The Growth Library

Grounded State isn’t just a brand—it’s a reflection of resilience, redemption, and rebuilding. For Marc Barthelemy, the founder of Grounded State, life has been a journey of highs, lows, and everything in between.

As a child, Marc was drawn to creativity. From sketching to losing himself in video games, movies, and sports, these outlets were his escape—a way to explore and express himself in a world he often didn’t understand. But life has a way of throwing challenges that creativity alone couldn’t fix.

At 17, Marc faced his first battle with mental health in silence. A cocktail of pills and a moment of despair left him waking to his brother’s desperate attempt to save him. It was a moment he brushed aside, never truly understanding its depth. Life moved on—he became a father at 19, hustling through his teens and twenties by selling drugs and navigating turbulent relationships. He cheated, stumbled, and kept moving forward, all while masking the internal struggles he couldn’t quite name.

Marc’s story isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation. In 2016, he poured his creativity into a T-shirt business that started with promise but ended in public failure. The embarrassment and blow to his reputation felt insurmountable. For someone who valued his image and creativity so deeply, it was devastating. It left him doubting his talents, questioning his worth, and retreating from the creative world he once loved.

By 2019, those struggles came roaring back. A second suicide attempt, followed by a third in 2021, brought Marc face-to-face with his reality. That same year, he was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, and a chronic medical condition he would live with for the rest of his life. These diagnoses could have broken him, but instead, they became the catalyst for his journey of self-recovery.

But Marc isn’t one to stay down. Over the last three years, he’s been rebuilding himself—piece by piece, day by day. Grounded State was born from that process of rebuilding. It’s more than a brand; it’s a movement. A way to channel his creativity into something meaningful. A space where his story, struggles, and victories can inspire others to embrace their own journeys.

Grounded State is for anyone who’s been knocked down but refuses to stay there. It’s a testament to the idea that strength starts within, and rebuilding your life—no matter how broken it feels—is always possible.

Through Grounded State, Marc aims to share not just products but purpose. His mission is to create tools, apparel, and messages that remind others they’re not alone in their struggles. That failure isn’t the end, and that rebuilding is a journey worth taking.

Marc’s story is one of perseverance, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of self-growth. With Grounded State, he’s turning pain into purpose and creating a community that believes in rising stronger than ever.

Strength Starts Within. That’s not just our tagline—it’s Marc’s story, and it can be yours too.