Media

Born Primitive Launches Commemorative 80th D-Da…

May 29, 2024

Veteran-owned apparel and footwear brand donated 100% of profits up to $50,000 from D-Day Edition Savage 1 shoe sales to help fund 60 WWII veterans returning to Normandy for the 80th…

That Fit Friend, Jake Boly, Reviews Savage 1 Tr…

September 18, 2023

“Overall, I’ve quickly become a fan of the Born Primitive Savage 1. I didn’t know what to expect heading into this shoe but have been pleasantly surprised by this shoe’s…

Born Primitive Lands No. 1931 On The Prestigiou…

August 25, 2023

Inc. revealed today that Born Primitive ranks No. 1931 on its 2023 Inc. 5000, an annual list recognizing the fastest-growing private companies in America.

From a Pair of Homemade Compression Shorts to L…

July 10, 2023

After falling in love with CrossFit, Bear Handlon had an idea to make himself a pair of compression shorts. His neighbor was a seamstress, so he took her his fabric…

The 50 fashion, beauty, and lifestyle companies…

March 10, 2023

Today’s early-stage direct to consumer brands are being forced to follow a vastly different playbook compared to Casper

‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ highlights veteran-owne…

March 10, 2023

A group of veteran-owned business leaders joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday as part of celebrating National Invest in Veterans Week

Born Primitive Selected In The Lead’s 2023 “Foremost 50” List: The Annual Power List Of Break-out Brands

March 9, 2023Share

THE ANNUAL POWER LIST OF BREAK-OUT D2C BRANDS

The Foremost 50 List highlights 50 fast-growing direct-to-consumer challenger brands that are redefining the future of the fashion, beauty, home, and consumer industries.

These digital-first, direct-to-consumer brands are challenging traditional go-to-market approaches, breaking old business models, creating new value for consumers, and charting new paths to direct relationships with the customer. Many of these company CEOs will be featured speakers at The Lead Innovation Summit on July 12th & 13th in New York.

By understanding this group of rising challenger brands, leaders at every brand should be able to recognize and apply the best practices for ever-evolving customer expectations.

Virginia Beach-based business donating 100% of profits to four charities for Veterans Day

December 21, 2021Share

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Veterans Day is Thursday. It’s a time when we honor those who served to protect our freedoms.

A local business is also paying tribute by donating its profits on Veterans Day to nonprofit organizations that help veterans.

“Born Primitive” is active duty-owned and operated. Plus, 50% of its salaried employees are veterans, military spouses or former first responders, so giving back to those who serve is truly at the core of their brand.

Freedom is not something the folks at Born Primitive take for granted.

“Across generations before us, some incredible things have happened to preserve and give us the freedoms that we have today,” said Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive.

Handlon and his wife started the company in 2014 and they’ve always supported first responders.

“We kind of planted our flag in the ground and said, ‘This is what we are going to be about’ and we haven’t wavered from that,” Handlon said.

This coming Veterans Day, they’ve set a bold goal.

“We decided that we’re going to donate 100% of our profits on Thursday, Veterans Day, to four charities that support the military community,” Handlon said.

Their goal is to raise $100,000. It will be split between the Adaptive Training Foundation, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the Best Defense Foundation and the Navy SEAL Foundation.

“I think it’s incredible that there are organizations out there that like to do that,” said Chris Irwin, communications director of the Navy SEAL Foundation.

The nonprofit supports the entire naval special warfare community.

“We do that under five pillars of support: strength, resiliency, health, education and community and then under those pillars, we have about 30 programs that support those people,” said Handlon.

So, a donation like this will mean a lot, and it’s something Born Primitive is determined to see through.

“I think it would just validate that people are patriots, people appreciate those in uniform and they want to give back,” said Handlon. “We’re happy to provide a platform so they can do that in a meaningful way.”

They are also giving away some freebies to some customers on Thursday. You can shop at Born Primitive by clicking here.

Born Primitive Raises $75,000 In One Day For Nation’s Heroes

December 21, 2021Share

Fitness Apparel Company, Owned And Operated By Active-Duty Military Family Donates 100% Of Profit From Veterans Day.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Born Primitive, a company known for its ongoing impact to military and first responders, is donating 100% of its profits from sales on Veterans Day to four military and first responder foundations, totaling $75,000.

Donations from Veterans Day sales will be divided among four charities: the Navy SEAL Foundation, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the Best Defense Foundation, and Adaptive Training Foundation.

“We challenged our customers to shop our website in support of a great cause on Veterans Day, and they came through for our vets in a huge way,” said active-duty Navy Lieutenant and Born Primitive CEO Bear Handlon. “These charities are doing incredible things for our veteran community, and we are proud to have a platform that allows us to give back in such a meaningful way.”

To celebrate the generosity of customers purchasing on Veterans Day, Born Primitive donated over $100,000 in free merchandise from partnering brands to 1,000 randomly selected orders.

