Standing Taller: Tom Shipley on Resilience, Risk & Reinvention
What happens when you refuse to accept limits?
For Tom Shipley, it meant walking away from the expected path — not once, but over and over again. From joining the Israeli Special Forces as a young man to building billion-dollar beauty brands, Tom’s life has been a masterclass in courage, resilience, and reinvention.
In this week’s episode of Be The Giraffe, we talk about what it takes to stand tall when life dares you to shrink — and why success often starts with one impossible decision.
The Power of Standing Up — Even When It Hurts
Tom’s journey began with a defining moment: standing up to his father. Against every piece of practical advice, he dropped out of college to serve in the Israeli military. Ten thousand soldiers tried to enter his unit; fourteen made it through.
That experience taught him something most entrepreneurs never truly learn: limits are illusions. The only real barrier is what you believe you can’t do.
Years later, when the comfort of a corporate job at AT&T began to suffocate him, Tom faced another choice. With a baby on the way and bills to pay, he walked away — trading stability for possibility.
His wife’s faith in him became the spark for his next chapter. “If she had said, ‘Let’s wait,’ I probably would have,” he said. “But she believed in me — so I took the leap.”
From Rock Bottom to a $100 Million Breakthrough
Tom’s entrepreneurial path wasn’t smooth. His first venture was a scrappy product idea that barely survived. But those early lessons became the foundation for what came next — the creation of Atlantic Coast Brands, which grew into a billion-dollar beauty company.
And his strategy wasn’t just luck or timing. Tom mastered the art of smart acquisitions — finding struggling or undervalued companies, then transforming them through vision, grit, and operational excellence.
His message for aspiring founders is clear:
“You don’t have to build everything from scratch. You can buy a business, grow it, and scale it. You just have to be willing to take the leap.”
The Giraffe’s View: Elevate Your Perspective
In this conversation, Tom reminds us that life isn’t about waiting for perfect timing. It’s about creating it.
When we rise above fear, rejection, and the illusion of failure, we see that everything we need — confidence, purpose, possibility — has been within us all along.
As Tom puts it, “Every five years, you should rewrite your story. Ask yourself: What would make the next chapter of my life truly epic?”
Listen to the Full Episode
If you’ve ever felt stuck — between expectation and potential, between safety and growth — this episode is your permission to stand tall and choose differently.
🎧 Listen to “Be The Giraffe with Chris Jarvis ft. Tom Shipley”
P.S. If this episode resonated with you, you’ll love my Be the Giraffe book.