This licensed professional in pharmaceutical industry, an amateur boxer and now the founder of HIT N MOVE® is driven by provide innovative sporting goods and equipment.
Most of the entrepreneurs across sectors in the world are found blindly following their personal goals; however, a few rare gems go beyond that, pushing boundaries and ensuring to bring about a wave of great positive change in their chosen industries. It is also imperative to discuss more about their stories and how they went past their challenges to rise as high-performing professionals driven to do the unconventional. “I believe founders and entrepreneurs first need to find the gap in their industries, ensure to put in relentless efforts in filling in that gap and create products/services that could solve their problems; that is how you go ahead in creating revolutionary brands,” highlights entrepreneur Ozhan Akcakaya.
Ozhan Akcakaya, aka Ozzie cannot be boxed into just one definition as he is much more than that. The licensed professional in pharmaceutical industry, specialized in orthopedic and dermatological therapies is also an amateur boxer, who enjoys competing in amateur events, boxing in Virginia gyms and being trained by renowned coaches who live in DMV area. However, emphasizing the necessity to notice a gap in the industry and finding solutions for the same, Ozhan found out how the boxing world lacked competent and efficient boxing gear.
His love for boxing and his quest to find answers to this challenge, led him on a journey, which eventually made him establish his one of-a-kind boxing gear manufacturing company called HIT N MOVE® based in Virginia with the aim to bring the most ergonomic and anatomical experience without developing bad habits and injuries. He founded the company drawing from his medical knowledge in orthopedics and anatomy, and his NASM and European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS) Level 4 certifications.
“I felt the need to transform the boxing gear world and bring to the forefront products that never existed in the market before with cutting-edge products including turtle mitts, air armor headgear, lightweight 1.5 lbs conditioning gloves, and dart padding,” he shares. Recalling about an incident of his commitment to achieving his envisioned boxing gear designs, he says, “I wanted to make 24 Oz gloves that maintained the same size as 16 Oz gloves, but people in the industry claimed it wasn’t possible; however, I refused to accept that limitation. I embarked on a global search for special padding both soft and heavy enough. Facing several challenges, I could ultimately develop a proprietary technique, allowing the gloves to weigh more without increasing their size. This innovation led to the sale of over 2,000 units, with notable customers like world champions Gervonta “Tank” Davis, George Kambosos, and Deontay Wilder.”
However, not satisfied with the existing headgear, he joined hands with Coach Bruce to create a lighter option that still offered robust protection. After 3.5 years of hustle, they developed Air Armor headgear, removing redundant padding and implementing a micro multi-layer padding system. This resulted in a slimmer and lightweight product, allowing fighters to move freely while staying protected. For this, they also collaborated with Virginia Tech.
His dedication to finding his answers and leading to solutions that could revolutionize the industry serves as a great inspiration to emerging talents across industries. “I think founders, especially up-and-coming talents in the business world must know the ‘Why’ of doing things first. Once, they know what they are set out to do and understand their purpose behind doing that, they will gain the motivation to keep pushing boundaries, finding answers and working relentlessly on finding the solutions,” highlights Ozhan.
Ozhan Akcakaya advises other emerging entrepreneurs to find what doesn’t exist in their markets. All innovations, he believes are created when one discovers what’s missing in their sector. Eventually, as the founder and CEO of HIT N MOVE® he revolutionized the boxing gear industry globally, emphasizing “Boxing deserves better.”
