Eating Glass Will Nitze (IQBAR) + Joe Lemay (Rocketbook)

Joe and Will sit down with Peter Rahal, co-founder of RXBAR, to delve into his journey from a challenging school experience to creating one of the most iconic protein bars on the market. Peter shares how early adversity shaped his relentless drive, the innovative approach behind RXBAR's success, and the pivotal moments that led to a $600 million exit to Kellogg's. Tune in to hear valuable insights on product development, navigating the nutrition bar market, and the importance of embracing failure.
Chapters:
[00:00:00] Peter Rahal's early challenges
[00:03:00] Harnessing adversity
[00:08:00] The origin of RXBAR
[00:14:00] The importance of product iteration
[00:23:00] Scaling without external funding
[00:32:00] The legendary rebranding of RXBAR
[00:45:00] The decision to sell
[01:00:00] Launching David
[01:12:00] Rapid fire
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with Peter:
Website: https://davidprotein.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterrahal/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-rahal-037bba43/

In this episode of Eating Glass, we sit down with Anne Mahlum, founder of Back on My Feet and SolidCore. Anne shares her incredible journey from growing up in North Dakota with an addict father, to starting a running club for the homeless, and ultimately building a nationwide fitness empire. Discover how Anne’s personal struggles fueled her drive to create impactful businesses, and learn the secrets behind scaling and maintaining a successful company. Tune in to hear about her unique approach to community building, overcoming challenges, and her vision for the future.
Chapters:
[00:00:00] Anne's Early Life and Challenges
[00:00:11] Podcast Introduction
[00:01:40] Ramp Sponsorship
[00:02:40] Anne's Background
[00:04:15] Starting a Running Club
[00:06:00] Scaling Back on My Feet
[00:07:52] Discovering Pilates and SolidCore
[00:09:55] Early Stages of SolidCore
[00:11:00] Building Community in Fitness
[00:12:15] Nonprofits vs. For-Profits
[00:13:30] Marketing and Brand Niches
[00:15:15] Retention and Success Metrics
[00:16:30] Brick and Mortar Challenges
[00:18:45] Scaling and Geographic Expansion
[00:21:00] Vertical Integration and Innovation
[00:23:00] Community Building Strategies
[00:25:30] Trust and Customer Relationships
[00:27:15] Fitness Trends and Resilience
[00:31:00] Selling a Company
[00:35:15] Taking Money Off the Table
[00:39:00] Money and Success Philosophy
[00:43:00] Future Aspirations and Advising
[00:47:45] Selling to Private Equity
[00:52:15] Problem Solving and Leadership
[00:56:00] Rapid Fire Questions
[01:00:15] Episode Wrap-Up
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with Anne:
Website: https://www.annemahlum.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum/

We're getting meta as Joe interviews Will!
Will Nitze is the founder and CEO of nutrition company IQBar. He shares his unconventional journey of growing his CPG business. Will discusses the importance of focusing on operational excellence and scaling quickly by taking calculated risks. He also dives into his contrarian approach to hiring, fundraising, and going to market, emphasizing the value of trust and taking advantage of opportunities others may deem too early. Throughout the conversation, Will offers candid insights on the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, the future of IQBar, and his personal aspirations beyond this venture.
[00:00:00] Introduction[00:03:04] Will's background and starting IQBar[00:08:45] Early days of product development and manufacturing[00:14:35] Fundraising strategy and dilution[00:17:37] Measuring repeat purchase rate and customer retention[00:18:50] Marketing strategy and growing the business[00:20:21] Using Kickstarter[00:24:19] Expanding product lines[00:29:30] Breaking conventional wisdom[00:34:50] Building a team and thoughts on nepotism[00:38:17] LinkedIn strategy [00:40:39] Thoughts on selling[00:50:28] Rapid fire questions
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with Will:

IQBar: https://www.eatiqbar.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/X: https://x.com/willnitze

