The Small Business Big Marketing Podcast with Tim Reid · Tim Reid

Chatbots, Instagram & Sonic the Hedgehog: The Unconventional Business Wisdom of Beast Gear's Ben Leonard | 654

October 10, 2023·1 hr 4 min·4 clips

Ben says he had no business training. He also says his background is ecology. Before fitness, he was more likely to be thinking about whales and dolphins than barbells. The whole thing kicks off with a late shift in his mid-twenties, when he decided to build an online fitness brand called Beast Gear. That choice changes everything. The brand grows fast. In its third year, it turns over 6 million large ones. The host keeps the chat moving with his usual mix of curiosity and practical pressure. He wants to know how the products came together, not just how the headline sounded. Ben explains that he was his own customer. That mattered because he knew the problems he wanted solved. He says people should build brands they are genuinely passionate about. For Beast Gear, that meant weightlifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and straps. Some products were improved versions of off-the-shelf offerings. Others were completely designed by him. He did not own a factory, but he worked with third-party factories under contract. He also made some products exclusive to his brand. The standout story is Beast Grips. Those are thick bar adapters that make barbells and dumbbells harder to lift. Before his version, there had been one comparable product for about 20 years. It was overpriced and not very good. Ben believed he could make something better. He consulted a patent attorney, designed a stronger version, and priced it fairly. That helped him become the market leader. It also brought trouble. A much bigger company tried to sue him with what he calls baloney claims. He describes coming home from work and finding an official-looking letter on the doormat. He was so alarmed he could not properly take in the first bit at first. The story shifts from product talk into a lesson about staying steady when a giant pushes back. The host keeps digging. The episode ends up being about more than fitness gear. It is about spotting a gap, trusting your own use case, and backing the product when the market tests it.

As heard by us

A founder story with practical product and marketing lessons.

Ben Leonard's path into Beast Gear starts with ecology, a whale-and-dolphin obsession, and no business training, which gives the story a lived-in feel.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A whale nerd with an ecology background turns a mid-twenties fitness detour into a six-million-dollar brand.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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