Melanie Lin, CEO - Virus Intl

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:01.080 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: The right mindset. 2 00:00:01.830 --> 00:00:02.660 Melanie Lin: Love it. 3 00:00:21.560 --> 00:00:44.819 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: All right. Welcome back to the platform podcast. I am very excited to welcome in my guest. This week is Melanie Lynn. She is the CEO of Virus International, which is a sports apparel brand that is, catering to a broad range of high performance athletes and making high quality equipment accessible to all Melanie, welcome in. 4 00:00:45.030 --> 00:00:48.400 Melanie Lin: Thank you so much. It's awesome to be here, really, really excited. 5 00:00:49.070 --> 00:01:05.939 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah, I really appreciate. I really appreciate you coming on. I I wanna start with your origin story before we before we dive into to virus. I actually want to know a little bit about about you and kind of your background. And how did you? How did you get into, you know, sports. And what made you want to go down this path. 6 00:01:05.940 --> 00:01:30.940 Melanie Lin: Yeah, that is a really loaded and funny question at the same time, because I would say, for those who have known me in childhood, they would say, I am far from what you would consider an athlete. So you know, I grew up very much like focused on my studies. My parents didn't put me in any sports, it was more so just get straight. A's, which is exactly what I did, you know, very stereotypical, but it's exactly what I did. But then it was funny. You know, my dad 7 00:01:30.940 --> 00:01:54.769 Melanie Lin: was always an entrepreneur and he had started virus in 2,014 when I was just graduating high school. So you know, a little bit of the origin of sense of like, I already knew that he was in apparel. Technically, he's 3, rd and I'm 4th generation in my family to do textile and apparel. So all of this was in my blood, and it was going to manifest somehow. But, you know, growing up, I always wanted to carve my own path. 8 00:01:55.041 --> 00:02:08.359 Melanie Lin: I'd always been a self starter because I was so academically focused. I was like, Okay, I'm going to get into a really good school. I always knew I wanted to do business. It's, you know, seeing both of my parents. They ran a factory growing up. 9 00:02:08.370 --> 00:02:14.991 Melanie Lin: My father owned his own sew shop, and he actually worked for Bob Hurley. You know, Pip 10 00:02:15.340 --> 00:02:40.070 Melanie Lin: Billabong quicksilver all those brands you name it. So Bob Hurley was one of his original mentors, so we were always in apparel. You know. I grew up doing my homework in the factories. When my parents would work late, I would run up and down these lines of sewing machines, jump in piles of fabric, you know. That was how I grew up, but I never thought that that would be, you know the career, or just kind of the sense of direction that I would take. I just always thought, Wow! I saw my parents 11 00:02:40.130 --> 00:03:05.099 Melanie Lin: work hard for their own money. They were their own bosses, so I always knew business was the direction I wanted to go. So I studied business economics, and then, pretty short. After I graduated from university, I decided to pursue my Mba, and usually you know you pursue your Mba. Like you. You've got at least what? 5 to 10 years of experience. But for me I went straight into 12 00:03:05.100 --> 00:03:27.769 Melanie Lin: entrepreneurship. So the second I graduated. I traveled abroad, lived actually in Asia for 2 months with my father, learning everything that he knew. So production supply chain. I saw the factories I've actually visited, you know, Nike Lululemon factories. I've also visited the famous fabletics factory as well. It's crazy but I was able to really open my eyes to what 13 00:03:27.770 --> 00:03:36.869 Melanie Lin: international business would be like. And so that kind of got me into. Okay, I want to be an entrepreneur. But at this moment, in time, you know, I was like 14 00:03:36.870 --> 00:03:47.019 Melanie Lin: 1819. I still wasn't like, like, I want to work with virus or no, it was still just like, Okay, now, how can I take this knowledge and do my own thing? But you know 15 00:03:47.020 --> 00:04:08.170 Melanie Lin: I started my own company before virus, I actually joined virus. I started a health and wellness brand with my father. We made holistic wellness devices. So we actually went through the process of getting a patent. We went through the process of working with doctors. I learned all of that as well. So that was also again really amazing 16 00:04:08.320 --> 00:04:33.170 Melanie Lin: skills I needed to learn. That would help me eventually at virus. But I started this company, and my my father helped me do all the sourcing, because logistics and supply chain is his thing. My thing is operations and strategy and everything else. And so I remember designing the website myself on napkins like I drew on printer 8 by 11 printer paper. And I said, This is, gonna be the homepage. This is. Gonna be where the banner is. 17 00:04:33.260 --> 00:04:54.880 Melanie Lin: etc, etc. And then I gave it to a friend who owned his own production company, and he helped me create a website. So I was able to learn the base, the basics of bootstrapping as an entrepreneur. All this to say, though what really was, I would say, the divine timing. I'm very spiritual person, the divine timing of the universe. Really brought back Covid had hit 18 00:04:55.183 --> 00:05:17.640 Melanie Lin: the ex CEO, who actually was not my father. It was someone else at the company. Asked my dad to come back to help with the brand, because we the you know, the company, was hurting just like everyone else when Covid was starting. And then my dad came back, basically a quote out of retirement, because at this point he had also stepped away from virus realized, shoot virus needs help. 19 00:05:17.640 --> 00:05:46.310 Melanie Lin: And then he asked me, Hey, you know you just graduated, and you just got your Mba like, I know we've started this other company. But can you pause this and let's come back to virus. So now this is like 2019. I've now come into virus to just offer my help as a newly minted Mba graduate. But then I realized, Wow, there's a lot of work to be done, and I was able to make an impact right away. And that's kind of how I started 20 00:05:46.490 --> 00:06:11.430 Melanie Lin: segue into then getting into virus. But it's hilarious because I I wasn't an Olympic Weightlifter at the time. I didn't do any sports. I was simply just one of those people at the gym just trying to survive, literally just trying to stay fit and survive but then I picked up Olympic weightlifting just only 2 years ago myself, because I wanted to put myself. Yeah, I wanted to put myself into the perspective of what it was like to be one of our athletes, but in general. 21 00:06:11.850 --> 00:06:20.899 Melanie Lin: in recognizing right, the body can do so much, but the mind can do so much more. So I was like, Okay, if I can deal with a lot of scary things in business. 22 00:06:21.140 --> 00:06:27.301 Melanie Lin: I can. I can do some stuff with the Barbell, so that's kind of where it all came together. 23 00:06:27.610 --> 00:06:37.510 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: That is, that is fantastic. So now I mean you. You touch you touched on you, touched on, you know, only weightlifting and being. This is the platform podcast now, I'm gonna have to ask you a couple of only questions. So. 24 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:39.820 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: What's your favorite lift? 25 00:06:40.400 --> 00:06:48.779 Melanie Lin: Probably clean and jerk specifically the clean I can clean all day long. I'm still working on my jerk, but I can clean all day long. 26 00:06:48.780 --> 00:06:51.300 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: How? How about the snatch? How's how's the snatch treating you. 27 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:57.469 Melanie Lin: See that one? It's more of a I love it when I love it, and I hate it when I hate it. I have gone. 28 00:06:57.470 --> 00:06:57.900 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I will! 29 00:06:57.900 --> 00:07:20.369 Melanie Lin: I exactly like I've only gone I've only done one meet and even though I live in Southern California, my gyms in Texas. So I did one meet at my home gym in Texas, and it was awesome. I was surrounded by my teammates, but I had to tell my coach coach like I I've forgotten how to snatch like literally 2 weeks leading up to the meet. I literally couldn't snatch even 60%. It was not even funny. And so. 30 00:07:20.370 --> 00:07:21.839 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: No, you got the yips. 31 00:07:21.840 --> 00:07:36.606 Melanie Lin: I got. Yes, I don't know what happened, but just something wasn't right like I started bouncing the bar off my hip. And so you know, it's 1 of those things where, when I'm really good at snatching, I love it. But unfortunately it has been a strained relationship as of lately. 32 00:07:36.880 --> 00:07:42.959 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah, snatches. Snatch is a is a fickle mistress in in Kettlebell sport, and in and in Oli like, Oh. 33 00:07:42.960 --> 00:07:43.500 Melanie Lin: It's. 34 00:07:43.500 --> 00:08:05.046 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: It's especially it's especially challenging in in. Only when you're going with a heavy load. Because if you if you mess up, snatch bad like you can. Things can go bad cause you're you're taking that. You're taking that heavy weight way overhead and trying to do it really fast and drop under it. That is a a really challenging skill. I'm with you. The clean and jerk was always was always my jam snatch. 35 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:11.839 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: yeah, not. I don't think I really had any good days on. Snatch it. Just it's it's a it's a really technical lift. 36 00:08:11.840 --> 00:08:13.600 Melanie Lin: Yes, yes, and I'm now. 37 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.260 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: You gotta give you gotta give a shout out to to your gym. So where's who's your home? Gym! Where's your where. 38 00:08:17.260 --> 00:08:41.750 Melanie Lin: Yes, I will gladly plug them shamelessly. They're called Bear Barbell. They're based out of San Antonio, Texas. Yeah. And my coach Brittany Rucker is incredible, and I think it helps to you know, and I used to be at Socal weightlifting here in California, which also, by the way an amazing gym and amazing facility. I've just never had a female coach, and I think for me, that's what you know when the shift happened. That was probably the biggest shift. 