Some ideas start with a business plan. Others start in a locker room.
BraClaw falls into the second category.
Before it became a product, it was a shared experience. One that a lot of women quietly deal with but don’t always talk about. That post workout moment when you’re tired, sweaty, and somehow stuck in your sports bra.
For Kristin, that moment wasn’t new. But it was persistent. And eventually, it turned into something more.
We sat down with Kristin to talk about where BraClaw really began, the unexpected path that led her here, and the story behind a name that started with a van ride in Italy.
Getting to Know Kristin
Can you tell us a little about your professional background and what you were doing before BraClaw?
“I’ve been in the distribution business since graduating from the University of Washington in 1991. The dot-com era was just taking off and while most of my Seattle friends were graduating and going to work for companies like Microsoft, I instead glamorously (not) went to work for my family’s small business selling buckets and raw materials for the paint and coatings industry, occasionally even having the chance to drive a forklift.
Thirty five years and a few acquisitions later, I’m still here, now working for a global distribution company. I’m grateful for the friendships made and lessons learned from my unglamorous career. They’ve prepared me well for this exciting new chapter.
And there’s nothing less glamorous than getting in and out of a sports bra.”
Before BraClaw, had you ever imagined yourself starting a company or inventing a product?
“No! But I did think I could write a series of fluffy romance and mystery novels that would appeal to the masses, get picked up, and made into a wildly successful movie franchise allowing me to go on Oprah to promote.”
The Origin Story
Where did the idea for BraClaw first come from?
"The locker room.
I’ve participated in dozens of post yoga conversations with women struggling to take off their sweaty sports bra after class or battling to put one on before. I’ve both heard and said, “someone should invent something to help take this thing off.”
Can you walk us through the trip to Italy when the idea really took shape?
"My husband and BraClaw partner, Chris, and I were in Italy celebrating a friend’s 60th birthday. Our last dinner together was at a beautiful restaurant in Positano overlooking the sea.
The waiter saw our large, animated group coming from a mile away and thought he’d make his night by upselling us on lobster. He suggested we order a minimum of six for the table.
Only the birthday girl was interested. Still, six very large lobsters arrived.
We ate them. We paid for them. And the night affectionately became known as “Lobstergate.”
On the van ride home, we were happy, well fed, and not at all ready for the trip to end. The conversation turned to how we could make more time and make more money so we could continue to live the dream.
Business ideas started flying.
As a hot yoga lover, I shared mine, born from years of locker room frustration. Getting in and out of a sweaty sports bra.
With lobster in our bellies and Lobstergate on our minds, the name BraClaw was born right there in the taxi. There is still some friendly debate about who came up with it, but I like to think it was a group effort."
Was it immediately obvious this could become something real, or did it start as more of a fun idea?
"From day one, Chris and I believed in BraClaw, but we also agreed our egos could handle it if it didn’t go anywhere.
We said we would keep going until it either did not make sense or felt impossible to bring to life.
But that moment never came.
We have never had to defend the idea. In fact, we have seen complete strangers light up when they hear about it. That is when you start to feel like you might actually have something real."
What made the idea stick with you once you got home?
"It never really left.
But after our first meeting with the design team, what was supposed to be just exploratory, we walked out thinking, “we can actually do this.”"
Was there a moment when curiosity turned into action?
"Yes. Once we were back to reality and the trip had settled, we could not stop talking about it.
We realized we would regret not trying.
So we made the decision. We would rather try and fail than not try at all."
A Small Idea That Wasn’t So Small
BraClaw did not come from a boardroom. It came from real conversations, real frustration, and a moment that a lot of people recognize instantly.
It is simple. It is specific. And it solves something that, for a long time, people just dealt with.
And sometimes, that is exactly where the best ideas start.