PLANO, Texas — Athletic apparel is all the rage whether or not you actually wear it to exercise.
The difference at BootyQueen Apparel is the love story behind it.
"We started doing leggings, and we would literally get it in, sell it out, get it in, sell it out," said co-owner Amanda Kuclo, who met her husband and business partner at Mr. Olympia fitness event in Las Vegas.
"I was like, I will never date anyone in fitness. They're full of themselves. They're arrogant. They take selfies," Amanda recalled with a chuckle. "Then, I meet him and I'm like, oh my gosh!"
The two admit that it was love at first sight-- almost. "Second sight maybe," Amanda said. "On our first date."
Her husband Steve chimed in. "We both looked at each other on our first date, and about half way through it we were like, we would get married right now wouldn't we," Steve said.
They were married six weeks after that date.
Almost five years later, the Kuclos live and work together, recently having opened their first brick and mortar store in The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, called BootyQueen Apparel.
"We were online for about three years before we decided to pull the trigger on opening a store," Steve said.
The catchy name BootyQueen comes from Amanda's signature pose. "I started hash-tagging BootyQueen," Amanda said. "Really. So, literally, it started with a... hashtag. That's why the logo is on the side because that's the side where I would do the pose."
The couple's success soared after their appearance on Shark Tank. It was an experience they called a crash course in business.
"We're two people that met on stage," Amanda said, acknowledging her limited scope of knowledge around building a business. "I'm not a business major. What do we do?"
With help from the Sharks, their faith, self-discipline and solid relationship, the whirlwind is one that they weather together.
"There is conflict in what we have to deal with in business," Amanda said. "So that's actually strengthened us."
To the Kuclos, BootyQueen is about more than just leggings, resistance bands and yoga mats. It's a lifestyle that they hope to continue sharing with millions.