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WHAT WE STAND FOR
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Flag Nor Fail stands for resilience, passion, and relentless pursuit of progress. Born from a garage and fueled by a "do or die" ethos, it symbolizes the journey of overcoming obstacles and achieving one's dreams. This brand embodies hard work, innovation, and a strong community spirit, encouraging followers to live boldly and without surrender. Through unique products, adventurous tours, and a commitment to authenticity, Flag Nor Fail inspires a lifestyle of perseverance and ambition, inviting everyone to embrace challenges and pursue greatness.
THE JOURNEY
In 2010, the foundation of our brand was built on a "do or die" mindset, fueled by hard times and a determination to succeed at all costs. With a clear focus and disregard for anything outside the brand, we launched with slogans that provided the motivation needed to keep pushing forward. Starting from printing shirts in a garage with no idea of the future impact, the brand quickly grew. Live-streaming the hard work and long hours demonstrated our commitment to the lifestyle. By year's end, the business expanded enough to hire our first part-time employee for customer service, moving into our first warehouse despite its less-than-ideal conditions. This year marked the beginning of our journey, resonating with people and starting a snowball effect of growth.
In 2011, the brand's journey continued from a humble beginning in an abandoned warehouse to embarking on a defining northeast tour with friends, highlighting the importance of connecting with the community. Hiring my brother enhanced our capabilities, allowing me to focus on visionary aspects while expanding our operations. This year was pivotal with the acquisition of a larger, 10,000 square foot warehouse in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, signaling significant growth. Despite having a home, dedication to the brand meant nights were often spent at the warehouse to maintain momentum, illustrating our commitment to growth and international recognition.
In 2012, our brand solidified its presence with a growing team, including several printers, my brother, offices, and a warehouse manager, all based in the Womelsdorf warehouse. This year was marked by significant personal and brand growth, despite the absence of a personal life due to constant travel for the brand. We ventured into cut and sew processes and introduced more sophisticated clothing designs, laying the groundwork for our future design direction. The year was defined by hard work, a growth mindset, and the refinement of processes and protocols that continue to guide us.
2013 was a monumental year, marked by significant milestones and growth. We ventured deeper into the cut and sew process and expanded into a massive 40,000 square foot warehouse, which also became Dana's and my new home. This year was highlighted by the legendary Flag Nor Fail airstream tour from New York to Florida, culminating in Dana's Olympia win, and the launch of our first gym camp, leveraging our new space for community events. We introduced iconic designs like the Axe/Anchor logo and the intricate Fitmark duffel, showcasing our creative prowess. Amidst the rapid expansion and ambitious projects, the year was challenging but immensely successful, embodying the Flag Nor Fail spirit, especially as Dana achieved global recognition in the fitness industry.
In 2014, our team grew to 30-40 employees, and a pivotal addition was Austin, also known as Ragz, who joined as a junior designer. Under rigorous mentorship, Austin rapidly developed, doubling our creative capacity through relentless work and beginning to document every step of our journey. This year also saw Dana's return to Olympia, and to support, we embarked on the Porsche tour, connecting with fans across the country. Our expertise in cut and sew techniques matured significantly, marking a year of solidifying our team and enhancing our brand's creative and operational strength.
In 2015, following a setback at the Olympia, Dana focused on the Arnold with a renewed mindset, emphasizing the journey and connection with fans over competition outcomes. This year, we expanded our engagement through two memorable tours: the Mt. Washington tour, driving a refurbished Toyota dolphin up the east coast, and the adventure tour, a 30-day spree of bucket-list activities around Olympia. These efforts underscored our commitment to fostering a deeper bond with our community. Additionally, we ventured into the everyday carry (EDC) bag market, showcasing our deep dive into cut and sew. The successful gym camps inspired us to purchase an old World Gym, transforming it into the first Warhouse gym, further solidifying 2015 as a pivotal year for growth, community engagement, and memorable adventures.
2016 was defined by the pursuit of unforgettable experiences, highlighted by our second 30-day Adventure Tour, which emphasized the value of unique and memorable activities. The Warhouse Gym community saw tremendous growth through regular, large-scale gym events, and Speed Warhouse ventured into the realm of high-performance automotive with a focus on drifting and roll racing. This year also marked a strategic shift in our product release model, transitioning from individual items to cohesive collections that complement each other, enhancing our brand's creative depth. Recognizing the need for a broader creative team, we began expanding beyond our internal resources. Additionally, initial conversations about a move to Montana hinted at significant future developments, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter.
2017 was a year of rapid expansion and significant transitions for our company. We ventured beyond apparel, introducing rain jackets, hammocks, and various bags, including Gym Bro Bags, broadening our product line with accessories designed for the elements and travel. The year took an unexpected turn when we were approached for a reality show, "The Kill Rob Bailey Show," coinciding with a major life and business decision to relocate to Montana. Acting swiftly, I purchased a warehouse in Montana and, within two months, moved our operations and willing staff across the country. Despite the reality show being pulled from the internet due to the producing channel's bankruptcy, the move to Montana stands as one of the most pivotal moments for our brand, symbolizing a new chapter filled with opportunities and growth.
