From Martial Arts to Skincare: Alex Gray’s Journey of Reinvention
Liftoff Journeys with Jeanniey WaldenShow Notes
Jeanniey Walden sits down with Alexander Gray, founder of Preimus, to trace the winding path from real estate and e-commerce to men’s skincare. This conversation is about reinvention, finding alignment between personal purpose and business, and why self-care for men is becoming more accepted.
Key topics
In this episode, Alex Gray shares how Preimus was built as a men’s skincare brand focused on helping people look and feel their best in everyday high-visibility moments, from Zoom calls to executive meetings. Jeanniey and Alex revisit how they first met years ago in Las Vegas through the real estate world, then follow his path through martial arts, investment, e-commerce, and coaching. Alex explains how his early desire to be a hero, combined with family expectations and later entrepreneurship, shaped the kind of work he is drawn to today. He shares a 15-year run operating a martial arts school in Toronto and how that discipline still influences how he approaches business, resilience, and leadership. In the episode, Alex breaks down the business lessons from real estate after 2008, especially short sales and spotting opportunities in distressed markets. He discusses the rise of e-commerce in the mid-2010s, including his first store selling superhero-themed compression shirts, and how building brands awakened his creative side. Alex introduces the idea of a “purple ocean” by referencing mentor Josh Snow, emphasizing the importance of carving out a niche that is both market-tested and personally meaningful. We discuss who Preimus is for: men who want to take care of themselves without feeling like they are abandoning a masculine identity, especially executives, frequent travelers, and men who want a better first impression. Alex says the first customers were often spouses buying for their husbands, which helped position the brand around gifting and permission rather than vanity. He also shares how the company is using beef tallow and other simple skincare ingredients, pairing older wisdom with modern product positioning. The conversation closes with Alex’s mindset for tough days: meditation, discipline, hard work, and not letting fear or worry take over the day. Jeanniey also notes the brand is a fit for many households, and Alex reveals a special listener offer for the remainder of September. Timestamps
(00:00) Warm welcome and why Alex Gray is back on the show (00:33) How Jeanniey first met Alex in Las Vegas through real estate (01:16) What Alex is building now with Preimus skincare (02:02) Rewinding to childhood ambitions and early influences(03:38) Starting a martial arts school and building for 15 years (04:06) Finding opportunity in the 2008 real estate crash (05:02) E-commerce, superhero shirts, and learning brand building (06:47) Do our early interests shape our later careers? (08:26) How the Internet Marketing Association expanded his world (09:24) Martial arts, coaching, and helping men during COVID(10:22) Translating coaching, content, and camera skills into business (12:21) Why Preimus is a niche men’s skincare brand (13:16) The brand story started two years ago and centered on formulation (14:13) Who the customer is: executives, travelers, and men who want to look better (15:38) Why gifting became an important customer path (16:36) The “Marlboro man, minus the cigarettes” positioning (17:35) Beef tallow, personal use cases, and proof from real men (19:39) How skincare fits into the growing self-care ecosystem (20:02) The one word behind the brand: permission (21:12) Jeanniey plans to test the product at home (22:23) How Alex handles tough days with meditation and discipline (24:17) Bootstrapping, family responsibilities, and working around the clock (26:15) Kindness, ancient ingredients, and helping customers feel better (27:29) Why most worries never happen and waste time (28:17) Fear, resolve, and not letting business anxiety take over (29:17) Being methodical, emotional, and still moving forward (30:15) Choosin
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