Product setbacks: packaging and regulatory mistakes

From professional rugby player to successful entrepreneur, Damien Fitzpatrick built a sports recovery brand trusted by elite athletes around the world. In this interview, Damien shares how he went from the highs and lows of a professional sports career to creating Pillar Performance, a multimillion-dollar supplement company now used by Olympians and major sports teams. Discover how he turned an untapped niche into a global opportunity, scaled distribution in Australia and the U.S., and built a brand that dominates the high-performance nutrition category. What you’ll learn in this interview: • How Damien transitioned from athlete to entrepreneur • The painful injury that inspired the idea for Pillar Performance • How he built trust and credibility in a skeptical market • Why focusing on a niche audience first accelerated growth • The marketing and retail strategies that fuelled their global expansion • What founders can learn from elite athletes about resilience and mindset • How to use brand positioning to stand out in a saturated supplements market By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to identify a niche, validate demand, and build a trusted brand from scratch—straight from a founder who’s lived both the athlete and entrepreneur journey.

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