The pandemic brought the wheels of the world to a grinding halt. The halt was a booming one, almost as if our deepest fears were echoing collectively. The human spirit was challenged, brutally. But the spirit, bearing testimony to humanity’s seasoned resilience against the unknown, has handled it well and has some well-earned scars to show. Among those who endured are people and businesses lit from within with a creative spark, a zest to overcome, and a commitment to match. One such proverbial David amid this Goliath-esque pandemic success story was of YoungLA’s, a men’s fitness clothing and fashion brand. Their well-coordinated digital strategies and quality product offerings helped them dominate the online market with record sales amidst the pandemic.
YoungLA was started in 2014 by brothers Gurmer and Robby Chopra. Belonging to a family of business-oriented members, they were determined to prove their mettle on their own. They started testing and sharpening their business acumen while still in college when they “listed a few generic products” on eBay and began selling online in 2014. They realized that there was a demand for men’s fitness apparel on eBay and Amazon. “That’s what led to the birth of YoungLA,” recalls Gurmer. “This was just the start and now the team has grown to 27 full-time employees in California and 25 athletes from all over the US,” adds Robby.
While their success was a matter of time given their bond, commitment, and concrete business strategies, the brothers truly came into their own during the lockdown period. Not only did their products garner an unprecedented interest online, but the brand clocked record sales during the pandemic. One apparent reason for this seems to be an upsurge in home-workout sessions among young people. Within the cozy confines of their homes, many young men decided to opt for online fitness sessions to either start their physical exercise routine or continue an ongoing one. This also meant that the same people looked for apparel options that suited their need, mood, and in fact, “inspired them to sweat it out.” This is where YoungLA came in.
With over 67.2k followers on Instagram, they were sought out for their “quality, design, care, and affordability.” Recently, the company used their Instagram account to thank their supporters and customers for “helping us break records. We had our biggest launch yesterday, and the whole day was surreal. The whole launch went off, and the perfect tees sold out within the first hour.”
The brothers and their brand are on a roll. And with fitness enthusiasts on the rise, they can hope to maintain their run in the coming times.