Pret & Itsu Founder: How I Built TWO Billion Dollar Brands At The Same Time!: Julian Metcalfe | E173

In this episode, Julian Metcalfe shares his journey building Pret A Manger and Itsu into billion-dollar food and beverage empires. He discusses how his early years and his parents' influence shaped his business philosophy, particularly around transparency, affection, and genuine care for people. Metcalfe emphasizes that his success wasn't primarily driven by a desire for wealth, but rather by a mission to change how society approaches food and eating out.

Metcalfe reveals the core 'specialness' that made Pret successful was not a unique product or clever marketing, but rather an authentic commitment to quality, honesty with customers and employees, and creating a business that people genuinely cared about. He discusses his management philosophy, which centers on hiring good people, trusting them, and building a culture where employees understand the mission and feel valued.

When discussing the sale of Pret, Metcalfe becomes emotional describing what he calls the hardest day of his career. The experience of letting go of something he built taught him profound lessons about attachment, legacy, and what truly matters. He then pivots to starting Itsu with similar principles of quality and mission, demonstrating that his approach to business isn't tied to any single company but rooted in his core values.

A pivotal moment came when Metcalfe discovered he had a daughter he didn't previously know about, an experience that shifted his perspective on relationships and personal responsibility. This revelation intersects with his exploration of what he's genuinely scared of: not financial failure or business setbacks, but rather failing the people he cares about and not leaving a positive impact.

Metcalfe articulates his happiness recipe, which focuses on meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, and continuous personal growth. He stresses that happiness isn't about accumulating money or accolades but about authenticity, contributing to something bigger than yourself, and maintaining connections with people who matter.

Throughout the conversation, Metcalfe challenges conventional business wisdom by suggesting that caring deeply about people, being transparent about challenges, and maintaining high standards of integrity are actually the best paths to sustainable success. His story illustrates how personal values, shaped early in life through parental influence and refined through experience, can become the foundation of transformative business ventures that impact millions of people.