Rhone Ceo & Co-founder Nate Checketts On Building An Impactful Apparel Brand

The Rhone CEO spoke to Athletech News on building community, prioritizing mental fitness and leading with intention

When Nate Checketts co-founded Rhone, he wasn’t just trying to build a better pair of sweatpants. He was responding to what he saw as a significant gap in the activewear market and a larger cultural need.

“There were a lot of great women’s brands and there were legacy brands like Nike and Reebok that served everyone, but there wasn’t anything that felt premium and purpose-driven for men,” Checketts recalled. “That was the white space.”

What started as a conversation at a family holiday gathering, about whether men felt comfortable wearing Lululemon outside the house, sparked a deeper insight.

“My brother-in-law looked at the logo and the packaging and said, ‘This brand was made for women’s yoga.’ And he was right. It just didn’t feel like it was built for him,” Checketts said.

That moment became a catalyst for Rhone’s founding and for a broader mission that extended beyond clothing.

“From the beginning, we decided our differentiation would be quality,” he said. “We believed that people would start shifting away from buying expensive suits and instead invest in performance apparel that works for every part of their lives.”

That quality-first mindset defined Rhone’s development process from its first day.

“We were very intentional about studying the way our customer lives, works and sweats,” Checketts said. “And honestly, not coming from the apparel industry was a huge advantage. We asked suppliers questions no one else was asking, like, why do ankle socks always slip down? What if we added a silicone grip?”

Testing was always central. “We gave our product to the best athletes we could find. I rigorously tested everything myself,” he added. “That small attention to detail really mattered. The customer could feel it.”

Partnerships helped validate that approach. “I remember when Equinox first agreed to carry us in 10 stores, but on consignment,” Checketts said. “Advisors told me not to do it, but I wanted the chance to prove ourselves. Eventually, they told us, ‘You outsold Lulu last month.’ Then, ‘You outsold Nike.’ We became their top-selling men’s brand.”

Rhone went on to become the top men’s brand at Peloton as well. “I just told John and Jill Foley, ‘I’ll do anything to win your business,’” he recalled. “They gave us a shot and it worked.”

While many brands talked about wellness, Rhone consistently prioritized mental fitness in both its messaging and operations.

“We had a program called ‘The 12 Pursuits,’ inspired by Ben Franklin’s 13 virtues,” he explained. “Each month was focused on a theme, like sleep, service, or social connection. It wasn’t just about productivity; it was about building a healthier culture from the inside out.”

This ethos also showed up in Rhone’s public events. “We hosted what we called Mind & Muscle sessions. There was a workout component, but also a group therapy-style conversation. We did a women’s-only one recently and the feedback from that event was so powerful. I just thought, if we were going to reach the number of people we wanted to, women had to be part of that journey.”

The decision to launch a women’s line in 2024 wasn’t made lightly. “I was honestly hesitant,” Checketts admitted. “One of the reasons I started Rhone was because I felt men’s mental health wasn’t being talked about enough. And there were already so many women’s activewear brands.”

But customer demand and deeper reflection changed his thinking. “Thirty percent of our customers were already women. They were buying for the men in their lives, but kept asking, ‘When are you going to make something for us?’”

Still, Checketts wanted to avoid replicating tired tropes. “I didn’t want to market women just doing yoga for hours,” he said. “The women in my life, my wife, my mom, my colleagues, they’re strong, they’re busy, they’re capable. I told our team: she is his equal in every way and our products should reflect that.”

The launch included subtle affirmations stitched into the garments and was designed around how women actually moved through their day. “What she wanted for workwear was different than what he wanted. So, we didn’t just duplicate our men’s lines, we reimagined them.”

So far, the line has exceeded expectations. “We’ve been blown away. The women’s business took off immediately,” Checketts said. “And honestly, the female customer often understood our mission faster than men did. They got it.”

As Rhone scales, Checketts remains focused on deepening community, not chasing trends. “We weren’t trying to embed chips in our clothes or create internet-connected shirts,” he said. “That’s not what people needed more of. They needed more connection to themselves—and to each other.”

He cited recent statistics about loneliness, particularly among men. “A decade ago, more than half of men said they had six close friends. Now it’s down to 22%. That’s a huge societal shift,” he said. “One of the best ways to rebuild connection is through shared experiences and that’s what we tried to create with our events.”

Whether through product, partnerships, or in-person gatherings, Checketts viewed Rhone’s future as being about more than apparel. “Clothing was just the entry point,” he said. “We wanted to help people live better, not just perform better.”

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