How DadBod Founder, Orrie Markfeld turned a pandemic into a business opportunity

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the entire world. The pandemic has left many businesses and organizations prematurely closed. In March 2020, in the earlier days of the first wave, Orrie Markfeld had to close the gym that he had hitherto operated in the New York City area. Faced with restrictions and uncertainty about the future of his business, Orrie decided to create the DADBod Fitness App as a way to help more people while they were all dealing with the lasting effects of the pandemic. 

What Orrie didn’t realize was he had just stumbled on a gold mine. For his fitness app, he settled on an unusual yet commonly known niche; busy fathers.

“There are many apps out there that do a great job at giving workouts,” DadBod founder, Orrie Markfeld comments. “ As dads, our needs are different. Life has a way of changing radically once you get married. Throwing kids into the mix makes it even harder to prioritize your own personal needs while having a family to take care of,” he explains further. “ Rather than succumbing to the stereotypes of having bad backs and getting the stereotypical “dad bod,” we want to reclaim this word and redefine what it means. We created something to teach dads how to reframe their mindset. We will help you build upon the bonds in your family. And most importantly, we teach you how to hold yourself accountable.”

The DadBod Fitness app itself aims to help dads take ownership of their lives in two ways.

“The first thing we do is exercise,” Orrie says. “ Through the app, we offer daily strength and conditioning workouts. We take care that these workouts require minimal equipment and don’t require you to spend hours at the gym. Additionally, there are supplementary training programs to cater to specific goals of the individual. The second component of the app is based on building lasting bonds within the family. We’ve created areas focusing on mindset, activities with kids, dad jokes, date ideas, family trips, vacations, and featured meals updated weekly.”

Orrie’s vast background in the health and wellness space has served him greatly in designing and launching his latest product. An athlete and martial artist from the age of 6, Orrie has spent the last 15 years helping people achieve optimal health and wellness through their lifestyle choices. DadBod Fitness is a natural extension of this lifelong goal and career of helping other people live their best lives.

“DADBod Fitness is much more than just a fitness app. We are an academy for dads. Every kid looks up to their father as being the biggest and strongest person in the world. Our mission is to turn you into the superhero your kids think you are. Being a superhero goes far beyond the physical. It’s also about simply being there for your family and creating lasting memories.”