The rise of social media has given birth to online empires, but at what cost? For Alex Partridge, founder of the wildly popular brand Unilad, the price was higher than he ever imagined. In a candid new interview, Partridge opens up about his struggles with online hate, alcoholism, and undiagnosed ADHD, shedding light on the dark side of viral success.
Building an Online Juggernaut
Partridge’s journey began at Oxford Brookes University, where a breakup sparked the idea for Unilad – a Facebook page aimed at male students. The mix of jokes, viral videos, and “lad culture” content quickly took off, capitalizing on the social media boom of the early 2010s.
It was very much the right place, right time. Facebook were pushing their ‘pages’ and it grew really fast.
Alex Partridge, Unilad founder
But with rapid growth came challenges. In 2012, Partridge had to temporarily shut down the Unilad website and issue an apology after a user submitted a post encouraging rape. It was a wake-up call about the dangers of unregulated user-generated content.
The Legal Battle that Nearly Cost Everything
Partridge’s biggest test came in 2013, when he entered into a partnership to help manage Unilad’s explosive growth. Months later, he found himself locked out of the company’s Facebook page and embroiled in a vicious legal battle to reclaim his stake.
The stress and anxiety of the five-year court case took a heavy toll, fueling Partridge’s descent into alcoholism. There were nights he doesn’t remember, drunken collapses, and brushes with death from alcohol poisoning.
I felt this huge amount of shame and anxiety, and I knew the only thing that would take it away was more alcohol.
Alex Partridge
Partridge ultimately won the legal battle in 2017, but at a steep personal cost. It would take much longer to win the war against his inner demons.
An Unexpected Diagnosis Brings Clarity
Despite achieving financial success when Unilad was sold in 2018, Partridge struggled to find happiness and purpose. It wasn’t until he pursued his dream of starting a podcast that the missing piece fell into place – an ADHD diagnosis at age 34.
Looking back, the signs were always there – the anxiety, rejection sensitivity, masking behaviors. But the diagnosis reframed Partridge’s entire life and struggles.
You look back and wish you could go back to the kid having the anxiety attack in the classroom and say: ‘You’re not broken – you’re just different.’
Alex Partridge
Channeling Pain into Purpose
Armed with this new self-awareness, Partridge channeled his experiences into the popular podcast ADHD Chatter. Each episode dives deep into the challenges and triumphs of living with ADHD, especially for those diagnosed as adults.
He’s on a mission to spare others the pain and confusion he endured by spreading awareness and understanding of neurodiversity. His message: embrace what makes you different and turn it into your greatest strength.
There were so many positives of ADHD which I related to, like the creativity and the pattern recognition and being calm in a crisis.
Alex Partridge
Partridge’s story is a powerful reminder of the unseen struggles many entrepreneurs face behind the shiny veneer of success. By sharing his battles against online hate, addiction, anxiety and the transformative impact of his ADHD diagnosis, he hopes to chip away at the stigma and shame surrounding mental health.
His journey illustrates the critical importance of self-awareness, reaching out for support, and harnessing our unique abilities. As Partridge rebuilds his life and career, his hard-won wisdom lights the path for other entrepreneurs:
- Safeguard your mental wellbeing, no matter the cost
- Find healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Seek to understand and embrace your unique brain wiring
- Channel your experiences into helping others
In the end, Alex Partridge’s story is one of resilience, redemption and the power we all have to forge meaning from our darkest moments. As he continues to inspire and support others, his legacy may well be greater than any online empire – the ability to transform pain into purpose, one honest conversation at a time.
