OPERATORS E128: Building Two Brands: Jocko Fuel and Origin
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Aug 27, 2025 An entrepreneur shares the intense journey of scaling two thriving brands, Jocko Fuel and Origin. He reveals how leveraging high-margin profits fueled a dream of 'Made in America' manufacturing. However, juggling vastly different business models led to a crisis filled with losses and inventory challenges. Strategic decisions were essential, pushing him to reconsider his role as a leader. The discussion dives into the importance of consumer trust, adapting to trends, and the balancing act required to manage dual brands in a competitive marketplace.
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How Jocko Fuel Was Born
- Pete bought a small jiu-jitsu supplement business and rebranded it, later partnering with Jocko Willink to scale it into Jocko Fuel.
- The partnership used Jocko's voice as marketing while Pete handled operations and execution.
Nutrition Cash Funded Manufacturing
- Pete used high-margin nutrition profits to fund capital-intensive, Made-in-America manufacturing for Origin.
- This cross-subsidy let Origin buy factories and build footwear and denim without outside capital.
Use PE To Scale, Then Separate Services
- If you need scale and capital quickly, raise outside capital and accept governance tradeoffs to accelerate growth.
- Unwind shared services and clearly separate businesses after a PE deal to avoid conflicts of interest.
