Strength Crate, a subscription box by Andres Muniz and Sean Brown, delivers athletic training equipment right to its customers’ doors. Andres and Sean started the service so, as they put it, “You can train on your terms.” Each crate includes a range of products: fitness equipment, apparel, training aids, and supplements which come with their philosophy, “No Excuses—Just Results.”
How would you describe your box?
StrengthCrate is a premium CrossFit subscription box. Andres and Sean didn’t want to take the normal route of providing samples or small quantities of products for their members. Instead, the duo sought to provide members with great value and items that they can continue to use. They regularly include high-value apparel, training aids, gear, supplements, and lifestyle products to support the CrossFit/athlete lifestyle.
How do you select your products?
Each month, StrengthCrate curates its boxes based on customer feedback and the newest, most innovative products on the market. Both Andres and Sean make sure to include the tried and true products that they know people will love. They choose a diverse range of items but, most importantly, they make sure that they are products that they would gladly spend their own hard-earned money on. In upcoming crates, they plan to work with some of the top CrossFit competitors to curate boxes and feature brands that they work with.
How do you find customers?
StrengthCrate’s growth has been a mixture of organic social media and advertising. “We try our best to be in front of our potential members without being spammy or diminishing our brand,” reports Andres. As a premium box (one that offers full-sized products), they try not to give away everything or run crazy ads and be in people’s faces all the time. “We want our product to speak for itself,” he said.
What is the hardest thing about running a subscription box business?
“One of the biggest challenges for us is making the time to do everything to the level of perfection that we demand of ourselves,” says Andres. “Being that it is just two of us running this business, we often find ourselves wearing every hat imaginable and there are only so many hours in the day.” As a result, Andres and Sean make an effort to prioritize tasks accordingly to make sure that first and foremost, they take care of their customers.
What do you enjoy most about your business?
Andres jumped to talk about the love of being able to run his business that’s so closely aligned with his passions. “I think it is everyone’s dream to work on their passion and some people are never able to, but with StrengthCrate, we are able to constantly surround ourselves with the things we love and people that share the same attitude and mindset.”
What do your customers love about your box?
The first thing Andres spoke of was the subscription model and how their members love receiving full products each month – and, of course, the quality of the items. “We definitely do not cut any corners in size or quality of the products. Unlike most companies, we don’t just do samples. Our customers have come to expect more servings of supplements (if not a full month’s supply) and high-end training gear.” This, says Andres, is what makes subscribers eager to receive a new box every month.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in subscription commerce?
“Take your time to grow your company. A lot of companies want to shoot up and be huge from the start, but that comes with a lot of problems that you won’t foresee. While a small number of subscribers may not sound as great a thousand, you won’t have any members if your business falls because you grew too big too fast. Have patience.”
