He rose to fame as the millionaire businessman on Married At First Sight.
And on Tuesday, Justin Fischer revealed that it wasn’t all smooth sailing on his way to business success.
The father-of-two told Daily Mail Australia that he previously ‘lost everything’ about 18 years ago and lived in a hostel, until he could get on his feet again.
‘I came to Sydney with what I could fit in my ute’: MAFS’ soft-serve millionaire Justin Fischer reveals he once ‘lost everything’ and lived in a hostel… ahead of doing a charity sleepout
Justin’s candid admission comes as he prepares to take part in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout, to raise awareness for Australians experiencing homelessness.
‘I lost everything previously about 18 years ago and came down to Bondi, Sydney, with what could fit in the back of my ute,’ Justin said.
‘I wasn’t on the street. But I didn’t have a penny to my name.’
Good cause! Justin’s candid admission came as he prepares to take part in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout , to raise awareness for Australians experiencing homelessness
‘I had to start from scratch again. I went to a small room in a backpacker’s in Bondi.’
He added: ‘I didn’t have a mattress.’
He said he lost it all after a split with his fiancee at the time.
‘I had to sell my company in Queensland though a separation and the courts awarded my ex-fiance 90 per cent of what we had,’ he said.
‘I had to sell my company in Queensland’: He said he lost it all after a split with his fiancee at the time
‘So I kind of lived off the remainder for a while, working out what to do with my life and moved to Sydney on my own.’
‘I had no friends and family down here. Just got out there and did the same thing and went and visited clients and offered services to them and put food on the table while working at a BWS bottle shop at night time.’
He added with a chuckle: ‘It was very humbling.’
Justin is the founder and CEO of Brüllen, which makes the soft-serve ice cream and frozen yoghurt machines.
He established the business in 1998 and works on it with his brother, Scott.
He also owns Ruggito Coffee, a coffee supplier with clients including McDonald’s, and Cafequip, which provides equipment for hospitality businesses.
Success: Justin is the founder and CEO of Brüllen, which makes the soft-serve ice cream and frozen yoghurt machines. He also owns Ruggito Coffee and Cafequip
Justin said he is doing the sleepout because it is for a good cause, and is hoping to raise $50,000 in the process.
‘I think it’s important to do,’ Justin said, with the event taking place in Sydney on Thursday.
‘One night of sleeping out is nothing in comparison to people already on the streets. It’s something to help.’
He added: ‘I’ve always been big on charities, mainly environmental and animal stuff.’
‘But going to talk to the Vinnies guys and realising that people on the streets aren’t just drug addicts and alcoholics but mums with kids… I’m a father to two beautiful daughters and I’d hate to picture them out on the street.’