Bear and former spouse Mallory Handlon founded Born Primitive from their garage in 2014. Now a thriving international business, the company continues to reflect the heart of its mission: Athlete Driven. Patriot Inspired. As the company has grown, so has their impact. To date, Born Primitive has donated over $1 million to a variety of important causes.

Amid a worldwide pandemic, Born Primitive cemented their compassion for community by donating over $200,000 to local gyms and fitness centers that were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Handlon stated, “We have always said that we need to be more than just an apparel company. Since day one, giving back has been a part of our mission, and we are humbled to have the support from our customers to make that all possible.

Born Primitive’s continued service to others is the epitome of what it means to be a difference maker for the military, first responders, and others in need.

About Born Primitive:

Founded by active-duty Navy Lieutenant Bear Handlon, Born Primitive provides athletic apparel worldwide. With more than 50% of the salaried employees being military veterans, spouses, and former first responders, the employees are dedicated to their patriotic brand serving military and first responders. To date, Born Primitive has donated more than $1 million to nonprofit organizations, including most recently, 100% of the company’s profits from sales on Veterans Day. Born Primitive.

About Navy SEAL Foundation:

The Navy SEAL Foundation provides critical support for the warriors, veterans, and families of Naval Special Warfare. The organization provides a comprehensive set of over thirty essential programs for SEALs, SWCCs, veterans, and their families.

About Tunnel to Towers Foundation:

Tunnel to Towers Foundation provides support to the families of America’s fallen and catastrophically injured heroes. This includes Gold Star families, fallen first responder families, and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.

About Best Defense Foundation:

Founded by former NFL Linebacker, Donnie Edwards, the Best Defense Foundation honors and celebrates our veterans from past conflicts, including, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and those who have recently retired.

About Adaptive Training Foundation:

Adaptive Training Foundation, founded by former NFL Linebacker, Dave Vobora, provides access and inclusion to individuals living with physical or traumatic impairments by empowering them through exercise and community.

How Small Brands Just Like Yours Stand to Benefit From Doing Good

March 15, 2021Share

From: Inc.

No matter what your niche, you can give back and make a positive impact in the world

When it comes to growing your business, most entrepreneurs are focused on things like handling prospect objections during the sales process or understanding consumer psychology.

While these things are important, they are undeniably self-centered and profit-focused — as the business world tends to be.

However, giving back and finding ways to do good could prove just as powerful for your brand. Even small businesses in targeted niches can make a meaningful impact that also delivers a true return on investment.

Why should brands worry about ‘doing good’?

How the public perceives your brand will influence your sales and longevity. Many of today’s consumers’ value brands that demonstrate “authenticity,” and want to do business with companies that are making a positive difference in the world.

In fact, according to a report from Marketing Dive, 63 percent of consumers want to buy from brands that stand for purposes that reflect their personal values. Sixty-two percent are more likely to buy from companies that display ethical values. Interestingly, a majority even want brands to speak out on political issues.

Customers don’t just want brands to make a difference. Research from Futerra found that 88 percent of consumers want brands to help them make a difference themselves. They want to feel like doing business with your brand creates some sort of positive impact.

Though this may seem like an unorthodox way of “doing good,” it illustrates that today’s consumers are more conscious than ever about who they buy from. Brands that take strong positions and are actively engaged in a good cause will make a stronger impression, which will directly impact the bottom line.

How small businesses are making a difference.

You don’t have to be part of a major corporation to make a meaningful difference. I recently spoke with Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive, whose company has taken an active approach to giving back since its founding in 2014.

Though the brand had always donated to causes related to military- or first-responder communities and cancer treatment, 2020 saw an uptick in cause-related efforts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The company, which makes fitness apparel, saw how small gyms were struggling to stay open amid lockdown restrictions. To urge gym members to keep their memberships active, the brand gave out over $2.3 million in gift cards to reward those who kept their memberships and stuck with their gym during the hard times. This initiative was paired with a profit-sharing activation that resulted in over $200,000 of direct donations to gyms.

Cash donations or fair market value donations of merchandise aren’t the only way brands can make a difference. Some companies sign up for volunteer opportunities within the community, organize food drives or start other charitable initiatives.

Highlighting your charitable efforts (while avoiding a “look at me” tone) can bring attention to both your business and the cause you are supporting, making a positive community impact and increasing your customer loyalty.

Finding a relevant cause.

Authenticity matters to consumers, and that is true of your small business’s efforts to do good. While Born Primitive made contributions to a variety of other causes, their support for gyms and donations to exercise-centric cancer research charities were a direct reflection of the brand’s focus on the fitness apparel market.

Your small business should take a similar approach. The right cause should grow from your own passions and interests. Finding a personal connection will help you become that much more invested in the charitable opportunity. Consult with your staff or your best customers about what causes they’d like to support.

