How to build a brand and focus on what makes you different.

When Deborah North's daughter started wrestling, she saw girls participating in a sport without gear that truly considered their needs. That experience became the inspiration for Yes Athletics. In this episode of Thrive Radio, Aimee Montgomery talks with Deborah about moving from recruiting into physical products, building an advisory network, reaching coaches directly, and finding her brand's difference while competing with larger companies. Listen for a candid look at customer understanding, founder responsibility, and the mission of helping girls feel they belong.

What You’ll Learn

Recognizing unmet needs in an overlooked customer group.

Moving from a service business into physical products.

Finding advisors through conversations and introductions.

Connecting product design to fit, coverage, and customer experience.

Reaching coaches with problems their teams need solved.

Finding support through the financial and emotional demands of entrepreneurship.

Stepping back from comparison to clarify your brand's difference.