Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Natalie Holloway turned a $5,000 side hustle into Bala — a globally recognized fitness brand worn by millions and backed by Mark Cuban and Maria Sharapova.
In this interview, the Bala co-founder breaks down how she and her husband Max bootstrapped the brand from their garage to $20M+ in sales, weathered near-bankruptcy after the post-COVID crash, and rebuilt into a nine-figure company with 20+ products and collaborations with brands like Spanx and Pucci.
From surviving massive layoffs to mastering profitability and rebuilding from the ground up, this is a raw, unfiltered look at what it takes to build, lose, and rebuild a modern fitness empire.
What you’ll learn from this interview:
• How Bala grew from a $5K side hustle to a nine-figure global brand
• The story behind their $900K Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban & Maria Sharapova
• What really happened after the COVID fitness boom — and how they recovered
• The leadership lessons from scaling a 30-person team down to 3 and back again
• How to manage co-founding a company with your partner without burning out
• The strategy behind Bala’s collaborations with Spanx and major lifestyle brands
• How to protect your IP, handle copycats, and stay focused on innovation
• Why Natalie is now mentoring founders and writing The Bala Playbook to share hard-won lessons
By the end of this interview, you’ll walk away with a roadmap for building a resilient, profitable, and enduring brand — and the mindset to navigate every high and low along the journey.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to your.omnisend.com/foundr
to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan
CONNECT WITH NATALIE HOLLOWAY
Website → shopbala.com
Instagram → instagram.com/natalieholloway
00:00 – How Bala Went From $5K Side Hustle to a Nine-Figure Wellness Brand
01:15 – The Yoga Class That Sparked a Global Fitness Movement
04:18 – Launching Bala With $5K and a Full-Time Job
07:24 – How They Found Their First Manufacturer in China
09:45 – The Kickstarter That Raised $40K and Validated the Idea
14:27 – Shipping 75,000 Units From Their Garage While Working 9–5
16:40 – The Shark Tank Pitch That Changed Everything
23:38 – The COVID Boom: From $2M to $20M in 12 Months
27:01 – Scaling Too Fast, Near Bankruptcy & Laying Off 90% of the Team
36:03 – The Rebuild: From Rock Bottom to Profitability
40:53 – How Natalie & Max Rebuilt Bala Into a Sustainable Brand
42:13 – Copycats, Patents & Protecting Your Product
47:48 – Balancing Marriage, Business & The Power of Three
50:42 – Brand Collabs: Inside Bala x Spanx & Summer Fridays
52:49 – Writing “The Bala Playbook” & Mentoring the Next Generation of Founders
56:33 – Nathan & Natalie on The Founder’s Journey & Paying It Forward
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → foundr.com
Instagram → instagram.com/foundr
Facebook → facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/foundr
Podcast → foundr.com/podcast
Natalie Holloway turned a $5,000 side hustle into Bala — a globally recognized fitness brand worn by millions and backed by Mark Cuban and Maria Sharapova.
In this interview, the Bala co-founder breaks down how she and her husband Max bootstrapped the brand from their garage to $20M+ in sales, weathered near-bankruptcy after the post-COVID crash, and rebuilt into a nine-figure company with 20+ products and collaborations with brands like Spanx and Pucci.
From surviving massive layoffs to mastering profitability and rebuilding from the ground up, this is a raw, unfiltered look at what it takes to build, lose, and rebuild a modern fitness empire.
What you’ll learn from this interview:
• How Bala grew from a $5K side hustle to a nine-figure global brand
• The story behind their $900K Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban & Maria Sharapova
• What really happened after the COVID fitness boom — and how they recovered
• The leadership lessons from scaling a 30-person team down to 3 and back again
• How to manage co-founding a company with your partner without burning out
• The strategy behind Bala’s collaborations with Spanx and major lifestyle brands
• How to protect your IP, handle copycats, and stay focused on innovation
• Why Natalie is now mentoring founders and writing The Bala Playbook to share hard-won lessons
By the end of this interview, you’ll walk away with a roadmap for building a resilient, profitable, and enduring brand — and the mindset to navigate every high and low along the journey.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to your.omnisend.com/foundr
to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan
CONNECT WITH NATALIE HOLLOWAY
Website → shopbala.com
Instagram → instagram.com/natalieholloway
00:00 – How Bala Went From $5K Side Hustle to a Nine-Figure Wellness Brand
01:15 – The Yoga Class That Sparked a Global Fitness Movement
04:18 – Launching Bala With $5K and a Full-Time Job
07:24 – How They Found Their First Manufacturer in China
09:45 – The Kickstarter That Raised $40K and Validated the Idea
14:27 – Shipping 75,000 Units From Their Garage While Working 9–5
16:40 – The Shark Tank Pitch That Changed Everything
23:38 – The COVID Boom: From $2M to $20M in 12 Months
27:01 – Scaling Too Fast, Near Bankruptcy & Laying Off 90% of the Team
36:03 – The Rebuild: From Rock Bottom to Profitability
40:53 – How Natalie & Max Rebuilt Bala Into a Sustainable Brand
42:13 – Copycats, Patents & Protecting Your Product
47:48 – Balancing Marriage, Business & The Power of Three
50:42 – Brand Collabs: Inside Bala x Spanx & Summer Fridays
52:49 – Writing “The Bala Playbook” & Mentoring the Next Generation of Founders
56:33 – Nathan & Natalie on The Founder’s Journey & Paying It Forward
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → foundr.com
Instagram → instagram.com/foundr
Facebook → facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/foundr
Podcast → foundr.com/podcast
