“You don’t always start with a blueprint,” says Ernest Reinhardt. “Sometimes, you just start with an idea you can’t shake.”
That one quote sums up much of Ernest Reinhardt’s career—a mix of grit, instinct, and building what doesn’t yet exist. Over the years, he has worked across different industries, from apparel and real estate to spirits and fitness tech. But his journey isn’t just about business. It’s about learning to pivot, solve real-world problems, and stay curious.
Early Days in Newport Beach
Ernest was born in New York but grew up in Newport Beach, California. He went to Mater Dei High School, graduated from Newport Harbor High School, and attended Orange Coast College.
“I was never the straight-A student,” he admits. “But I liked building things and figuring out how stuff worked.”
That mindset led him to early ventures in real estate and lending. But it wasn’t long before he moved into the apparel world, where he spent years mastering sourcing, branding, and sales.
He worked with Cotton Heritage as Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 2011 to 2014. There, he managed over 20 sales reps and helped the company cross $30 million in sales. He also built partnerships with factories in countries like Mexico, India, Vietnam, and Pakistan.
The Beverage That Went National
In 2010, his sister and her best friend came to him with an idea: a ready-to-drink adult version of chocolate milk.
“I thought it was crazy,” he says. “But also kind of brilliant.”
He joined the venture and helped turn Adult Chocolate Milk into a national brand. Ernest handled sales and marketing, secured distribution with Southern Wine and Spirits, and landed shelf space in Costco, Kroger, and others.
“We got into 38 states in 18 months. It was fast. Wild. A lot of moving parts,” he says.
By 2012, the company was sold for over $25 million. “It taught me everything about brand velocity and the importance of timing,” he says.
A New Chapter: Fitness Innovation
In 2018, Ernest took a turn into fitness. He had always enjoyed staying active but felt like something was missing in the equipment space.
“I liked rowing. I liked Pilates. But no machine really combined both in a way that made sense,” he explains.
So he built one himself.
The result was the ROWFORMER™—a hybrid fitness machine that fuses rowing with resistance training. He filed patents in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand and opened a studio in Costa Mesa, California, under his new company, HARDTFIT.
The machine was designed to target all pillars of fitness in one workout. “You’re hitting strength, cardio, and endurance,” he says. “All low-impact. But super effective.”
Then COVID hit. The studio shut down. “It was tough. We had just gotten momentum,” Ernest says.
But rather than walk away, he pivoted. He began licensing the ROWFORMER™ and selling machines directly.
Strong Pilates and Global Growth
That pivot led to a game-changing partnership. A fast-growing fitness brand called Strong Pilates reached out. They were expanding fast in Australia and needed something unique to set them apart.
“They saw the ROWFORMER™ and got it right away,” says Ernest.
Strong Pilates is now the exclusive user of the machine. They’ve launched over 70 studios across multiple countries and have pre-sold 150 more in the U.S.
“It’s surreal to watch,” Ernest says. “What started as a sketch on paper is now being used globally.”
Looking back, Ernest sees a pattern in his work: see a need, build a solution, scale it with the right team.
He’s not one to hype himself up. “I’ve failed. I’ve had to start over. But I always keep moving,” he says.
One of his proudest lessons came from managing complex supply chains in the apparel industry. “You learn quickly how to work with people, manage expectations, and fix problems on the fly,” he says.
And with Adult Chocolate Milk? “It taught me how to move fast and sell an idea with personality,” he adds.
The ROWFORMER™, though, is different. It feels more personal. “It’s something I physically designed. It solved a problem I felt firsthand,” he says.
What’s Next?
He continues to run HARDTFIT and oversee licensing deals. He’s also working on launching a personal blog to share stories, failures, and lessons learned.
“There’s a lot of content out there that’s fluff,” he says. “I want to share real stuff—what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently.”
His goal is to help the next generation of creators avoid some of the traps he learned the hard way. “People don’t need perfect plans. They need real stories.”
When asked what keeps him going, he pauses. “Curiosity,” he says. “And maybe a little stubbornness. I don’t like quitting.”
It’s that mix of humility and hustle that defines Ernest Reinhardt. He’s not chasing trends. He’s building what’s missing—and inviting others to do the same.
Interview with Ernest Reinhardt
What inspired you to invent the ROWFORMER™?
Honestly, it came from frustration. I liked Pilates, and I rowed for a short period at Orange Coast College and loved rowing, but I hated switching machines or workouts to get a full-body session. I wanted something that combined strength, cardio, and control in one place. No one had done it. While teaching a Pilates class, I experimented with this concept. While the machine I was teaching on did not have what I needed, I maneuvered parts to implement rowing. The issue with rowing is it’s HARD!. But it is also very monotonous to row for 45 minutes or an hour. Class attendees were showing up to a class after just taking a cycling class or going on a run. There is no true cardio in a Pilates class. So I built it.
How did you handle the studio shutting down during COVID?
It was a punch to the gut. We had just started seeing traction. But I’ve learned not to panic. We looked at what we had—the ROWFORMER™ itself—and focused on licensing and manufacturing. That shift ended up being the key to global expansion.
What was the biggest lesson from your time with Adult Chocolate Milk?
Speed and storytelling matter. We moved fast, but we also made people care about the product. It was fun, weird, and memorable. That brand exploded because we leaned into the story and didn’t overthink it.
What makes a business idea worth pursuing to you?
If it solves a problem and keeps me up at night—in a good way—then it’s worth chasing. It also has to have a clear path to scale. I’ve had fun ideas that didn’t go anywhere because they couldn’t grow.
What advice would you give to someone starting something from scratch?
Don’t wait for it to be perfect. Launch, test, adjust. Most people get stuck in planning mode. Just get it out there and evolve as you go.
What keeps you going after all these years and pivots?
Curiosity, mostly. I like creating. I like figuring out what’s missing and trying to build it. That’s always been the fuel.
