Today we’re on the 74th episode of the Healthprenuer Podcast. I am chatting with Aaron Hinde, sports chiropractor turned President and Co-Founder of LIFEAID, the beverage company that is the official sponsor of the CrossFit Games. I met Aaron five or six years ago, and man, how his company has scaled and succeeded since then! 

Aaron was inspired to start LIFEAID when he realized that all the energy drinks out there – while cool, sexy, hip, and perfectly-branded – are filled with junk and just plain bad for you. Makes sense, right? What’s cool is that, to this day, Aaron and his company haven’t budged on their commitment to clean, functional products. This integrity hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the numbers prove it.   

Through this growth, Aaron has learned some key lessons in hiring, “going big” (or not), cash flow, and ROI. He’s even made some game-changing realizations about himself as an entrepreneur and the people he brings on the team. This episode is for any entrepreneur looking to scale their business while maintaining the integrity and quality of their offering. Tune in for priceless nougats of business wisdom topped off with a morning routine that has Aaron prepped for more great things to come! 

 

In this episode, Aaron and I discuss:  

• The inspiration for LIFEAID and how they became the CrossFit Games official sponsor 
• Standing for quality and functionality from the very beginning  
• The challenges and successes when rapidly growing the company 

• How his role and hiring process has evolved over time 
• “Going big,” taking on investors, and cash flow for stockholders 
• The start-up struggle to stay focused on ROI  

 

1:00 – 5:00 - Aaron, his company, and his beginnings  

5:00 – 8:30 - The mindset during product development: Cool, sexy, hip, functional, and clean 

8:30 – 11:00 - Cash flow, mentorship, and looking to information marketers to sell online 

11:00 – 14:30 - Success through a B2B offer, seeing the customer’s perspective, and teamwork 

14:30 – 20:00 - Growth changing Aaron’s role, their hiring process, and patience 

20:00 – 22:00 - Focusing on cash flow, taking on investors, and holding off on “going big”  

22:00 – 23:00 - Losing focus on ROI-based decisions: Nightclub party fail 

23:00 – The Rapid Five