You don’t have to attempt a nationwide effort. There are many local causes and charities that could benefit from your brand’s assistance. Resources like JustServe.org offer a great place to find local opportunities where your time or donations could make a meaningful difference.

No matter what your niche, you can give back and make a positive impact in the world. By identifying opportunities that are relevant to your brand and industry, you can become a powerful force for change. This messaging will help you stand out and draw like-minded consumers to your business.

By focusing on a cause that goes beyond yourself, you will also find a level of satisfaction that can’t be achieved anywhere else.

How Born Primitive Raised Over $186,000 for Local Gyms All Across North America

February 8, 2021Share

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA / ACCESSWIRE / April 25, 2020 / Gyms are places where people get together to work out. They’re in close contact with each other as they work on lifts, body weight exercises, running and other calisthenics. So naturally, they’ve been among the hardest-hit businesses during the current global pandemic.

Gyms aren’t considered “essential businesses” and like other areas of easy community transmission, like coffee shops, bars, and schools, they’ve been closed down throughout most of North America. And most of these gyms aren’t owned by big fitness conglomerates. They’re small businesses owned by regular people.

Small businesses tend to be hit hard in economic downturns. The last recession saw disproportionate job losses in small businesses as opposed to larger ones, and businesses under 10 employees and young businesses were even worse hit. Small local gyms often fall under these categories.

Four in five small businesses are currently affected by the pandemic, and over half are dealing with slower sales. Small gyms can’t handle a major disruption of business easily, especially if they don’t have a lot of cash reserves.

Thankfully, that’s where Born Primitive has come into focus.

Supporting Local Gyms

Born Primitive isn’t the only brand involved in the effort to help gyms around the country. Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive, says they were excited to see other brands in their space also stepping up to help out.

“We teamed up with O2 Natural Recovery Drink and we both pledged to donate 50 percent of our profits back to participating gyms. Our brand was born in the fitness and CrossFit space, so we felt obligated to do our part and give back to these local gym owners. They are the foundation of the entire community and they are the reason our brand is able to exist.”

Born Primitive’s campaign, which they called their “Back the Gyms” stimulus, paid off in a big way. At the conclusion of their ten-day stimulus, they were able to donate $186,000 in total to local gyms all across North America. And this isn’t their first instance of giving back. In the past four years, Born Primitive has now given back over $500,000, mostly to military, first responders, and cancer research charities they regularly support. Not too bad for a company of just 14 employees.

“We are really proud to be able to use our brand as a platform to give back in such a meaningful way. From day one as a company, we have said that we have to give back, and the current crisis presented a unique opportunity for us to do just that,” Handlon said.

The campaign was open to any gym in North America. They simply needed to contact Born Primitive to obtain their own unique promo code for the site, which was good for ten days. Gym owners were then encouraged to promote this code to their members, whose purchases would directly contribute to the total donation amount.

Building a Stronger Fitness Community

Handlon sees this as an opportunity for the fitness community, and in particular, the CrossFit community, to pull together and support each other. Born Primitive isn’t the only brand to get involved.

“It’s been so cool to see other brands stepping up and doing their part as well,” says Handlon. “It’s a reminder that we’re all part of something bigger than ourselves. Times of adversity have a tendency to bring out the best in us, and the response our society has had to this crisis is no exception. We are stronger together.”

The fitness industry has been hit particularly hard because of how early gyms and health clubs had to close. The IHRSA, an industry advocacy group, tried to get gyms included in the stimulus package from Congress in the United States, but money has been running out fast. Community-led efforts like Born Primitive’s may be the best way to finance gyms that have been hammered by the world’s current pandemic.

Over 2,000 gyms signed up for the program with Born Primitive alone, and many more have signed up with other programs to try and receive some assistance. The industry is rallying around the small businesses that are the beating heart of the fitness community.

Small, But Mighty

Born Primitive isn’t a household name (yet) like Nike, Reebok or Adidas. But one of the biggest things this pandemic is showing is that even smaller brands have something to contribute to their industries.

“We don’t have budgets like the Nike’s and Reebok’s of the world,” says Handlon. “But we have built a very loyal following and we are very tight within the CrossFit and fitness space. The response we received when we launched this campaign just blew us away. People jumped at the opportunity to support their local gyms and the results speak for themselves.”

The money Born Primitive raised through their “Back the Gyms” Stimulus goes directly to the local gyms who participated in the campaign, many of which find themselves in a serious crisis as members continue to cancel their memberships.

Though they’ve had to stay closed for a long time already, the local gyms and CrossFit boxes that makeup so much of the fitness industry should be able to hold out longer directly because of the efforts of companies like Born Primitive and others that have thrown themselves into making their industry better.

“It’s tough not being able to go to the gym,” says Handlon. “But there are plenty of people out there dealing with worse. All we can do is make sure that when this ends we actually have gyms to go back to.”

If Born Primitive has its way, they will.