Warehouse: A Peek Inside Our BJJ Journey and What’s Next

As I write this on November 5, 2024 (just a few days before our official launch!), I wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look at where we are, what we've learned, and what’s coming up.  

Our First Collection and the Learning Curve

 This weekend, we’re launching our very first collection: seven unique rash guard designs, crafted with quality and style in mind. Starting Warehouse has been a huge learning experience, especially since Mikah and I come from law and finance backgrounds - It’s been challenging, but fun. We’ve had some wins along the way, and naturally, a few lessons learned.

What We’re Proud Of

1. Quality Gear:

We tested manufacturers globally, explored different printing methods, and experimented with various materials (8 to be exact). While this feels like an obvious step, since running our tests it has become very apparent how many BJJ brands skip this step. As someone who trains multiple times a day, I’m thrilled to have rash guards that are this comfortable and durable.

2. DIY Website:

I took on the challenge of building the website myself. It was a new skill to learn, but now I can make quick updates without needing outside help. For the first version, I think it looks great, and I know it’ll only improve with time.

3. Sponsorships:

We’ve also started our sponsorship journey with two athletes, Joey and Johnny. Supporting these two athletes is such a privilege as they are both such great people whilst also being so talented. It's important to us at Warehouse to set aside a part of our revenue (not just our profit) for sponsorship programs which is why they began before we launched.

Lessons Learned

1. Branding and Logo:

Our branding came together fast, as is often the case in start-up life where the motto is “move fast and fix later.” The name "Warehouse" was inspired by our flat, which is a converted warehouse. Ironically, in starting this business, our flat has practically turned back into a warehouse. Our original logo is a nod to this unique and historic place and was a homage to the building's logo, a place that really started our BJJ journey. While I appreciate the sentiment, I’m not completely happy with the logo on our gear. That’s why we’ve brought in professional designers to help us refine the look with a fresh logo (hint: it features a bear) and updated typography. We’ll reveal these changes with our second collection, in line with a full rebrand.

2. Design Options:

I love our first collection, but I wish we’d included some simpler, more minimalist designs. I get that not everyone wants bold designs, so we’ll be introducing plainer options in our second collection to cater to more tastes.

What’s Coming Up?

After we sell through some of our initial stock, which currently includes 1,300 pieces, we’re ready to roll out a rebrand and a second collection. Each design requires a significant investment in sampling and minimum order quantities, so moving at a sustainable pace helps us keep quality high.

Looking further ahead, our third collection will feature more variety and a few fun ideas that are still in development:

1. A set of ranked IBJJF rash guard
2. A “sponsored” rash guard (imagine a F1-style jersey but we will use the ad money to reduce the price of the rash guards for you!)
3. Additional BJJ shorts
4. Cosy hoodies

One of my personal goals is to spot someone wearing our ranked rash guard at No-Gi Euros next year. Outside of new gear, I’m also looking forward to growing our sponsorship program and creating some fun challenges for the community.

We’re thrilled to be on this journey, and we can’t wait to share more with you. Thanks for supporting Warehouse as we get ready to launch!