The Next Chapter: Releasing Our First Supplement HydraNu.

From the beginning, we knew supplements were the direction we wanted to go. 

As I sit here, wanting to write about this milestone, I struggle to even know where to start. 

Thinking about the journey to get to this moment over the last 16 months brings a flood of memories, lessons, highs and lows—so much has happened in a relatively short amount of time in the grand scheme of things.

Anyone taking the step into entrepreneurship never really understands what that means when they take that first step. What it actually requires to try and bring something new into this world. 

In a way, it’s a good thing to have that ignorance because if you knew what it would take beforehand, you might never actually take that first step.

Both Mike and I can say this has been one of the hardest things we have ever tried to do in our lives.

But just because something is hard doesn’t make it a negative—yes, the most challenging months of our lives, but also some of the happiest.

We are grateful for the work, grateful for the hard times, because we are building something we truly believe in—something that can help other people in this world.

While I no longer believe the old phrase, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” because, no, you definitely will work. Hard. But you will love the work.

 What we didn’t understand was just how many steps there were between zero (where we were) and one (releasing our first supplement).

But above the actual supplements to help others reach their goals, we wanted to build an ideal—a brand that stands for something bigger, a living and breathing set of principles that, when embodied, can change lives for the better.

This started with Mike and me looking at ourselves first (a recurring theme in this journey so far). What felt true to us? Something we believed in wholeheartedly? Something we knew could help other people?

Like I mentioned, this process started with looking at ourselves first. What has been the common theme in the way Mike and I have helped each other improve our own lives? Whether it was losing 125+ lbs or building a physique we’re proud of, what was the common thread between our two journeys?

It’s the commitment to progress. The commitment to the small, sometimes seemingly invisible, steps we take every day toward the goals and life we want. That was the single thread that both Mike and I have used, even through completely different journeys, to change our lives for the better.

That is where the 1% mentality was born.

From that moment, it hit us—just as we have changed our lives and built our bodies and minds 1% at a time, we can build this brand, business, and message the exact same way.

We are building GTY by the exact ideals it was founded on—by committing to Finding Your 1% every single day, no matter how small. If you can do that, you will not only move mountains but become exactly the kind of person you’ve always wanted to be.

So, we had our vision of creating supplements to help people reach their goals, and our roadmap and message of how we wanted to build it.

Next was how we could start spreading this message. 

Well, it started from the ground up—learning how to create content. It started pretty rough (you can still go back and watch those early videos to see for yourself), but like most things, over time, we got better.

Again, learning to fall in love with the process of improving, getting better, and not trying to be perfect—all of this while trying to build the actual business in the background.

A question we’ve often received is, “How did you actually start building supplements?” Well, the answer to that question is in the question itself. We just started.

Remember that recurring theme I mentioned? We started by looking at ourselves. One positive thing about being in the fitness space for over a decade is being exposed to quite a few different supplement companies—some good, others not so much. We understood what worked and what didn’t.

We asked ourselves, “What supplements would help us in our own training for our goals?” As we dove into the endurance training world, adequate hydration became not only essential to our training but also to performing at our best day in and day out.

It’s not flashy, but next came months and months of research—researching different ingredients, the science behind them, and how they affected the body and performance.

HydraNu was born from a need in our own training—a formula with enough sodium and other electrolytes to actually make a positive difference in our hydration and fueling, both before and after training.

I have often struggled to stay focused and “in the zone” during my workouts. I found myself just going through the motions as my mind wandered. That’s why HydraNu also includes nootropics that have been linked to increased focus, mental clarity, and sharper awareness—all without the use of caffeine.

It was the same process with finding a manufacturer—meeting after meeting, learning about each one, their process, and what a partnership looked like until we found the one that fit.

Now we had a researched formula and a manufacturing partner to help bring it to life. This started the process of sampling the actual formula itself. It was a surreal feeling holding those first rounds of samples in our hands. It was the first time our vision became real.

The sampling process consisted of (common theme again) Mike and I using these samples for our own training. Did it work and provide the benefits intended? And of course, how did it taste?

Multiple months and rounds of revisions and formula adjustments later, we finally got it. The taste was perfect, we felt the benefits in our own training, and it delivered on what it promised.

We worked on our branding—how we would design the label, and of course, how we could actually sell and fulfill orders to get this product to people.

Which brings us to now. HydraNu is currently in final manufacturing as we speak. With testing underway for our next product. 

We understand who we are, what we stand for, and how we can spread the message we believe in.

It feels like we are about to, yet again, start a new chapter of GTY.

We are committed to continuing to document the process of building this brand and proving that real progress doesn’t happen in one day—it happens one day at a time.

If you can commit to consistent small progress—1% at a time—there is no mountain too high, no goal too large, and nothing you can’t accomplish.

If you have read this far, thank you for your support. It means more than you know.

Stay committed, stay consistent.

Find Your 1%.

GTY