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OYNB is a company with a powerful mission to completely transform the relationship people have with alcohol. There’s no denying that alcohol abuse has profound negative impacts on society and the lives of individuals– it's estimated that poor alcohol habits cost the UK economy $52 billion and the US economy $250 billion.
OYNB provides transformational programs where people can get awareness about their drinking habits, along with the support, education, and coaching they need to make a change. To date, OYNB content has been seen by over a billion people globally (including over a million podcast downloads), and they’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people in 158 countries to reshape and rethink their relationship with alcohol.
Ruari Fairbairns is the founder and CEO of OYNB, a leading figure in the health and well-being space. He was awarded Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland 2020, with OYNB also being named The Spectator’s Economic Innovator of the Year in the UK. Known for his passionate advocacy for healthier living, Ruari has been instrumental in steering OYNB to the forefront of the alcohol-free movement, inspiring over 100,000 people worldwide to reassess their relationship with alcohol, and strive to become the best version of themselves.
Born on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, from an early age Ruari harboured a deep-seated determination to make an impactful mark on the world. He left school at 15 to start his first business, and eventually landed in London where he carved out a successful career as a senior oil broker. However, he quickly found himself immersed in a binge-drinking culture, leading him to the profound realization that alcohol was causing him more harm than good.
Taking a transformative break from alcohol, Ruari witnessed significant improvements across various aspects of his life: he became healthier, happier, more productive, and a better father and husband. Motivated by these personal improvements, he embarked on a mission to help others experience the same positive changes. In 2015, he launched One Year No Beer (OYNB), to help people reassess their relationship with alcohol. The initiative quickly went viral, attracting over 20,000 sign-ups in its inaugural year. And so OYNB was born, with its core values deeply rooted in the supportive online community established by its initial members.
Today, Ruari takes immense pride in the fact that OYNB is recognised as a leader in preventive behaviour change, with ambitious plans to diversify into numerous other behaviour-change models beyond alcohol. His previous experiences, particularly the harmful alcohol culture he encountered during his tenure in London, continually drive his work.
Ruari experienced personal struggles during his childhood, with an ever-present feeling of being an outsider. After a traumatic suicide attempt age 14, he was encouraged by his father to write a letter to someone who inspired him.
Ruari wrote to Richard Branson. He told him:
“I’m gonna change the world one day, and I’m looking forward to having lunch with you.”
He especially dreamed of being able to Facetime his father from that very lunch so his dad would know just how important that letter had been.
Over the next 28 years, coincidences and connections kept popping up between Ruari, OYNB, and Branson—always with Branson tantalisingly just out of reach.
Until June 2023. Ruari finally met Richard, when Branson was in Mallorca opening a new Virgin hotel. And of course he was kindness itself. He’s a strong advocate for drinking less alcohol, and invited Ruari and his wife to dinner.
Sadly though, there would be no Facetime with Ruari’s father—he had died a month into the pandemic.
Read more via the links below, including posts directly from Richard himself.
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The Complete Control program is an 8-week program designed to help high-achievers, business-owners, entrepreneurs, and top professionals change their relationship with alcohol to optimize their health, well-being, relationships, and business performance.
Download the explainer deck here.
Complete Control offers transformative personal growth through our elite 1-2-1 coaching.
Technology-driven support for habit building, stress management, and health improvement.
We always tell people, ‘Don’t go in search of willpower.’ And that’s because willpower isn’t reliable, and abstinence doesn’t equal control.
Instead, you need a multi-faceted approach, that includes: