Chris Hunter (Four Loko & Koia) | An Alcohol Icon Hard-Pivots to Health
Chris Hunter, of Four Loko & Koia, shares his wild entrepreneurial journey. From the meteoric rise and regulatory battles of Four Loko to launching the plant-based protein drink Koia, Chris gets personal about the challenges of building businesses in highly regulated industries. He discusses lessons learned from tumultuous business partnerships, the decision to vertically integrate, and how personal growth and reflection have shaped his leadership style. Chris also opens up about his upbringing and how it instilled the grit and resilience needed to overcome entrepreneurial adversity. Tune in for a candid conversation on the realities of building iconic beverage brands.
Chapters
[00:00:00] - Introduction
[00:02:58] - Chris Hunter's Background and Companies (Phusion Projects and Koia)
[00:05:04] - How Success Has Changed Chris
[00:12:56] - Chris's Early Years and Troubled Past
[00:16:39] - Grit and Resilience in Entrepreneurship
[00:17:46] - Navigating Identity as the "Four Loko Guy"
[00:21:36] - Lessons Learned from Business Partnerships
[00:29:26] - Operating in Highly Regulated Markets
[00:33:57] - Challenges of the Ready-to-Drink Beverage Industry
[00:36:20] - The Decision to Vertically Integrate
[00:40:51] - The Koia Journey: Vision and Evolution
[00:44:51] - Humility, Ego, and Confidence in Entrepreneurship
[00:50:45] - Harnessing Emotions as Entrepreneurial Fuel
[00:58:28] - The Role of Coaches, Peer Groups, and Psychedelics in Personal Growth
[01:03:11] - Writing a Candid and Personal Book
[01:11:17] - Rapid Fire Questions
[01:14:16] - Conclusion
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Chapters
[00:00:00] - Introduction
[00:02:58] - Chris Hunter's Background and Companies (Phusion Projects and Koia)
[00:05:04] - How Success Has Changed Chris
[00:12:56] - Chris's Early Years and Troubled Past
[00:16:39] - Grit and Resilience in Entrepreneurship
[00:17:46] - Navigating Identity as the "Four Loko Guy"
[00:21:36] - Lessons Learned from Business Partnerships
[00:29:26] - Operating in Highly Regulated Markets
[00:33:57] - Challenges of the Ready-to-Drink Beverage Industry
[00:36:20] - The Decision to Vertically Integrate
[00:40:51] - The Koia Journey: Vision and Evolution
[00:44:51] - Humility, Ego, and Confidence in Entrepreneurship
[00:50:45] - Harnessing Emotions as Entrepreneurial Fuel
[00:58:28] - The Role of Coaches, Peer Groups, and Psychedelics in Personal Growth
[01:03:11] - Writing a Candid and Personal Book
[01:11:17] - Rapid Fire Questions
[01:14:16] - Conclusion
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.
Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.
Connect with Chris:
Chris' Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1963678028?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_PY8TMGHWK9J8Q4ARPF1W
Koia: https://drinkkoia.com/
Koia: https://drinkkoia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hunter-890a2315/
Creators and Guests
Host
Joe Lemay
Joe Lemay founded Rocketbook with business partner Jake Epstein. After being featured on “Shark Tank”, where the sharks passed on a chance to invest – Joe would go on to grow Rocketbook and sell it to BIC for 40 million dollars just three years later.
Host
Will Nitze
Will Nitze is the Founder & CEO at IQBAR - America's leading "brain + body" nutrition startup. With minimal funding, Will has taken IQBAR from zero locations and zero in revenue in 2018 to 10,000+ doors and a projected $50 million in sales in 2024.