The Founder Who Built One of Britain’s Best Backpack Brands - Tom Gale at Atom Packs

What does it really take to build a world-class product from absolutely nothing? In this episode of Business Mutiny, Jon Graves sits down with Tom Gale, founder of Atom Packs, to uncover the incredible story behind one of Britain’s fastest-growing outdoor equipment brands. Tom didn’t start with investment, a business plan or a factory. He started with a cheap sewing machine, an old backpack from TK Maxx, and one simple question: “Why doesn’t any backpack actually fit me properly?” That curiosity would eventually lead to thousands of backpacks being used around the world—including one carried by Jon Graves to the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica, the highest mountain on the continent. This is far more than a conversation about backpacks. It’s a masterclass in entrepreneurship, product design, customer feedback, resilience and building a company that genuinely improves every single day. Tom explains how years of hiking across America, New Zealand and the UK inspired the first Atom Pack, why he deliberately ignored traditional backpack design, and how thousands of miles of real-world testing shaped every product they build today. Along the way you’ll hear: • Why he spent years prototyping before launching a business • The Reddit post that generated his first 20 orders • Living in a van while starting the company • Why customer complaints became the secret to building a better product • Growing from one person to a team of nearly twenty • How Atom Packs has sold almost 14,000 backpacks worldwide • Why customisation nearly became too successful • Lessons from hiring the first employee • Managing cashflow, growth and uncertainty • The realities of running a manufacturing business in the Lake District • Building products used everywhere from weekend hikes to Antarctic expeditions Tom also opens up about being diagnosed with ADHD and autism, explaining how creating Atom Packs allowed him to build a business around how his own mind works rather than forcing himself into someone else’s mould. Towards the end of the conversation, Tom shares some incredibly honest advice for young entrepreneurs struggling with confidence, identity and finding their place in the world. If you’re building a business, launching a product, growing a startup or simply love hearing how great companies are created, this is an episode packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately. Subscribe for more conversations with founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders every week. Business Mutiny is the podcast where real business owners share the lessons that never make it into textbooks. 👍 Like the video if you enjoyed it. 💬 Let us know in the comments: What’s the best product you’ve ever bought because it simply solved a problem better than everyone else? #BusinessMutiny #AtomPacks #Entrepreneurship #Startup #OutdoorBusiness #FounderStory