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Muscle Diet

Mark Gilbert BSc (Nutrition)
Mark is an expert in sports nutrition and dietary supplements. He has over 20 years of experience working with the biggest names in the bodybuilding industry.
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Here's a pic of me from a recent photo shoot I did to promote my website http://fitnessinventor.com.

Starting Your Own Supplement Company

Q. Mark, I read your column every issue for supplement advice. Why haven’t you started your own supplement company?

A. A few reasons, really. If you look at virtually everyone who’s ever started a highly successful supplement company, they didn’t have a particularly vast knowledge of supplements. They certainly didn’t have a degree in nutrition! Most didn’t have degrees in any “health science”!

There are tons of guys who know way more about supplements than these guys. In fact, the only one I can think of who built one of the leading companies was Dr. Scott Connelly, way back when he founded Met-Rx. Most people who know the history of Met-Rx’s beginnings know that it wouldn’t have been as successful without the brilliant marketing of Bill Phillips and Muscle Media 2000 magazine.

But let’s get something straight: The best-selling supplements are not always the best-formulated supplements on the market. Otherwise, Patrick Arnold—the guy who brought prohormones and geranium to the market—would be a multi-gazillionaire. Other companies went on to make money with his ideas because they knew “the business.”

I’ve helped lead the formulation and re-formulation of several popular sports supplement products—including, at the time, the world’s best-selling protein and the world’s best-selling fat burner—but I couldn’t have marketed and sold them myself, as I didn’t have the budget or the advertising and marketing resources, etc. The best companies have the best R&D teams, so the owners don’t have to know everything about supplement science!

To build a successful company, you have to be, first and foremost, a good businessperson who is willing to work very hard—at least 12 hours a day—and put some time in on weekends too. You also have to know your customer and how best to market your brand to them; the supplement industry is very sophisticated in this regard these days! A vast knowledge of nutrition and supplements isn’t required.

I’m not taking a shot at these owners, by the way; I have a great deal of respect for most of them and know quite a few of them (who will probably read this), but I have to be honest with readers or there’s no use in me doing this column!

I should also mention that quite a few owners who’ve been around for a while actually do have a pretty good knowledge of supplements, but again, many of them didn’t when they first started, and they certainly don’t have as good a knowledge of supplements as qualified, experienced sports nutrition experts.

To read more by Mark Gilbert, check out his website FitnessInventor.com