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Meet Brianne Zborowski of Apolla Performance Wear in Fort Worth

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Brianne Zborowski.

Brianne, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. I found my love of dance and performing at a young age and knew at age 7 my life would be built around my passion for dance. My parents are successful business owners and instilled the value of hard work and persistence early on. Growing up, I juggled many different pursuits…. was always working multiple jobs. Along with dance, I have always been intrigued by the art of business.

While teaching and dancing, I received my bachelor’s in business administration and quickly realized something was missing. I quit everything I had known and moved to LA to pursue my dreams of dance. I was 23 and my parents didn’t blink an eye… I feel so fortunate to have 2 people who have believed and supported every step and every dream. I danced, I auditioned, networked and worked in LA for 7 years. I met my husband, Nick, also in the dance industry, and so many other incredible people in the dance community.

It was while living in LA that I met one of my dearest friends and one of my business partners, Kaycee Jones. She and my husband grew up dancing together in Idaho. Her mom owned a studio and she graduated college with a B.S. in Physical Education, Sports Science, and Dance. When she moved to California after college, Kaycee worked at Disneyland in the Guest Talent (Magic Music Days/Performing Arts) Department while earning her M.S. from California State University Fullerton in Kinesiology.

She also coached Fullerton College Competitive Dance team leading them to a 1st place ranking. While working and earning her degree, she became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Kaycee and her husband moved to the East Coast and Nick and I moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Nick and I became the directors of a competitive company and he became director of Adrenaline Dance (based in Fort Worth). We met and hired Aiesha Ashby who is a very talented choreographer, teacher, and dancer and became fast friends. Much the same as Kaycee and me, Aiesha grew up dancing in Austin, TX and eventually made her way to Los Angeles to pursue her dance dreams and open a dance studio of her own. She eventually found her way back to Fort Worth with her husband where she would become the 3rd partner of Apolla.

Apolla was quite literally an idea born on the beach between friends from necessity and passion. We love the dance community and want to help dancers take better care of their bodies so they can dance longer and stronger. Ours is a story of fate and friendship. Our individual knowledge and skillsets coupled with a growing need within the dance community created the perfect scene for Apolla to take hold. We got to work and created The Shocks (benefit of a shoe + comfort of a sock). We began sketching ideas, creating handmade prototypes, and searching for the right manufacturing partners. Because of our love and commitment to the dance community and the footwear companies that have dominated the industry for years, we knew we had to take our time and get it right.

There has been a huge shift in the last 10 years from dancing in shoes to barefoot dancing or dancing in socks. Dancers are pushing their bodies beyond what was ever thought possible and are athletes in every sense of the word. Injuries from the knee down are twice as likely in dance than in most other traditional sports, with foot and ankle injuries accounting for over 50% of all injuries in professional dancers. Yet, unlike most athletes, dancers have not had access to compression technology to protect their bodies. We are changing that with footwear that uses targeted compression to create arch support, ankle stability, and energy absorption.

Additionally, all of our products come with the option of a refreshable traction. Our patent-pending invisible traction is revolutionary on its own by eliminating the fabric, bulk, and uncomfortable seams underfoot that exist most dance footwear. This results in a gorgeous look that enhances the dancers’ ability to feel the floor and accentuates the foot. What’s most exciting is that it’s a traction base that can be customized so it lasts the life of The Shocks!

We decided on the name Apolla derived from the Greek God “Apollo” who was also known as “the Dancer.” Apollo was the teacher of the muses, who were the inspiration for the arts and sciences. He was also known as a healer. We, of course, had to add a female aspect to the name since we are an all-female owned company. The male “o” of Apollo became the female “a” of Apolla. We made the ‘a’ the alpha symbol for its dual meaning of alpha being the first and the best, but also to bring the scientific aspect into the name.

We spent about 2 years in R&D and began selling live in August 2016 with 2 Shocks available in 2 colors each. 18 months later, we have 4 different styles available in many different color options as well as many projects in the pipeline. We are growing exponentially and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We hear from our customers daily about how The Shocks are changing their lives and we are so excited to see what the future holds for our company.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think the journey for any startup is smooth but I’m very proud of the way we have been able to navigate the challenges that come with owning a startup.

We introduced our Shocks to the dance community because we saw a huge need for supportive footwear. Dancers are pushing their bodies further than ever before and the injuries and pain that come with it are lifelong. Also, dance is what we know! Manufacturing, on the other hand, was something very foreign to us. Learning the process and finding the right manufacturing partners was a challenge…. especially in the beginning. We had no idea where to even begin to look. As always persistence paid off. Once we found the right partners, it really changed the game for us. They have been instrumental in our growth as a company.

