LDNM: The brothers who built a million pound business from a health blog

Twin brothers James and Tom Exton and their friends Max and Lloyd Bridger, created a free health blog in 2013 shelling out just £50 on the logo

LDNM is now one of the leading providers of training and nutrition guides

Making your first one million is the stuff of dreams for most business entrepreneurs. But two sets of brothers who started a humble blog aimed at sharing their insights on health and fitness managed to do just that - in just four years.

Twin brothers James and Tom Exton and their friends Max and Lloyd Bridger, created free health blog LDN Muscle in 2013 shelling out just £50 on the logo.

The idea was partly driven by their frustration with the fitness industry: “When we were slightly younger, we realised that there were all these supplements in the market, all this misleading information out there and these monstrous guys,” co-founder James Exton told The Independent.

“Young guys, like us, would want to be like them, but you soon realise that you could spend all your money on supplements without achieving the same result. We were disenchanted by how all these kids were sold a dream that they couldn’t get.”

Within six months, demand for their advice was so high that the brothers - who didn’t aspire to have full time careers in fitness having studied law, finance, chemistry and geography respectively - realised they could make a business out of it.

James Exton and the Bridgers are now working for the company full-time.

LDNM is now one of the leading providers of training and nutrition guides. Last year the company launched the LDNM Academy, an education arm of the company targeted at future personal trainers. They also launched their own range of nutritional supplements.

The brand’s social media reach provides evidence of its growing success and popularity. It’s got 186,000 followers on Instagram and 144,000 on Twitter. Tom Exton alone has an Instagram following of 107,000.

The company’s customer base is broad, ranging from top partners at laws firm, to police officers and teenagers, as well as people in their fifties looking to lose some weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle, according to Mr Exton.

Four years on from its foundation the company is still largely run by the four founders.

Tom Exton is the only one of the four who has kept his job at an investment bank in the City. According to his brother, the team’s dedication to a 24/7 job, having a “unique work ethos” and being independent – instead of being sponsored by a particular brand or celebrity- is what separates LDNM from rivals in an already over-saturated market.

“People have seen our success, and they think: ‘I’m just going to create a social media account and sell some guides and I will be decently successful in life’ – it’s anything but that. For every single thing we put out, there is a process, analytics and research behind it,” he said.

And James also stressed that the process of managing their social media account is “a lot more tactful” than people might think.

“It even comes down to which emoji we chose and which one is getting more clicks,” he added.

People start their businesses at point when they are not ready to commit to the level of efforts it takes, according to Mr Exton.

“I’ve worked a stressful job being a self-employed barrister. You are not guaranteed an income. The hours are anti-social. So I know what that’s like but my current job is more stressful, ” James Exton said

“A lot of people lack the work ethics and their business just tanks” he added.

The key for young entrepreneurs is to know what makes you stand out from your rivals, he said.

“If you can’t tell me that, how are you going to convey that to someone who wants to buy something from you.”