You probably know the story by now. Or at least the "LinkedIn" version of it. Guy starts a fitness brand in his spare room while recovering from a heart problem, scales it to $6 million in three years, and sells it to a massive aggregator for a life-changing exit. It’s the quintessential "laptop lifestyle" dream. But if you think Ben Leonard just took his check and retired to a beach, you haven't been paying attention lately.
In 2025, things have taken a pretty wild turn.
Honestly, the e-commerce world is a bit of a mess right now. The "gold rush" of 2020 and 2021, where aggregators were snatching up brands like they were Pokémon cards, has largely collapsed. Many of those big firms went bust or entered Chapter 11. And right in the middle of that chaos, Ben Leonard did something most people thought was crazy: he bought his old brand back.
The Ben Leonard current position 2025: From Exit to "Brand Rescue"
Ben Leonard's current position 2025 is defined by a massive pivot from broker to "restoration artist." While he’s still very much the face of Ecom Brokers, the M&A firm he co-founded with Allison Walker, his personal focus has shifted toward what he calls the Brand Rescue Mission.
Basically, he saw the brand he built with "blood, sweat, and tears"—Beast Gear—getting run into the ground by the corporate giants who bought it. They didn't understand the soul of the brand. They just saw spreadsheets. So, Ben stepped back in.
He didn't just buy it back for the nostalgia, though. He’s using it as a live case study. He is transparently documenting the entire process of taking a "damaged asset" and fixing it.
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What exactly is he doing right now?
It’s a multi-pronged approach. He isn't just one thing anymore.
- CEO of Beast Gear (Again): He's back in the driver's seat, fixing supply chains and actually talking to customers.
- Co-Founder at Ecom Brokers: He still helps other founders navigate exits, but with a much more cynical (and realistic) view of who should be buying these businesses.
- Author and Speaker: His book, Quit Stalling and Build Your Brand, has become a bit of a bible for people who are tired of "dropshipping gurus" and want to build something real.
- Angel Investor: He's quietly putting money into UK-based fintech and enterprise apps, like AdviceFront.
Why the "Side Hustle" is dead (According to Ben)
If you follow Ben on social media or catch him at events like the Amazon Masters Summit 2025, you'll notice he’s gotten pretty vocal about "toxic side hustle culture."
He hates the term.
To him, calling your business a "side hustle" is like admitting it's a hobby that doesn't matter. In 2025, with Amazon getting more competitive and ad costs skyrocketing, Ben's whole thesis is that you can't just "sell stuff" anymore. You have to solve problems.
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I remember hearing him talk about this—he basically says that if you’re just looking for a "hack" or a "secret software," you’re already doomed. His current strategy is obsessed with unit economics. If the math doesn't work at a foundational level, no amount of pretty logos will save you.
The Ecom Brokers Factor
Even though he's busy resurrecting Beast Gear, Ben hasn't walked away from the brokerage world. But the game has changed.
Back in 2022, everyone wanted to sell. In 2025, Ben and his partner Allison are being way more selective. They aren't just looking for "flippers." They’re looking for "brand builders."
They’ve built a network of vetted buyers who actually know how to run a business, not just financial engineering firms that use debt to buy growth. It’s a bit of a "quality over quantity" play.
Real-world impact and the "Quit Stalling" philosophy
It’s easy to get lost in the "influencer" side of things, but Ben's impact is actually pretty grounded. He’s spent a lot of 2025 mentoring people through his "Power Hour" sessions and his mentorship program.
One thing that stands out? He’s not promising millions.
He’s promising a "roadmap to freedom." Sometimes that means a $10 million exit, but sometimes it just means a business that pays your mortgage so you don't have to work a 9-to-5 you hate. He’s very big on the idea that "you don't need an MBA to crush it." You just need to stop overthinking and start doing the boring work.
Actionable Insights from Ben’s 2025 Playbook
If you're trying to follow in his footsteps, here is what he’s actually doing right now to win:
- Own the Audience: He’s moved away from relying solely on Amazon. He’s obsessed with building email lists and direct customer relationships. If Amazon deletes your account tomorrow, do you still have a business? If the answer is no, Ben says you don't have a brand—you have a "platform dependency."
- Fix the Soul, Not Just the SEO: When he bought Beast Gear back, he didn't start with keywords. He started by fixing the product quality that the previous owners let slip.
- Transparency as Marketing: By showing the "battle scars" of his buyback, he’s building more trust than any "guru" ever could. People want to see the struggle, not just the Lamborghinis.
- Unit Economics First: Don't launch a product unless you have at least a 100% ROI. If your margins are thin, a small swing in shipping costs will kill you.
It's a weird time for e-commerce, for sure. But Ben Leonard’s current position in 2025 proves that the "old school" values of brand building and customer service are actually the most "future-proof" strategies you can have. He's moved past the "exit" and into the "legacy" phase of his career.
Whether he manages to make Beast Gear as big as it once was remains to be seen. But honestly? Watching him try is a lot more interesting than watching another "how to make six figures in 30 days" video.
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If you want to keep up with what he’s doing, your best bet is to check out his Brand Rescue Mission series. It’s a raw look at what happens when the "dream exit" turns into a bit of a nightmare, and how you claw your way back.
Stop looking for the magic bullet. Go build something that actually solves a problem for a specific group of people. That’s the Ben Leonard way.
Next Steps:
To apply Ben's 2025 strategy to your own business, start by performing a "platform dependency audit." Identify exactly what percentage of your revenue relies on a single third-party marketplace and create a 90-day plan to capture direct customer data through an owned channel like an email list or a dedicated community forum.