In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we sit down with Jack Wiles former RAF Regiment and Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) soldier, and now founder of RB Club, a rapidly growing rugby-inspired clothing brand.
Jack spent 10 years serving in the RAF Regiment and SFSG before deciding military life was no longer the direction he wanted to pursue. He talks openly about joining the RAF Regiment almost by accident, his experiences during training, moving into SFSG, operating alongside different military units, and why he ultimately decided against pursuing Special Forces selection.
But Jack’s story after the military is just as interesting.
During a deployment, he taught himself how to sew and began making kit and wash bags for the lads around him. That eventually developed into an idea to turn old rugby jerseys into handmade bucket hats — laying the foundations for what would later become RB Club.
Jack explains how he left the security of a military wage, sold almost everything he owned, and committed to building a business without having any formal background in fashion, clothing, marketing, or e-commerce.
We discuss the reality behind building RB Club — from packing hundreds of orders himself and developing products months in advance, to nearly losing the business through poor advertising management and then turning things around.
Jack also shares why he believes military discipline has transferred directly into entrepreneurship, why he still struggles to feel satisfied after major successes, and his ambition to build RB Club into something completely different within the rugby clothing market.
In this episode, we cover:
Growing up in South WalesJoining the RAF RegimentRAF Regiment training and military cultureServing for 10 yearsMoving into SFSGThe realities of serving within the Special Forces Support GroupWhy Jack chose not to pursue Special Forces selectionLearning to sew while deployedMaking kit and wash bags for other soldiersTurning old rugby jerseys into bucket hatsLeaving the military and taking the risk of starting a businessSelling his belongings before transitioning outBuilding RB ClubGoing from handmade bucket hats into a full clothing rangeProduct design, quality control and manufacturingPacking more than 500 orders himselfBuilding a veteran-owned brand without relying on the veteran labelNearly losing the business because of poor advertisingLearning Meta Ads, marketing and e-commerceScaling RB Club and developing future clothing collectionsADHD, work ethic and relentless ambitionMilitary discipline in civilian businessCustomer service, authenticity and building a communityThe future of RB ClubThis episode is for anyone interested in RAF Regiment life, SFSG, military transition, veteran-owned businesses, entrepreneurship, rugby culture, clothing brands, e-commerce, discipline and building something from the ground up.
Guest:
Jack Wiles
Former RAF Regiment & SFSG | Founder, RB Club
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/_rbclub/
Website:
https://rbclub.co.uk/
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🎬 YOUTUBE CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction & Jack Wiles
00:45 RAF Regiment, SFSG & RB Club
01:45 Why Jack Joined the RAF Regiment
02:40 Growing Up in South Wales
05:00 Childhood, School & Finding Direction
10:00 Joining the Military at a Difficult Point in Life
15:00 RAF Regiment Culture & Military Banter
18:00 RAF Regiment Training
21:30 Military Fitness & Life in the Regiment
24:30 Moving Into SFSG
27:00 The Reality of Life in SFSG
30:30 Why Jack Didn't Want Special Forces Selection
32:00 Learning to Sew on Deployment
33:30 The First Rugby Bucket Hat Idea
35:00 Leaving the Military & Selling Everything
38:00 Military Work Ethic in Business
40:00 Turning Bucket Hats Into RB Club
42:00 Building a Rugby Clothing Brand
45:00 Product Development & Refusing to Compromise
48:00 Learning Fashion & Manufacturing From Scratch
50:00 Selling Hundreds of Products in a Day
52:00 Never Feeling Satisfied With Success
54:00 ADHD, Work Ethic & Business Pressure
56:00 Nearly Losing RB Club
58:00 How Bad Advertising Almost Destroyed the Business
1:00:00 Turning the Business Around
1:02:00 The Future of RB Club
1:04:00 Events, Rugby Clubs & Building the Brand
1:06:00 Running Almost Everything Himself
1:08:00 Creating Content Without Expensive Equipment
1:10:00 Authenticity, Customers & Social Media
1:12:00 Advice to His Younger Self
1:12:40 Final Thoughts
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