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Sometimes a brand name can become bigger than the product it represents.
Think about Kleenex, or Band-Aid.
You can make a strong case that the same thing has happened for the Theragun, launched by Dr. Jason Wersland back in 2016.
There are tons of pain relief devices on the market today, but Theragun has become a name synonymous with massage guns, fit for weekend warriors and professional athletes alike.
Jason created a product so innovative that when people think about the name, they visualize the product itself.
“When it becomes a noun and a verb, like, ‘Hey did you Theragun today?’ that’s pretty powerful,” Jason says.
Before the invention of the Theragun, Jason was simply looking for a way to alleviate his own chronic pain after surviving a near-deadly motorcycle accident in 2007.
“I was looking for something to take the pain away when I wasn’t getting treated [at physical therapy]. I was looking for something I could take home and use on myself, because I knew what I needed, but a lot of modalities wouldn’t fit in my truck, let alone a backpack,” Jason says.
His own needs, coupled with the needs of his chiropractic patients, led Jason to turn this incredible invention into a full-time business.
“I wasn’t looking at anything as a way to grow my business—I just knew the Theragun worked, and I wanted respect. It’s not just this thing I made in my garage, even though it was,” Jason says.
While finding people to take interest in his product came naturally to Jason, his product has just as many doubters as it has supporters.
“For anyone looking to build a business, you have to understand that part of the recipe is negativity. You’re gonna get negative feedback from others and even yourself at times,” Jason says.
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Jason rebranded Theragun to Therabody in 2020, and went on to launch eight brand-new life-changing devices.
Jason accredits a lot of his success to the city of L.A.
“The electricity, the relationships, the energy behind the industry—people are always looking for the next thing in L.A. I just got in that whirlwind,” Jason says.
Tune in to the full Shopify Masters episode to learn more about Dr. Jason Wersland’s personal journey with percussion therapy, and to hear all of his tips for building a successful brand.