39 00:08:41.750 --> 00:09:06.669 Melanie Lin: But overall, like I've been really blessed with just having amazing teammates. I go out to Texas as much as I can. And I used to think, oh, I could never do remote coaching like I need emotional support right there in front of me. But honestly, you know, making myself take videos and watching my technique through, because I used to just not even want to record myself. It's hard for me to be on camera, as is. So then, to record myself and watch myself doing a lift in a really bad. 40 00:09:06.670 --> 00:09:31.470 Melanie Lin: it's like, Okay, how can we get past the body dysmorphia and the self judgment, and actually look at the technicality of Hey, this is what happened with your hips there. This is what happened, you know, with your chest. And so it's been great. It's been great. So I'm significantly better, but by no means do I consider myself, you know, an expert at all. It's more. So just I'm it's cool. I'm pushing the limits and bounds of what my body can do, and I never thought I'd be here before. 41 00:09:31.737 --> 00:09:51.819 Melanie Lin: My body has also changed significantly. If you ask anybody in my life, they're like, I have muscle in places. I've never thought I had muscle before, like I finally had abs for once in my life. It's like Whoa! Where did those come from? It all came from literally Olympic weightlifting, but I was always very diligent before all my fitness. I was yoga instructor as well before, but I never had the physique 42 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:53.980 Melanie Lin: that I have now. It's crazy. 43 00:09:54.170 --> 00:09:59.208 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah, it's it's almost like moving the heaviest load you can as explosively as possible builds a lot of muscle. 44 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:24.340 Melanie Lin: Yeah, right? And then just that stuff to your body. And I'm like, and it's funny, like I've I've also. Now I'm tracking my macros. Religiously, you know, and I've never used something like Rp strength. For example, like never used software like that. It was always like my fitness power like, let me just like loosely track calories. But no, it's this is very intentional, and I really heavily respect people who do this, you know, on the Olympic, or you know, national international level where you have 45 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:31.969 Melanie Lin: to be stringent with it because it's still just a hobby for me. But it still feels like a full-time job these days. Sometimes. 46 00:10:31.970 --> 00:10:43.330 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I love. I love so much about what you just shared, because, like a for you know, kudos to you for just being like, hey? I'm gonna go do something new, different and scary, and and that like 47 00:10:43.470 --> 00:11:10.680 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Olympic weightlifting can be like, especially if you're going when you're going heavy like, I don't get heavy is relative, right? Like, you know, I don't. That doesn't even mean a number, right? It just means when you're going for a number, for a weight that you know you're like. It's the fringe of your capability like that takes a little bit of commitment to to like. Say, I'm gonna I'm gonna put this weight overhead right because it doesn't always go well right? And then, like, you know, the vulnerability of of filming yourself and getting past some of the the critique in your head is always 48 00:11:10.680 --> 00:11:35.210 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: really challenging. So you know, kudos to you, and like, I think it's especially cool. I I'm I especially love seeing women get into powerlifting and get into Olympic weightlifting and get into Kettlebell sport. Because I love kind of this cultural moment that we're in right now where you're starting to see women embrace their power, and it's starting to be more socially acceptable for women to be powerful, to be muscular, to be big like, you know, coming out of the Olympic, coming 49 00:11:35.210 --> 00:11:52.989 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: out of the Olympics, seeing some of the women that that did amazing things on the platform, seeing you know the the Rugby, the women's Rugby being huge for the Us. Team like I just I love seeing that you know I love. I love him that having that example out there for for women especially, I think it's I think it's such a cool, cultural moment that we're kind of in right now. 50 00:11:52.990 --> 00:12:16.559 Melanie Lin: Absolutely, and it's like I I don't. I hate to admit it, but I will, because I like to see where I've come from. You know, I used to be one of those women that was afraid to lift weights because I didn't want to get bulky, you know, and it's like, I think about. You know that past self talking, and I'm like, but it's it's all again. It's perspective, right as well. And you know what societal constructs tell you, but now I'm proud to say I'm thick with 2 C's, and that's great. 51 00:12:16.560 --> 00:12:17.470 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Oh, excellent! 52 00:12:17.470 --> 00:12:36.679 Melanie Lin: Literally. It's literally the best thing ever, and like I still have friends. Now, you know I'm 28. I have friends who are, you know, around my age, and women especially who've never touched a barbell. And they're like, it's because, like, I just don't want to get bulky. And then I'm just like, okay, let me walk you through this journey, you know, because it's really just kind of kind of reframing how you think about it. 53 00:12:36.680 --> 00:12:37.200 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah. 54 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:49.509 Melanie Lin: Also love what you just said, and even for people to when I tell people you know what I do for work, and I don't like to outrightly say, you know, I'm CEO, I like to say, like I I'm the firefighter at the company. I put out fires, which is what I do. Really, it's that's. 55 00:12:49.510 --> 00:12:51.500 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I mean, that's entrepreneurialism right there, right. 56 00:12:51.500 --> 00:13:12.569 Melanie Lin: Yeah, it's more of an accurate title. But I would say, you know, like I love being able to do it all to say that I can, you know, fight the fires of my business, but also fight the fires of my own mind, and that often comes from, you know, the 2 to 3 HA day that I'll lift, because that that mental fortitude needs to show up when you're putting heavy ass shit over your head. Otherwise you'll fall. 57 00:13:12.570 --> 00:13:13.420 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: It ain't going well. 58 00:13:13.420 --> 00:13:15.170 Melanie Lin: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. 59 00:13:15.170 --> 00:13:32.109 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: That's that's why our like our mission is to become our best selves through sport right? And, like you nailed it like. That's what it is, is like doing hard things like, just becomes a habit. You're like, Yeah, I I'm capable of doing hard things, and it carries over to all areas of your life. I I love that so much. 60 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:57.459 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I'm curious. You you, since you grew up in in the factories with your, with your dad and you grew up in the industry. I kind of had a similar experience, but I was in the supply chain and logistics side actually, but not not in manufacturing. But it! It made me want to be like I was growing up. I was like, I absolutely do not want to do this because I saw I saw the grind. I saw how hard my dad worked, and all of those things and I still ended up in logistics for for a period of time, and you 61 00:13:57.460 --> 00:14:08.300 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: kind of did the same thing. So did you have that same mindset? Is that why you were like? Was it like, I don't want to do this, or was it just like I want to carve my own path? Was it? Was it more the latter, or more? I want to do what my dad. 62 00:14:08.300 --> 00:14:32.559 Melanie Lin: Exactly. It was like, I want to carve my own path. But also I was like, I don't know how I could work with family, because you know, not getting too deep into it. But of course, like I'm very open. So you're more than welcome to ask me, like I've always. I've always had a very complicated relationship with my own family. I like to tell people I actually have more chosen family, you know. Blood blood to me. You know, doesn't mean nearly as much as action, and for me. 63 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:43.259 Melanie Lin: you know, especially growing up with an entrepreneurial father who was never home. You know I didn't get the fatherly support. I didn't get that emotional support ever. And then you throw in an Asian tiger mom again. 64 00:14:43.627 --> 00:15:07.790 Melanie Lin: you know. Truly true to the stereotype, to a T. It was like, okay, also to get emotional support there. So I was always like, you know what the path to my own happiness and freedom does not come from my own home. It has to come from me carving my own path, which is why I work so hard in school, which is why the second I turned 15. I got a job. I also got applied for a driving permit. You know I recognized as a child. These are the foundational steps 65 00:15:07.790 --> 00:15:32.739 Melanie Lin: you need to take to what quote what I thought was freedom. And now, you know, obviously as an adult having adult money, having adult responsibility. Freedom looks a lot different, right? But I definitely think for me. Still, true to my core, I want to carve my own path, and even though I decided to help my father continue his legacy, I'm also carving my own path on my own part of the challenges that I listed, you know, about 66 00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:38.080 Melanie Lin: mental fortitude. A lot of that also comes with just working with your own family. I 67 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:55.809 Melanie Lin: I there has been so many messy bits behind the scenes that have occurred just purely because it wasn't just my dad. At 1 point, you know, my sister was involved with the company as well. My own aunt, my dad's sister, you know. They don't have a good relationship either. The second you start throwing family with business and money. 