Chris Hunter, of Four Loko & Koia, shares his wild entrepreneurial journey. From the meteoric rise and regulatory battles of Four Loko to launching the plant-based protein drink Koia, Chris gets personal about the challenges of building businesses in highly regulated industries. He discusses lessons learned from tumultuous business partnerships, the decision to vertically integrate, and how personal growth and reflection have shaped his leadership style. Chris also opens up about his upbringing and how it instilled the grit and resilience needed to overcome entrepreneurial adversity. Tune in for a candid conversation on the realities of building iconic beverage brands.
Chapters
[00:00:00] - Introduction[00:02:58] - Chris Hunter's Background and Companies (Phusion Projects and Koia)[00:05:04] - How Success Has Changed Chris[00:12:56] - Chris's Early Years and Troubled Past[00:16:39] - Grit and Resilience in Entrepreneurship[00:17:46] - Navigating Identity as the "Four Loko Guy"[00:21:36] - Lessons Learned from Business Partnerships[00:29:26] - Operating in Highly Regulated Markets[00:33:57] - Challenges of the Ready-to-Drink Beverage Industry[00:36:20] - The Decision to Vertically Integrate[00:40:51] - The Koia Journey: Vision and Evolution[00:44:51] - Humility, Ego, and Confidence in Entrepreneurship[00:50:45] - Harnessing Emotions as Entrepreneurial Fuel[00:58:28] - The Role of Coaches, Peer Groups, and Psychedelics in Personal Growth[01:03:11] - Writing a Candid and Personal Book[01:11:17] - Rapid Fire Questions[01:14:16] - Conclusion
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with  Chris:

Chris' Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1963678028?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_PY8TMGHWK9J8Q4ARPF1WKoia: https://drinkkoia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hunter-890a2315/

Sean Riley, CEO and co-founder of Dude Wipes, shares the story of how he and his friends started the company from their apartment with the goal of creating a better way to wipe. He discusses the challenges of bootstrapping the business, building the bold and irreverent Dude Wipes brand, and scaling the company to over $150 million in revenue. Sean dives into topics like viral marketing, focus and saying no, hiring, company culture, and his long-term vision for Dude Wipes. An insightful and entertaining look at building an iconic CPG brand.
[00:00:00] - Intro and Origin Story[00:04:21] - Starting Dude Wipes[00:08:12] - Bootstrapping Out of Necessity[00:11:10] - Founder Dynamics and Goals[00:13:00] - Developing the Dude Wipes Brand[00:18:25] - Hiring Consultants vs Employees[00:23:15] - Dude Wipes Company Culture[00:25:11] - Word of Mouth Marketing[00:28:46] - Making Butt Wipes Fun[00:31:13] - Brand Positioning and Moats[00:33:00] - Evolving Brand and Gender Dynamics[00:36:56] - Defining the Dude Wipes Enemy[00:39:30] - Personal Branding Benefits[00:42:51] - Building to Sell vs Cash Flow[00:48:00] - Acquisition Interest and Market Trends[00:52:06] - Focusing on the Core Business[00:57:45] - Rapid Fire Questions[01:04:56] - Wrap Up
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with Sean Riley:
DUDE Wipes: https://dudewipes.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spriles/

In this episode of Eating Glass, we dive into the rollercoaster journey of Chris Savage, co-founder and CEO of Wistia, as he takes us behind the scenes of building a successful video marketing platform from scratch. From failed viral ideas, living on a shoestring budget to discovering product-market fit and growing a loyal customer base, Chris shares the ups and downs of bootstrapping a tech company in the early days of online video. Tune in for valuable insights on pivoting, marketing strategies, and the power of perseverance in the face of entrepreneurial challenges. Don't miss this inspiring story of turning a passion for video into a thriving business.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:56 - Motivations for starting a company00:05:18 - Early failed ideas and pivots00:11:04 - Surviving on a shoestring budget00:16:50 - Building a simple solution for customers 00:20:35 - Raising angel money00:22:29 - Navigating 200800:24:02 - Marketing strategies and content creation00:26:40 - Growing the team and revenue00:33:48 - Personal content creation00:37:12 - Keeping creativity alive00:41:40 - Balancing family and work00:43:00 - Dealing with burnout and stress00:49:43 - Trial and error as the best strategy 00:52:07 - Avoiding boredom00:57:27 - The Next Decade01:02:56 - Rapid-fire questions01:13:13 - Wrap-up
ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.

Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.


Connect with Chris Savage:
Chris' Podcast: https://wistia.com/series/talking-too-loudWistia Website: https://wistia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjsavageX: https://twitter.com/csavageInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/csavage