The olidtory dates back to 2011 when digital era was not yet at its exponential growth and “startups” was a word used only by a few entrepreneurs, Elon Musk and Richard Branson amongst them.
Nikolaus Häring (25) and Muezz Vestin (27) are the founders of the recenly launched sportswear & fitness brand SOLID GRIT. Their current Kickstarter campaign was funded in less than 15 days and their apparel is widely sought after on social media.
The Urban Watch Magazine talks to two young and zealous men about how their entrepreneurial journey started, trying to get a grasp of what it takes to start a new brand and propose an empowering message to the customers.
What is the goal of SOLID GRIT and why did you begin this entrepreneurial journey in the first place?
Nikolaus: We’ve both been into healthy lifestyle & sports for more than 10 years and that mutual passion made us think of sharing it with a bigger audience. At first, we thought only about the message – we did not really think about the product or sales. It was all about the idea of helping people feel strong: both physically and emotionally. SOLID GRIT is an original brand for fitness with a sleek and personal touch, but there’s definitely more to it.
Muezz: The fact that our brand is perceived in many ways gives us the fuel to continue: amongst our customers are the professional fighters and sportspeople, yet at the same time we have bloggers and ordinary people into healthy lifestyle buying into our brand.
How do you think you are different that other brands trying to find their gap in the market?
Muezz: We are firm believers in quality and product arributes and we take those things seriously. We produce all of our merchandise in continental Europe and we make sure that the customer feels good while pursuing the active lifestyle.
Nikolaus: Our product functionality beats the biggest retailers in many regards: we make our products extremely durable, use rugged and sleek materials and ensure that compression and durability standards exceed the limits. Besides, the exceptional design does catch the eye.
What makes your Kickstarter campaign successful? What advice can you give to those who are planning to spread the message on platforms like Indiegogo or Kickstarter?
Nikolaus: Make sure your brand tells a story, be ready to prove that your product is functional, trustworthy and, most importantly, keep your promises to the customers.
Muezz: I think it’s also essential to give people access to founders of the brand. People want to support brands, but they want to know about people behind them and whether the unique concept truly comes from their hearts.
What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs starting out?
Nikolaus: Be brave and bold, but wisely evaluate the risks and challenges. It always looks easier when you are planning things out, yet in reality there’s competition and the markets that always show the real value of your brand and startup.
Muezz: I would say that you have to always think from the customer point of view and solve his pains and needs. Otherwise, it becomes personal where it has to be global.
What are the next steps for SOLID GRIT?
SOLID GRIT will expand to physical stores in London, Berlin and Barcelona as well as digital spaces and we will be working on #CharacterOfStrength campaign. We want to spread the coherent message and successfully collaborate with sports activities representatives.
Find out more about the two young entrepreneurs and support them throughout their last minutes of Kickstarter campaign by clicking here.