68 00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:57.570 Melanie Lin: It's a whole different kind of. 69 00:15:57.570 --> 00:15:58.480 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Messy yeah. 70 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:12.510 Melanie Lin: Yeah, you can't. I can't even begin to explain to people like the amount of trauma that I have incurred as an adult going through that stuff. But again, it all goes through through. The whole process of this is what makes you stronger. This is all character building, but it's like. 71 00:16:12.510 --> 00:16:35.559 Melanie Lin: I really thought I was done with the childhood trauma. And now this is this is different trauma on a different level. But again, I've learned so much, and that's why I like to tell people you know nothing. Nobody can hurt me in business, because my own family's done it, and I truly mean that sentence in the best way. You know I love my family, and I love still working with my father like. I am still 1,000 in this with him. I actually am trying to 72 00:16:35.560 --> 00:16:56.009 Melanie Lin: work so that he can retire. You know he's turning 65 this year, but he's still living abroad now, still taking care of production. He's still producing new fabrics, and new fabric technology for virus. And I just want him to retire so that way. You know, he can live a good, peaceful life, I mean, I swear he's probably gonna still work until he's gone, because that's just how he is. But. 73 00:16:56.010 --> 00:16:56.410 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah. 74 00:16:56.410 --> 00:16:59.250 Melanie Lin: It's 1 of those things where it's a fine balance, you know, where I try. 75 00:16:59.250 --> 00:17:04.669 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: But you want to be able to retire him. It sounds like you. You want to give him that exit ramp if he wants to take. 76 00:17:04.670 --> 00:17:29.559 Melanie Lin: 100% 100% as much as it's really tough working with him. It's like the filial piety is still strong. Like, I want to do this, you know, even though emotionally I didn't grow up with that support. It's like I. I always had a roof over my head. I grew up with privilege, and it was always because my parents worked really hard. You know. But I want to be able to give that back in some way. It's not the way I probably would do it with my own children. But it's a way I respond. 77 00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:50.050 Melanie Lin: And with that generation right? You know they care more about leaving stuff behind for your children and for me. I take that very heavily. You know I I want to continue this business, but also do it my own way. And I think that's where a lot of points of contention have come is, you know, I have different ways to strategy, you know, versus my dad, who has done a certain thing a certain way for 40 years. 78 00:17:50.050 --> 00:18:05.609 Melanie Lin: But world is different now. Right? Business is different now. The economy is different now, and those things tend to clash. And so I guess that's that's the part that I'm still working on. But you know it's bettered my communication a lot. And it again, it's made me less afraid. 79 00:18:06.106 --> 00:18:18.530 Melanie Lin: To basically handle really hard conversations with people. Because, again, the closest people are the ones that do the most damage to you. Right? So it's happened many times already, you know. 80 00:18:18.530 --> 00:18:34.789 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I I feel that more. I feel that more that I more than I could tell you. My! My at 1 point my father was, was a customer of mine when I was working in logistics, and there was a lot of there was a lot of challenges in that in that regard when it was like, you know. Well, if you don't get this taken care of, I'm gonna tell your boss, you know. 81 00:18:34.790 --> 00:18:36.529 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly, and it. 82 00:18:36.530 --> 00:18:37.070 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Like. 83 00:18:37.070 --> 00:18:57.350 Melanie Lin: It's harder. It feels deeper, just purely because they know how to get under your skin. But you know I'm glad that you understand that not many people do. But again, I I love it like it's the duality of it, right like I love that. It's like you can trust somebody so much, but at the same time those are the people again that have the biggest ability to hurt you in that way. 84 00:18:57.350 --> 00:19:06.759 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: And vice versa, right? We know how to push their buttons, too, as kids that grew up watching them, you know, like I watch my older brothers, you know I'm like, Oh, I learned how to. I learned where all the buttons were. I learned where. 85 00:19:06.760 --> 00:19:07.420 Melanie Lin: Exactly. 86 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:12.572 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Where some of the landmines were. But yeah, that can be. That can be really, that can be really tricky. 87 00:19:12.830 --> 00:19:39.949 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: what were what were kind of virus's core values when it was when it was founded. And now, how has it kind of shifted, or or has it shifted under your leadership. Now that you've kind of taken the reins. You know. I I know there's been some. There's been some brand pivots that have happened a little bit, some of them, by external factors like you mentioned Covid right? And then but I also know that some of it is just is self directed. So tell us a little bit about the the journey of the brand from, you know, inheriting, you know, being brought back in and inheriting a brand 88 00:19:39.950 --> 00:19:49.109 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: that your your dad kind of started. But now somebody else was in there, and now you're being brought back in. He's being brought back in like. Tell us a little bit about that that brand journey. 89 00:19:49.110 --> 00:20:00.249 Melanie Lin: No, that's a fabulous question, I think, to answer this in like a 3 part question, the 1st one being, you know, what were the values before versus now, honestly, I would say. 90 00:20:00.250 --> 00:20:24.880 Melanie Lin: especially when I came in, and not even a CEO. This is when I came in, you know, 3 years ago. As somebody new trying to help like coming in from a new perspective, right? Even though my father was in this for a lot longer than I have. I was still fresh pair of eyes, and a lot of people on the team did not like that. Obviously half of them thought it was nepotism, but I quickly showed them through actions that it wasn't just because I was a CEO's daughter. 91 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:43.010 Melanie Lin: I was qualified to be there. I had a lot of impact. The problem was, a lot of the team were set in their ways. Right? Groupthink biases, confirmation biases. You name it all that was present when I got to the company. But I definitely think overall the core values of what I saw in this brand. 92 00:20:43.010 --> 00:21:07.299 Melanie Lin: and I was in a sales position when I 1st came in. So I still am. You know I specialize in b 2 b business to business partnerships. All of our major deals and negotiations are handled by me and my partner. But it's like that's what I'm most passionate about is talking to people and understanding how not just our product, but the very essence of what virus is, how does that help your business which helps our business. 93 00:21:07.300 --> 00:21:21.309 Melanie Lin: which helps our community? And it helps everyone. And I think for us the core values of this brand down to the very name, you know. And this is something that I've been trying to also market more. I love explaining the name virus. 94 00:21:21.310 --> 00:21:32.400 Melanie Lin: Why, we're even called virus in the 1st place, especially with the pandemic. A lot of people came for us, and they thought, oh, we're just a company trying to capitalize off the pandemic with. That's absolutely not true. 95 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.890 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Terrible. That would be a terrible marketing strategy. Exactly, exactly. 96 00:21:34.890 --> 00:22:00.349 Melanie Lin: Exactly, but I have to tell. We had to tell people and spin it like we're the only virus you want to have, you know, like and and we were. We were founded in 2,013, you know, like this is nothing to do with Corona. Right? But you know the very word virus it's meant to encapsulate right? You know our slogan is the passion expressing the passion that defines you. It's meant to encapsulate right the mental and physical adversity that 97 00:22:00.550 --> 00:22:23.700 Melanie Lin: athletes in our sports continue to take on despite how hard it is, despite injuries, right? Despite people telling you, hey? This shit's hard. You're gonna fail. And still showing up to do it. And so I I take one of our original athletes. His name's Cub Swanson, right famous icon of the Ufc. Who's who's very famous for having 98 00:22:24.080 --> 00:22:48.960 Melanie Lin: Probably the most successful reconstructive face surgery in the industry. We worked with him right after a big fight, where his face completely got ruined and no brands wanted to work with him simply because of how he looked. Despite all of that he still continued to fight. He still continued to show up, and one of our founders originally knew him and decided to connect with him and say, Hey, we're a brand that's trying to really offer our own 99 00:22:48.960 --> 00:23:04.109 Melanie Lin: technology to people like you who put themselves in really hard environments. And you need clothing to support those environments. And so when you think of somebody like cuffs wants in that spirit what makes him, despite going through all that, despite that rejection, despite literally having your face 100 00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:09.050 Melanie Lin: like reconfigure, to come back again to fight. What is that that drives you? 101 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:10.550 Melanie Lin: It's the virus. 102 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:32.730 Melanie Lin: So that is exactly why we're named virus. We represent the passion, the essence, the motivation that inherent ability to just keep showing up even when all odds are against you. And this is also purposeful, and why we support sports that tend to be more solo based Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting right 103 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:35.690 Melanie Lin: jujitsu. Right? You're not on a team. 104 00:23:36.050 --> 00:23:37.170 Melanie Lin: It's 1 versus. 105 00:23:37.170 --> 00:23:38.780 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Versus you, yeah. 106 00:23:39.040 --> 00:23:40.050 Melanie Lin: Exactly. 107 00:23:40.050 --> 00:23:41.169 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Love it, I love it. 108 00:23:41.170 --> 00:24:01.140 Melanie Lin: So that's exactly. You know the essence of the brand. And we are still representing that today I would like to just say that probably the core values all stem from this very essence of what this brand is, however, the manifestation is different, and I think that comes from different ways that we go about marketing ourselves 109 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:24.932 Melanie Lin: different athletes we work with. Even down to the very messaging like I would say, you know again, not that this is a bad thing. This is just, of course, like me, being in 2024, as a female speaking my voice, you know, from 2010 the true inception of virus up upwards until maybe 2015, or 16. This was a very male dominated team. Most of the co-founders were all men. 110 00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:28.529 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: And you guys, were, you guys were really heavy in mma, right? Like at the start, it was mostly. 111 00:24:28.530 --> 00:24:41.310 Melanie Lin: Motocross Motocross, Mma. Right? Especially heavily masculine sports. We always made female products. But the problem was, it was men designing products for women, and likewise. 