Life Time Fitness Case Study (Lesson's Learned)

LIFE TIME FITNESS CASE STUDY

Personal Background

Let’s have a conversation. I’m Josh Parks, founder of Ghostfit Apparel. The story of Ghostfit begins in 2017, during my junior year of college. At the time, I was grappling with mental health challenges after taking a six-month break from playing Division 1 football at the University of Minnesota. For me, stepping away from football wasn’t just a pause from the sport—it felt like losing my sense of purpose.

But during those six months, I realized something profound: team and vision are what gave me purpose. I understood that focusing on something bigger than myself was the only way to find true fulfillment. So, I decided to create Ghostfit with that very mission—to inspire others and build something meaningful.

Ghostfits origin

The first three years of Ghostfit were focused on direct-to-consumer sales, but in 2020, we decided to pivot. We wanted to help other businesses elevate their brands by providing outstanding products. Our garments would be minimalist in design but unmatched in fabric quality. This shift to B2B was rooted in one simple goal: to make our partners’ brands shine through the products we created.

Opportunity came knocking

At the start, I was relentless. I went door to door with samples, putting our products directly into people’s hands because I believed in the power of our fabric to set us apart. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it took us two years of hard work before we even got Life Time Fitness to agree to a meeting.

When that opportunity finally came, we knew we had to deliver. I’ll never forget the excitement of presenting our products to their head buyer. It didn’t take long for them to see the difference in quality. Just two weeks after our meeting, Life Time placed their first order with us.

Lessons I've Learned

Lesson #1

Quality speaks louder than words

Life Time gave us an opportunity because our products stood out against the competition. From the fabric to the fit, we prioritized excellence. It’s a reminder that, no matter the industry, quality is non-negotiable when building trust and value.

Lesson #2

Challenges Lead to Exponential Growth

Many of the products we create for Life Time are fully customized, white-label garments. This has pushed us to master every aspect of the process—from sourcing premium fabrics to streamlining the customer experience and managing the supply chain with precision. These challenges have sharpened our skills and strengthened our ability to serve all our partners better.

Lesson #3

Surround Yourself with Excellence

Business isn’t just about profit. Yes, profit is essential for sustainability, but so is surrounding yourself with the right people. Life Time’s organization and efficient sales systems allow us to focus on what we do best: creating exceptional products and experiences. Working with partners who share your values makes all the difference.

Lesson #4

Dream Big

If there’s one overarching lesson from this partnership, it’s this: Dream big. But dreaming big has two parts. The first is having a vision so bold that it feels almost out of reach. The second is understanding the sacrifices it takes to make that vision a reality. For me, it meant saying no to late-night college parties, working weekends, and enduring questions like, “When are you going to get a ‘real’ job?”

Moving Forward

While every partnership is unique, what remains constant is the opportunity each one brings to grow and improve. At Ghostfit, our mission is to empower leaders to dream big, just as each of our partners expects us to.

If you’re looking for a partner who will bring the same level of passion and dedication to your brand, let’s connect. Because at Ghostfit, we’re not just creating apparel—we’re building dreams, one partnership at a time.

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