The Negative Health Externalities of Big Food Companies

My guest this week is Justin Mares. Justin is the founder of TrueMed and has previously founded three different health food brands that collectively do $100M+ in annual revenue.  Every time I speak with him, he makes me reflect on my own health and the state of our health more broadly. This conversation is no different. As Justin puts it, we're in a health crisis that could ultimately bankrupt our country. We talk about the inputs, incentives, and potential solutions related to that crisis, and then move into his experiences building and investing in consumer brands. We finish with a fascinating discussion on why it's more common to see repeat founders these days. Please enjoy my great conversation with Justin Mares.

Founders Podcast

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For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. 

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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.

Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus

Show Notes

(00:03:06) - (First question) - Framing the overall problem of the US health system

(00:04:12) - What it would take for America’s health crisis to affect global competitiveness

(00:11:05) - Important changes that have contributed to the decline of health in the US 

(00:14:53) - Other system settings and incentives have contributed to America’s health crisis

(00:16:51) - Thoughts on Ozempic and attempts to engineer solutions for chronic disease

(00:20:07) - Mental health decline, infertility, and other problems tied to the health crisis 

(00:24:33) - When he first discovered this problem and became passionate about it

(00:26:56) - The difficulties of building a health-centric bone broth company 

(00:31:49) - Why no one has a built supply chain sourcing service to create scale economies

(00:34:44) - Other companies he’s built and other things he’s doing to fight the problem 

(00:40:15) - Going to market to simplify the HSA consumer experience 

(00:43:04) - The world of water, environmental toxins and forever chemicals writ large

(00:47:17) - The difficulty in avoiding forever chemicals in our everyday lives 

(00:51:51) - How he searches for and decides on new businesses to start or invest in   

(00:56:52) - The growing popularity and promise of psychedelic therapy 

(00:58:48) - Personality traits of people who feel most at home in Edge City

(01:01:36) - Strategies on sourcing and connecting with ambitious and talented people

(01:06:56) - Childhood nutrition and the impact of their diets and health on society 

(01:11:26) - Capital formation and creating new businesses in a systematic way

(01:19:57) - The kindest thing anyone has ever done for him