112 00:24:41.310 --> 00:24:42.619 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: How could that go badly. 113 00:24:42.620 --> 00:25:00.449 Melanie Lin: That's what I'm saying exactly, but also men right marketing. And naturally you have the bias of making more masculine looking marketing of just like we always had very sleek stuff. Right? You look at our vintage virus banners and everything. It all looks really badass, but it's like there's no feminine touch. 114 00:25:00.450 --> 00:25:24.919 Melanie Lin: And I think you know that was an essence that was pretty big that I I wanted to change. So even when I came in, there were females on the team. But granted not that many in the higher positions that were actually affecting and impacting the business when I came in, I specifically hired my sales partner now, Anna, who helps me with everything. You know she's a female, and she's a doctor by trade. Actually she's a pharmacist by trade. And then I 115 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:37.219 Melanie Lin: hired a few interns that happened to be women. So I didn't even think about. Wow! I only have to hire women because it's uneven. But I just thought, Wow, like we need diversity in this team, you know, that was actually another point of 116 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:50.030 Melanie Lin: push back to when I decided to bring on Anna. Everyone on my team before, as part of the old crew were like, why the hell are you hiring a doctor? You know she doesn't know anything about clothing. Why did you hire her? And it's like, Okay, let me break it down. 117 00:25:50.070 --> 00:26:19.600 Melanie Lin: She may be a pharmacist by trade, but she's been a crossfitter for 8 years. She has loved virus since it's come out right, and because she's a pharmacist while she knows how to sell the hell out of drugs. She's also a crossfitter, and she so therefore she knows how to sell the hell out of our stuff right? And so now she is still with me as part of, like the core new team of this new era of the company, and she still is a pharmacist. Right? She still is a pharmacist, and does her passion, but her other true fashion is passion. Is fitness 118 00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:31.400 Melanie Lin: helping others right? Part of her passion is also helping and improving the health and wellbeing of everybody. Right? And that's how she was able to exhibit that passion. You know. Once we met. 119 00:26:31.580 --> 00:26:48.875 Melanie Lin: and she literally joked to me the 1st time was like, I like my dream is to work for buyers, and I was like, No, seriously, do you want a job like? That's literally how that conversation went down. But again, I think that's just one pure example of you know me trying to bring in major differences of diversity and inclusion. Right. 120 00:26:49.180 --> 00:27:13.649 Melanie Lin: more gender parity. You know. I'm proud to say now that we've gone from a shift. I would say in our early years of the company, from having 70% male customers and 30% female. And now it's like 60, 40, and you know, it's still not perfect. It's never gonna be perfect but ideally right. We want to get to a place where you know, women can proudly say, Hey, like virus thinks of the female form and the female body 121 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:21.019 Melanie Lin: when designing clothing. Right? You know we designed a lot of stuff that still didn't fit the female form before in in a way that 122 00:27:21.090 --> 00:27:24.140 Melanie Lin: women wanted but again, you had 123 00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:41.119 Melanie Lin: primarily male dominant team making and producing and marketing the stuff. What did you expect to happen? So this was all stuff that took years to change, I would say, even before I came in, I give credit towards due for the women that were here trying to make that change, but 124 00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:55.459 Melanie Lin: I really feel like until I came in. It was still really difficult, and I understand why I faced a lot of challenges myself coming into virus early on it was also a matter of culture. I have. I have been wanting to change the culture significantly before 125 00:27:55.570 --> 00:28:00.369 Melanie Lin: it was a culture of yes, like, we're a team, and we're all together. But therefore, when 126 00:28:00.540 --> 00:28:25.540 Melanie Lin: stuff hits the fan, we all take responsibility together. But that's not the most efficient way of running a company, you have to be able to pinpoint where the mistakes happen. Somebody and one person has to be able to take responsibility so that way, it's going to be easy, right to actually figure out how to prevent these things in the future. And so again, while all the values, what I'm trying to say is, all the values remain the same. It was just the execution of them. 127 00:28:25.540 --> 00:28:31.030 Melanie Lin: It was the organization, it was the accountability. But deep down it was also 128 00:28:31.030 --> 00:28:55.980 Melanie Lin: just having people from more of a diverse background understand how we can better reach more people. And that's why you know I don't. I don't think it's a bad thing, because obviously entrepreneurs and business people know. The best way to differentiate yourself is to try to market to the niche as possible, and you dominate that niche. So a lot of people, you know, to this day still don't know virus, just like a lot of people who aren't across. 129 00:28:55.980 --> 00:29:04.549 Melanie Lin: They probably have never heard of Noble. And that's okay, like, we're not trying to market to everybody. But I, what I had found was a fundamental problem is that 130 00:29:04.550 --> 00:29:27.560 Melanie Lin: virus was virus was too niche in the sense of like. We focused very hard on certain things and then just completely neglected others. And I think right now. My plan and my vision for the future is that we still want to cater to what we're good at. So, for example, you know Olympic Weightlifters love our singlets. So therefore we are best known for our singlets. You know even power 131 00:29:27.560 --> 00:29:40.469 Melanie Lin: power lifters as well, I think, in general, if you ask anyone who do, you go to for singlets, people say virus, and that is an incredible honor and privilege to have that. But it wasn't easy getting there right. But now it's more so. Okay. 132 00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:46.700 Melanie Lin: if you love our brand right, you'll also know people love our joggers. People love our socks like all these other bits that. 133 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.280 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: All your stuff. 134 00:29:47.280 --> 00:29:47.849 Melanie Lin: All your stuff is. 135 00:29:47.850 --> 00:29:48.600 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Awesome, like. 136 00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:51.560 Melanie Lin: I appreciate that. 137 00:29:51.560 --> 00:29:58.530 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Your stuff is great. And I I do have a question like from a non, from a non, from a non technical person. In this, in. 138 00:29:58.530 --> 00:29:58.880 Melanie Lin: That. 139 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:12.859 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Right like, how do you guys go about like I work in a technical field? And and I'm a product manager. And I deal a lot in innovation. But, like, how do you guys go about innovating and on new fabrics like, how do you? How do you? How do you cater? How do you cater to the broad 140 00:30:13.158 --> 00:30:38.350 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: the the broad? Can, the broad demands that you guys see from these very specific sports like there are different demands for an Olympic weightlifting singlet than there are, you know, for someone that's that's doing. You know, mma, right like you're a rash guard, right? Like these are very. These are very different product demands. How do you guys go about? You know, finding finding what your what your athletes need, and then innovating new products to do that like, what does that innovation loop kind of look like for you? 141 00:30:38.350 --> 00:31:02.740 Melanie Lin: Yeah, and that all. Actually, that does tie back to your previous question on the origins. So we had always started. And it was actually my father, he had always started the origins of producing and and making this fabric with sports scientists involved. So we had always worked with people who are already in sport. And also think like physical therapists and whatnot. Just people who are around mobility, movement. 142 00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:13.209 Melanie Lin: understanding the body and down to the essence of it doesn't matter if you're a Mma fighter or an Olympic weightlifter or a motocross athlete. People overheat. 143 00:31:13.210 --> 00:31:23.140 Melanie Lin: People get too cold, people get too hot circulation. You need circulation to recover faster. Right? You, you break down the human body down to the very essence of 144 00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:25.840 Melanie Lin: what are things that can affect 145 00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:47.370 Melanie Lin: can affect your surface skin temperature, or affect your body. When a mass amount of clothing is covering that area of the body, and then you add compression to it. So I tell people, you know, virus is a technical, we're actually a technology company. We're not a clothing company because we make a technology ourselves and our clothes in the very same essence. We don't make 146 00:31:47.370 --> 00:31:57.240 Melanie Lin: leggings. We make compression pants. It's easy to say leggings right? Because that's just the word synonymous in the market. But when people think leggings they think Lululemon leggings. 147 00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:58.780 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Wear him around the house. 148 00:31:59.210 --> 00:32:00.730 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: and exactly. 149 00:32:00.730 --> 00:32:17.779 Melanie Lin: Exactly, and like our stuff, is soft and comfortable. But it's compressive, right? And the whole point of that is because the technology will not work if it's literally not flush to your body, and also that compression allows for natural brace to help you right. Get that extra Pr in that lift or. 150 00:32:17.780 --> 00:32:18.260 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Tactile. 151 00:32:18.260 --> 00:32:34.160 Melanie Lin: Help you correct exactly or help you like, keep running that last extra kilometer when you literally have nothing in the tank anymore. Right? And so all of these again principles. This is again all credit to my father. He already taken all these principles, and 152 00:32:34.210 --> 00:32:52.109 Melanie Lin: him being 3rd generation and 4.th So we're Taiwanese. And I'm not sure if people know this. But I like to tell people that the most advanced fabric technology in the entire planet actually comes from Taiwan. So Lululemon Nike under armour, a lot of their core design teams are actually based in Taiwan. 