Three years ago Corey Jefferys was still learning how to use a computer – Now the TikTok star with 222,000 followers is the face of booming streetwear brand Ready Or Not.
The tattooed entrepreneur, 33, recently marked the brand’s third birthday with a wild celebration at Pelicano in Potts Point, drawing a who’s who of reality stars, influencers and fitness personalities, cementing his brand’s place as one of the country’s fastest-rising lifestyle labels.
But behind the hype is a story far deeper than oversized tees and viral gym fits.
‘I genuinely believe if I wasn’t sober, my business wouldn’t have even lasted a year,’ Corey told Daily Mail.
‘I walked away from partying and drugs four years ago. Owning a business means 12-plus hour days, constant pressure and needing to show up fully focused. If I was still living that life… none of this would exist.’
Corey grew up in housing commission with a single mother who did her best to make ends meet.
Three years ago Corey Jefferys was still learning how to use a computer. Now the TikTok star with 222,000 followers is the face of booming streetwear brand Ready Or Not
‘I genuinely believe if I wasn’t sober, my business wouldn’t have even lasted a year,’ Corey told Daily Mail
‘I never had the luxuries other kids had,’ he said.
‘When I started working at about 16, I became obsessed with how I dressed. Like any young lad, I wanted to be rocking the freshest outfits and feeling confident.’
At the same time, the gym became his sanctuary. For the next decade, it was ‘almost religious’.
But he couldn’t find clothing that felt right.
‘I loved tapered styles that shaped the body on pump days, but then I also leaned into oversized fits for everyday wear. There was nothing that blended the two properly.’
That gap became Ready Or Not – a hybrid of activewear and streetwear that now dominates Australian gym floors and influencer feeds.
When Corey launched, he admitted he had no idea what he was doing.
‘I was a tradie. I’d never even properly used a computer before starting this business.’
‘I walked away from partying and drugs four years ago. Owning a business means 12-plus hour days, constant pressure and needing to show up fully focused. If I was still living that life, none of this would exist,’ he said
When Corey launched, he admitted he had no idea what he was doing
Determined to make it work, he invested $27,000 into an e-commerce course to learn ads, data and digital marketing.
‘That changed everything. I stopped guessing and started building properly. It taught me how to use my brain in business, not just passion,’ he said.
While Ready Or Not has become a cult label, Corey insists his priorities have never changed.
‘My number one, before the brand, is my son Luca. Being a role model for him is everything,’ he said.
He grew up without a father, with his dad spending more than 15 years in and out of prison.
‘That shaped me. It made me determined to be the father I never had,’ he said.
Corey also uses his platform to openly advocate for men’s mental health.
‘I want to be a role model for young men who were once in the same position as me, doing the wrong things,’ he said.
While Ready Or Not has become a cult label, Corey insists his priorities have never changed. ‘My number one, before the brand, is my son Luca. Being a role model for him is everything’
Rather than chasing hype, Corey is focused on longevity. ‘The brands that inspire me most are the ones that have lasted 30 years or more,’ he said
Corey pictured with his glamorous influencer girlfriend Cass Beric
‘I want them to see that if you make the right choices, your life can change in a major way.’
Rather than chasing hype, Corey is focused on longevity.
‘The brands that inspire me most are the ones that have lasted 30 years or more,’ he said.
‘A lot of brands come and go. The real challenge is evolving with the times and staying relevant long-term.’
And with Ready Or Not now entering its most explosive growth phase yet, that long game is already paying off.
‘The last three months have absolutely blown us up,’ Corey said.
‘It feels like everything we’ve built over the years is finally compounding.’
