How did True Geordie handle the public backlash and his financial troubles?

He adopted a 'cerebral' approach, choosing silence publicly while dealing with immense private distress. To deflect public criticism, he orchestrated a comedy video with friends to mock himself, believing that acknowledging the situation with humor would make people move on. Privately, he turned to alcohol and cannabis as coping mechanisms.

What role did alcohol play in True Geordie's coping strategy during his lowest point?

During his deepest depression, True Geordie drank himself to sleep for about a month, describing it as 'collapsing rather than sleeping.' He viewed it as a necessary mathematical equation to create distance from overwhelming pain and simply 'get through the days' until he could address his financial and mental issues.

Why did True Geordie choose not to speak publicly about his mother's death?

He considered his relationship with his mother too precious and personal to share on a public platform like YouTube, which he views as a 'shitty place.' He didn't want to capitalize on a 'sob story' and believed some things should remain private, valuing the personal nature of that grief.

How has True Geordie's relationship with his father evolved, particularly with his bipolar disorder?

True Geordie's father has bipolar disorder and a history of being a 'wild man,' which has made their relationship challenging. True Geordie has come to a place of understanding and acceptance, recognizing his father's condition. He recently had to intervene during his father's suicide attempt and act as his next of kin, a deeply stressful experience.

What prompted True Geordie to finally seek medication for his depression and anxiety?

Despite initial skepticism about medication, his depression became so severe that he realized he was a 'liability to himself' and was dangerously contemplating suicide as a solution. Overwhelming anxiety, nightmares, and aggressive outbursts convinced him to call a doctor and try antidepressants.

How have antidepressants changed True Geordie's personality and professional interactions?

Antidepressants have helped him gain more control over his anger and emotional ups and downs. He now communicates more calmly and honestly, leading to better professional relationships. He notes that addressing his internal unhappiness has positively impacted all areas of his life.

What is True Geordie's definition of happiness and his current life goals?

He is not striving for constant 'happiness' but rather for 'peace and content.' He wants to reach a place where he can ride life's storms, appreciate the good moments, and be mentally equipped to handle hard times without suicidal thoughts. He believes financial freedom will provide the 'freedom of choice' to pursue what he truly cares about.

Why does True Geordie feel undervalued in the media industry?

Despite his consistent content, large audience, and high production quality, he believes he doesn't receive the critical acclaim or financial deals commensurate with his influence. He attributes this partly to his working-class background and unpolished style, contrasting himself with 'mainstream worthy' creators and established media companies.

How does True Geordie manage fame and negative social media comments?

He decided to turn off comments on his social media and YouTube videos, prioritizing his mental health over engagement metrics. While he appreciates positive feedback, the nastiness of negative comments was detrimental. He views it as a way to maintain personal boundaries and focus on his content without external validation or criticism harming him.

What is 'The Kickoff' and what are True Geordie's ambitions for it?

The Kickoff is True Geordie's football brand, which he believes is the future of football consumption in the UK due to its authentic and real content. He aims to expand it into a dominant media company, with professional production and a larger team, and is currently seeking larger brand partnerships beyond Twitch.

Key Moments

The Rise, The Fall & The Rebuild Of True Geordie | E87

The Diary Of A CEO

People & Blogs5 min read103 min video

Jul 5, 2021|384,016 views|7,252|429

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Key Moments

TL;DR

True Geordie shares his rise, fall, and mental health struggles with raw honesty.

Key Insights

Brian 'True Geordie' Dowd endured significant adversity, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, stemming from a challenging childhood on a council estate.

Early life experiences, marked by his father's rebellious nature and his mother's kindness, shaped his complex personality and aggressive tendencies, which he later channeled into drive.

The "fall of True Geordie" involved reckless spending of newfound wealth from YouTube, a loss of purpose after leaving deep-sea diving, and a public scandal involving leaked DMs, leading to a severe mental health crisis.

He emphasizes the importance of mental health, discussing his battle with anxiety and depression, and how medication helped him manage these conditions and improve his emotional regulation.

Despite his success and influence, True Geordie feels he hasn't received due credit or financial compensation, attributing this partly to his authentic, unvarnished online persona.

He is actively rebuilding his career and personal life, focusing on authenticity, mental well-being, and leveraging his unique position to create impactful content across multiple platforms.

