Cassey Ho

Cassey Ho
Ho speaking at SXSW in 2025
Born (1987-01-16) January 16, 1987
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materWhittier College (BS)
Occupations
  • Video blogger
  • social-fitness entrepreneur
Years active2009–present
Known forPilates instruction
Spouse
Sam Livits
​
(m. 2018)​
AwardsShorty Award 2013
YouTube information
Channel
GenreFitness
Subscribers11.0 million
Views5.2 billion
Last updated: December 19, 2025
Websitewww.blogilates.com

Cassey Ho (born January 16, 1987) is an American entrepreneur, fashion designer, inventor, and social media fitness entrepreneur with a YouTube channel and a website that sells fitness apparel. She is the creator of Blogilates, a fitness brand that began as a YouTube channel in 2009 and has since grown into a community-driven brand offering workout videos, activewear, and design-forward fitness products, which are sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide. Cassey has built a global following with over 19 million followers across all platforms and more than 6 billion video views across all channels. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, she received a Shorty Award in the category of social fitness,[1] and was listed in Time's third annual list of "The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet" in 2017.[2]

Early life and education

Ho is a Vietnamese-Chinese American and was born in Los Angeles, California, but grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.[3][4][5] Her parents are Bach Ho and Cuu Ho and she has a sister named Jackelyn, who is a yoga instructor.[5] When she was a teenager, she started her first business called "Cooplex Cookies & Candies," which lasted from 2001 to 2005.[5] Her interest in fitness and nutrition began when she was 16 and discovered Pilates.[6] Ho has also said that it was her "childhood dream to become a fashion designer."[7]

She went to James Logan High School.[5] In 2003, she won the San Francisco Miss Teen Chinatown beauty pageant.[8] She told Asian Fortune that coming from an Asian culture, her parents expected her to choose a career as a doctor or lawyer.[3] When she was 16, she told her father that she wanted to be a fashion designer. Her father, in response, told her that she would fail, make no money, and have no friends.[9] She went to Whittier College[10] on a John Greenleaf Whittier full tuition scholarship with the career aim of becoming a doctor.[11] She graduated in 2009[12] with a Bachelor of Science in biology.[3][4][13][14]

Career

Ho started her online fitness businesses while she was still in college.[13] In 2007, she was one of 18 winning designers featured at the "Emerging Stars" fashion show that occurred during San Francisco Fashion Week.[7] Ho started posting fitness videos on YouTube in 2009 after she decided to move from Los Angeles, California to Boston, Massachusetts for a full-time job as a fashion buyer.[12][3] She had been a part-time Pilates instructor and wanted to provide the students she was leaving with online fitness workouts after she moved to Boston.[12][3][15] The first video she uploaded to YouTube was called "POP Pilates: Total Body Sculpt video" and she had considerable trouble with its quality, audio, and editing.[12] After she uploaded the video, she received a number of comments requesting more videos on specific workouts for different muscle groups such legs, thighs, and abs, but she didn't pay attention to these requests for months.[12][16]

Nine months after she moved to Boston to work as a fashion buyer, she decided to quit because she disliked it.[12] She started teaching Pilates classes 12 times a week to pay for her food and rent.[12] She found teaching Pilates this often physically tiring, but because she was not working full-time, she had time to make more workout videos.[12] She began uploading her new videos to YouTube and her views and subscribers began to rapidly increase.[12] She then became a YouTube Partner and her website blogilates.com dramatically increased its web traffic.[12] She also believes that a feature of one of her bags in Shape magazine in 2010 was a contributing factor in the success she has had in her career.[16][17][11] After her bag was featured, she realized that she could make money selling bags and went to China to talk to manufacturers of bags.[17][11] When she started her YouTube channel and began her Internet marketing of clothing, bags, mats, and fitness apparel, she briefly worked with a PR company, but decided she could handle PR for her businesses.[11]

By October 2012, three years after she uploaded her first video to YouTube in 2009, she had 166,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel Blogilates[12] and by January 18, 2014, she reached more than 100 million views on her YouTube channel.[16] By April 2014, her YouTube subscribers had increased to 1.2 million[18][19] and a month later she had reached 138,000 Twitter followers.[11] By December 2014, her Blogilates channel on YouTube had 1.8 million subscribers, 8 million views a month, 60,000 views a day, and is the top fitness channel on YouTube[20] and by October 2016, her Blogilates channel on YouTube had over 3.2 million subscribers.[21]

