TRX
TRX is a fitness equipment company that creates suspension training tools for full-body workouts. Its signature TRX Suspension Trainer, invented by a Navy SEAL in 1997, uses body weight resistance to build strength, balance, and flexibility anywhere.
The Story
TRX Training is the pioneering force behind suspension training, a fitness category the company essentially invented and scaled into a global movement. Founded by former Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick, TRX began as a field expedient—a jiu-jitsu belt rigged over a doorframe for bodyweight resistance training while deployed overseas. Hetrick formalized the invention in 1997, left the SEALs in 2002, earned his Stanford MBA in 2003, and launched TRX Training in 2004.
The early years were lean. Hetrick bootstrapped the company from his garage, held over 30 patents, and built the TRX instructor certification program that became the backbone of the brand. A manufacturing defect—handles that cracked like potato chips on first use—nearly sank the company in its earliest large lot, but Hetrick stabilized operations and pushed through. By 2015, TRX had reached over $50 million in annual revenue, earned multiple Inc. 500 placements, and certified more than 350,000 trainers across 30 countries.
In 2019, Hetrick sold a controlling stake to private equity. The partnership soured within a few years, and under new ownership the company filed for bankruptcy. Hetrick partnered with Jack Daly to buy TRX back and returned as CEO in 2023. He now also runs OutFit Training, a mobile fitness franchise concept that brings functional training gear to outdoor locations in custom vans, designed to lower barriers for veterans entering the fitness industry. TRX remains headquartered in San Francisco and continues to manufacture its signature Suspension Trainers while expanding the product line to include the TRX Pro4, TRX RIP Trainer, and accessories for home, gym, and military use.
Key Facts & Metrics
Company Timeline
1997 — TRX prototype invented
Randy Hetrick improvises a suspension trainer from a jiu-jitsu belt while deployed overseas as a Navy SEAL.
2004 — TRX Training founded
After leaving the Navy SEALs and earning his Stanford MBA, Hetrick officially launches TRX Training.
2015 — $50M revenue milestone
TRX reaches over $50 million in annual revenue with 350,000+ certified trainers across 30 countries.
2019 — Sold to private equity
Sells controlling interest in TRX to private equity after more than 15 years as CEO.
2022 — Launches OutFit Training
Founding of mobile fitness franchise concept bringing functional training gear to outdoor locations.
2023 — Buys back TRX from bankruptcy
Partners with Jack Daly to acquire TRX out of bankruptcy and returns as CEO.
Episodes Featuring TRX
Advice Line: Tapping AI as a Resource for Your Business
Guy Raz hosts a special Advice Line episode where six founders reveal how they weave AI into their businesses. From Modi Toys to Raising Cane's, these entrepreneurs share concrete examples of automation and analysis that freed them to focus on what humans do best. No hype, no buzzwords—just practical insights you can apply.
Advice Line with Randy Hetrick of TRX
Randy Hetrick of TRX joins an Advice Line episode to tackle real founder challenges alongside Katharine Perry, Kerri Jones, and Paige Cey. Four entrepreneurs bring distinct problems, from scaling manufacturing to navigating post-advertising collapse, and get blunt, experience-driven advice. The conversation reveals how to transform constraints into advantages and why the simplest solutions often work best. Listeners walk away with practical frameworks for decision-making under pressure and a reminder that breakthrough thinking rarely follows conventional paths.
