Matthew Gallagher’s tale from the shackles of poverty to the glory of prosperity and success is no less than a Hollywood movie. He has risen from the bottom and worked his way up to achieve all that he only dreamt of as a child.
Matthew spent a large chunk of his early years in trailer parks. His mother and father both battled addiction and relied on government support for their daily needs. Matthew wanted to be successful and have enough money that his children would never go through this turmoil. He knew from the start that this is the life he did not want to live forever and was prepared to make all the necessary efforts to walk away from a life of humility and depression.
His experience of making money began as a five-year-old when he started selling pretty stones gathered in a milk crate, door to door for a single dime. As an elementary student, he moved to North Carolina and channeled his business potential by making money through mowing lawns or selling origami to students on the school bus.
The sense of pride that followed his little steps towards success and self-sufficiency was usually celebrated by being able to afford an ice cream even though he was on the school’s free lunch program. It further fueled his desire to earn more money and over the years this became a regular practice where he earned a dollar here and there by doing regular tasks.
It wasn’t until he was introduced to computers that he realized his potential in computing. While living in Cincinnati, Ohio, Gallagher realized his skills were valuable and could earn him a decent amount even as a high schooler. His pay at that time was $8/hour, which was great for a young student like him. He dropped out of college and began working full-time with agencies, leading a comfortable life. He was professionally soaring, content to have a family of his own but his desire to have his own legacy business was there. He finally took the plunge after his father’s demise and began his startup business, Watch Gang, taking inspiration from his last inherited memory of his father, Rolex watch. Watch Gang is now a multi-million-dollar company with almost 2 million members.
Matthew was not an overnight success or, as many would judge from his exclusive watch business, had no financial cushion as he launched it. He had years of agency and e-commerce experience and unwavering self-confidence that helped him successfully project his idea.
