# ICYMI... HIBT Lab! Blogilates: Cassey Ho

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-10-13
- Length: 34m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho

## Summary

Cassey Ho, founder of Blogilates and POPFLEX, explains how she pivoted from a biology student pressured by her immigrant parents to become a doctor, to building a multi-million dollar empire starting with a YouTube Pilates channel and a handmade yoga bag. She details the transition from shipping products out of her parents' garage to scaling POPFLEX apparel and securing retail partnerships with Target, while maintaining a business model where YouTube ad revenue constitutes only 1% of total income. Ho discusses the strategic importance of free content for audience engagement, the challenges of scaling production and hiring, and her long-term goal of building POPFLEX into a legacy brand independent of her personal influence.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=0) Introduction: Cassey Ho and the Blogilates Empire
- [2:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=156) Family Expectations and the Pivot to Fashion
- [4:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=240) The Origin of Blogilates and the Yoga Bag
- [19:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=1182) From Garage to Warehouse: Scaling Production
- [22:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=1339) Audience Growth and Platform Strategy
- [24:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=1497) Monetization: Free Content vs. Product Revenue
- [29:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-13-icymi-hibt-lab-blogilates-cassey-ho#t=1766) Handling Criticism and Building a Legacy Brand

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Creator business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/creator-business)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Blogilates (product)
- POPFLEX (product)
- Target (company)
- YouTube (tool)
- TikTok (tool)
- Shape Magazine (other)
- U.S. Bank (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [376: This one only has four utters](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-11-04-376-this-one-only-has-four-utters) (Making It)
- [Founder Feature: Max Luthy of Plink!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-04-18-founder-feature-max-luthy-of-plink) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Episode 054: The end goal.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-01-15-episode-054-the-end-goal) (Making It)
- [Mike Burroughs (Founder / Creator, Stanceworks)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-08-26-mike-burroughs-founder-creator-stanceworks) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [382: Shmorts and shmeels](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-12-23-382-shmorts-and-shmeels) (Making It)

## Citing this page

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