In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Will Nitze, Founder & CEO of IQBAR, the leading brain-and-body nutrition startup in America. Will shares how his competitive spirit and obsession with winning drove him to build a thriving brand dedicated to brain food and cognitive nutrition. He reflects on his journey from playing competitive sports to attending Harvard, where he first realized that building something impactful was more important than just making money.
Will also discusses launching IQBAR through a successful Kickstarter campaign, scaling with major retailers, and maintaining a lean, efficient team. He opens up about running the business alongside his wife, the importance of horizontal mentorship, and how he plans to build for acquisition and legacy.
Chapters:
00:44 – The Opportunist Mindset: Learning from Sam Zell
03:06 – Building the Competitive Spirit Through Sports
08:26 – Harvard Experience and Finding Direction
12:25 – First Steps into Entrepreneurship
14:02 – Negotiating Half-Time Work for Full-Time Hustle
15:21 – Starting IQBAR: Building Brain Food from Scratch
19:31 – Kickstarter Strategies: Guerrilla Tactics and Validation
22:01 – Manufacturing at Scale and Finding Co-Packers
24:38 – The Importance of Horizontal Mentorship
27:46 – Scaling the Business with a Lean Team
30:25 – Expanding into Major Retailers and Hitting Volume
33:43 – Navigating Trends and Pivoting the Brand
36:40 – Maintaining Control While Scaling Fast
38:29 – Hiring the Right People and the Hub-and-Spoke Model
41:06 – Working In the Business, Not Just On It
46:40 – Running a Business with His Wife
49:05 – Moving to Miami and the Evolution of IQBAR
52:13 – Building for Acquisition and Legacy
1:06:01 – Overcoming Challenges: Tariffs, COVID, and Market Shifts
1:07:50 - Building a Personal Brand
1:11:04 - The ROI of Personal Branding
1:25:10 - The Emotional Impact of Exiting a Business
1:31:11 - The Role of Partnerships in Business Success
1:34:46 - Advice for Younger Entrepreneurs
Tune in to hear Will’s raw insights on scaling a consumer brand from the ground up, the sacrifices required, and the mindset needed to build something that lasts. Don't forget to subscribe, share with a fellow founder, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.
Guest Links:
Website: www.eatiqbar.com
Instagram: @iqbar
LinkedIn: Will Nitze
Twitter: @willnitze
SARAL: Get your free trial here: https://www.getsaral.com/demo
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