153 00:32:52.110 --> 00:32:54.090 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: In Taiwan on a lot of stuff. 154 00:32:54.090 --> 00:32:54.790 Melanie Lin: Exactly. 155 00:32:54.790 --> 00:32:55.140 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Season. 156 00:32:55.140 --> 00:33:05.649 Melanie Lin: That's why even things like car chips right? Like all of these things. Foxconn, right? Think about all the key technology companies on this planet. They all are in Taiwan for a reason. 157 00:33:05.650 --> 00:33:28.669 Melanie Lin: So they just all manufacture in China, because Taiwan's a small country and doesn't have land, you know, we also manufacture in China. But we tell people that not to scare them because everyone thinks, oh, if it's made in China, it's cheap, it's not true, but China has land. It is cheaper to make things in China. That is, that is true. But we design and all of our fabric technology and our yarn comes from Taiwan. 158 00:33:28.710 --> 00:33:50.510 Melanie Lin: And so my father, being 3rd generation, has had all this textile knowledge. We, our family alone. We've got a lot of proprietary knowledge has been passed down by generations. Combine that with key people. He knows how to make yarn how to be aware of what's trending in terms of fabric technology that's out there, right? Because a lot of what we use right now. 159 00:33:50.560 --> 00:33:53.020 Melanie Lin: actually, let me even rephrase that 160 00:33:53.180 --> 00:34:19.010 Melanie Lin: even our technology back in, let's say, a 2013 pair of virus pants. We use nanotechnology in our yarn. So, for example, take cool jade, one of our fabrics, cool jade. We have iterated that fabric over many years right had made it more durable, lighter, more air wicking and odor wicking over the years. But the core essence the yarn right when you think about the yarn that sews together a piece of fabric that has stayed the same. 161 00:34:19.010 --> 00:34:36.180 Melanie Lin: And the way that that is done again, like I've been to the labs I've been to the the factories that make it. They take recycled jade minerals from jewelry stores over there that would have just thrown away the pieces, we grind it into a powder, and then you melt this powder into the yard. 162 00:34:36.520 --> 00:34:40.509 Melanie Lin: and that is then the yarn that is sewn into a pair of pants. 163 00:34:40.510 --> 00:34:41.550 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Right, the 10. 164 00:34:41.550 --> 00:34:42.019 Melanie Lin: Else. That's. 165 00:34:42.020 --> 00:34:46.350 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Similar to what you're doing with, like you've got bio ceramic is another. 166 00:34:46.350 --> 00:35:02.600 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly. Whereas all these other brands like, you know, under armour, Lulu, all they'll they have technology as well. But typically their technology is usually a layer that's plastered on after the yarn originally has been sewn, which is why over time that layer. 167 00:35:02.600 --> 00:35:04.720 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Off. Okay, that that's why. 168 00:35:04.720 --> 00:35:05.430 Melanie Lin: Okay, that's my. 169 00:35:05.430 --> 00:35:13.770 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: My virus, my virus leggings from, or my virus compression shorts from, you know, 7 years ago, are still are still awesome, and. 170 00:35:13.770 --> 00:35:15.199 Melanie Lin: Feel that they feel the same right. 171 00:35:15.200 --> 00:35:17.820 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Have been, have other ones have been thrown away. 172 00:35:18.430 --> 00:35:19.880 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Okay, exactly. 173 00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:44.670 Melanie Lin: So that's kind of the the overall essence of how each of our fabrics are made, and we've had new pre fabrics. Come along the way like our eco! Our eco fabric. Now made. It's like one shirt has 8 recycled water bottles. It's pretty cool, but again same process. You mash that down into a powder, and you infuse the powder into the yarn itself, instead of just putting a layer on it to then call it eco friendly, right 174 00:35:44.670 --> 00:35:50.680 Melanie Lin: it may be, but it's gonna wash off, and it's gonna pill. And it's gonna do all the things that you've seen 175 00:35:50.680 --> 00:35:52.329 Melanie Lin: clothing do right. And so. 176 00:35:52.330 --> 00:35:52.690 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Done. 177 00:35:52.690 --> 00:36:09.009 Melanie Lin: I would say, based off of all the principles of what I've just said. My father then uses those things to then figure out, okay, how can we develop better and newer fabrics out there, using the very principles that have supported us along the way. 178 00:36:10.250 --> 00:36:28.158 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Nice. Okay, so and now I have a a follow up question, you know. And and as part of the innovation cycle, I know you guys work with your athletes, too. So how do you? How do you incorporate athlete feedback or user feedback? Right customer feedback to continue improving your products because they have evolved over over the years as somebody that that has 179 00:36:28.560 --> 00:36:39.789 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: bought virus products for many years. Like I, I can say, your products have evolved. They've always been awesome, but they they continue to get better. So how do you guys incorporate client feedback in into your product cycle? 180 00:36:39.790 --> 00:37:02.729 Melanie Lin: Yeah, I think from a production and business standpoint, it's because we're small enough, like, I would still consider us, even though we're a global brand. You know, we're in every continent pretty much but we're a small company. So right now, after, especially after we had come back from bankruptcy, and we had paused for a bit. You know, our team downsize significantly. So globally. We're probably less than 10 people right now. 181 00:37:03.004 --> 00:37:27.680 Melanie Lin: But I would say, because of our size we're able to move fast, you know. If I say, Hey, Russell, it's my dad. Hey, Russell, like this. Th there! There's been a lot of feedback that the seam on one of these pants is getting in the way of the barbell, or it's getting caught, or you know, we had a batch of joggers, which you know, if you're a loyal virus fan, and you've probably had this pair of joggers happen where you know the taping on one. 182 00:37:27.928 --> 00:37:29.170 Melanie Lin: The zippers on the side. 183 00:37:29.170 --> 00:37:31.809 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I don't wear joggers, cause I got too big a calves for joggers. 184 00:37:33.220 --> 00:37:35.230 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: That's a that's a personal. That's a personal. 185 00:37:35.230 --> 00:37:46.359 Melanie Lin: Right right? Which? Which again, thank you for not blaming us for that cause. We've also gotten blamed for that. But you know, it's like, that's an example, right? Where like stuff happens. But essentially. 186 00:37:46.650 --> 00:38:11.069 Melanie Lin: we try to take every bit of feedback, and we try to iterate it and incorporate it into our production cycle as fast as possible, and because we are not making the scale of which, you know, Lulu Lemon is making, or like a Nike or under armour is making, even though we still design a year ahead. That is, that is still true, because, you know, clothing brands have to follow that. That is exactly. We still can say, Hey, factory, you know, because we have 187 00:38:11.070 --> 00:38:16.839 Melanie Lin: have our own factory. We could say, Hey, let's try to fix this just like next month's run. 188 00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:41.380 Melanie Lin: which obviously won't come out for another 60 days. That's why there's still a delay. But you you go to an under armour, they'll probably tell you. Oh, we probably can't fix this for like a year at least, because we've got thousands and thousands, you know, already made that way. You can't change scale overnight, just like that. So I would say, that's probably the biggest way we can iterate. But on the second second hand, coming down to the micro level with athletes. 189 00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:56.492 Melanie Lin: First, st most, if not all, of us, are our own employees here at virus, participate in a sport that we mark to half of us are Olympic weightlifters. Our Cmo went to the crossfit games. He's a crossfitter. 190 00:38:57.130 --> 00:39:08.940 Melanie Lin: my dad. He's a avid. He's like actually he's very humble about this, but he's a big golfer. So now he's developed some of the best polos that are out on market like people love our virus polos, which again, is not something you would. 191 00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:10.050 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Don't have one of those I know. 192 00:39:10.050 --> 00:39:11.460 Melanie Lin: Yeah, I'll have to get you one. 193 00:39:11.460 --> 00:39:12.809 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I forget you. 194 00:39:12.810 --> 00:39:36.319 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly but just as an example, like our very core team, all of us participate in some type of sport that we market in one of our original co-founders who's no longer with us. He used to be a stand up paddle boarder and outrigger canoeer. So that's how we got integrated into that market as well. So it's all very intentional. It's not like when I hire people to our team. I say, Hey, you have to be. 195 00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:46.739 Melanie Lin: participate in one of these sports. But naturally the culture and what we're building here naturally attracts people who have dedicated their self themselves to some type of crowd. 196 00:39:46.740 --> 00:39:49.150 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: It's it's alignment to the mission and the vision right like. 197 00:39:49.150 --> 00:39:50.250 Melanie Lin: Exactly, exactly. 198 00:39:50.250 --> 00:39:54.580 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Self. Select people, self select to be part of the to be part of the crew, because they. 199 00:39:54.580 --> 00:39:55.320 Melanie Lin: Exactly. 200 00:39:55.320 --> 00:39:57.529 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: You'll they align with what you're going after. 