EASTON – A small business that started with an Easton women’s duffel bag has grown into a multi-million dollar family business.
Booty By Brabants, a wellness and fitness brand, began its humble journey in 2013 but officially launched in 2014.
During a trip to Brazil, Kelly Brabants’ mother, Neiva, bought a pair of leggings in a boutique, and the girl immediately fell in love with them.
The leggings were comfortable, stretchy and made with strong material.
“I would always be drawn to these leggings. They always made me feel confident and fit my body no matter what stage I was at,” Brabants said.
Brabants found herself collecting several types of leggings in different sizes to suit her body throughout her life.
“It was almost an aha moment,” Brabants said.
When she realized she could build a business selling activewear while creating sizes to suit everyone’s body shape, it became a no-brainer.
The idea of bringing Brazilian leggings to America became her next mission.
Brabants was a fitness instructor in Boston, and she knew the students would indulge in her new venture.
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She wanted to create activewear that would adapt to your body at every stage of life.
As a woman from a competitive dance background, Brabants can recognize a stellar quality pair of leggings when she sees one.
“I told my dad I had a business plan and asked if he could help me invest in 100 pairs of leggings. I wanted to prove there was a demand for leggings size-inclusive and expandable,” Brabants said.
The family then traveled to Brazil and met the woman who originally sold Neiva the one-size-fits-all pair of leggings.
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Together they came up with a logo, colors and different designs for the leggings. Once the family returned home, it was time to engage in real work.
Brabants instantly sold all 100 pairs of leggings after his signature workout class one day and knew it was an incredible investment.
The company has grown exponentially nearly 10 years later, giving America a taste of Brazilian sportswear. The family still works with the shop owner to this day.
“In Brazil, it’s colorful, and people are carefree and wear whatever they want, regardless of body type,” Brabants said.
“Most Brazilians love wearing tiny bikinis, dancing and feeling sexy. It’s such an important thing for women to feel good about themselves. Women of all ages and sizes in Brazil wear the tiny bikinis thong, and they don’t care. It’s an important message to embrace your natural beauty and your imperfections,” Brabants said.
Brazil has even inspired the flavors of Body By Brabants energy drinks, from juicy flavors of passion fruit to wild acai berry and raspberry lemonade.
Brabants owes much of its success to manifesting the idea that positive thinking can attract positive things into your life, she said.
Brabants spent a lot of time imagining how she would build an empire focused on spreading positive body image and teaching women to love themselves, regardless of their size.
“Everything I have in my life now I have manifested,” Brabants said.
Brabants often remembers when she first launched her Instagram page.
She had less than 200 subscribers, and now she has over 95,000 subscribers and counting.
The protest is a powerful tool to bring your visions to life, Brabants said.
The Brabants know that the key to success lies in positive thinking and hard work.
The company hit some big milestones by launching a virtual workout app, creating vitamin-rich energy drinks, and raising over $300,000 for charity through workouts.
Brabants hopes her legacy of sharing self-love and body positivity will survive the seams of her leggings and can influence the next generation of women.
Alisha Saint-Ciel, corporate staff reporter, can be reached by email at stciela@gannett.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @alishaspeakss and Instagram at Alishaatv. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.
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