Can your brand grow before it looks the part?
Branducation explores real-world branding challenges and the entrepreneurs behind them. In this episode, I sit down with Will Nitze, founder of IQBAR, a functional food company that scaled into major retail before seriously investing in branding.
Will shares how he negotiated time to build his business while still employed, turned a kitchen prototype into a CPG product, and leaned on execution over aesthetics to gain early traction. This episode pulls back the curtain on the messy, unsexy aspects of brand building and why they work.
We talk about branding as iteration, the tension between design and velocity, and how IQBAR evolved from brain fuel to a broader brain-and-body platform. It’s not about looking polished—it’s about moving product, finding fit, and branding when it counts.
A practical, refreshingly honest episode with one of the sharpest founders in functional food.
Key Takeaways:
- 00:00 Intro
- 01:33 Transitioning from a 9-5 job to entrepreneurship
- 05:32 Building momentum and overcoming challenges
- 08:46 The importance of asking for help
- 11:13 It’s harder to be a boss
- 13:27 Product development and finding manufacturing partners
- 16:28 Branding and distribution strategy
- 23:55 What’s next for IQBAR?
- 25:41 Outro
Branducation with Bill Harper is your go-to podcast for mastering the art of marketing, branding and storytelling. Each episode is packed with insights on how to reframe your value proposition, craft compelling narratives, and engage your audience on a larger scale. Tune in to reach your brand’s full growth potential!
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