Andy Lee/Ben Dineen build their online global fitness training product business, The WOD Life, from Adelaide in 2013
Andy Lee and Ben Dineen, founders of The WOD Life, an online multi-brand fitness training products retailing business, started from Adelaide in 2013.
Adelaide entrepreneurs Andy Lee and Ben Dineen built a global online multi-brand retailing business out of the worldwide fitness boost during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Their retail platform, The WOD Life, clocked up record sales and a cult following across Australia's high-performance training community. Started in 2013, The WOD Life – named after "workout of the day" concept from CrossFit circles – grew into one of the largest specialist retailers of fitness apparel, accessories and equipment, offering products from brands such as Nike, Reebok and Adidas, as well as its own TWL and The Brave brands.
With 388,000 Instagram followers and 437,000 on Facebook, the company created a customer base that put it on track for $30 million in sales in 2023.
Ben Dineen and Andy Lee met in high school but went into separate careers in government jobs and corporate finance before finding their common passion in fitness. That’s when they realised how hard it was to get the fitness equipment they wanted in Australia. They found out that, to get speed ropes, they’d need to open an expensive wholesale account to order 30 of them from the United States of America. They put together around $500, hoping they’d be able to sell excess ropes to their gym friends through what became The WOD Life.
Dineen and Lee taught themselves e commerce and made important decisions based on nothing but their gut feelings – backed up by some hard work and travel. In less than 12 months, they became the world’s fastest growing online sports store.
Lee said that globally “the market for fitness and training is always growing. People are always training. How they train may change, whether they're in a CrossFit gym, a HIlT gym or running, they're always going to train, and we're constantly pushing the boundaries.” He said the USA was a massive market with opportunities closer in countries like Korea, Singapore, Malaysia: "We see our competitors like a Rebel Sport or an Iconic. But a Rebel or JD – they're trying to be everything to everyone. We're more focused on fitness and training.” If they're passionate about training, we want them to be shopping with us."
The WOD Life embedded itself in the training community, from supporting small gyms and studios to signing on for a six-figure commitment as major sponsor of the Torian Pro – a major event in the CrossFit calendar. The WOD Life’s shipping and distribution was centralised out of a warehouse in Ridleyton, in Adelaide's inner northwest.
