Fitt Insider

Americans are set to invest a whopping $60 billion in health and wellness this year, viewing fitness as essential healthcare. Sweetgreen has teamed up with Dr. Mark Hyman to create a nationwide menu that emphasizes biology-driven meals for better energy and metabolic health. Meanwhile, non-alcoholic beverages are making a splash, becoming the go-to choice as Thrive Market exits alcohol entirely, reflecting a cultural shift in social drinking norms.

Get ready for a rapid rundown of the latest in health and wellness! Investors are putting big bucks into infrastructure, with major funding for companies like TruMed and Nanit. A recent survey shows a significant shift, with 82% of consumers focusing on overall health and a growing interest in strength training. GLP-1s and AI-driven workouts are also gaining traction. Plus, exciting plans are ahead for enhancements in marketing and community engagement. Dive in to discover how these trends are shaping the future of wellness!

Today, I'm joined by Tim Rosa, CEO of Somnee. Pioneering personalized neurostimulation for sleep, Somnee's clinical-grade headband uses EEG brain mapping to help people get higher quality rest. In this episode, we discuss building the next generation of sleep technology. We also cover: Lessons from scaling Fitbit How EEG-driven neurostimulation works Traction with NBA athletes and elite performers Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Somnee's Website: www.somneesleep.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somneesleep/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somnee/ - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:29) Tim's background (02:13) Scaling Fitbit (03:00) Discovering Somnee (04:15) Resetting the company (06:00) How Somnee works (07:15) Clinical-grade data (09:00) Sleep onset vs sleep maintenance (11:30) 15-minute sessions vs all-night tracking (13:45) FDA clearance & clinical validation (16:00) Go-to-market strategy (18:30) NBA, NFL, and elite athletes (23:15) The sleep market opportunity (25:30) The future of wearables (28:00) Device ecosystems and API integrations (33:00) Series A fundraising (34:45) The 21-session optimization (36:15) Where to find Somnee and learn more (37:15) Conclusion

Julia Nimocks, co-founder and CEO of Freaks of Nature, joins to discuss her journey in building a performance skincare brand for outdoor athletes alongside surfing legend Kelly Slater. They delve into the underserved market of athletic skincare and the innovative microbiome-first formulations aimed at skin longevity. Julia shares insights on leveraging a lean team model with contractors, the brand's unique marketing strategies involving athlete ambassadors, and plans for expansion into new product categories by 2026.

Jannine Versi, co-founder and CEO of Elektra Health, leads a virtual clinic revolutionizing menopause care. She shares insights on building patient trust and the challenges of early telemedicine adoption. Jannine discusses how Elektra's insurance-first strategy broadens access, and emphasizes the importance of community and education in women's health. With plans to expand into broader aging care, she highlights how menopause can serve as a gateway for comprehensive health support, shaping a future of value-based care.

Today, I'm joined by Ana Montero and André Marques-Smith, co-founders of Atlas. A behind-the-ear brain sensing wearable, Atlas tracks clarity, stress, and cognitive performance in real time, bringing neuroscience research from academia to consumers' hands. In this episode, we discuss building the brain health wearable for everyday life. We also cover: Atlas's five-year R&D process Modernizing outdated mental health diagnostics Early detection and prevention of neurological conditions Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Join the Waitlist: www.atlaswearable.com Atlas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atlaswearable/ Atlas on X (Twitter): https://x.com/atlaswearable - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:30) Ana and André's backgrounds in neuroscience (03:25) The problem with mental health diagnostics today (04:30) Why existing wearables can't track brain activity (05:50) Building sensors that work in motion conditions (06:25) Five years of R&D (08:00) Why behind-the-ear brain sensing (10:30) What Atlas measures (13:00) Brain scores vs. peripheral body metrics (15:30) Use cases (18:00) The personalization challenge in brain data (20:30) Long-term vision (23:00) Building consumer traction before clinical applications (25:30) Fundraising and investor interest in brain tech (28:00) Beta testing program and user feedback (30:20) Research studies: stress, nutrition, and brain activity (32:35) Early detection and prevention (35:05) Conclusion