EARLY LIFE AND THE ROOTS OF REBELLION

Brian Dowd, known as True Geordie, describes a challenging upbringing on a council estate characterized by absent fathers and a need to appear tough. His sensitive nature clashed with this environment, leading to a rebellious streak and run-ins with authority at school. He acknowledges a genetic component to his aggression, inherited from his rebellious father, but balanced by his mother's loving nature. This duality, a mix of his father's 'self-obsessed arrogant showman' and his mother's compassion, became a recurring theme in his life.

THE ASCENSION AND THE TEMPTATION OF WEALTH

True Geordie's YouTube career took off after a viral rant about a footballer. Initially a path away from his previous work on oil rigs, which he found draining, YouTube quickly brought success and significant income. This newfound wealth led to ostentatious spending on luxury cars, a period he describes as an addiction to the feeling of having 'made it.' This phase amplified his ego and worst traits, serving as a drug-like experience that masked deeper insecurities and a lack of internal fulfillment.

THE CRASH: FINANCIAL CRISIS AND PUBLIC SHAME

A pivotal moment of crisis arrived with the simultaneous loss of a major multi-million pound sponsorship deal and the public leak of private sexual DMs. Combined with a significant tax bill and personal struggles, this led to a severe mental breakdown, including suicidal ideation. Dowd recounts feeling utter despair and isolation, with online ridicule compounding his financial and personal devastation. This period, though brutal, ultimately served as a harsh but necessary 'humbling.'

NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH AND PERSONAL LOSS

The transcript delves deeply into Dowd's struggles with anxiety and depression, exacerbated by his mother's death and the subsequent fallout. He describes using alcohol as a coping mechanism to numb the pain and escape reality. The importance of medication is highlighted, noting a significant improvement in his emotional regulation and a reduction in anger and frustration after starting antidepressants, which helped him become a better communicator and person.

THE REBUILD AND THE QUEST FOR AUTHENTICITY

Following his 'fall,' Dowd focused on rebuilding his platform and his life with a renewed emphasis on authenticity and mental well-being. He discusses facing his personal narrative head-on, particularly the profound grief from his mother's passing, and finding a sense of peace and acceptance. He also addresses his complex relationship with his father, acknowledging his struggles with bipolar disorder and the role reversal of becoming his father's caregiver.

THE PURSUIT OF RESPECT AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Despite his massive influence and innovative content creation, Dowd expresses frustration over not receiving the recognition and financial rewards he believes he deserves. He feels his raw, unfiltered approach, while authentic, may prevent mainstream acceptance. He is driven by a desire for financial freedom, not just for personal gain, but to secure his team and have more control over his creative choices, aspiring to build a media empire by creating value and telling authentic stories.

AMBITION, CONTENTMENT, AND THE FUTURE

Dowd reflects on happiness, contentment, and peace, recognizing that external validation and wealth alone do not guarantee happiness. He aims for financial freedom to enable more choices and greater impact, potentially changing his content strategy when no longer driven by financial necessity. He views his relentless pursuit of quality and his underlying insecurity as powerful motivators, pushing him to constantly evolve and create meaningful work, even as he seeks a more balanced and peaceful existence.

THE UNCOMPROMISING DRIVE OF A CONTENT CREATOR

His relentless work ethic, likened to Eddie Hearn's, is fueled by a desire to prove doubters wrong and achieve unparalleled success. He sees potential in his unique position as a media creator, combining entertainment with in-depth analysis in areas like football and fighting. Dowd believes his raw, unfiltered content represents the future of media and is actively working to package this value for broader recognition and financial reward, even considering investment from the right partners.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND THE VALUE OF VULNERABILITY

The conversation highlights Dowd's journey of self-awareness and personal growth, particularly through physical fitness and boxing, which have positively impacted his mental health. He acknowledges the pressure that comes with his fitness commitments but finds value in the discipline. He also discusses deliberately turning off social media comments as a mental health strategy, prioritizing his well-being over external validation and choosing to focus on creating content he is proud of.

