Have you ever wondered what it takes to build a burgeoning company out of virtually nothing? You hear rags-to-riches stories every day, and it’s often the same old tune: an inspired entrepreneur puts his/her nose to the grind stone and works hard to build a multi-million-dollar company out of virtually nothing.
There’s value in hearing these stories, as they can motivate and inspire us to make our own fortunes. But there’s even more value in gathering all the details about the motivations and hard work behind a great company.
Today, we’re going to virtually interview Lukas Kurzmann, the co-founder and CEO of Women’s Best, a leading brand in women’s fitness. Founded in 2015, Women’s Best is a rising star that grosses millions of dollars every year. Without further ado, let’s hear how Lukas made his dreams a reality.
1) What was your background before this?
Kurzmann: My brother and I grew up with the passion of fitness and social media. Since an early age, we gained a lot of knowledge and experience when it comes to social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Before starting Women’s Best, we started a customized workout and nutrition program with a nutritionist where we learned much more about online business and e-commerce. It started in our bedroom when we were just teenagers, and things have spiraled from there.
2) What does Women’s Best do?
Kurzmann: Women’s Best is an Austrian-based company that sells high quality sports nutrition and sportswear for women. We focus on developing products that are specifically designed for women’s unique nutrition needs as well as clothing that’s comfortable and functional for working out.
With over 900.000 customers across 150+ countries, 3.8 million followers on social media and a total yearly reach of 1.3 billion, Women’s Best is one of the leading brands within our industry. I’d say we can compete with many top brands in fitness now.
3) What is your mission as a company?
Kurzmann: The company has gone far beyond just selling products—it aims to change the lives of women worldwide. We want them to have healthier lifestyles, motivating and inspiring hundreds of thousands of women to make healthier choices.
It’s about instilling confidence in women through an interest in fitness and nutrition. Before, the market was flooded with products made by men for men, but now, they have the option to purchase products made specifically for them.
4) Where did the idea for Women’s Best come from?
Kurzmann: As I said, before Women’s Best, my brother and I were operating a customized nutrition program with a nutritionist. In the process, we found that there was no sports nutrition company directing its message towards women. We felt that we could make the change and fill the gap by creating a brand that make fitness seem fun and more reachable for women.
We wanted to start Women’s Best with the vision of selling high quality products that help our customers reach their fitness goals while engaging with a community of women supporting each other. Given our social media following and customer count, I’d say we’re succeeding.
5) What were your first steps in getting it off the ground?
Kurzmann: It started with creating a unique line adapted to needs of the female body. Following this, we focused on delivering our message. We reached out to suitable social media influencers who share the same vision as Women’s Best to help spread the word, and it really took off.
6) Is there anything you would’ve done differently, looking back now?
Kurzmann: We would have started with a wider range of products. It also would have been nice if our headquarters were located in a bigger city to offer easier access to more international employees.
7) What did you do to stand out from your competitors?
Kurzmann: Women’s Best has its own path in terms of focusing on women and keeping their fitness needs covered—there’s really no other company that was doing that before. We also created a strong community of women banding together over a shared interest in fitness, which led us to be the biggest sports nutrition company on social media.
8) Did social media play a significant part in your success?
Kurzmann: Yes, it definitely did, and it has helped us to spread our message wider and across the globe. Instagram in particular helped create word-of-mouth marketing. Our customers are always happy to share how much they love our products with their friends.
9) How do you attract customers and maintain a good relationship with them?
Kurzmann: We try our best to understand our customers and their needs so we can offer them what suits them best. To maintain a good relationship, we put them first because there is no doubt—they are the main reason for our success.
We are always happy to hear their feedback and try to keep strong communication with them. NPD market research has been very important. We’ve also held expos and events were people can come and meet their favorite athletes.
10) Do you have any words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Kurzmann: Find your passion, gather as much knowledge as you can, work hard, and believe.
Visit Women’s Best: https://us.womensbest.com/