Her workout videos are often featured in online newspapers and videos.[22][23][24][25] She is also considered a successful social media marketer who has appeared as an example of a successful social-media fitness entrepreneur in the book Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies[26] and other social media "how to" books.[27] In 2014, Lionsgate's BeFit YouTube channel added Ho to their channel lineup.[28] In an interview with EContent Magazine, Ho stated that she believes that one reason for her success on YouTube is because she keeps her videos "fun and playful."[15]

She was interviewed by Forbes in 2012 as a woman who is rapidly becoming a star on YouTube along with several other women such as Issa Rae and Cassandra Bankson.[12] She has been described as a poster child for Asian American entrepreneurial success on the Internet.[3] At the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, she led yogilates workout sessions at the YouTube lounge.[16]

In 2012, she won Fitness Magazine's Fitterati blogger awards in the category of "Best Healthy Living Blog."[19] Sharecare also ranked her as the number 2 online influencer making a difference in the world of fitness just behind Jillian Michaels.[29] In 2013, Ho won a Shorty Award in the category of social fitness.[1][10]

In January 2014, MarketWatch[30] reported that Ho was first on their top 10 list of Social HealthMarkers on fitness by Sharecare.[31] In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that Ho's Blogilates YouTube channel was averaging almost 8 million views a month and that it is the top-ranked fitness channel on YouTube.[32] In September, Seventeen magazine announced that its October issue would be its first YouTube issue featuring 30 well known YouTubers, with Ho to present her workout routine.[33]

Clothing collections: Bodypop and Popflex

In August 2014, Ho released "Bodypop", an activewear clothing collection.[34][35] According to Ro Kalonaros, writing for Shape, "The line is a mix between high fashion and practical—think peplum and bold prints."[34] At the release of her activewear collection, Ho also released a music video of three female athletes wearing Ho's activewear.[34] In January 2016, Ho launched the first collection of a new line, "Popflex".[36]

In 2024, after Taylor Swift wore Popflex's Pirouette skort for a YouTube short,[37] the item sold out in 15 minutes.[38] The skort made another appearance in her official music video for "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart". The attention for the item had attracted copycat designs being sold on online marketplaces such as Shein and Amazon multiple times.[39] Despite having patents filed in 2025, Gottex allegedly copied the skort's design and sold theirs in Nordstrom.[40] After Ho's team sent Gottex and Nordstrom cease and desist letters, Gottex's lawyers threatened legal actions instead if she pursued "any further infringement allegations."[41]

Body-shaming response

In April 2015, Ho responded to an increasing number negative comments about her body by creating a video that quickly went viral.[42] In her YouTube video The "Perfect" Body, Ho receives negative social media messages about her body. She is then presented with tools that allow her to "photoshop" her body into a socially perceived ideal body image. However, when she looks into a mirror, she is dismayed by what she sees.[43][44][45] Ho's stated intent in creating this video was to respond to cyber-bullying with the goal "...to show that cyber-bullying and mean comments really affect people, and to think before you say something. I hope that people do the exact opposite after seeing this video, which is enlighten everyone around them with positivity."[45]

Personal life

On August 22, 2017, Ho announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Sam Livits on her official Instagram page. They married on October 6, 2018.[46] Cassey is the CEO and Head Designer of POPFLEX, while Sam serves as the COO. Together, they have a dog, a pomapoo named Sir George the Magnificent.[47]

