Some companies start with a product before creating community around it. But Bandit, a New York–grown running apparel company, did the opposite.
Two brothers, Tim and Nick West, grew Bandit with New York’s vibrant running community, a large and diverse group that comes together for group runs all over the city. When Tim was looking for athletic wear, he came up short. “I couldn’t find any brands that really resonated with me. Nothing felt New York City to me. Nothing felt like a reflection of my experience running,” Tim says.
Bandit’s products were a hit with its target market, and the brand is now working on how to support and uplift the community while scaling. Ahead, learn from some of the principles of Bandit’s community-first playbook.
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Community first, then product
Tim and Nick were inspired by other community-first brands, like surf or skate brands that popped up from a group of friends with a passion for a sport. They wanted to make something for the New York running community, which had become so important for health and connection, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their first product was a new and improved running sock. “The run sock is a trust-building product,” Nick says. “It’s a repeat product. It’s got great margins. It’s got all the hallmarks of a great initial product, but we never wanted to be a sock company. We wanted to really have an impact on this sport.”