Meet the co-founder of EX-BELT
A simple yet versatile exercise tool for at-home fitness, the EX-BELT is manufactured in the UK and is the brainchild of father and son duo Alex and Tom Miles who lives in Wales.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
The concept of the EX-BELT emerged during the first UK lockdown when everyone was restricted to one hour of outdoor exercise per day, leaving many frustrated (including myself) with no fitness equipment at home and limited time to spend outdoors.
Having become a regular runner during lockdown, I began wondering if there was any way I could work my upper body simultaneously. I was not alone in trying to solve this, my father and I often discuss new ideas all the time, some good, some not so good. However, this particular innovation seemed to be one of the good ones! “What if we attach a set of resistance bands to a belt in such a way that they provide upper body resistance while you run?” We were both surprised and hugely encouraged to find there was no such thing available online.
A number of prototypes later, I came to realise that we were on to something unique and effective that had never been done before; this was all I needed in order to start a new business.
Since launching, the EX-BELT has become so much more than a running accessory, it has provided people from all walks of life with new and exciting ways to exercise. We aim to become the next “must have” piece of fitness equipment.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in the fitness industry?
It is not often that you discover and create something that nobody has done before - we have a truly unique product that people enjoy using and which they find very effective. This is something I am grateful for discovering. Aside from that, it is great to have a product that can be used by anybody no matter what their ability or goals are. We have had an amazing uptake and the range of users is incredible – from Olympic athletes, World Record holders and professional boxing champions incorporating the Ex-Belt into their training regimes to vulnerable elderly people, housebound because of Covid, using the EX-BELT in their armchair for some very light resistance exercises.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
Learn how to accept negative feedback and channel it into improving what you have. However, being 27 years of age and starting my first business, I have many more lessons ahead!
Any moments where you thought you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?
Having created this business alongside a full-time job, I did feel this at the beginning. However, if you want something enough, you’ll always find the time.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Listen to what everyone has to say, but do not take everything as gospel. Be prepared to use your own initiative.
What’s the single most important decision that you made, that contributed to your business?
Manufacturing the product ourselves. It allowed us to carefully engineer and create the best product we possibly could, and it gives us complete control over the whole production process.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
They are all-powerful platforms in their own ways, but so far, we have found Instagram to be the most effective. It allows us to easily showcase the versatility of the product through a few simple clicks when someone lands on the page.
If you could be in a room with four entrepreneurs, who would they be and why?
Jack Ma, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Phil Knight. I would ask them all to set out a 5-year plan for EX-BELT!
What are your hopes and expectations for EX-BELT in 2021?
We are expanding globally this year with the US site going live imminently. If we receive a similar response to what we have had in the UK, then things will become very exciting.