201 00:39:57.530 --> 00:40:24.500 Melanie Lin: Yup all by accident. Well, not even by accident, but it was more like by aligning our intentions on the inside. We have somehow attracted people to us that have now again all aligned with exactly what we're trying to do. So. Besides that, you know, you know, we also have worked with so many athletes over the breadth of years that we've been in business. We've worked with Olympians right? Many famous Olympians. But we've also worked with again down to like. 202 00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:34.649 Melanie Lin: you know, a new High schooler who's like now, like the best Olympic weightlifter at his high school, and he's going to be the future generation right? And I think for us, we care more about 203 00:40:34.880 --> 00:41:04.779 Melanie Lin: listening to all the feedback all these people have told us over the years, and being able to integrate that into what I was saying before having a smaller supply system, a smaller supply chain, and being able to pass that message much faster right than having to kind of wait and jump through these hoops to get there. Still, not a perfect system. But I definitely think that's why you can feel the changes much faster. Right? Cause, if you think about it, we're still a young company. We're not more than 15 years old. 204 00:41:04.780 --> 00:41:19.669 Melanie Lin: but for a company who's 15 to have evolved so much, you know, and gone through so much change, especially if you've been with us from the beginning. That I'm sure there's people listening to us right now who have been here since the beginning, like you'll see right. 205 00:41:19.670 --> 00:41:37.280 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: When I when I told people that you guys were coming back to to us like there was, you know, there was. There was the period, the hiatus where where you weren't distributing in the Us. I told people, you know, in the Kettlebell sport world that that you guys were were coming back, and they're they're big, only lifters. And they were like, Can I get a singlet. 206 00:41:37.370 --> 00:41:37.950 Melanie Lin: And. 207 00:41:37.950 --> 00:41:47.710 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: When, when we had the the early access, when we had early access to to the Us. Launch site, I sent, I sent it to to one of my buddies, who's a big big Oli lifter, so that he could. 208 00:41:47.710 --> 00:41:48.125 Melanie Lin: Yeah. 209 00:41:48.785 --> 00:41:50.989 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: He can order a singlet because he was like. 210 00:41:50.990 --> 00:41:51.899 Melanie Lin: Is that? Oh. 211 00:41:51.900 --> 00:42:12.159 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: So excited that to hear that you guys were coming back. He's like, Oh, my God! I can get a new virus singlet, you know, like it was like he was that excited about it because you guys had been you guys had been out of pocket for a few years. What I I don't i i don't want to dwell on the the challenges of Covid. But I feel like it's a big part of your your kind of your relaunch in in the Us, you know. So 212 00:42:12.200 --> 00:42:22.950 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: what were some of the the big changes that happened because of Covid? I mean being an international supply chain. I can only imagine how much you felt the impact of of that. So 213 00:42:23.150 --> 00:42:23.670 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: tell me. 214 00:42:23.670 --> 00:42:24.090 Melanie Lin: Yeah. 215 00:42:24.090 --> 00:42:26.189 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: A little bit about that as much as you're. 216 00:42:26.190 --> 00:42:26.580 Melanie Lin: So. 217 00:42:26.580 --> 00:42:28.069 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Comfortable, you know, revisiting. 218 00:42:28.070 --> 00:42:52.769 Melanie Lin: Yeah, absolutely. And again, and I'm all for transparency. And that's part of again, another another new facet of leadership that I want to. Also bring to the table. Right? You know, a lot of people didn't know who the CEO before a virus was. Actually period. Didn't even know who were the faces behind virus, and that was something that my team now wanted to change. You know, I just told you like, you know, 30 min ago, like. I'm very uncomfortable 219 00:42:52.770 --> 00:42:58.420 Melanie Lin: camera I still am, but I can talk. I'm really great at public speaking, but I don't like being on camera. 220 00:42:58.420 --> 00:43:00.109 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I've got a face for podcasting. I tell you. 221 00:43:00.110 --> 00:43:19.829 Melanie Lin: Right, but it was. But you know what it was such a big pivotal shift to be like. But you know what like people have to associate a name and a face to virus. And if I'm gonna take that responsibility, it's got to be me right and like I have no problem doing it. Do I like it? Not all the time, but I understand the value for it. And so again. 222 00:43:19.920 --> 00:43:43.089 Melanie Lin: what I find now talking through the challenges and being fully transparent right? Covid was actually just the the true start. But it wasn't really the worst of the worst. Covid just happened to start the catalyst of all of these problems that were a domino effect with virus, and what had occurred inside the company, and to say it in the most succinct way. 223 00:43:43.170 --> 00:44:06.979 Melanie Lin: When Covid happened, right supply chain was affected, all of our stuff was stuck in the port on the boats. This happened to everybody, so therefore our factory was charging us for stuff that normally we'd be able to sell and use that money to pay them back right away. The problem was all of our stuff was not a monthly, not 2 months late. It was 6 to 8 months upwards to a year late. 224 00:44:07.120 --> 00:44:07.970 Melanie Lin: Yeah. So yeah. 225 00:44:07.970 --> 00:44:09.690 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah, you have cash flow problems. 226 00:44:09.690 --> 00:44:12.940 Melanie Lin: Exactly cash flow problems. And not only that. 227 00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:37.719 Melanie Lin: not just us, but I've spoken to other Ceos of other brands before in apparel and in fitness, and everyone had an amazing year. In 2,018 there was something about 2,018 where it was like damn! We have to make so much, because 2,01920 20 is going to be the best year for sales. So everybody over projected else. Everybody made way more than they had to make. And now guess what 228 00:44:37.720 --> 00:44:48.499 Melanie Lin: nobody anticipated. A pandemic. All this stuff is stuck on the boat, and now we've just incurred a way higher bill than we normally have, and no one prepared for it. Absolutely no one. 229 00:44:48.500 --> 00:44:54.139 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: And and what and what small business has that level of cash reserve to be able to weather 9 months of cash flow. 230 00:44:54.140 --> 00:44:54.510 Melanie Lin: Correct. 231 00:44:54.510 --> 00:44:57.410 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Friction right like that. That's not something you forecast for. 232 00:44:57.410 --> 00:45:11.350 Melanie Lin: Exactly, exactly and transparently to everybody, listening as well, you know, and I'm proud to say this, that the reason why I also feel like virus is not well known is because all the money we have made, and yes, we've made really good money. 233 00:45:11.350 --> 00:45:36.160 Melanie Lin: All the money we have made has not gone into marketing, spend it has purely gone to our employees and gone back to R&D research and development to create new fabrics, to make better products to just keep making better stuff for people. And that is exactly why we don't have the deep pockets to either save ourselves in a situation like this, or market the shit out of ourselves and just buying customers in that way. 234 00:45:36.160 --> 00:45:50.120 Melanie Lin: because we don't believe it's it's it's genuine to us right. If we had the excess money. That would be amazing, right? But we don't. All of that. Money goes back to how do we better our product and make sure that quality does not fall. 235 00:45:50.210 --> 00:46:15.079 Melanie Lin: But with Covid, none of that matter. When we couldn't even sell the stuff that was already shipping right? And so that was just the start of it. Then, when that already led to cash flow problems. It's funny how we're coming full circle I had alluded to before how my dad was being brought out of retirement to come back to quote save the company. That's exactly what happened. Our ex CEO, could not handle the finances anymore did not project for them. 236 00:46:15.080 --> 00:46:22.099 Melanie Lin: Money started bleeding out the door. We didn't know where it was going, why, why it was happening, and our goods weren't here. 237 00:46:22.100 --> 00:46:47.290 Melanie Lin: So then my dad came in and decided to do kind of like a mass. Okay, I just need to come back and take the reins, and of course, that caused problems internally with employees with culture. And then it started to just cascade effect into we started having to let go of people, and then guess what people don't like to be let go. Therefore it involves litigation. Anybody in the United States can sue for any reason, even though California is an at will. 238 00:46:47.661 --> 00:47:01.040 Melanie Lin: state where you can fire anybody without any cause and have no repercussion, people can still sue you for that. So transparently. We went through our own legal battles as well against our very own people. 239 00:47:01.190 --> 00:47:08.879 Melanie Lin: and we were being torn apart from the inside, while the economy and while the pandemic was also tearing us apart from the outside. 240 00:47:09.220 --> 00:47:16.709 Melanie Lin: And that is exactly what was happening. And that is also why my dad decided to bring me in, knowing full well that I had my own path. 241 00:47:16.780 --> 00:47:28.780 Melanie Lin: I had already started this other business with him. I was full send on that, but times were really tough, and he was like, I don't know what to do, and I need you to come in and help me. So I was fully brought in 242 00:47:29.210 --> 00:47:36.909 Melanie Lin: to to fight the biggest fire there was, and fast forward, you know. Covid lasted in the peak right about 2 years. 243 00:47:36.910 --> 00:48:01.859 Melanie Lin: We were able to still survive somehow through those 2 years. But then what happened? Dispensable income started going down. People weren't spending money. You know a lot of our own customers and clients who would own gyms and whatnot they had to shut down, which is really unfortunate. The fitness, industry as a whole took a hit. So you're talking macro and micro economic changes, just completely screwing us up. 244 00:48:02.090 --> 00:48:02.730 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah. 245 00:48:02.730 --> 00:48:13.090 Melanie Lin: All of that over 2 years led us to the faithful decision that had occurred last year, where we had to declare chapter 7 bankruptcy. 246 00:48:13.090 --> 00:48:38.050 Melanie Lin: and that is still not an easy sentence to say, especially when bankruptcy is akin to when people say like, I've been divorced 3 times, it's like a very negative connotation, right? But in reality bankruptcy was the only way for one us to be able to cut off any other liabilities and not spending money on legal issues or settlements with disgruntled employees right 247 00:48:38.050 --> 00:48:41.839 Melanie Lin: like. It's the only way to save your money that you've got. 248 00:48:41.840 --> 00:48:46.520 Melanie Lin: so that you can regroup and just hope that you can use that money to come back. 249 00:48:46.660 --> 00:48:47.889 Melanie Lin: and that is so, for those of. 250 00:48:47.890 --> 00:49:01.010 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Those that don't have an Mba, ie. Me will get. Give. Give me the the cliffs notes of the difference between like chapter 7 or chapter 11. And like, how did you guys, how did you guys choose like cause? There are different types of banks. 