Today, I'm joined by Todd Meleney, co-founder & CEO of While on Earth. An athletic footwear and apparel brand for the modern wellness consumer, While on Earth prioritizes versatile "performance wellness" over single-sport specialization. In this episode, we discuss creating an underdog brand in a competitive market. We also cover: Christian McCaffrey's role as co-founder Defining "performance wellness" as a category Investing in grassroots community over paid marketing Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider While On Earth's Website: www.whileonearth.co While On Earth's IG: https://www.instagram.com/whileonearth/ - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:40) Todd's background and While on Earth overview (02:40) White space opportunity in performance footwear (04:25) Lessons from building NOBULL (05:15) Shifting consumer behavior toward holistic wellness (07:15) Defining "performance wellness" as a category (09:30) Product philosophy (12:00) Building vs. buying brand awareness (14:30) Grassroots community strategy over paid marketing (17:00) Retail strategy (19:30) Athlete partnerships (22:00) Christian McCaffrey as co-founder and investor (24:30) Product roadmap and innovation focus (27:00) Staying authentic while scaling (29:05) Running category launch in 2026 (30:15) CMC signature product line coming 2026 (32:45) Role of athletes in brand building (34:50) Conclusion

Today, I'm joined by Shahab Elmi, co-founder & CEO of Cymbiotika. With 100M+ packets sold in its first six years, Cymbiotika is bringing transparency to the supplement industry with liposomal formulations and rigorous third-party testing. In this episode, we discuss building a supplement brand focused on efficacy over marketing. We also cover: Liposomal delivery as a differentiator Why churn reveals true product efficacy Avoiding the wellness DTC race to the bottom Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Cymbiotika's Website: www.cymbiotika.com Cymbiotika's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cymbiotika/ - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:15) Shahab's background and Cymbiotika's origin story (02:00) The problem with the supplement industry (02:45) Why transparency and testing matter (04:15) Churn rate as the ultimate success metric (05:45) Organic celebrity endorsements vs paid sponsorships (09:00) Liposomal delivery technology explained (12:30) Manufacturing in-house vs outsourcing (16:00) The DTC race to the bottom (18:30) Building trust through radical transparency (20:30) Competing on efficacy, not marketing spend (23:00) Taking on industry fraud and fake claims (24:30) Announcing multiple third-party clinical trials (26:50) Patent enforcement and liposome validation (27:35) Product roadmap (29:25) Conclusion

Today, I'm joined by Brian Le Gette, founder & CEO of Ammortal. A wellness technology company, Ammortal's immersive recovery chambers combine PEMF, red light, molecular hydrogen, breathwork, and meditation into a single therapeutic experience. In this episode, we discuss building the future of regenerative wellness tech. We also cover: Raising a Series A and scaling commercially Developing the product, pricing model, and partnerships Stacking cellular repair modalities with mind-body integration Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Website: www.ammortal.com Locations: www.ammortal.com/locations Commercial Inquiries: sales@ammortal.com Partnerships: brian@ammortal.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ammortal_official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ammortals - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co Investments: https://capital.fitt.co Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:20) Brian's background and entrepreneurial journey (02:40) What is Ammortal and the one-of-one category (02:55) The core modality stack and protocol design (05:10) Origin story (06:30) Positioning beyond wellness buzzwords (09:00) Why "tech doesn't heal—it aids self-healing" (11:30) Target customer: optimization-focused consumers (14:30) Distribution strategy (18:00) Pricing models and commercial partnerships (21:15) The experience design and musical cocoon concept (23:30) Education and onboarding for new users (25:30) Customer outcomes and use case versatility (27:35) Landing on "chamber" as the product descriptor (29:05) Long-term vision and R&D philosophy (31:15) The collaborative model for wellness innovation (32:45) Raising a Series A and scaling commercially (34:10) Conclusion

Today, I'm joined by Jared Pobre, founder & CEO of Caldera + Lab. Launched in 2019, Caldera + Lab is revamping men's medicine cabinets with proprietary premium skincare formulas specifically engineered for guys. In this episode, we discuss building a biotech-driven men's personal care brand. We also cover: Targeting the longevity-minded male consumer Prioritizing proprietary R&D over repurposed formulas Developing distribution strategies and hospitality partnerships Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcastSubscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribeFollow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Caldera + Lab's Website: www.calderalab.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/CalderaLab/page/2A608586-7E58-411C-8057-FFD688968227 - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart workout solutions for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/ Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/ Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:08) Jared's background and Caldera + Lab overview (01:33) The evolution of men's skincare since 2016 (03:02) Formulation differences: women's vs. men's skincare (04:32) Custom formulations vs. menu-based co-manufacturing (06:24) Pioneering proprietary ingredients for men (08:00) Building the brand with bootstrapped resources (10:30) Clinical studies and efficacy testing (13:00) Customer acquisition and finding product-market fit (15:30) DTC and Amazon as core distribution channels (17:45) Storytelling and messaging strategy (21:53) Balancing scientific credibility with consumer messaging (23:12) Targeting the longevity-minded male consumer (25:11) Retail expansion strategy and Series A funding (26:15) Country clubs, luxury hotels, and hospitality partnerships (27:26) Product roadmap (28:49) Conclusion