DDCTD: Belfast gymwear entrepreneur on secret to her success

Nov 23, 2023

DDCTD brand goes from strength to strength

The DDCTD gymwear range

Danielle Neil at her shop at Townsend Enterprise Park

Danielle with a model wearing her DDCTD label

Danielle Neil with some of her range

Some of the DDCTD gymwear range

Margaret Patterson McMahon and Danielle Neil at Townsend Enterprise Park

A Belfast gym is celebrating three years of global success for its clothing range.

Dedicated Fitness’s DDCTD (Dedicated) range, based in the city’s Townsend Enterprise Park, began life as an online clothing business during lockdown and has blossomed into an international sensation, experiencing a 35% growth year-on-year since launching.

The brand was launched a decade ago, ignited by the passion of John and Danielle Neil. Personal trainer John’s talents and Danielle’s expertise in the marketing world saw the business flourishing.

“Success to me is loving what you do and being able to call it your job,” says Danielle.

“When you love what you do, it’s much easier to put in the late nights and early morning to make it work. There are challenges along the way but I never let anything stop me from reaching my goals. Being dedicated and passionate about your goals are essential to helping you reach your targets.”

Danielle Neil at her shop at Townsend Enterprise Park

When lockdown forced their gym to close, Danielle channelled her expertise, leveraging her fashion design degree to create and launch online fitness clothing brand, DDCTD.

“Getting to test out our products first hand in the gym helps us gauge reactions and get really great feedback. I am super lucky to have such supportive customers who I chat to daily,” says Danielle.

The brand started with a modest offering of just three products — leggings, tank tops and vests. However, spurred by customer feedback and soaring demand, their line expanded exponentially to encompass an impressive 185 products.

“We want everyone to feel confident in our clothing and we are so excited to announce that from the end of September, we will be expanding our size range from XS to XXL,” explains Danielle. “This has been in the works for a while now but we wanted to make sure we took our time and got it right.”

Danielle with a model wearing her DDCTD label

Today, Dedicated Fitness is located across five industrial units at Townsend Enterprise Park, with an additional unit dedicated exclusively to their clothing range.

“Having a store last Christmas in CastleCourt I was able to meet so many of our customers face-to-face which was incredible,” says Danielle.

“I was blown away by the range of people who love DDCTD. From Covid, gymwear is a staple in most people’s wardrobe so our customer base has definitely grown from then and expanded.

“We have decided to set up a permanent store in our gym so that customers can shop in the store daily as well as online. We aim to open September 1 so we are very excited about that. Of course, our online business continues to grow. We have shipped as far as Japan, USA and the United Emirates which still blows my mind.”

Danielle Neil with some of her range

Townsend Enterprise Park has been a thriving hub of industry for more than 200 years — and it’s been from here that Danielle and John have found the ability to keep building on their wellness dreams.

“I have always been driven and from the start I have had big plans. Having the support of friends and family constantly has given me even more confidence in what I’m doing and I am so grateful,” says Danielle.

“My husband John always has encouraged me to follow my dreams and to work hard and not give up. He is incredibly ambitious and the most hard-working person I know, so having that support has helped along the way.

“Within Dedicated Fitness and DDCTD we have created a family that supports each other through all challenges.

“This is one of the reasons I love working in the gym. To be able to watch someone change day to day not only physically but mentally is amazing. To watch them grow to be more confident right before our eyes is incredible.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of both Danielle and John, both remarkable entrepreneurs in their own right who exemplify resilience and ingenuity,” adds Margaret Patterson McMahon, CEO of Townsend Enterprise Park.

“Witnessing their growth since day one 10 years ago to their unwavering spirit to pivot through challenges and diversify their offerings has been nothing short of inspiring.”

Margaret Patterson McMahon and Danielle Neil at Townsend Enterprise Park

For information on DDCTD, see ddctd.co.uk

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