Adamu Musa Maikifi, 24, is the CEO and founder of Extreme Fitness, a clothing brand that specialises in gym wear. In this interview he explains how his passion for working-out inspired him to venture into the business of providing clothes suitable for exercise.
Why inspired you to venture in extreme gym clothing?
I am passionate about working-out and it seems there are not enough gym clothes and accessories. I took that opportunity to solve people’s problems in this community and we have been dedicated to bringing top-notch quality and beautiful designs
How do you source materials and what are the challenges you face in the process?
Sometimes, sourcing the materials can be difficult because we import some. We don’t get to know the quality until they arrive. For that reason, we order a small quantity and use it for a test run. Other materials that are sourced locally are not really a problem because we get to feel the fabrics before purchase.
How do you make sure your gym clothing look good and comfortable to wear when working out?
I do a trial and error on each and every product. It takes a lot of time sometimes but I believe taking my time to deliver quality is better than rushing to make profit and not delivering quality.
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Do you talk to young people about your gym clothing on social media?
I have dedicated Instagram and TikTok pages in which I display my products and nurture people into understanding why we are the best, and the value they get from us.
Apart from social media, what other strategies do you use to grow the business?
I send out fliers to quite a good number of gyms and also I work with gym coaches to promote the brand.
How do you integrate feedback from young customers to shape future product development and marketing strategies?
We do data collection from our customers from different means. We do Instagram polls and questions and we ask our customers personally to give us their honest opinion. It takes everyone to patronise you but it takes quality to retain customers.
What are your future plans for the business?
My plan in the near future is to sell to West African countries. We plan on having our own athletes as part of the marketing and media teams.
What were the toughest obstacles the business faced in its early days and how did you overcome them?
In the early days of extreme fitness, we encountered so many problems because at some point, I felt like giving up. I had to stop for a while. I had little knowledge and had no one to put me through the process. There was no motivation and I was doing it all alone. I had problems with branding, marketing, quality, delays from suppliers and many more.
How have you been able to balance schooling with the business?
It has never been a problem balancing school and business because I run an online business and I have a few employees that help me run the business.
Are the clothes affordable?
Yes of course. Because we don’t compromise on quality, our customers know the good quality of what we are selling to them and what they are using their money to buy. Because you wouldn’t want to buy at a cheap price but with low quality.
What new cool stuff are you planning to make for people to wear to the gym?
I started this brand as men’s only and we are looking to expand into women’s fitness products in the most modest way.
What guidance would you offer to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to venture into the fitness apparel industry?
I believe knowledge is power, seek guidance from someone doing it. If I had basic understanding of the whole process, I believe I would’ve reached where I am right now a long time ago.
So my advice to someone starting a gym clothing company is you have to stay updated, know your target market/customers, understand their needs, deliver quality and train your team on perfection.
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