What It's About
Three friends build an athleisure brand for the Irish masses!
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
As lifestyles change, people are looking for different experiences and products to reflect that change. I hang out in bars sometimes, but I’m just as likely (probably more likely) to go for a run or have coffee instead of making the pub my evening entertainment.
Clearly, I’m not the only one. If you travel, notice what other countries are doing … then consider if it might apply at some point to your country.
Fun Fact
Despite their remarkable success, Gym Plus Coffee launched on the worst possible day—Blue Monday. Typically falling on the third Monday in the month of January, Blue Monday is regarded as the most depressing day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. People also tend to have the least amount of disposable income because it falls right after the holiday's end. As Diarmuid so eloquently put it, “We completely missed the holiday sales—mostly because we are idiots!”
Notes from Chris
Episode 910
Diarmuid McSweeney along with co-founders Niall Horgan and Karl Swaine, are the lads behind the successful Irish athletic and leisure brand, Gym Plus Cofee. This caffeinated triumvirate launched in January 2017 and earned a hearty six-figure revenue in their first year. G+C features a variety of products including hoodies, t-shirts, tanks, leggings, hats, and accessories—everything athleisure. What started as a side hustle has now grown to a major operation. So how did they do it? When Diarmuid started Gym Plus Coffee, he was working as a strategy director in an advertising agency. During one of his regular coffee meetups with mates Niall and Karl, they got to talking about the growing lifestyle shift in Ireland. They realized people didn’t want to only hang out in pubs, drinking alcohol. More and more people were looking for active things to do. Corner cafes were quickly becoming the place to meet and socialize. Meanwhile, outdoor workouts and trail running throughout Ireland’s bucolic backdrop were in vogue. Diarmuid had spent time in both Australia and the U.S. where this active lifestyle was more prominent. He felt there was an opportunity to promote an Irish brand. He also saw a rise in athletic clothing. People everywhere were wearing hoodies and yoga pants, even to work. Athleisure wear could be a way to connect with an active audience and encourage the lifestyle. The trio set out to boldly tell their target audience exactly who they were with that distinct name: Gym Plus Coffee. If you’re interested in being active, going to the gym, throwing on a hoodie and meeting friends for coffee after, then this brand is for you. Diarmuid and company went all in. In their words: "As soon as we'd made the call to order some hoodies, which remains our flagship product, we thought that there was no going back. Either that or we'd have a lifetime supply of hoodies." G+C went from idea to launch in just under six months. They wanted to sprint, not crawl! In year one, 2017, they achieved healthy six-figure revenue. They grew that number by 400% in 2018 and are on track to grow it another 300% in 2019. Diarmuid has since stepped away from his job at the ad agency and gone full-time. The team is now focused on becoming a recognized global brand and furthering their mission to "Make Life Richer." Their customer base has already grown substantially throughout Europe and the U.S. On the horizon are new product launches, their first international store, and creating even more "experiences" for their customers.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Gym Plus Cofee: Learn more about this growing leisure brand over on Diarmuid's website!
- Shopify: Diarmuid used Shopify to set up his site for Gym Plus Coffee, and they're offering a 21-day trial and exclusive discount for all Side Hustle School listeners!
- Alibaba: The marketplace Diarmuid used to find a manufacturer for Gym Plus Coffee
- Fiverr: The platform that Diarmuid used to find a designer to help him create his logo
- Teenage Fitness Fan Jumpstarts Athletic Apparel Brand: An 18 year old in the UK goes from idea to action with his fitness-meets-fashion athletic brand in just over a year
- Fashion Buyer Creates Quirky Comfort Craze: Men’s overalls that double as sweatpants: yes, this is a thing—and an experiment to sell them brings in $64,000
- 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
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