Being passionate about your business is perhaps one of the most talked-about topics amongst entrepreneurs. While you should choose a field that’s relevant and logical, you should also be fired up about your brand.
When people observe someone else’s intense passion for something, they inherently become interested in it. If you’re starting a company with no passion for your product, how can you expect other people to buy it?
At least, that’s what Roc Pilon believes.
Pilon, the founder of Gymreapers, turned his long-time passion for powerlifting and working out into a profitable business. Now, his seven-figure business is backed by record-holding powerlifters, pro athletes, and world-renowned trainers, and is featured in notable magazines like MenHealth and Inc. 5000.
But according to Pilon, it wasn’t exactly easy getting started; being such a young entrepreneur, there were some difficult lessons he had to learn early on. So, here’s how Pilon turned a youthful hobby into a million-dollar operation — all at the age of 19.
Behind the Business …
Pilon’s passion for powerlifting didn’t occur overnight. According to an interview with Shopify, Pilon explains that he’d wanted to start a business in this field since he was a teenager.
“I got into powerlifting and weightlifting when I was 14 and fell in love with certain brands that have been around for years,” says Pilon. “I ended up determining over time that this is really where I want to focus and do something.”
From there, Pilon turned all of his energy toward launching his business. He partnered up with his tattoo artist to create mockups of a logo after his newly curated brand name, Gymreapers.
Thanks to his knowledge of the industry, he created prototypes of weightlifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist straps, and other work-out related products that he was using on his own. Pilon goes on to discuss how intimidating it was entering such a saturated market at age 19, but he stuck with his idea.
“It was like looking at Goliath and thinking, ‘How am I going to be able to compete and actually get something sustainable?’ It deterred me for a long time,” continues Pilon. “Over time, it became, ‘I don’t really have another option.’ I didn’t have a ton of resources. I couldn’t afford to go to college and I was like, ‘My only option is to really just try.’”
Through trial and error, Pilon quickly learned what did and didn’t work when it comes to sustaining a company. But the next step proved to be even more difficult: learning how to sell to customers.
Finding the Right Balance
At first, Pilon was unsure about what to sell and how to sell it. He tried using his competitors’ as a template for his own brand, but this led to several failed product launches, most notably being an anxiety supplement. According to Pilon, “It was sheerly based on the thought that other people wanted this product.”
But once Pilon put himself into the shoes of the consumer, the process becomes much simpler. “What I went back to and what I built my thesis on was, ‘What do I need?’”
As mentioned earlier, Pilon had been powerlifting since he was a young teenager. Over time, he developed considerable pain in his knee; so, he sought out a knee sleeve to relieve the pain.
Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any effective solutions on the market, and anything that remotely worked was way out of Pilon’s price range — thus, a product idea was born.
“Looking at all those factors coming into play, I was able to pick something that I needed. I was able to do the research on if other people needed it, looking at sales volume, Google trends … I was also able to find out where it’s being produced. If they’re manufacturing in-house, what are the odds that I can compete with them there, versus is it imported?”
After collecting all the necessary data, Pilon was able to effectively create an affordable product that worked for a wide range of athletes.
Analyzing Data and Maintaining Scalability
“I remember getting the first sale and being like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is going to work,’” comments Pilon. Since then, that excitement has filtered into every decision Pilon has made for the company, as he fervently works towards building his brand both internally and externally.
In the beginning, Pilon had to do all his own bookkeeping; now, Gymreapers has in-house and outside accounting, where he’s able to receive numbers on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
This allows him to stay up to date on what’s driving his revenues and sales, and make educated decisions accordingly. Additionally, gaining this understanding of business numbers has allowed Pilon to successfully scale his business over time.
Maintaining scalability is crucial to the success of any company, and it concerns more than just growth. While growing a business is certainly important, scalability is about taking on an increased workload while staying cost-effective and meeting business demands without the company suffering from overextending itself.
A good business owner will plan for all possibilities and ensure their company can function in different sets of conditions — and Pilon is working to make sure Gymreapers is doing just that.
Focusing On One Goal
Pilon’s passion for fitness had driven him to push the boundaries of the eCommerce business. Utilizing his knowledge of the industry and his continuous dedication to the brand, Gymreapers has become a reputable company amongst pro powerlifters and other renowned athletes.
Entering the industry at a young age, Pilon understands how difficult it can be to stay on the right track. But by staying focused on one idea, one business, and one mission, he’s yielded the deepest success.
