Kaevon Khoozani chats with Jake about founding Bells of Steel with kettlebells, building the company, what it’s like today, the future, and more!
The episode can be watched/listened to on Spotify or YouTube. It can also be listened to anywhere you listen to podcasts.
(0:48) What are some other things people should know about you outside of business? Kaevon has two young kids, married, and much of his time is focused on that and his company. Before that, he traveled a lot and was a bouncer.
(2:18) What was the original idea behind Bells of Steel and intent? He had been training for a very long time and was very into strength sports. He noticed that not many were selling equipment for similar people and ended up partnering with the fitness supplier company (who was not interested in selling that type of equipment) that he was working for during the day.
(6:44) What did the first year of business look like? It was a side hobby at first while he was going to business school, and he thought that he’d get an oil and gas job after school.
(8:51) After five years, where was the company, and what was the home gym population like at the time? In Canada, “multi-machines” and treadmills were still big, but CrossFit was starting to change things up.
(11:12) What were some early mistakes that were made? Kaevon made a few items that weren’t necessarily for the “masses.” In addition, he believes he should have focused more on profitability. At (28:52), he mentions that he should have hired more people earlier.
(13:30) When did you know the company was going to make it? “I’ve never really had any self-doubt.” Kaevon ran the business real lean and wasn’t necessarily looking to make money quick, so it wasn’t ever something he thought about much. He also explains how the last few years have been the most stressful.
(15:00) How did 2020 change your business? As you’d expect, it was a crazy year and ultimately helped Bells of Steel to prepare for the future.
(20:15) When did you start selling in America, and what was the reasoning behind that? Numerous people from the U.S. were ordered before the move, so it ultimately just made sense.
(22:04) Over the years, what have been some of your favorite product releases? The one that he developed from scratch the most (Reverse Hammer pictured below) is the favorite, but some others are coming soon that he is very excited about.
(26:14) What’s something you wish Bells of Steel offered but doesn’t today? 3×3 Racks, but they are coming…
(30:53) Do you think there will be any more shifts in the industry within the next few years? Global Gyms, Peloton, and other intelligent training systems aren’t going to be putting companies like Bells of Steel out of business. Apps like Fitbod and MYSTRENGTHBOOK will do well in guiding people and coaches during training, though.
(34:05) Any other new products that will be added to your lineup in 2022? As previously mentioned, the 3×3 racks will be here in 2022. They also released the two benches below earlier in the year. 2023 is the year that many more products are expected to be released.
(39:20) How long does it take to go from drawings to a product being able to be sold? It’s complicated and dependent on the product. Some may take over a year, while others are done with a single pass.
(43:19) Other than size, does it seem like there are any significant interest differences between U.S. and Canada? Canadians tend to buy entire setups initially, whereas more are likely to buy a single product. Americans are much more likely to let others know about their experiences with a company (good or bad), which has pushed them to up their game.
(53:52) Where do you see Bells of Steel in 5 years? They don’t do five-year plans because it’s too long. However, the 1-year goal is to “stabilize and optimize.” The following year is a growth year focusing on more American sales, retail stores, and more product releases. The 3-year goal is to potentially acquire some smaller companies and potentially go international if all goes well.
To conclude, we did get cut off at the very end after Kaevon went to the next room to show off his home gym. Nevertheless, here are some pics of his basement!
