s Den two years later, got investment, worked with Theo Paphitis for three years and built it into a fashion label that stocked with ASOS, JD Williams and Debenhams.

By 2019 the business was gone. Returns, quality issues, Debenhams and House of Fraser collapsing — it cost him £300k and he went bankrupt. But something had already shifted. Surrounded by his new partner’s friends who were teachers and nurses and people contributing something real, he felt the misalignment of selling fast fashion for shareholders. He did a Level 2 counselling course to try something new. Then Level 3. Then a diploma at university level. Then qualified as a therapist. He now works with a sexual abuse and violence charity alongside his coaching practice.

Six months before finishing the diploma, he decided to quit drinking. January 1st, three sessions of therapy booked in to hold him accountable. It worked — 1,900 days in, he coaches people on going alcohol-free under his handle, the Alcohol-Free Introvert. His whole focus: the pull away from alcohol needs to outweigh the pull toward it. When it does, everything changes.

You can find Mike on Insta at:

https://www.instagram.com/the_alcoholfree_introvert

Amy Liptrot’s book and film The Outrun:

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My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Support the show

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Alcohol Explained - William Porter

https://a.co/d/0854fIb6

This Naked Mind - Annie Grace

https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z

A Million Little Pieces - James Frey

https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb

Donate:

https://motiv8.im/donate/

https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Alcohol Explained - William Porter

https://amzn.to/4uMmkyB

This Naked Mind - Annie Grace

https://amzn.to/4eC6L6z

A Million Little Pieces - James Frey

https://amzn.to/44jOV3i

Donate:

https://motiv8.im/donate/

https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

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