How Tough Mudder grew from a Harvard Business School case study to a global TV show

Tough Mudder is making its first steps towards becoming a fully fledged lifestyle and media company.

For the uninitiated, Tough Mudder is an 10 to 12 mile endurance race in which participants have to overcome a number of obstacles that change each year - ranging from high climbing walls, dark muddy tunnels, to walking through wires that emit electric shocks.

More than 120,000 people participated in the UK Tough Mudder events last year, including its CEO and founder, Will Dean.

But Dean is aiming for half of the company's revenues coming from non-ticket sources in the next three to five years. In 2015 the company generated $100 million in revenue, Dean told Business Insider.

Its new partnership with UK TV channel Sky Sports Mix, announced on Friday, will give those who haven't yet participated in the race a chance to experience it on their TV screens.

In the seven years since it was founded, Tough Mudder has come a long way. In 2010 it was simply a company that held three obstacle races for brave athletes. Now the brand reaches tens of millions of people around the world and raises millions of dollars for charity. Dean talked Business Insider through its growth story and what he is planning for the future.