ON IN LONDON: Interview with Jamie Smalley, CEO & Founder of Runderwear

Jamie Smalley is a 24-time marathon finisher, ironman finisher and CEO & founder of Runderwear www.runderwear.co.uk, @teamrunderwear. We spoke to him to find out a little more about him and his business.

You started your business around the frustration that no one had made underwear designed for the running community. With no prior experience, how did you start your business journey? 

I had started other businesses after university, but when I had the opportunity to start a business within the running industry which was my passion and hobby, I threw myself in and immersed myself into the textile world and the technicalities of running apparel production. I had to learn from scratch. The underlying interest made it easier to designate all my spare time to research, travel and learn from experts. In that regard it was hard work fuelled by passion.

What has been your hardest run to date?

Two ultra marathons come to mind. One was on the trails of Hong Kong during a sourcing trip, and the other was the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. I did the uphill race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, with 1,800 meters of elevation over 87 kilometres. The uphill sections after 60 kilometres were especially challenging in the heat, testing my determination. The sense of accomplishment at the finish was wonderful.

Tell us more about the design process. How involved are you? 

Involved. The mission was to create the best running underwear in the world. From the first day I was drawn to the detail in design to achieve this. Everything we do is about enabling people to run.  By that I mean enable people to run in greater comfort regardless of their challenge or environment. We specialise in the attention to detail. As an avid runner myself I comprehend what runners require. If our products go unnoticed whilst worn, they have done their job. There is enough to think about whilst running. Not having to worry kit-wise is paramount and comfort directly correlates with the enjoyment of your run. The product is the foundation of the brand. I love the small details and that is why I will always be involved in the product development side of the brand.

How big is your team and when did you decide your business was more scalable? 

We have a significant team with expertise across many facets of the business. We have a hybrid of talent working in-house and externally across the world. Technology is the enabler we try and leverage as much as possible to help us scale. The decision to scale internationally was natural due to the demand we saw from fellow runners in countries on all continents.

The name is very clever, did it come to you straight away? 

No. It was used in jest and in passing in a conversation!

Who is your biggest business inspiration? 

It’s hard to choose, but Sir Paul Smith stands out. His journey of building a global brand from scratch, attention to detail, brand longevity, and creative design with a touch of Britishness is truly inspiring.

What advice would you give to a novice runner who is thinking of running their first half marathon? 

Break the race and distance down into smaller steps 5k, 10k, 15k. Understand where you are now. A realistic plan to make small improvements week by week in physical strength, sleeping patterns, nutrition and mental strength not just improving running fitness. These four pillars are often neglected. Running and fitness cannot operate in a silo. Finally, and of course I would say it, but tried and tested in training kit.

If you could describe Runderwear in three words, what would they be?

Authentic, Reliable, Soulful. I will explain why.

Authentic – developed by runners to enable the running community to move in greater comfort.  Runderwear is used by some of the best athletes in the world in some of the hardest races on the planet. It’s cool to think about that when I look back to starting the brand at my kitchen table.

Reliable – we know our fellow runners rely upon us. Whether it be to perform for them in their own race or challenge or rely upon us to deliver from a business perspective such as great customer service. 

Soulful – We always try to be positive; we like to engage in the running community and get more people running not just sell to the running community, we are passionate about doing the right thing whether it be customer interactions or in the product by using recycled packaging and fabrics.

Biggest, pinch me moment so far? 

Bumping into a world-famous runner (whose book I had read) behind the scenes at a running event. When I introduced myself, they enthusiastically talked about Runderwear and said they wore the brand. I was completely taken aback. It was a cool moment. I felt about 5 foot 8 walking away! (I am only 5 foot 5).

What’s next for Runderwear? 

The mission continues: helping more people worldwide to move, run, and enjoy the benefits of running.