GoKawiilKey Takeaways Clarke led 30-minute online workouts and hosted virtual conversations in the pandemic’s early days.
Then she connected with fellow fitness enthusiast Sami Spalter to start a lifestyle platform: FORM.
Here’s how the duo built a business with over 60,000 subscribers and $42 million in total revenue.
This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Sami Clarke, co-founder with Sami Spalter of Los Angeles-based lifestyle platform and activewear brand FORM. The business, which launched as a fitness platform in 2020 and expanded into activewear in 2023, boasts 60,000 subscribers and more than $42 million in total revenue. The piece has been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: FORM. Sami Clarke.
In the beginning of my career, I was a model and really in the health and wellness space, where I saw a lot of people who didn’t know how to take care of themselves. So I got certified as a fitness trainer and started training different models. I dove into movement and nutrition journaling — recording it raw and real for social media in 2017. I shared the ups and downs of life, what it feels like to be in your body and how to show up on the days you don’t want to show up.
Leading 30-minute workouts and live conversations
A few years later, the pandemic hit. It was a moment for me to show up for the community that I’d already built. We were all struggling mentally and needed to prioritize our wellbeing. So I decided to go live five times a week on Instagram. I offered free movement and conversation for everyone. So I was doing 30-minute workouts online and hosting live conversations, where I would bring in therapists and different experts to learn about how we could take care of ourselves.
I didn’t make any money in those early days. It was a project driven by passion and the desire to help people. But since going into business with my co-founder, FORM has become a full-blown lifestyle brand seeing considerable growth. FORM generated $22 million in revenue in 2025, bringing total revenue to more than $42 million.
Starting a fitness business during the pandemic
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