The Boring Ecom Podcast How a 25-Year-Old Built a Viral Protein Bar (While Working Full-Time)
Jul 18, 2025
Sean Jagermann, the 25-year-old founder of Bold Bar, shares his journey of launching a viral protein bar while working full-time in venture capital. He reveals the challenges of juggling both roles and his relentless pursuit of perfection, having gone through nine recipe iterations in his kitchen. Bold Bar stands out with 20g of protein, 100mg of caffeine, and honey as a sweetener, challenging the norms of the industry. Sean discusses personal struggles with eating disorders and the importance of authenticity in entrepreneurship, along with plans for future growth.
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Unique Product Triple-Play
- Bold Bar combines 20g protein, 100mg caffeine, and honey-sweetening to occupy a unique product niche.
- Sean designed the bar to stand out from macro-focused competitors and appeal to real-food seekers.
Product Born From Personal Struggle
- Sean struggled with disordered eating in college and wanted to build an anti–diet-culture product.
- He intentionally made the bar higher in calories, carbs, and fat to be comfortable for people recovering from restrictive eating.
Two Years Of R&D And A 10k Pilot Run
- Sean spent ~7–9 recipe iterations making bars in his kitchen and with a small co-packer before finalizing the formula.
- He executed a pilot run of 10,000 units using a startup-friendly co-packer despite higher per-unit costs.