In 2018, we navigated the aftermath of our monumental move to Montana, recognizing the initial warehouse didn't meet our needs and marking a period of adjustment. Our team expanded with new hires from Montana and beyond, enriching the Flag Nor Fail family. We shifted our release model to focus on more frequent, smaller launches of one or two items a week, enhancing our market responsiveness. This year saw us delve into outerwear, introduce our utility bag, and launch seamless apparel, fully utilizing Montana's scenic backdrop to showcase our lifestyle and products. The acquisition of a second warehouse provided a space for our vehicles, a private gym, and other essentials, reinstating a crucial element for brand development and content creation. This strategic move and the adjustments made throughout the year underscored our adaptability and commitment to growth.
2019 was driven by the ethos "Give Me Progress, or Give Me Death," signifying a pivotal year of ambition and expansion for our brand. Despite the challenges posed by our relocation to Montana, we embraced the opportunity to evolve, introducing new models to diversify our presentation and experimenting with custom giveaways, starting with a locally-made custom wakeboard. This initiative not only promoted an active lifestyle but also showcased our commitment to unique, high-quality offerings. The year marked the launch of the TEK collection, aligning with our high-performance activewear vision. Recognizing the need for a more cohesive and efficient workspace, we initiated the design and purchase of land for a Mega HQ, envisioning a facility that would fully represent our brand's ethos and support our growing operations.
2020, amidst global challenges, was not seen as a year of struggle for us but rather as an opportunity for innovation and giving back. Building on the success of previous giveaways, we expanded our engagement with custom snowboards and an unprecedented giveaway of a wide-body long-travel Tundra, recognizing the integral role of vehicles in our brand's journey. This year was marked by significant achievements, including hiring new designers, my attainment of a pilot's license, and the groundbreaking of our new headquarters. The process of building from scratch was both exhilarating and exhausting, offering us a glimpse into the future possibilities for our brand. With a decade behind us, it's remarkable to reflect on our journey from garage-based operations to constructing a monumental facility. This year underscored our gratitude towards our community, whose unwavering support has been crucial to our journey. Thank you, and we look forward to the next chapter.
Huge strides and many firsts in the year 2021. Since moving to Montana, we have always been looking for a warehouse of our own, and we finally moved in to the one that we built from the ground up. We developed and launch the forever program which represents items, we create with the intention of them being passed down generations. Everyone knows their dad‘s favorite sweatshirt that just seems like it gets better with age. That is the forever collection. Flannels leading the charge. This year we also ended up launching our Athlete program on Black Friday. The first athlete we announced was Frank McGrath. Frank is a staple in bodybuilding, and is a longtime hero for many. He truly embodies what the brand represents.
2022 is our first full year in the FLAG NOR FAIL HQ. Learning the ins and outs of the building, growing with it, and the true possibility. The building was designed with the intention to hold events. This is the first year we held events. One of which being our first Athlete retreat weekend, bringing people to Montana, and showing them what life is all about and how that is reflected in the forever collection felt. we also added two more gym locations. Building a gym in our overflow warehouse, ‘west’, this has a true hard-core feel. we also assembled a small gym in the airplane hanger on the Glacier airfield. These training environments and photo studios. Finishing out the year by giving away a GFC fully built, widebody Tacoma.
2023 was truly a transition year. Majority of the year was spent in development and testing. Launching mystery boxes, the entire momentum bag collection, and six months of developing overalls. This year was truly spent building, creating products that will stand the test of time, support, the versatile athlete, and over delivered to the customer. we truly believe that 2023. We will look back at and realize it was the year everything changed. It was the tipping point.
CURRENT DAY
Experience the journey of growth with us as we introduce new products, expand our brand, and embark on exciting new adventures.
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WE'RE STARTING A PODCAST
Austin is back from his vacation and we have alot in the works! Big brand updates this week and we reset and prepare for what's to come.
WE'RE STARTING A PODCAST
Austin is back from his vacation and we have alot in the works! Big brand updates this week and we reset and prepare for what's to come.
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HUNTING FOR OUR HQ CHRISTMAS TREE
Rob and Dana head out into the snowy backcountry to find the perfect Christmas tree for the Flag Nor Fail HQ.
HUNTING FOR OUR HQ CHRISTMAS TREE
Rob and Dana head out into the snowy backcountry to find the perfect Christmas tree for the Flag Nor Fail HQ.
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WINTER BULL RIDING IN MONTANA
Thank you Korbin Baldwin for having us to KM Ranch Arena. Be sure to follow his journey as he prepares for the Junior World Finals. Korbin Baldwin | https://www.instagram.com/korbin_baldwin/ Baldwin's...
WINTER BULL RIDING IN MONTANA
Thank you Korbin Baldwin for having us to KM Ranch Arena. Be sure to follow his journey as he prepares for the Junior World Finals. Korbin Baldwin | https://www.instagram.com/korbin_baldwin/ Baldwin's...