Daily Inspiration: Meet Kelli Gerth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelli Gerth

Hi Kelli, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Kelli Gerth, and I am a registered pharmacist, NASM-certified personal trainer, and now fitness apparel entrepreneur. My Co-Founder, Mike Fast, and I officially launched our startup e-commerce brand DND (do.not.disturb.) Fitness Apparel on October 1st, 2023. We are the very first gym wear brand of its kind- the ONLY gym wear brand that makes clothing for those days when the headphones aren’t enough. Some days you may go to the gym to socialize, and there are a million other brands out there to suit the occasion. DND (do.not.disturb.) Fitness Apparel is here with unique, flattering, and functional attire for those days when you go to the gym just. for. YOU.

The concept for DND emerged from my personal experiences training in public gyms and juggling professional life. For years, I’ve used the gym both as a way to escape from daily stressors and to promote mental clarity. Working out became my primary study aid during pharmacy school- I don’t know how I would have survived the mental load without it. However, unwanted attention was frequently a hinderance to feeling at ease in public gyms. It was something I had to work very hard to tune out, especially when I was a beginner.

During grad school, I also worked in a big box gym as a personal trainer. I soon discovered that this was a common pain point for many of my clients who were eager to use free weights but uncomfortable venturing to that part of the gym alone. Many of us don’t always enjoy working out in public, although we love having access to the kind of equipment available in public gyms. And for those of us who love bodybuilding and strength training, owning a private gym with the necessary equipment is more often than not, prohibitively expensive.

My frustrations with working out in public came to a head during my hectic days as a retail pharmacist. I was interested in entering a bodybuilding competition and therefore training on a regimented schedule either before or after work, so I had very little time in the gym for anything but the workout itself. It seemed that the more I tried to focus on myself, the more other gym goers tried to approach me. I realized that I wasn’t alone in this either. Our world is filled with busy professionals who struggle to find that one hour of ‘me time’ where they can practice self care and strive for personal goals outside of working hours.

Furthermore, men and women alike tend to dress in such a way that form and muscular development are visible in the mirror during training sessions. While some may enjoy attracting attention in gyms, many of us are dressing for function and personal satisfaction. For some reason, the myth persists that women in particular are always dressing to attract attention. As someone who’s quite introverted, this assumption has always bothered me. It occurred to me that it would be both hilarious and would send a clear message if I printed ‘DO. NOT. DISTURB.’ on the back waistband of women’s leggings, right where many eyes are naturally drawn. Once I realized that no other brand was addressing any of these pain points, the rest of the business grew from there.

We recently attended our first big trade show on June 8th, The Music City Fit Expo in Nashville, TN. It was a huge success for our business and so inspiring to be a part of it. We had the opportunity to connect with countless local fitness enthusiasts who not only loved and supported the idea of our brand, but also immediately saw the humor in it. We can’t wait to go back next year and attend other events like it in the future.

This year we have also started working with the highly skilled New York-based fashion designer and author, Kadeem Alphanso Fyffe. We met upon discovering his new book, ‘Threading the Needle: A Fashion Designer’s Guide to Successfully Launching Your First Collection’ (https://amzn.to/3RketXd). Kadeem has designed the next iteration of our clothing line, some of which was on display at the Expo. Our new and improved line will be available in the Fall of 2024.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing about this journey has been smooth, nor do we expect it will be any time soon, and that’s ok. The little and big victories wouldn’t be as satisfying if it were easy. Although Mike (Co-Founder) has a business degree, neither of us had ever started a business before. We’ve had no external funding and very little experience with social media/marketing, which is obviously essential for e-commerce. We’ve had to practice a lot of diligence and patience to learn the things we need to learn and find the right people to work with in order to grow this brand, and the learning never stops. It is a good thing we love learning new things and meeting new challenges.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am probably most proud of and known for being adaptable. I am constantly refining my skillsets to meet the needs and opportunities at hand.

Oddly enough, I was an art student before I pursued a career in the health sciences. When I decided to become a pharmacist, I didn’t realize how much I would miss tapping into my creative energies. While I suppressed that side of myself for many years, it became almost an obsession in the back of my mind to one day build something new and original, something of value, and put it out into the world for others to enjoy. Even better if I could incorporate my offbeat sense of humor. I had many ideas over the years, most of which weren’t very pragmatic. DND was the first idea I had that I knew I could get off the ground with few external resources.

How do you define success?
Making a vision into a reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dndfitapparel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dndfitnessapparel

Image Credits
Michael Gomez
Se’Quoia Allmond