John Evans

Kevin Plank took Under Armour's last $2,000 to Atlantic City to make payroll. He lost it all. He already owed around $40,000 across 5 credit cards. Payroll was short. He needed to turn $2,000 into $4,500, so he got in his car and drove to the casino. He got up to about $4,000. Then lost everything. On the way home, he couldn't even pay the toll at the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Traffic stopped while someone came out to write down his details. He remembers crying in his car, telling himself he'd blown it and chosen the wrong business. Then he checked his P.O. box. Inside was a $7,800 check from Georgia Tech. His reaction: "What was I talking about? Back in business. Let's go get this thing."