“Success doesn't happen quickly—it takes time.”
Kevin Plank launched Under Armour from his grandmother's basement in Washington, D.C., in 1996. A former fullback on the University of Maryland football team, he was frustrated by sweat-soaked cotton T-shirts after practices. That sparked his quest for a moisture-wicking alternative. A series of fortunate breaks propelled Under Armour to global fame.
In recent years, Plank refocused the company, investing nearly $1 billion in top fitness apps and trackers like MyFitnessPal and Endomondo. According to Inc., these moves give Under Armour access to health, diet, and fitness data from over 150 million users—fueling smarter marketing, merchandising, and product innovation.
Key milestones:
Nearly $4 billion in revenue, with projections to hit $7.5 billion by 2018.
Elite partners: Stephen Curry, Jordan Spieth, Tom Brady, and Lindsey Vonn.
Second-largest sportswear brand in the U.S., trailing only Nike.
Explore more 2016 SUCCESS Entrepreneur of the Year stories.
This story originally appeared in the February 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
