12 Lifestyle Product Brand Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start A Lifestyle Product Brand

A lifestyle brand is a company that makes products that are designed to reflect a certain way of life or attitude.

Lifestyle brands sell various products, including clothing, accessories, cosmetics, and home goods.

These companies often focus on their customers' lifestyles, and they don't just sell products—they sell an experience.

Lifestyle brand businesses are a relatively recent trend. They are changing the way that small businesses compete in the marketplace by offering personal and relevant products and services to consumers.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a lifestyle product brand:

1. Blvck Paris ($1.2M/year)

Julian O'hayon, the co-founder of Blvck Paris, came up with the idea for his business through his passion for minimalistic design and his success on Instagram showcasing black-themed images. After his photos of everyday items edited to be completely black went viral, Julian knew he wanted to create an all-black lifestyle brand, and thus Blvck Paris was born.

How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $80K
Current team size: 2

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How We Started A $1.2M/Year All-Black Lifestyle Brand

In this case study, Julian shares exactly how they:

  • Started: Creating all-black concept designs on Instagram that went viral
  • Launched: Releasing limited edition drops because they couldn't afford larger orders
  • Grew: Offering themed wallpapers, emoji sets, and other digital freebies

Focus on what you are good at. We quickly realized that we couldn’t do everything and we should focus on what we could bring and what we are both good at. That’s why we decided to outsource the operational side of the business.

Read by 12,009 founders

2. Ohrna ($12K/year)

Jhumkee Iyengar, a seasoned product design consultant, was inspired by her interactions with rural women in India to launch Ohrna, a sustainable and fair-trade lifestyle products brand. Drawing upon her expertise in design, Iyengar chose jute as the primary material and taught rural women artisanal skills to create handcrafted backpacks, totes, and more. Ohrna combines traditional techniques with contemporary designs and has trained and employed around 15 women, generating $12,000 in revenue in its second year.

How much they make: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
Current team size: 2

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On Starting A Handmade Sustainable Fair-Trade Lifestyle Products Brand

Ohrna is a sustainable lifestyle products brand that empowers rural women in India by providing them with training and resources to create embroidered jute products, with current revenues of around $12,000 and 15 women employed.

About
Jhumkee started Ohrna over 6 years ago
Revenue
Jhumkee grew the business to $1K/month
Costs
It cost Jhumkee $2000 to start the business
Read by 8,238 founders

So... can you actually make money with a lifestyle product brand?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

3. Stone ($1.2M/year)

Stefan Johnson, co-founder of STONE, came up with the idea for their business while photographing a two-Michelin-star chef using a regular notebook that kept sliding on the kitchen surface. Together with his client Eliot, they brainstormed and came up with the concept for a chefs notebook with unique features, including stone paper, which led to the launch of their successful Kickstarter campaign and the creation of STONE.

How much they make: $1.2M/year
Current team size: 5

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How We Launched A Notebook For Chefs That Went Viral On Kickstarter

Cookbook designers, Stefan Johnson and Eliot Dudik launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2018 hitting its funding target in 24 hours, thus kickstarting the business that has 6 new products, a monthly revenue of around $40,000, and over 45,000 products sold with plans to double its turnover by 2020 by expanding product line and corporate offering.

About
Stefan started Stone about 6 years ago
Revenue
Stefan grew the business to $100K/month
Read by 6,612 founders

4. American Blossom Linens ($600K/year)

Janet Wischnia, founder of American Blossom Linens, came up with the idea for her business as a way to take her family's bedding manufacturing company back to its retail roots. With the growing demand for sustainable and American-made products, Janet saw an opportunity to create high-quality bedding made completely in the USA from USA-grown cotton. Despite launching right before the COVID-19 pandemic, American Blossom Linens experienced a 400% sales growth in 2020 and continues to grow in 2021.

How much they make: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 3

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How I Grew My "Made In The USA" Bedding Brand To $600K/Year

American Blossom Linens grew sales by 400% during the pandemic to become a profitable business, offering direct-to-consumer high-quality bedding made entirely in the US from 100% domestically grown cotton. Founder Janet Wischnia switched from her role as the company's president to create this eco-friendly brand, which offers personalized support and attention to detail to customers.

About
Janet started American Blossom Linens about 5 years ago
Revenue
Janet grew the business to $50K/month
Costs
It cost Janet $50000 to start the business
Read by 3,504 founders

So... can you actually make money with a lifestyle product brand?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

5. Nike ($1B/year)

How much they make: $1B/year
Current team size: 112479

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Nike - Ruling The Sneaker Industry

Discover how Nike went from a small shoe and t-shirt company to become a multinational corporation, now one of the world's top manufacturers of athletic apparel and footwear.

About
They started Nike about 60 years ago
Revenue
They grew the business to $83.3M/month
Read by 750 founders

So... can you actually make money with a lifestyle product brand?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

6. Black Luxe Candle Co. ($240K/year)

Brittany was enthusiastic about gifting within her family, so instead of buying physical presents, she started making candles. After posting a picture of one of her creations online, she received inquiries from people curious about how they could purchase one of her candles. After giving it some thought, she decided to turn her hobby into a business.

How much they make: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 0

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How My Luxury Candles Business Reached $12K/Month In Sales

Learn how a candle designer increased her sales from $4,800 in 2019 to $40,000 in 2020, with a net profit of $12,000 in November alone, by focusing on creating a luxury experience with her candles and showing them in a non-traditional way.

About
Brittany started Black Luxe Candle Co. almost 5 years ago
Revenue
Brittany grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Brittany $1000 to start the business
Read by 10,672 founders

7. Big Bee, Little Bee ($240K/year)

Founder Amy Leinbach came up with the idea for Big Bee, Little Bee when her 2.5-year-old daughter wanted to wash herself but couldn't find a suitable tool. She decided to create the ScrubBEE silicone scrubber, which quickly gained popularity and became her top-selling product. Despite the challenges of 2020, Leinbach managed to grow her business significantly, gaining features on Good Morning America and expanding her retail partnerships.

How much they make: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
Current team size: 1

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How My 2 Year Old Inspired A Business Idea That Made It On Good Morning America

"Founder of Big Bee, Little Bee discusses how her daughter inspired her innovative products, including the top-selling Easy-Grip Silicone Scrubber, and how they managed to grow their business after being featured on national TV shows, despite challenges in 2020."

About
Amy started Big Bee, Little Bee almost 8 years ago
Revenue
Amy grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Amy $15000 to start the business
Read by 2,271 founders

8. Grip Spritz ($240K/year)

taken over the years. Our customer base grew exponentially, with athletes and teams from all over the country using Grip Spritz to enhance their performance on the court. We now have a solid presence in the basketball community and continue to innovate and expand our product line. The future looks bright as we aim to establish Grip Spritz as the go-to solution for athletes seeking optimal grip on dusty courts.

How much they make: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 3

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Turning My Obsession For Basketball Into A $20K/Month Product Business

Grip Spritz, a traction product for basketball and volleyball shoes, was founded by a golfer, lawyer, and recent graduate-turned-tour-manager, and after years of hard work and grassroots marketing, the company has seen explosive growth, quadrupling its success in 2022 by expanding into Amazon and sports magazines and partnering with nationwide basketball camps.

About
Matt started Grip Spritz over 4 years ago
Revenue
Matt grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Matt $100 to start the business
Read by 2,073 founders