Krissy Cela’s journey with her athleisure brand Oner Active began in September 2020, when the entire inventory of 20,000 items was sold out within just ten minutes. However, this initial success was quickly overshadowed by a wave of complaints regarding the product quality.

“We faced issues like ripped garments, peeling logos, and bras fraying after a single wash,” recalls Cela, now 30, in her stylish east London office. “Looking back, I want to hug my past self; I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone.”

Although Cela had already found success with her fitness app, EvolveYou, which focuses on workout routines and nutritional guidance, this was her first experience with manufacturing. “I was quite naive. At 24, I envisioned Oner Active without any background in design or production,” she admits.

To improve her knowledge, Cela made numerous trips to her Turkish supplier. “I insisted they teach me everything about seamless production. I became obsessed with understanding fabrics and their functionalities. To excel in this business, you must be well-versed in these details,” she explains.

Fortunately for Cela, her substantial social media following—3.3 million on Instagram and 1.2 million on TikTok—granted her a second chance, leading to the success of her subsequent collections. In its first year, Oner Active generated revenues of £8.7 million, which more than doubled to £18.9 million in the second year, ultimately reaching a staggering £80.8 million in turnover by 2024, alongside a profit nearing £8.5 million.

This impressive growth is set to continue into 2025, with sales figures for the first quarter of this year reported at £26.2 million. The brand’s potential has led to significant industry players joining Cela’s leadership team, including Zach Duane, a veteran in the fashion sector who took on the role of CEO in December 2023.

By that time, he had been mentoring Cela for over a year, having been introduced by a mutual acquaintance. Cela recounts how Duane, initially skeptical of her influencer background, eventually met her for coffee. “He was hesitant about collaborating with someone labeled as an influencer. However, we connected deeply over the conversation, and I felt like he became a father figure to me,” she shares.

During an office visit, Duane, who has observed Cela’s vibrant energy, notes, “I’ve worked with many female entrepreneurs, and Krissy’s business acumen is evident. Her social media presence is merely a tool to support her business goals.”

Duane initially began as an adviser, guiding the company through a structured development and long-term strategy. However, his transition to CEO brought unexpected challenges, particularly when Cela revealed her pregnancy and impending move to Los Angeles shortly thereafter.

Reacting to this shift, Duane questioned, “What do you mean you’re moving? You just hired me!” To which Cela laughed and said, “Actually, it wasn’t part of the plan—love happened.” She is now engaged to Victor Alcantara, a talent manager based in Los Angeles.

Ultimately, this move proved beneficial, as Duane had to quickly establish connections with the existing team, most of whom have been with the company since its inception. “Navigating this transition was essential, given the strong bonds many employees had with Krissy,” he notes.

Duane’s self-reflection emphasizes the impact Cela has on her team, especially given her unique backstory. She immigrated to the UK from Albania at the age of five after being smuggled through France. Cela expresses her gratitude for the asylum granted to her family, stating, “Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t have achieved my current successes.”

Her upbringing in Welwyn Garden City, which she describes as “the asylum section”, posed challenges, as it lacked the diversity of larger cities like London. Her parents worked hard—her father as a lorry driver and her mother in various roles, including a cleaner at Sainsbury’s. Cela herself began working at 14, doing various jobs, including washing dishes at a local café.

Juggling her law degree, Cela launched her Instagram at 18 to share her fitness journey, initially posting after a breakup motivated her to regain confidence. “I was curious why it seemed like men gravitated towards free weights while women stuck to cardio machines,” she says.

“This was over a decade ago, a time when even Women’s Health magazine was not emphasizing strength training,” she adds. As she built muscle, her confidence and following grew exponentially, reaching 600,000 followers within a year and prompting requests for training. Though initially unqualified, she obtained her level two personal trainer certification.

With demand for her insights rising, she partnered with her then-boyfriend, Jack Bullimore, to create Tone and Sculpt in 2019. Starting with downloadable fitness plans, they quickly surpassed their initial expectations, selling £10,000 worth in just weeks and achieving £1 million in sales within 22 months. “I was astounded at how quickly we generated income,” Cela remarks. They reinvested in the business, developing more content and eventually establishing EvolveYou in 2022, which now employs 30 people and recorded sales of £8.6 million last year.

Simultaneously, as an influencer for Gymshark, Cela recognized a gap in the market for high-performance women’s activewear. “I struggled to find clothing that fit well and was often disappointed by the color palettes available,” she says. Oner Active’s offerings feature vibrant shade options such as “tropical blue,” “orchid purple,” and “muscle mommy red.”

Moreover, she noted that many women’s activewear brands were led by men, prompting her to put her vision into action. “As I’ve gone through being a beginner, experiencing pregnancy, and getting back into shape afterwards, I understand the customer’s journey intimately,” she articulated.

Cela launched Oner Active in collaboration with Austrian entrepreneurs David and Lukas Kurzmann and Thomas Mark, who are also co-founders of Women’s Best. With Cela as the majority shareholder, their partnership maximized efficiency since the Kurzmanns provided an established distribution network. “Combining their infrastructure with my vision truly created something special,” concludes Cela.