Simon Mottram was frustrated.

He loved cycling but hated how it looked.

Garish colors. Loud logos. Cheap fabrics.

Was this really the best the sport could offer?

Mottram saw a gap between cycling’s rich heritage and its current image.

He faced a choice: accept the status quo or reimagine what cycling could be.

He chose the latter.

And Rapha was born.

Simon’s vision was bold: make cycling the most popular sport in the world.

But how?

By creating the finest cycling clothing and accessories.

By building a passionate community. By inspiring people to ride more.

This wasn’t just a business plan.

It was Rapha’s DNA, its atomic core.

Positioning at its finest.

But what is positioning, really?

Forget the marketing jargon.

Positioning is your business’s essence, the North Star guiding every decision.

For Rapha, it’s in every thread, every event, every choice they make.

“Rapha was born out of frustration,” Mottram said.

A simple statement, but a powerful catalyst for change.

Consider their City collection.

Cycling gear that doesn’t scream “cyclist” when you’re off the bike.

Counterintuitive for a cycling brand, perhaps.

But it perfectly aligns with their position on integrating cycling seamlessly into everyday life.

This is positioning from the inside-out and outside-in, where business strategy and brand strategy are two sides of the same coin.

Behind the scenes, Rapha’s practices might raise eyebrows in the traditional cycling industry.

They produce high-end coffee table books.

They run cycling cafes.

They even have a travel company organizing cycling trips.

Crazy for a cycling apparel company?

Perhaps. But it’s all part of living their brand.

“We’re not selling clothes, we’re selling cycling,” says Mottram.

This approach forces us to ask: What’s the DNA of your business? What’s the atomic core that drives every decision?

Rapha’s story teaches us that positioning isn’t about fancy logos or clever marketing.

It’s about making hard choices and sticking to them, whether you’re grinding up a mountain pass or navigating the business world.

The brand’s influence extends far beyond cycling.

As Mottram puts it, “We want to make cycling the most popular sport in the world.”

This ambitious goal shapes everything from their product design to their marketing strategy.

So, here’s your challenge: Take a hard look at your business.

What’s your Rapha-esque positioning?

What’s the passionate vision that sets you apart?

Remember:

• Your business isn’t just what you sell.
• It’s the lifestyle you champion.
• The community you build.
• The change you want to see in the world.

Are you ready to position yourself for success?

Are you prepared to turn your passion into a movement, your frustration into innovation?

Rapha started with a simple desire to make cycling more beautiful.

What simple desire could transform your industry?

Your business is your brand.

Make it count.