251 00:49:01.010 --> 00:49:01.450 Melanie Lin: Yes. 252 00:49:01.450 --> 00:49:08.500 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Can file. And how did you? How did you make that decision? Because that that is an incredibly challenging decision to to wade through as well. 253 00:49:08.500 --> 00:49:29.089 Melanie Lin: Yes, I mean to even be able to to even have to even bring to the table. Hey? I think we need to declare bankruptcy like that, even alone was really really tough. Really tough. But I would say, once we realize like, that is what was necessary. Yes, there's 2 primary differences between chapter 7 and 11, 11 is less 254 00:49:29.100 --> 00:49:36.909 Melanie Lin: aggressive in the sense that you're still allowed to operate. You're still allowed to keep your doors open, but still 255 00:49:37.300 --> 00:50:01.119 Melanie Lin: declare bankruptcy, which means you don't have to honor some debts, but it takes double the time to actually get through. And actually, the statistics show 40%. Because again, when you declare bankruptcy, your case gets assigned to a random judge, that is appointed by the State just like any law case. Right? It could go either way, depending on who your judge is. 256 00:50:01.120 --> 00:50:01.820 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: You get? Yeah. 257 00:50:01.820 --> 00:50:04.469 Melanie Lin: Correct, correct. So there are still some inherent bonds. 258 00:50:04.470 --> 00:50:06.730 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: I'll bet Judge Roulette, for a reason. 259 00:50:06.730 --> 00:50:21.399 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly. And so still given that right? There's also the statistic that our lawyer told us about 40% of cases, 40% pretty high of cases that declare. Chapter 11, end up. 260 00:50:21.400 --> 00:50:22.969 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: End, up in chapter 7. 261 00:50:23.240 --> 00:50:43.300 Melanie Lin: So we were like, why are we going to spend all this money? Prolong this process and still end up in the same result. However, chapter 7 is very detrimental. Why, chapter 7 involves full, absolute closure of your company. That means everyone effective immediately is fired. 262 00:50:43.450 --> 00:50:48.540 Melanie Lin: There are no assets left. There are no employees left. The company is just dead. 263 00:50:49.230 --> 00:50:59.470 Melanie Lin: and so that means that even though this whole entire time me, my father, and a few other key. Individuals in this company still had the plan to bring virus back 264 00:50:59.720 --> 00:51:04.320 Melanie Lin: once we said, chapter 7 is the reality. None of us were getting a paycheck. 265 00:51:04.770 --> 00:51:06.989 Melanie Lin: Nobody was getting anything. 266 00:51:07.160 --> 00:51:30.319 Melanie Lin: I donated plasma myself for months to make ends meet. I had to ask my roommate, who's a physical therapist to help cover rent some months because I didn't want to go get another job. I have my Mba. I could have been easily making 160 K. Somewhere else, but I couldn't dedicate myself to another company, knowing full well that my dedication was to bring virus back. 267 00:51:30.690 --> 00:51:41.169 Melanie Lin: and I don't have any shame in saying that, because that's literally what I had to go through personally, to be able to be here today to talk to you and tell you I'm glad I did it, and I would do it all again. 268 00:51:41.380 --> 00:51:42.280 Melanie Lin: But. 269 00:51:42.530 --> 00:51:44.189 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Everyone loves a comeback story. 270 00:51:44.190 --> 00:51:55.440 Melanie Lin: Everyone loves a comeback story. But chapter 7 was like, That's it. You are dead. You are actually dead. Chapter 11 was like, we could live a little bit and have a lifeline, but you'll still die. 271 00:51:55.440 --> 00:52:05.519 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Yeah. So you're so you're so. Chapter 7 hits. You're you took a punch on the jaw. You're on your ass. You're on the Mat, and you gotta decide whether you're gonna get up before the 10 count or not. How did you guys? 272 00:52:05.550 --> 00:52:11.169 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: How did you guys decide that you're gonna you're gonna get up and get back in the fight. And how did you? How did you get back in the fight? 273 00:52:11.170 --> 00:52:34.110 Melanie Lin: Yeah. So the good thing is is we're even though we were cash poor. We're inventory rich. Right? So keep in mind all that stuff from the boats right? We still have it. The very warehouse that I'm sitting in right now. There's at least 3 or 4 million dollars worth of goods still here, right? And it was unfortunate that throughout the state of bankruptcy all this stuff was sitting here. 274 00:52:34.110 --> 00:52:58.519 Melanie Lin: but technically it didn't belong to us yet, because we we had to surrender all the assets to the judge. But you know we came up with a plan. And we were like, Okay, we don't know if this is gonna work. We don't know how long this is gonna work. All we know is that we need to tell people that we need to pause because it was true. We couldn't risk keeping our doors open and risk a shitty customer service experience. 275 00:52:58.530 --> 00:53:22.120 Melanie Lin: You know, when people have regarded us, our products and our service so highly for so many years. We're like, the responsible thing is is to shut down. And that's exactly what happened. So then, in that time that we were shut down. It was a period of about 8 to 9 months. Me and a few other people, my dad, all of us work diligently to come up with a plan to essentially get the funds to buy the company back. 276 00:53:22.680 --> 00:53:42.500 Melanie Lin: and that is exactly what we did. My father luckily had a lot a lot of savings. Very personally, very transparently. He has really incredible land and property in Taiwan that was supposed to be his retirement fund. He sold it all and all that money came to bringing virus back. 277 00:53:42.900 --> 00:53:53.110 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Okay. Now, now we're coming full circle. Now I understand your deep, your deep, seated drive to want to help your dad retire because he he kind of gave. 278 00:53:53.110 --> 00:53:53.740 Melanie Lin: Gave up his. 279 00:53:53.740 --> 00:54:12.629 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: He gave up his nest egg to bring this brand back to life. And so now you, as the as the leader of the company, and also, as his daughter, feel a a sense of of obligation to to do everything you can to make it successful, so that he can kind of recapture, the recapture, the retirement he sacrificed to keep the dream alive. 280 00:54:12.630 --> 00:54:37.359 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly, and I know that all of us, too, we're speaking to him and saying, Hey, like you don't need to do this. There are loans. There are ways that we can get this money, and he was like, No, like. I cannot go back to incurring debt again like this is what I want to do with my money like. Let me do this. You know we we all fought him on it like I told him. This is financially irresponsible of you to give up your full, entire retirement. 281 00:54:37.360 --> 00:54:48.320 Melanie Lin: You know this man doesn't have a 400 onek like like, you know that that is the spirit of an entrepreneur. You you literally reinvest everything you make back into your business. 282 00:54:48.320 --> 00:54:51.670 Melanie Lin: and my father has shown that and proven that to the core. 283 00:54:51.670 --> 00:55:15.120 Melanie Lin: which is why, you know, despite going through these challenges, it's like I cannot walk away from this even more now. We spent so much time and effort to get back here. This is just the beginning, like this is literally just the beginning. And you know we have disgruntled ex employees or people who always want to talk shit right, like people who will never understand. And that's fine. 284 00:55:15.150 --> 00:55:15.920 Melanie Lin: But 285 00:55:15.970 --> 00:55:20.850 Melanie Lin: we're here because we believe that we still have something to do 286 00:55:20.850 --> 00:55:50.630 Melanie Lin: for the world, and that is, provide really good stuff for people who need it right? Not just athletes, but in general, your grandma could use a pair of the compression pants to help with. Her. Circulation like this is much bigger than just helping fitness and sports. This is in general providing good technology in the form of apparel, and we literally wear clothes every day like this is a. This is a daily essential, where, if you are privileged enough to be able to have it. You should have 287 00:55:50.720 --> 00:56:11.560 Melanie Lin: the best things right, like you should have the best things in life, and I think that is why, personally, I'm so passionate about making sure that I stand above. You know all the judgment, or stand above people trying to tear us down because it's like, and there are people like that, and we've had to go through that, some of them again, like I told you, being my own blood. 288 00:56:11.910 --> 00:56:41.189 Melanie Lin: it doesn't matter when the mission here is bigger than all of us. It's bigger than myself. It's bigger than me showing up every day like it's it's I'm just part of it, like, I'm literally just part of the vehicle driving this bigger mission and this bigger legacy. And I want people to know that, you know, and I think that is the biggest reason why I haven't shied away from saying that. You know we had also employees. Some of my coworkers were like, should we say, like we went through bankruptcy? Isn't that kind of like a taboo thing in business? I'm like 289 00:56:41.190 --> 00:56:46.199 Melanie Lin: that's the thing. It's all about. How you reframe it. You know it's it's a terrible situation, like 290 00:56:46.200 --> 00:57:10.589 Melanie Lin: no one wants to say they went through bankruptcy. But just because you say you've been bankrupt doesn't mean you're a corrupt company doesn't mean you're a bad company. It's actually a just another strategy, an exit strategy to get out of a really bad situation. And with the with the hope of coming back, like not many companies that declare bankruptcy can come back. But you know a lot of individuals who have Donald Trump has declared bankruptcy like how many times 291 00:57:10.590 --> 00:57:20.949 Melanie Lin: right alone, like you know what I'm saying, like like many businesses, right like Subaru Ford, like many big businesses have declared bankruptcy before they've just come back. 292 00:57:21.040 --> 00:57:29.459 Melanie Lin: But no one realizes it because they're so big, right? But again, that's why I'm so grateful because for how 293 00:57:29.460 --> 00:57:51.500 Melanie Lin: small quote viruses, but the massive effect we've had on people like I have been to so many events recently. Especially at weightlifting events, and people will literally run up to me and be like, I know you're the CEO, because I've seen your videos, and you have no idea how sad I was when I was like, where the hell am I going to get a singlet? Where