THE FIGHTER'S SPIRIT AND UNLOCKING POTENTIAL

Dowd likens entrepreneurs to fighters, seeing the boxing ring as a place where inherent resilience is tested. This journey has significantly boosted his self-esteem during his lowest points, reinforcing that he is 'hard as nails.' While he might consider a charity boxing match, his focus is on continuous improvement in fighting analysis for his content. He believes reaching his full potential means no longer being driven by external validation but by intrinsic motivation and genuine passion for what he creates.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●People Referenced

Common Questions

True Geordie experienced a severe 'fall' caused by several coinciding factors: leaked sexual DMs, the loss of a multi-million-pound deal with a betting company, and a significant tax bill. This confluence of events led him to a point of depression and suicidal ideation.

Topics

Social Media Impact Mental Health & Psychology Human Performance Mindset & Self-Improvement Business & Entrepreneurship Coping Strategies Depression Recovery Personal Story Anxiety Management Financial Struggles Family Dynamics Online Content Creation Grief Processing Media Entrepreneurship Ambition Motivation

Mentioned in this video

Companies

Budweiser

A large brand mentioned by True Geordie as being misled by YouTube channels that fake views, highlighting the inauthenticity in the industry.

Twitch

A live-streaming platform where True Geordie has found success, particularly with his fighting and football content, and praises for recognizing his potential.

Beats by Dre

A company that True Geordie has a deal with, indicating his marketability despite previous rejections.

Matchroom Sport

Eddie Hearn's sports promotion company, which Hearn aims to sell for 5 billion, used as a comparison for True Geordie's own business ambitions.

Heineken

A company True Geordie 'pulled up on' for using his 'The Kickoff' trademark without permission, resulting in a payout.

Fiverr

An online marketplace for freelance services, praised by the host as a 'lifesaver' for entrepreneurs to extend capacity without hiring permanent staff.

YouTube

The platform where True Geordie found initial success with a viral rant about a footballer, and later built his main content empire.

McLaren

A luxury car True Geordie swapped his Audi R8 for, part of an addiction to the 'newness' and status symbols.

Netflix

A streaming service, mentioned as a benchmark for production budget and quality, with True Geordie imagining what he could create with a 'Netflix budget.'

Gymshark

A sports apparel company that sponsors True Geordie, one of the partners he is grateful for during his financial struggles.

People

Logan Paul

A fellow YouTuber and fighter whose career trajectory, alongside KSI, has inspired True Geordie to combine fighting knowledge with entertainment.

Eddie Hearn

A boxing promoter known for his relentless ambition, compared to True Geordie's own drive, particularly in his desire to eventually sell his Matchroom company for a large sum.

Anthony Joshua

A high-profile boxer, referenced as an example of a fighter whose story True Geordie feels he could elevate and promote effectively through his content.

Kamaru Usman

A UFC champion interviewed by True Geordie, an interview that garnered positive feedback and was compared favorably to Joe Rogan's interview with the same guest.

Rudyard Kipling

The author of the poem 'If,' which True Geordie references to illustrate his philosophy of treating praise and criticism equally to protect his mental health.

Tom Bloomfield

Founder of Monzo, mentioned by the host as someone who experienced similar disorientation and depression after losing purpose, similar to True Geordie's post-diving period.

Joe Rogan

A prominent podcaster and UFC commentator whom True Geordie looks up to and aspires to emulate, while also believing he can surpass him in certain aspects of interviewing.

Jonathan Ross

A mainstream TV host, mentioned by True Geordie as an example of the mainstream figures he likely won't be invited on due to his unpolished style, which he doesn't mind.

Software & Apps

PokerStars

An online poker company that sponsors True Geordie, another partner he appreciates for their support.

Call Her Daddy

A podcast that received a large contract from Spotify, used by True Geordie as an example of other media properties receiving significant financial deals, further fueling his frustration about being undervalued.

Locations

London

The city where True Geordie moved, leading to a period of excessive spending and financial issues.

Products

Audi R8

True Geordie's first supercar, bought for $100,000 in cash, which he describes as a powerful but ultimately wasteful experience.

Bentley Continental GT

The third luxury car True Geordie acquired in a short period, illustrating his uncontrolled spending during his initial rise.

Organizations

Barstool Sports

A media company that helped 'Call Her Daddy' to become well-known and packaged effectively, contrasting with True Geordie's self-made journey.

Rolls-Royce

A luxury car mentioned by True Geordie as a lingering temptation, symbolizing his internal struggle with material desires despite understanding they don't bring happiness.

Media

Gillette Soccer Saturday

A traditional football show that True Geordie believes is 'dying a death,' creating an opportunity for his show The Kickoff.