What It's About
A security guard launches his own athletic apparel brand, and it's a slam dunk!
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Anthony's goal was to be active on social media and create a sense of urgency while also gaining the trust of potential customers. He started out by posting 1-2 times a day, but to build that trust, he focused on adding content to his blog that would actually be helpful to his audience instead of just selling to them. Not only did it drive them to the site—it often yielded a steady stream of sales.
Fun Fact
Anthony was 18 years old when he started this venture, didn’t have a degree or qualifications in business and still learned how to developed everything—from the website to designing every item Absolute Fitness Apparel has released. Very cool!
Notes from Chris
Episode 517
Today’s featured side hustler, Anthony Mellor, works full-time as a Security Officer at Heathrow Airport in London. But when he’s not sending passengers through x-ray screening or checking bags for those oversized shampoo bottles that every terrorist loves, you can find him on the court or in the gym. You see, like many young men his age, Anthony has always had a passion for sports and fitness. And it was that love of athletics that inspired Anthony to start Absolute Fitness Apparel—an innovative and affordable athletic clothing brand that promotes a healthy well-being. No, Anthony does not have a business degree, or any degree for that matter because at the time of starting this in 2017, he was 18 years old and fresh out of secondary school (that means high school for our North American listeners). What he did have was an idea and a sketch, as well as the motivation to turn both of those things into an athletic apparel brand. By this point, you may be asking yourself, in an industry saturated with brands like Nike and Adidas, why did our young security officer decide to launch something like this? Well, it came down to a lot of different things, but first and foremost, it was about cost. Being 18 with a finite amount of available cash, Anthony felt financially strapped buying all of the fitness apparel he wanted without breaking the bank. A simple running tank top from Nike could set you back £48.53 (or $65) on average, and being the fashionable individual he is, Anthony felt underwhelmed by their minimalist design. Anthony wanted to create a brand that was reasonably priced enough for your average 18-year-old while also blending performance and style, and since he was working with limited funds, he decided to sketch his first design himself. And it was that first t-shirt sketch that really got the ball rolling. For the next few months, Anthony would get home from hassling old ladies at Heathrow and spend his free time creating a logo, building a website, and launching a social media presence for his new brand. Since launching Absolute Fitness Apparel a little over a year ago, Anthony has expanded his product line to include long sleeve shirts, hoodies, and joggers, and he’s sold well over 300 units at an average price point of £28.32 (or $37.91). Like most athletes, Anthony is in it to win it, and he finds motivation every day to build his brand out just a little bit more. Looking to the future, Anthony plans on continuing to expand his line and audience and getting more people interested in pursuing active and healthy lifestyles. He’s invested in going the distance, and with his new line of fashionable apparel, we expect that he’ll do it in style too.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Absolute Fitness Apparel: Learn more about Anthony's athletic apparel brand over on his website!
- Shopify: Anthony used Shopify to set up his store for Absolute Fitness Apparel, and they're offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
- All-American Hits Home Run With Baseball Apparel Hustle: After first learning Adobe Photoshop to forge his report card, a Hawaiian baseball enthusiast creates an apparel line that goes on to earn millions of dollars
- Pathetic Triathlete Creates $30,000 Facebook Group: Frustrated with snobby and overly-serious triathletes, a man creates a Facebook group for more casual and fun discussion. It then transforms into a $30,000 side hustle with tens of thousands of members
- Former NFL Player Sells Ice Shakers for $20,000/Month Income: On a hot Texas day, this former football player gets inspired to create a water bottle. Within six months, it reaches $20,000 in monthly revenue
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Resources
CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE
Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.
Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today!
Learn More
GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time.
Quote of the Day
Sponsors & Gratitude
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To infinity and beyond,