am I? Gonna get my stuff? And I'm so happy you're back. 294 00:57:51.670 --> 00:58:19.129 Melanie Lin: And I literally remember, like I could not stop crying like, especially the the last. The 1st few months of coming back, when I was just like overwhelmed with such joy and gratitude because people really cared about our absence, and I was so afraid that people would be resentful. I was so afraid that people would just be like, well, screw them like they just left, and they just dropped out of nowhere. No, it was the complete opposite. People were so so sad. 295 00:58:19.290 --> 00:58:44.820 Melanie Lin: and people were so happy when we came back, and that just like refueled like the fire that was there. Because, you know, to tell you the truth so many times that fire almost died, you know, especially when I was just sitting in my room, not being able to pay rent, and I was having an existential crisis of like, I've really attached my own identity to my job because my job is more to me than a job. But 296 00:58:44.820 --> 00:58:57.170 Melanie Lin: when I saw the company in this condition, that it was I attached that to my own self as a failure. I was like, Wow, the company's failing right now. I failed the company, and that was in itself, like. 297 00:58:57.170 --> 00:59:21.899 Melanie Lin: you know, a situation I had to deal with personally, so I have so much gratitude for being here, even though again, I'm also going to be transparent like it's still rough, like sales are still rough. We're still not making you know, the amount that we used to make before. But again, it's because all companies right now are going through the same thing like the economy is just not doing well right now. And it's happening in all the countries we're operating in, not just the United States. It's hard. 298 00:59:21.910 --> 00:59:24.230 Melanie Lin: It's hard times right now. Inflation's a real thing. 299 00:59:24.716 --> 00:59:35.459 Melanie Lin: Everything's so expensive. Our own costs to make things are more expensive, and therefore we've had to raise prices right, and we try not to raise prices. To a big extent, right? But 300 00:59:35.470 --> 00:59:59.970 Melanie Lin: we have to do what we gotta do to keep the doors open, and we fought so hard to bring the doors back like we gotta keep them open right but you know what like it's I'm so grateful like I can still sit here. I can still be here in this building with the lights on fulfilling orders myself, because I don't have enough money right now to hire a team to do it for me, and I'm totally fine with it, like I'm absolutely 301 01:00:00.348 --> 01:00:13.299 Melanie Lin: ingratitude that I could still fulfill at least 50 orders a day, because that's product going out, because that's people who are getting their hands on virus product. And I am proud to say that that is what still fuels my fire. 302 01:00:13.390 --> 01:00:20.169 Melanie Lin: And despite all this like this is literally the best case scenario, like we're still here, and that's a win. Literally a win. 303 01:00:20.570 --> 01:00:35.330 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Love it. Yeah, your your passion, your passion, is evident, like your commitment is evident, and hearing a little bit more about the the dynamics behind it, you know, and and how personal it is for you like, you know, with with the family and all of the things like 304 01:00:35.330 --> 01:00:53.219 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: it's a. It's an awesome comeback story, and I'm I'm really appreciative and and grateful for you to to come on and share it. So I'll I know you. I know you've we? We blocked an hour and we're up against an hour, and you're very busy. So I I know you got a lot to do. But I I'm gonna ask you 1 1 more. So yeah, just what 305 01:00:53.360 --> 01:01:05.970 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: as the as now, the as now, the new CEO and all of the challenges that you've come through, but with the passion that you're the passion that you're bringing to it. Now, what can we expect from virus in in the coming years like, what are you excited about? What is your vision for the future? 306 01:01:06.240 --> 01:01:30.119 Melanie Lin: Yes, I would say, expect just greater involvement in areas that you didn't see before. So specifically, we're trying to do more with technology. So other brands, especially in health and fitness. Right? Who are creating some of the best new technologies like wearable tech, right? Or like having health data that's transparent, like transparent to you. But using 307 01:01:30.120 --> 01:01:55.019 Melanie Lin: clothing as a vehicle to do that. You know, one company, I'm currently still working with they're making biomedical gloves for post stroke victims, and they want to use the bio ceramic fabric in their gloves. Right? Stuff like that, right? We want to be able to showcase that our technology helps athletes, but literally helps everybody in whatever area of the process you're on, whether you're a new athlete. 308 01:01:55.020 --> 01:02:19.100 Melanie Lin: You're a seasoned athlete, or you've just been severely injured, or you've gone through something really traumatic, and your body needs recovery like I'm really trying to emphasize to everybody via our current vision of this brand that we are literally there for you every step of the way. You don't have to be an Olympian to wear our stuff. You also don't have to be an Olympic weightlift to wear our stuff. Anybody and everybody who has a human body 309 01:02:19.180 --> 01:02:21.609 Melanie Lin: can benefit from virus technology. 310 01:02:21.610 --> 01:02:23.540 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: For all athletes act accordingly. 311 01:02:23.540 --> 01:02:33.330 Melanie Lin: Exactly exactly. And like, you know, living's tough, you know, like, like, we're all, we all gotta be athletic in some shape or form to survive this planet. It's a harsh place, right? So again. 312 01:02:33.470 --> 01:02:41.790 Melanie Lin: still keeping true to our core and the athletes and the sports we serve. But at the same time again, not limiting ourselves to 313 01:02:41.800 --> 01:03:06.480 Melanie Lin: what our technology can do. So we're going to be trying to do more partnerships again, even with partnerships with, you know the Kettlebell Union has been amazing, like it's been able to get get us and reach us to an even bigger community that we weren't able to showcase before right. This is just one example of how we're doing it. And in general, just learning more about our roots, I think that is something as a personal feedback, too. 314 01:03:06.788 --> 01:03:31.439 Melanie Lin: What my team before didn't do is, you know, we didn't go deep enough in explaining how the technology works. We didn't even go deep enough and even explaining where the name virus comes from, I think, product education brand educated brand education and awareness is going to be massive for us, too. So all of this, combined with the people we work with, right. I don't work and partner with people and brands that I don't fully back. 315 01:03:31.610 --> 01:03:50.130 Melanie Lin: I take the time to get to know the people behind a brand. I don't care how much money you can make us. I don't care how big you are if I don't like you as a human being, and I don't trust you. There's no deal period. And so I want whoever virus associates with, to reflect 316 01:03:50.130 --> 01:04:12.499 Melanie Lin: our ethos, the alignment, right? Everything that we've done, people who actually understand what it means to say that hard work really pays off instead of just Hey, we we have all of this clout. And we're gonna ride this cloud right? That's also the same ethos that we use. And whoever whether it's an athlete or a company that we work with same thing right? 317 01:04:12.620 --> 01:04:30.399 Melanie Lin: The entitlements not welcome here. You know not the expectation is not welcome here. We want to see that grit. We want to see that adversity, because that goes back to our roots of who we are as well and literally what we've just gone through, you know, to be back here. So overall. 318 01:04:30.590 --> 01:04:32.814 Melanie Lin: that is what's coming. 319 01:04:33.720 --> 01:04:57.390 Melanie Lin: I don't want people to worry that, you know, we're changing in a massive direction. If anything, I see this as we're taking what we're good at. But we're making it better, and we're gonna apply it in different ways that we've not done in the last 10 years of existence, and that is not an easy thing to carry. But luckily me and my team, and I have people that I would take bullets for on my team like these are the people that are going to help me do it 320 01:04:57.400 --> 01:04:58.500 Melanie Lin: so 321 01:04:58.540 --> 01:05:14.040 Melanie Lin: without anyone's support, though, like, you know, fans like loyal customers like none of it would be possible. So my last ending note is to just truly thank you for even caring about what we're doing in the future. Thank you all for being here and supporting us. I mean, without it 322 01:05:14.310 --> 01:05:19.058 Melanie Lin: it wouldn't be possible literally, so I'll leave it at that. 323 01:05:19.490 --> 01:05:22.449 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Passion, alignment, integrity, grit. 324 01:05:22.530 --> 01:05:47.519 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: all, all the things right. That's what virus virus is all about. I love it. Thank you. Thank you very much, Melanie, for for coming on and sharing your story and being so transparent. And and it's it's really wonderful. And and again, from you know, on behalf of the Aklu, and on behalf of the Kettlebell sport community like I really I can't. I can't tell you how much the the partnership meant for for our athletes, and they were. They were so excited about the quality of the gear like like you mentioned, not just 325 01:05:47.520 --> 01:05:58.340 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: like they'd have been happy just to have a sponsorship provided for them, but, like everybody, was so stoked about the quality of the gear, and the ladies especially appreciated the different options that they. 326 01:05:58.340 --> 01:05:58.720 Melanie Lin: Yeah. 327 01:05:58.720 --> 01:06:01.810 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: And for for choices of short length. 328 01:06:01.810 --> 01:06:03.170 Melanie Lin: Boy. He's the boy. 329 01:06:03.170 --> 01:06:27.040 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: Felt like, so yeah, so bringing it back, I just I I can't thank you enough for for your guys support, and we'll put the we'll put the link to the Aklu virus collection in the show notes, and there's a discount code. But, you guys, I can't. I can't tell you enough. This is like the best quality lifting gear that you can get if you're if you're stepping on a platform. This is the best quality lifting gear you can get. And and it's also just nice to just wear around. 330 01:06:27.040 --> 01:06:33.550 Twin Cities Kettlebell Club: too, you know. So you know. Go go get you some virus athletic gear. But thank you again, Melanie, I really appreciate your time. Thanks for coming. 331 01:06:33.550 --> 01:06:36.189 Melanie Lin: Absolutely. Thank you so much. Thank you.