Balance Athletica was founded by sisters Taylor Chamberlain Dilk and Chloe Chamberlain along with Taylor’s husband Steven Dilk in 2018—and today the company is one of the fastest growing athleisure brands in the world, since debuting at New York Fashion Week last Fall. Besides being super comfortable, their clothing lines are designed to make every woman feel empowered and confident in their own skin.
Dilk, and Chloe Chamberlain. Photo courtesy of Balance Athletica.
Inside Scoop on the CEO
Taylor Chamberlain Dilk has been trailblazing her way through the athletic industry, carving her own path as a fitness professional and one of the first fitness influencers, building a social media empire centered on openness and community, all while launching, running, and scaling two multi-million dollar businesses as a self-taught CEO—at just 29 years old.
As a Purdue University Dietetics Alum, Taylor could’ve gone the traditional Registered Dietitian route, but instead, she paved her own path with the goal of inspiring as many women as possible. Beginning as a personal trainer, Taylor created an online fitness-training platform and expanded on social media, building a loyal following while working toward her IFBB Bikini Pro card and becoming one of the industry’s first “influencers.” Three years later, Taylor’s social media expertise and following provided a platform on which to kickstart an industry-shattering concept, allowing Balance Athletica to not only launch, but grow exponentially over three short years.
Today, Taylor’s social media marketing expertise is a cornerstone of her brands’ success, where her passion for empowering women to love themselves and live a balanced lifestyle can be found in the inspirational messaging and visual representation of all people and all body types in both of her businesses—Balance, and a swim brand of similar intent, Toluca Swim (est. Oct 2020). Her role as CEO transcends traditional boundaries as she guides customers in pursuit of their dreams, becoming their best selves, and building confidence.
Most recently, Taylor, Steve and Chloe were awarded the honor of being named part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2022 for Retail and Ecommerce.
We had the honor of sitting down with chief executive officer Taylor Dilk to find out more.
Tell me about your new line. Who is it geared to?
“Our newest collection, Natural Wonder, represents the journey we all must take to recognize the magic within us. The fact that you exist as you are today, the cumulation of your experiences, is a phenomenon—you are an exceptional being; a natural wonder. Inspired by the seven natural wonders of the world, Natural Wonder takes you to the magnetic Northern Lights, the lush harbor of Rio de Janeiro, and the ashen walls of the Paricutin volcano. With a new tie dye technique, and tonal mix of vibrant colors, each individual piece is completely unique from the next. All of our pieces are geared to all women to make them feel empowered and confident in their own skin.”
You have a close tie to the world of fitness. What is the connection between fitness and fashion for you?
“Fitness has always been a huge part of my life. My parents were very into fitness and in high school is when I began my journey after years of watching them. In college, I majored in Dietetics and worked at our university gym where I became a certified trainer. After college, I created an online fitness-training platform that expanded on to YouTube and Instagram, where I shared all of my workouts and vlogged the entire journey to becoming an IFBB Bikini Pro. Today, fitness may not be the center of my world like it has been in the past, but it is still a major part of my life! I still workout daily, which helps me live a more balanced lifestyle.”
Where did the idea of an athleisure wear brand come from?
“Balance Athletica was co-founded in 2018 by my husband, Steve, our Chief Operating Officer, my sister, Chloe, our Chief of Design and myself, our Chief Executive Officer after witnessing first-hand the lack of representation for all women in athleisure.
As a woman in the fitness space, I experienced firsthand a major lack of representation in the athletic apparel market for all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. I was determined to ensure no one would have to feel self-conscious, uncomfortable, or unseen in athleisure again. We co-founded the female-focused brand Balance Athletica, offering inspired athleisure apparel designed to empower everybody. Using our savings and personal experiences, we were determined to bring representation and empowerment to athletic fashion in whatever way we could.
We set out to create apparel that flatters a woman’s curves rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, developing a launch-based, affiliate-promoted business model and limited-edition styles that would create demand, propelling Balance Athletica toward becoming one of the fastest-growing DTC athletic brands on the market.
To this day, I still gets goosebumps when someone tells me they had tears in their eyes when they put on their first Balance Athletica piece. To provide someone with that amount of confidence and empowerment is my “why.””
What does “overall wellness” mean to you?
“I believe that in order to have “overall wellness” in your life, you need to have balance. I am always in the pursuit of finding balance (pun intended) in my life with the goal of elevating to my highest self. I find that moving my body daily, having a nutritious diet, being present and prioritizing my needs are the areas that help me achieve this goal!”
Why is nutrition a big part of living healthy and happy?
“As someone who studied dietetics in college, I have always known that nutrition is a major part of having a balanced lifestyle. Having a nutritious diet that has loads of benefits and drinking plenty of water each day makes me feel so good and is such an energy booster. But at the same time, we all just have to go out and LIVE so I do enjoy a glass of wine in the evenings, trying new restaurants and I don’t allow myself to feel bad for trying out food or drinks that might not be nutritious. At the end of the day, it is all about balance and adapting whatever works best for your body. I encourage others to test out new strategies that will help you live the most balanced life possible.”
Here are some of the company’s biggest sellers:
Photo courtesy of Balance Athletica.
Photo courtesy of Balance Athletica.
Photo courtesy of Balance Athletica.
Photo courtesy of Balance Athletica.