Another challenge has been financing as I’m sure is the case with most new companies out there. We knew we wanted to grow quickly, retain control of our company and brand and also stay away from debt as much as possible. Banks don’t make that process easy for new companies so we had to get creative with how we financed our company and also how we manage our cash flow. Because we are growing exponentially and the climate of a startup is unpredictable, cash flow remains a very delicate dance and needs to be evaluated daily. We look at Apolla as one of our babies and we promised very early on that we would make sure it always has what it needs to grow and flourish. Those needs change often so we stay on our toes for sure!

Finally, I would say the sacrifice has been the biggest struggle. In the process of creating this company, we have juggled jobs, had babies, and the stresses and blessings of growing our families and a company. There is a constant internal struggle that I think many women go through…. am I a good wife? A good mother? Am I working too much? Am I losing myself? Am I not working enough? It’s a constant battle between prioritizing the needs of our personal lives with the demands of a growing startup. There are a lot of conference calls between us with screaming little voices in the background! A lot of work is scheduled during naptimes and sleeping hours which means many late nights/early mornings for us:)

We say all the time this sacrifice has not just been made by us but by our families as well, financially and personally. We are all incredibly lucky to have supportive husbands who believe in this company as much as we do. They share the household responsibilities, are wonderful fathers to our children, and support systems for us.The support and pride from our families have kept us going at times when we didn’t know if we could take one more step. The sacrifice has fueled us and I feel so grateful to be going through this, not just with friends, but strong, smart, passionate women who understand the sacrifice and the drive through the ups and the downs. In those moments, we push each other, we lift each other up, and we make each other better.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Apolla Performance Wear story. Tell us more about the business.
Apolla Performance Wear is a company dedicated to creating high-quality products that provide revolutionary support and protection to dancers of all genres, all over the world.

We are also committed to providing equally as excellent customer service. The level of customer service we strive to provide is something really unique, especially in the dance space. Our customers are very appreciative of that effort and that it’s consistent each and every time they order. We depend so much on their feedback and communication because it’s how we continue to evolve as a company and make sure our customers are getting what they need and want.

Injury prevention is a very hot topic in the dance community right now. We are proud to be the first ones to address this issue in dance footwear but more importantly that we are really making a difference in how our customers are taking care of their bodies and how much better their bodies feel when they are wearing their Shocks. We have received hundreds of reviews and testimonials from customers all over the world that tell us not only are our products working, but they are changing lives!

We are 100% made in the USA

We are proud of the reach our products have. We are marketing to the dance community to start but our products really help all types of athletes (with or without shoes), anyone who is on their feet all day, or anyone that has an existing or recurring injury. From nurses, cabin crew, UPS workers, marathon runners, senior citizens and everyone in between, many people can benefit from the support of The Shocks.

The life of a startup is unpredictable, unpaved, moves very fast and changes minute to minute. We have really been able to get a good grasp on our Inventory Management which has allowed us to maximize our cash flow. We try very hard to stay flexible and nimble so we can pivot quickly when a situation calls for it.This ensures we are always providing our customers with what they need and want and if something isn’t working, we change it.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am very lucky to have the family I do and to live in the greatest country in the world. Other than that, I am a big believer in hard work and opportunity…sometimes an opportunity is presented to you and others you have to kick the door down. We talk about this all the time but we really feel that everything we have done in our individual lives has led us to the creation of Apolla. Each one of us such a uniquely different perspective and skill set within the industry that contributes to where Apolla is now.

Going one step further, it has been a very thoughtful, conscious strategy to tap into our network at the right moments. We will be the first ones to tell you we don’t have all the answers but we will always do everything we can to learn and grow through every situation. We are very proud and grateful to the team of very knowledgeable team of experts and advisors we have surrounded ourselves with throughout this process. Every step of the way we have felt guided and every mistake or stumble has resulted in a learning experience we have rebounded from for even greater progress.

Pricing:

  • AMP Shocks-$25 per pair (available in Black or White, non-traction only)
  • Performance Shocks-$27-$29 per pair (available in Nude 1, Nude 2, Black, and White; traction or non-traction)
  • Infinite Shocks-$29-$31 per pair (available in Black or Black/Teal; traction or non-traction)
  • Alpha Shocks-$35-$37 per pair (available in Nude 1, Nude 2, Nude 3, and Black; traction or non-traction)

Contact Info:


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