We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Baier. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Growing up I was heavily involved in athletics from a young age through college. In grade school and high school I played volleyball, basketball but my true passion was track and field, which would pay my way through college. Being such a dedicated athlete for twelve years of my life I lived in athletic apparel clothing. I felt most comfortable in workout attire but felt at the time I was really limited to only a few brands. In college I majored in fashion merchandising with the idea that I would one day create my very own athletic apparel brand that would offer functional-able and fashionable athletic lifestyle wear to though who aspire to live an healthy lifestyle. It was an a dream at the time with no real execution plan.

I grew up around my family business so I always knew that ownership was hard but ultimately satisfying and provided a since of accomplishment. I knew that I wanted to own something of my own and was encouraged by my family to go for those dreams and aspirations. It was after college and I started my firs career job as a fashion buyer that I started to gain more industry and business knowledge. I credit a lot my experience to that first job but it also really showed me that I didn’t want to work for someone else the rest of my life that I wanted to build something of my own and make a real impact on things that mattered most to me. That’s when I started making my dream/idea of an athletic apparel company into a real business plan with action items and a mission that I could stand behind.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am Ashley Baier the owner and designer of Recovery Athletics. RA is an online lifestyle athletic apparel brand. We specialize in men’s and women’s everyday workout gear and lifestyle pieces that can transition from the gym to streetwear. We carry women’s leggings, sports bras, t-shirts, and sweaters. We also carry men’s workout tights, shorts, joggers, and tees. I am a minority female designer who keeps all manufacturing in the United States.

Growing up I was passionate about two main things athletic’s and fashion. I spent 12 years running track which paid my way through college as a heptathlete . In college I double majored in Fashion Merchandising and Commercial Graphics so I naturally combined my two passions into my dream business of designing athletic apparel.

I am most proud of the dedication and perseverance it took to execute my ideas and dreams. Now I own something that is mine and I am going to make a positive impact on other peoples lives doing so. I am proud of my mission and that I am giving back to other organizations that are close to my heart.

The word Recovery means something different to everyone. An athlete might think of recovery as recovering from a workout or an injury. A single mom might think of recovery as a yoga session and spa day to recover from a long week. An addict might think of recovery as recovering from substance abuse or disorder. When people think of recovery athletics I want them to think of making a positive change in their everyday life to maintain a healthy state of mind, body, and spirit by living a balanced and active lifestyle.

Because I have had close friends and family suffer from addiction, I dream of starting my own nonprofit that supports people and families that are recovering from addiction. But for now, when you shop on Recovery Athletics you can save 25% on your purchase when you donate $5 to one of my favorite charities!

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2017 I quit my corporate job to focus completely on starting Recovery Athletics and building my own business. I was so satisfying to be able to completely focus on building something of my own and launching RA over the next two years.

However, I made the choice in 2021 to return back to corporate and run my business part time. The choice was hard at first and I was a little afraid of judgment from other peoples opinions. But though mentorship and and really understanding that owning a successful business is a marathon not a sprint for me. I want Recovery Athletics to be around for years and years and I want to be able to continue to grow. So for me returning back to corporate has relieved financial stress but I also use it as a tool to continue to learn and connect with new resources. I am a fashion buyer so it give me the opportunity to forecast trends, meet new manufactures, and learn about different industry trends that are also going to effect my own business.

Me having it pivot back into corporate life I know is just temporary but I am using it as a tool to help me continue to grow and learn to better myself as a business owner. My advice to other entrepreneurs who are also woking 9/5 jobs is remember that entrepreneurship is a marathon not a sprint your in it for the long run so if you have to stay at your job a little longer that’s okay use it to your advantage and get all you possibly can out of the situation.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

For me the best source of new clients has been through social media and mico influencers. If you have the budget for digital advertising I always suggest that as well but for those who are just starting out use your free resources with being consistent and active through social media. Build your brand identity through active engagement. When I first started it was easier for me to gift a few micro influencers that represented my desired clients and have them post and share their honest opinions about my athletic gear and brand. It helped me reach new clients faster and organically.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.recvoeryathletics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryathletics
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-baier-4336214b/

Image Credits
Holly Wilson Devin Wilson