Pro2U | Inside Ben Trbojevic’s new business

Rising star of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and younger brother of Jake and Tom, Ben Trbojevic is carving his own path both on, and off the footy field. Ben has never been short on business ideas. The challenge, he jokes, has always been turning those ideas into reality.

“I've always come up with good ideas and mentioned them to Jake and Tom, but I've never really taken action," Ben admitted.

This year, that changed. Together with childhood best friend Olly Webster, Ben co-founded Pro2U, a business designed to create genuine, in-person experiences between sporting stars and their fans. The idea came from an unlikely place. Watching Instagram videos in the car, Ben and Olly saw a clip of a young sporting fan meeting their idol and thus the idea for their new co-founded business was formed.

Ben Trbojevic taking photo with young NSW fan.

“[Seeing that Instagram video] had an impact on us and we thought it was really cool seeing that. That's how Pro2U came about."

Built around the mantra "Elite athletes. Real moments.", Pro2U aims to bridge the gap between elite athletes and the fans who support them. The platform focuses on creating authentic face-to-face experiences, from exclusive events to appearances and meet-and-greets.

"There definitely is a gap between the fans and the athletes and that's what we're trying to do at Pro2U, close that gap,” Ben said.

To launch the business, Ben and Olly hosted Pro2U's inaugural event during Game II of the State of Origin series at Manly Leagues Club. More than 130 guests packed the venue for an evening featuring live Origin coverage, food, giveaways, photo opportunities and State of Origin trivia hosted by Jake and Tom. The turnout far exceeded the pair's expectations.

Olly Webster and the Trbojevic brothers.

"When we first started planning the event we thought it might be 20 or 30 people, maybe just family members," Olly said. "We ended up getting more than 130 people there, which was awesome. It was still super intimate and everyone had heaps of fun and got lots of chances to meet their idols."

The overwhelming response has only reinforced the pair's belief in the concept.

"We want to continue to grow, bring more athletes and different sporting codes onto Pro2U, and put on regular events so fans can meet their idols,” Ben said.

With plans to host monthly events and expand into other sporting codes, Ben and Olly are determined to continue creating meaningful moments that bring fans closer than ever to their sporting heroes.