In this episode of Manufacturing Runs The World, we dive into the garage-gym innovation that’s shaking up the fitness industry.

When Tyler Danen couldn’t find the right dumbbells during a workout, he didn’t just get frustrated—he got inspired. That spark turned into FITBENCH, a fully loaded, all-in-one fitness station now used in commercial gyms and home gyms across the U.S.

But this isn’t just a product story—it’s a reshoring, redesign, and reinvention story.

Tyler shares how:

• ​His idea was knocked off in China just months after launch
• ​COVID-19 forced him to rethink his supply chain
• ​He reshored production and reengineered the product to eliminate welds and reduce weight by 30%
• ​Fitbench landed a national contract with Planet Fitness and scaled production with just 10 employees 💪
• ​He’s now building strength equipment with American steel and next-level lean manufacturing

Whether you’re a product designer, entrepreneur, or just someone who’s ever done a “walk of shame” with too-heavy dumbbells… this episode is for you.👉 SHOP: https://fitbench.com

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – The dumbbell fail that started it all

00:42 – The lightbulb moment

01:30 – Knocked off in China

02:15 – Reshoring to the U.S.

03:00 – Redesigning for lean manufacturing

05:02 – Planet Fitness deal & scaling smart

07:29 – 10 employees, full U.S. production

08:10 – Product pricing & why strength is back

09:21 – Bonus: Jacked, tan, and… gray?

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#MadeInUSA #FitnessInnovation #ManufacturingPodcast #Entrepreneurship #LeanManufacturing #PlanetFitness #FITBENCH