The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman

Bill & Loren Armstrong | NEVERSECOND Co-Founders on Business Building, Nutrition Science, and What's Next

Apr 7, 2025

Bill and Loren Armstrong, co-founders of NEVERSECOND, dive into their entrepreneurial journey from running the Whipsmart brand to launching their innovative nutrition company. They share insights on effective branding and the importance of customer feedback in product development. The couple discusses their unique approach to fueling athletes, including the launch of their flavorless C30 gel. With stories about collaborating with elite athletes, they highlight how personal connections drive brand authenticity. Get ready for a fresh take on performance nutrition that’s changing the game!

01:18:04

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Episode guests

Loren Armstrong

Bill Armstrong

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Bill and Loren Armstrong transitioned from a 20-year business in health and beauty to founding NEVERSECOND for endurance athletes, emphasizing quality nutrition.

Their hands-on approach includes engaging directly with athletes at events, fostering community loyalty beyond traditional digital marketing strategies.

NEVERSECOND focuses on a science-first philosophy in product development, utilizing research-backed carbohydrate ratios to optimize fueling for endurance performance.

Deep dives

Founding Story of Never Second

Bill and Lauren Armstrong's journey into the nutrition market began with their previous business, WhipSmart, which focused on the health and beauty industry for 20 years. After selling WhipSmart, they quickly realized that retirement was not for them, leading to the creation of Never Second, a brand targeting endurance athletes with quality nutrition products. Their passion for sports and community propelled their decision, and they channeled their extensive experience in product development into building a brand rooted in quality and innovation. By leveraging their background, they aimed to create products that meet the specific needs of athletes while embracing a systems-based approach.

Intro

3min

The Journey to Never Second

18min

Fueling Excellence: Nutrition and Innovation

9min

Fueling Endurance: A Nutritional Revolution

16min

Building Community Through Feedback and Innovative Products

4min

Building a Competitive Brand in Nutrition

9min

The Journey from Customer to Authentic Endorser

3min

Elite Endorsements and Authenticity

6min

Innovative Product Launches for Everyday Athletes

2min

10.

Reflections on Admiration and Embracing Challenges

5min

11.

Gratitude and Exclusive Offers for Podcast Listeners

2min

Bill and Loren Armstrong, the husband and wife team behind NEVERSECOND - the cutting edge nutrition brand that in only a couple years has become very popular among trail runners, establishing itself as a leader in the category. Of course, Freetrail has officially been in partnership with NEVERSECOND since the beginning of the year, and in that time we’ve loved getting to know Bill and Loren and have developed a huge admiration for how they conduct themselves and their business – a quality and professionalism that 100% shows up in their products, which are exquisite. I’m excited to share a bit more of their story here.

Topics discuss:

Their previous business Whipsmart which they owned and operated for 20 years
The founding story of N2 and building a business on their own terms
We talk about branding, timing, differentiation and other practical business considerations
The systems based approach to fueling and recovery
The NEVERSECOND product line and what sets it apart
Doing things that don’t scale
Working with some of the best athletes in the sport including Katie Schide and a funny story about connecting with Jim Walmsley
The future of the brand
The flavorless C30 gel that hit the market this week!
A lot more

Sponsors:

Use code freetrail10 for 10% off Speedland Footwear
Grab a trail running pack from Osprey
Use code FREETRAIL25 for 25% off your first order of NEVERSECOND nutrition at never2.com
Go to ketone.com/freetrail30 for 30% off a subscription of Ketone IQ