References

  1. ^ a b "The best on social media - Shorty Awards winners". Fox News. April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  2. ^ TIME Staff (June 26, 2017). "The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet". Time. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Pipkin, Whitney (November 29, 2013). "Are Asian Americans Taking Over the Internet?". Asian Fortune. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Carrasco, Ed (January 3, 2013). "Cassey Ho: Blogilates YouTube Fitness Guru". NewMediaRockstars. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "Cassey Ho". Chinese Sirens. March 17, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  6. ^ Hauser, Annie (November 29, 2013). "How I Got This Body: Cassey Ho, 26, 'Blogilates'". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Dress Designed by Cassey Ho '09 Featured at San Francisco Fashion". Whittier College. September 14, 2007. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  8. ^ "2003-2004 Miss Teen ChinatownCourt". Chinatown San Francisco. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  9. ^ Davis, Al (August 11, 2014). "Cassey Ho's Dreams Come True With Bodypop [Interview]". NewMediaRockstars. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Fitness Guru Cassey Ho Wins Social Media Award". Whittier College. April 11, 2013. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  11. ^ a b c d e Bennett, Colette (May 4, 2014). "How to win at YouTube: Fitness guru speaks". HLN. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Humphrey, Michael (October 9, 2012). "Cassey Ho: 5 Questions For YouTube's Rising Women Of Power". Forbes. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  13. ^ a b Belilovskaya, Liz. "Fitness Entrepreneur and Pilates Beast, Cassey Ho". Raine Magazine. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  14. ^ "Cassey Ho". IDEA Health and Fitness Association. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  15. ^ a b Cramer, Theresa (February 15, 2013). "An Interview with Cassey Ho: Blogilates and Unexpected Digital Publishing Success". EContent Magazine. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  16. ^ a b c d Thatcher, Autumn (January 21, 2014). "YouTube sensation Cassey Ho helps stretch Sundance stresses away". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  17. ^ a b Hwang, Sora (2014). "Blogilates' Cassey Ho has a Surprisingly New Happiest Place on Earth: Target". Mochi. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  18. ^ Humphrey, Michael (April 17, 2014). "A Chat With Cassey Ho: On Target, Thigh Gaps And Health-Body Balance". Forbes. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
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  20. ^ Alpert, Jessica (December 19, 2014). "Armpit Fat? There's A YouTube Video For That". WBUR-FM. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  21. ^ Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens (October 16, 2016). "YouTube Star Cassey Ho Talks Business, Body Shaming and How She Built A Global Brand". Forbes. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  22. ^ Travers, Colleen (November 30, 2011). "Your Post-Thanksgiving Tune Up". Fitness Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  23. ^ Fulmer, Melinda (April 13, 2013). "Cassey Ho's triangle lift sculpts the lower body". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  24. ^ Fulmer, Melinda (June 1, 2013). "Hip twists create a more defined waist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  25. ^ Petronis, Lexi (June 25, 2013). "The Easy, Do-It-Now Move That Defines Your Waist". Glamour. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  26. ^ Zimmerman, Jan; Ng, Deborah (2012). Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 124–127. ISBN 978-1118215524.
  27. ^ Loren, Jess; Swiderski, Edward (2012). Pinterest for Business: How to Pin Your Company to the Top of the Hottest Social Media Network (Que Biz-Tech). Indianapolis, Indiana: Pearson Education, Que Publishing. p. 224. ISBN 978-0789749925.
  28. ^ Jarvey, Natalie (May 13, 2014). "The fitness channel boasts yoga, Pilates and other videos led by experts and trainers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  29. ^ "Top 10 Online Influencers Making a Difference in the World of Fitness". Sharecare. 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  30. ^ "Sharecare Names Top 10 Fittest Cities in America". MarketWatch. January 15, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
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  33. ^ Gutelle, Same (September 9, 2014). "Seventeen Magazine Creates "YouTube Issue" With Bethany Mota On Cover". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  34. ^ a b c Kalonaros, Ro (August 20, 2014). "Cassey Ho Launches Bodypop Activewear with Inspiring Music Video". Shape. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  35. ^ Lazar, Shira (September 3, 2014). "Epic Workout Videos From the '80s That Won't Get You Ripped". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  36. ^ Chan, Mary. "Blogilates fitness guru Cassey Ho releases activewear collection". Fashion Week. Bigfoot Ventures, LLC. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  37. ^ Share your "fortnight" recap with #ForAFortnightChallenge 🤍 brought to you by YouTube Shorts. Retrieved November 14, 2025 – via www.youtube.com.
  38. ^ "Meet Blogilates YouTuber and Taylor Swift favourite Cassey Ho". South China Morning Post. June 15, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  39. ^ Krause, Amanda. "A clothing designer says Taylor Swift wearing her skort was the 'ultimate karma' against brands that have ripped her off". Business Insider. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  40. ^ "Skort skirmish: Popflex CEO fights for lavender activewear made famous by Taylor Swift". USA TODAY. March 3, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025 – via Yahoo News.
  41. ^ Sato, Mia (July 22, 2025). "How dupes turned online shopping upside down". The Verge. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  42. ^ Turner, Laura Jane (June 18, 2015). "This YouTuber Hits Back At Body Shamers In The Best Way". Look. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  43. ^ Lee, Esther (April 23, 2015). "Fitness Blogger Cassey Ho Responds to Body-Shaming Critics With Powerful Video". Us Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  44. ^ "Fitness Guru Cassey Ho Fights Back Against Body Shamers". ABC News. April 28, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  45. ^ a b Olya, Gabrielle (April 20, 2015). "Watch Social Media Fitness Star Cassey Ho Photoshop Herself in New Body Image Video". People. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  46. ^ Mazziotta, Julie (August 23, 2017). "Blogilates Creator Cassey Ho Is Engaged! 'It Feels Like a Dream'". people.com. People. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  47. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
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