Ben Pearsons story is nothing short of remarkable , he is a self made entrepreneur and self confessed work-aholic ,Ben came from uncertain beginnings which is what makes is success drive and self beliefe so remarkable.
Ben is determined to give back and push forward to advocate for those who do not have a voice .
In 2020 Ben reached out to Katie Price mother of Harvey Price on social media as she had commented she was finding it increasingly hard to get Harvey nice clothes in his size , Harvey became very well known to the label, Giving Bens previous need for the same thing and having been subjected first hand to online trolling , Ben has created an entire range in support of Harveys Law , this is a bill currently trying to be passed to prosecute online trolls online , Harvey has been subject to many counts of this along with thousands of people subjected to online bullying and trolling , and it truly should be a crime , Harvey is vulnerable and such Laws can protect people with disabilities .
What i have discovered from chatting to Ben is determined for change, extremely driven and very honest , we decided to ask Ben some Questions to get to know him a little further.
HERE THEY ARE
How did your journey as an entrepreneur begin?
I think at quite a young age, I knew I was very business-driven. I remember seeing the success of my grandfather, who was a corn merchant, and wanted to replicate his zest for business.
However, as life sometimes does, my path took a turn down another route. I became homeless at 17 and had to rebuild my entrepreneurial confidence once I finally got back on my feet, thanks to the help of my partner, Julia.
Julia and I started a few micro-companies, but they soon fell by the waste side once I’d launched BigClothing4U, which needed my full-time focus and attention to build it to the great success it is now.
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You’re vocal about your Autism and proud of it. What advice would you give to any budding entrepreneurs on the spectrum?
Absolutely, I am proud to be autistic. I believe that the first steps for any budding entrepreneurs who have autism is to acknowledge, understand and accept your autistic traits, and then use these to your advantage. I believe that any difference can be an advantage if used wisely. -
You have had a weight loss journey, what tools did you use to keep motivated? Routine is key: set a food and exercise plan, monitor to make sure you have enough energy and always set smaller goals and targets to ensure you stay motivated.
It’s important to always have your vision in sight when your mind begins to waiver, this could be affirmations or quotes that mean something to you, or a moodboard of images of where you want to be. The theory of attraction is everything.
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What is your vision for your clothing lines in the next five years?
That would be giving away the ‘top secret’! I think convenience and easy wear is key, so it will be to make our formal/smart range just as comfortable as joggers and sweats. -
Harvey’s law clothing line is amazing , how did it come about?
I have encountered a lot of abuse both online and offline for my disability throughout the years. These emotions and memories came flooding back after seeing the comments Harvey received online. I believe that no one, especially Harvey, deserves to be trolled for their disability.I wanted to be a voice for Harvey and Harvey’s Law, so I got in touch with Kate and we decided to make a collection for Harvey to give him a focus and an income for years to come.
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Have you experienced online trolling and what did you do?
Yes, sadly I have. At the time, I didn’t have the courage to do anything about it. This is why I want to give others a voice and advise them to seek help when help is needed. No one deserves to be trolled online. ‘Sticks and stones’ doesn’t ring true anymore, online abuse can affect a person’s mental health, leading to physical health risks.There are fantastic charities, such as Cybersmile, that can help with advice, and I would encourage victims to report any abuse to the police.
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Who would you say has inspired you the most in your life and career wise?
Eddie Hall, he’s the World’s Strongest Man, and first man to deadlift over 500kg. His book is a must-read for anyone that wants some inspiration. We are actually good mates and he supported me in the early days when he had much larger opportunities available than BigClothing4U. -
You’re clearly an advocate , have you a saying that you stand by no matter what?
“Feel the fear and do it anyway!” I think the best results come out of things that appear to have gone wrong – there’s a lesson in everything. -
What would you want to be known for in future years?
I want to be an advocate for autism. We are under-estimated and overlooked. Our brains, once understood, are incredible spaces for creativity, drive, problem-solving and power. Autism is our superpower, and I want to help others know this! -
What do you do to relax
Relax? Ha, I don’t really know the meaning of the word! I unwind by devising ways I can help drive my business further or heading to the gym to get those endorphins flowing. -
What is your go too ultimate favourite food
Chocolate and ice cream, I have a very sweet tooth. However, I try to eat protein chocolate without all the sugars where I can. -
How important would you say keeping fit is to keep a healthy mind and mentality For me, it’s a life saver. When I last stopped fitness, I got arrested. It’s a religion to me, I couldn’t cope without it.
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What is the story behind the Uptheir clothing line?
Uptheir has been created to build a tribe of people who want to empower one another. I wanted Uptheir to be a brand with purpose: we want our clothing to look good, but feel even better. Not just by using quality material, but by partnering with charities and influencers that make a difference.
People should feel empowered to be whoever they aspire to be – people throughout my life have said you can’t do this and you can’t do that, and I was penalised for having autism. So, Up their is an ‘up theirs’ to naysayers – we can, and will, achieve anything we put our mind to. -
Do you have any pets?
Yes I’ve always had dogs, they’re my best friends! I have 2 blue whippets named Blue and Ziggy. -
Where do you like going on holiday
I don’t! I’m a self-confessed work-aholic, but if Julia drags me kicking and screaming, we usually go down to Cornwall, as her family are down there and the views are amazing
If you could tell your younger self anything what would it be?
Don’t worry about what others think of you. I was always conscious about other people’s opinions, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it doesn’t mean it’s true. The less you worry about this, the more you focus on yourself and drive forward.
Ben has Autism and he is proud of it, he describes it as his super power in many ways especially in business , Ben lost a remarkable 16 stone in a year using regimented routines he channelled through his Neurodiversity , work ethic and sheer determination.
Bens story is in many ways heartbreaking he was removed from his mums care because she was not supported in his diagnosis, to remain in her care , Ben found himself placed in settings not experienced to help him manage his Autism and in many ways adding to his sensory overload and frustrations , as a result of this Ben found himself homeless at 17.
Once Ben was as he describes it as Free , he started to advocate for himself and his journey began ,In the early days he began his enreprenueral journey and he build upon that using his determination from his previous experiences to remain relentless on his quest, Ben created Big clothing 4 u as he saw a gap in the market for plus size clothing for men , that met highstreet standards , from this extremely sucessfull clothing brand that is now an empire , its grown and he has launched uptheir his own brand as part of this label, and now he launches the Harveys Law range , Despite being an extremely busy human ,Ben supports all others who fight for change and has recently given an interview with @gatewayradio 97.8 fm Aston Avery(my favourite DJ) and Anna Kennedy our own label ambassador, to talk about Harveys Law and why its so important to him to help , Ben has also promoted our clothing Range on his social media channels as we have Bens on ours ,we will be supporting each other to make change and spread our messages , while raising funds for small charities through our sales , such as @annakennedyonline
Its so important to all work together and support good causes and small charities that do big things .
We each are supportive of each other’s clothing lines and the messages we bring ,Born Anxious will continue to help fight for Harveys law and support Bens clothing line @uptheir,and BC4U and we hope to work together in the future .
I have added all the links , please give Ben a follow hes a great person and Autism Advocate.
