We had the opportunity to sit down with Shoutout Colorado and provide a deep dive into how we started Ironpulse, as well as some of the challenges we overcame along the way. We hope that by reading this short five minute article, you gain inspiration to continue to chase after your dreams and live your life without regrets.
Hi Cam Smith And Kyle Nymberg, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Cam: We both grew up with an entrepreneurial spirit, knowing that neither of us would thrive well in a clock-in clock-out corporate environment. Kyle looked to start his own clothing business in college, while I went on and co-founded a media entertainment company, Nebulos Entertainment. After college, we had begun discussing ideas for a new venture that involved fashion, fitness, and helping others find their entrepreneurial drive. That said, we decided to enter the apparel industry, just as Covid-19 had begun spreading around the world in March of 2020. While businesses began shutting down, we were opening ours up. Since we both started working from home, this allowed us to put time and energy into Ironpulse. Knowing we wanted to create premium apparel, we focused our competitive advantage heavily on inspiring others to follow their passion and side hustle. Working long nights and into the early mornings enabled us to build the first ever category within the apparel industry that literally invests back into you, Visionwear. Our ability to support our community beyond tangible items is what makes our company Ironpulse, one of a kind.
This is how their loyalty program works. When an Ironpulse customer places an order, they start collecting points. Once the customer has accumulated some points, they fill out a brief form telling Ironpulse about their company or start-up. Ironpulse then converts those points to digital cash via PayPal or Venmo, matches 1:1 and sends it to the customer’s business. Ironpulse also gives the customer the option to allow their story/business to be shared on the Ironpulse Podcast, which in turn gives the customer free marketing.
“I know to some; it may not seem like a lot. However, to the small business owners grinding non-stop, $10 will pay for two months of Microsoft Office for you. It makes you put action behind your words by holding you accountable to progress with your business,” said Cam Smith, Co-founder.
“Our company was built on taking action. Visionwear was established to help push other people to put action behind their dreams and live the way they want to live, with the support of Ironpulse along the way,” said Kyle Nymberg, Co-Founder.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Kyle: We both are working full time jobs while pursuing our company. I work logistics for Nestle, while Cam works finance at Lockheed Martin. While both jobs are sound, they are just that, jobs. Our impact in these big corporations is limited to what the people above us allow us to do. We both want careers in which we can make more impact on a personal level. Instead of just talking about being different, we are taking action to prove that Ironpulse is unlike any brand you have been a part of before. Therefore, we are pioneering the new market for entrepreneurs and trendsetters, called Visionwear.
Visionwear provides the opportunity for Ironpulse to invest back in like-minded individuals who pride themselves on taking the road less traveled. Meant for those who know no complacency, this apparel aides in fostering innovation while allowing you to conquer in comfort.
“Starting a company is never easy, and Ironpulse is no exception. Some days it feels like it’s one step forward and two steps back. In times like these, it’s important to stay true to our company’s mission and vision. As with anything in life, the experience you gain from your failures and challenges will set you up for success later on”, said Kyle. “We overcame our challenges by staying resilient, disciplined, and focused. At the end of the day, if you don’t enjoy the journey you’re on, it won’t last. Focus on trying to be one percent better than you were yesterday”, said Cam.
The biggest lesson they learned is that no matter how much planning and preparation you put into something, chances are that it will not go the way you anticipate. They have learned to stay flexible and roll with the punches. “Sometimes you can only play with the cards you’ve been dealt and make the best of that situation. Don’t use the fear of uncertainty as a reason to not pursue your dreams”, said Cam.
Since starting this company, they have gained a greater appreciation for entrepreneurship. In doing so, this has led them to wanting to be the go-to brand for entrepreneurs. They want the world to know that if you have a dream or passion, there is no better time to start than right now. “The first week that the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we started working from home. Not knowing the extent of the pandemic at the time, we went all in and hit the ground running with Ironpulse”, said Kyle.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
“My family has been the biggest supporter in making Ironpulse the clothing brand for entrepreneurs. Their consistent effort to push me along, even when things get tough, is something I appreciate”, said Kyle.
“I want to give a lot of credit to my mother and roommate Tobey Nelson-Gal. In addition, I also want to send high praise to the Nebulos Entertainment team for allowing me to stay flexible and support this company as well. Huge thank you to Connor Smith, Eric Lunn, Jeremy Reott, Evan Sung, and Jacob Raducz”, said Cam.
In addition to their individual recognitions, both Cam and Kyle would like to give credit to the following for their involvement in Ironpulse.
- Jordan Rigli
- Kylie Scherck
- Kelly Powers
- Andrea Cushman
- Ashley Cushman
- Holly Bullough
- Charlie Ellis
- Mike LoTempio
- Cal Reynolds
- Davis McNulty
“We appreciate every single one of you and cannot thank you enough for helping us bring this vision to life” – Cam and Kyle
Website: https://shopironpulse.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialironpulse/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialironpulse
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4IWBSgUj0kkqWCbb3pc2Vw
Other: Ironpulse Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1dNq2ixyUgEA53XAq5WWG5 Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ironpulse-podcast/id1548139511
Image Credits
Jordan Rigli
