How Cassey Ho Turned YouTube Fame into a Fitness Empire

Taylor Swift caused a Popflex Pirouette skort sell-out in 15 minutes via a YouTube Short last May, marking their biggest sales day ever.
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This viral success highlights the remarkable journey of Cassey Ho, who evolved from a YouTuber into the CEO of two eight-figure brands, Blogilates and Popflex.

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Her journey is a remarkable story of leveraging social media and community engagement to build a fitness empire.

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1. Cassey Ho: From YouTuber to CEO of two 8-figure brands

1.1 Starting with Blogilates: From workout videos to a brand name

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Cassey Ho's journey showcases the power of passion and strategy. 

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Originally a biology student with a dream of fashion design, Cassey uploaded her first Pilates workout video on YouTube in 2009. 

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It was just meant to share her fitness passion with her Pilates students as she was moving away. 

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However, her infectious energy and effective routines quickly gained a much wider audience.

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Her channel, Blogilates, quickly attracted a devoted following, boasting over 9 million subscribers and nearly 4 billion views today.

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Recognising the potential to empower others and build a business, Cassey transformed Blogilates from a YouTube channel into a full-fledged brand.

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In 2011, she started with merchandise and expanded to include stylish bags, yoga mats, water bottles, resistance bands, and dumbbells, all designed with her signature touch. 

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Nutritional guides and an app further cemented Blogilates as a comprehensive fitness experience, generating over $20 million in sales by 2022.

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1.2 The birth of Popflex: Answering fitness needs with style

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In 2016, Cassey introduced Popflex, a line of stylish and functional activewear.

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Popflex stands in stark contrast to the mass-produced activewear market, she focuses on small quantities of product and spends a lot of time creating the best products. 

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Cassey's vision is to create clothes that solve common problems that women encounter when working out. 

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"I usually start with problems that I have, because I am my customer," she said. "The feedback of the fans, who are very vocal about what they want, also helps guide us in the right direction."

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Whether it's designing leggings that avoid camel toe or yoga bags featuring dedicated shoe compartments, Popflex motto is: “work out, but make it cute.”

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Cassey wants to empower women to feel confident, sexy, and comfortable when exercising. 

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By 2023, Popflex had reached $15 million in sales. 

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In May 2024, Popflex recorded her biggest sales day ever thanks to Taylor Swift. 

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Taylor Swift wore the brand's lilac Pirouette skort in a YouTube Short in her #ForAFortnightChallenge video to promote her new song.

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The skort sold out in 15 minutes after being featured, and it led to more than 10,000 skorts being pre-ordered.

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2. Popflex and Blogilates’ omnichannel retail 

2.1 Expanding reach with Blogilates at Target

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Cassey has a clear distribution strategy for her two brands. 

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Blogilates who focus on accessible fitness are only available at Target.

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Her goal is to make affordable fitness gear available to a wider audience. 

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In response to feedback about high prices, she created and released an under $20 exclusive Target collection without compromising on quality. 

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This partnership with Target not only enhances accessibility but also allows customers to experience the products in-store, significantly boosting brand visibility!

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2.2 Direct-to-consumer (DTC) success with Popflex

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On the other hand, Popflex focuses on high-quality, problem-solving activewear for dedicated fitness enthusiasts. 

Popflex is only sold on their website and follows a DTC model. 

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Cassey offers exclusive products, collects customer data, and builds direct relationships with her audience, resulting in higher profit margins by cutting out middlemen. 

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As she has a "test first" model for production, meaning they produce smaller quantities initially to avoid making items that don't sell. 

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When a style sells out and customers show interest through a waitlist, they use that data to confidently produce a larger batch. 

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Popflex also has a presence on Amazon, though limited to yoga mats and booty bands. 

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By combining direct-to-consumer sales with strategic retail partnerships, Cassey maintains control over the customer experience while reaching a broader audience.

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3. Cassey Ho’s viral product secrets: Community and social media focus 

3.1 Listening to her community and building her brand with them

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Cassey Ho’s ability to create viral products stems from her unwavering commitment to listening to her community. 

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She treats her audience of over 14 million followers on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok as "co-designers" by sourcing ideas and feedback from them. 

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This collaborative approach ensures that her products meet the specific needs and preferences of her fans, fostering a sense of ownership and loyalty. 

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For instance, the Popflex "Peony Collection" was developed based on feedback from her followers, resulting in a sold-out launch within 48 hours.

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Another example is when she received numerous complaints about the inconvenience of removable bra pads. 

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Cassey then designed a sports bra without them, directly addressing her community’s concerns. And it is one of their bestsellers now! 

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As Cassey designs about 95% of Popflex's products, she is able to adapt and be super responsive. 

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This not only enhances the relevance and appeal of her products but also builds trust and engagement. 

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A study by Redpoint found that feeling understood and valued is more important to brand loyalty for most consumers (74%) than discounts and perks.

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By consistently involving her audience in decisions and innovations, Cassey has cultivated a loyal fanbase that feels directly connected to her brand.

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3.2 Leveraging social media trends and short-form videos 

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Another secret to Cassey Ho’s success is her strategic use of social media to identify and capitalise on trends. 

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She creates visually engaging content, especially short-form videos that showcases the functionality and aesthetic appeal of her products.

She often uses slow-motion videos, fun skits, and captivating visuals that are effective even without sound. 

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This approach enhances the shareability of her content, significantly increasing its reach and impact. 

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Her design videos have gone viral multiple times when she showcases the creative process behind each Popflex product. 

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This unique approach offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brand and allows viewers to connect with Cassey on a deeper level. 

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Her most viral video has 240M on YouTube. And it is a video answering her community feedback on how they wanted a thicker yoga mat so she created it! 

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Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts play a crucial role in her strategy, each utilised uniquely to maximise engagement and conversion. 

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Instagram, for instance, is her most consistent platform for driving sales, while TikTok and YouTube Shorts offer opportunities for viral reach. 

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By integrating trendy elements into her designs and marketing strategies, Cassey ensures that her products resonate with a wide audience, driving both visibility and sales. 

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Popflex's revenue from social media from January to February 2022 was four times higher than the same period last year.

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This meticulous attention to social media trends and user behaviour has been pivotal in establishing her as a successful product-first creator.

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Cassey Ho's transformation from a YouTube fitness enthusiast to the CEO of two successful brands, Blogilates and Popflex, exemplifies the power of passion, strategy, and innovation. 

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Leveraging social media and community engagement, she built a thriving fitness empire. 

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Despite her success, Cassey faced significant challenges, particularly from companies like Shein and Amazon copying her designs. 

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Viewing dupe culture as counterfeit culture, she exposed these copycats in a YouTube video and filed for patents, securing two active patents, including one for her pirouette skort.

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Cassey's resilience and innovative strategies, combined with a strong community focus, have solidified her position in the fitness industry. 

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Her journey proves that with the right approach, a fitness influencer can evolve into a successful entrepreneur and industry leader, inspiring millions along the way.

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