We just received word that SU was named one of Inc 5000’s fastest-growing, privately-owned companies in 2019. I’m in a bit of shock, and I’m riding a massive wave of emotions. I feel proud, happy, shy, inept, lucky, validated, and everything in between. I’m not sure how to adequately say thank you, but I’m going to try my best.
When I started Stronger U in April 2015, I didn’t have a concrete plan. But I did have a crystal clear vision about how I wanted to help people become better eaters. I was sick and tired of watching people suffer when I knew they could do things differently. I wasn’t sure if this crazy idea would work, and many people told me I was a damn fool for thinking it could. A good friend even called me an idiot for thinking anyone would pay to work with me. Start a business on a cell phone, teach people foodstuff, and never spend money on marketing. Yup, this will go well.
In the early days, I had to balance a lot: The new crazy business, my full-time job, and a new relationship (don’t worry, we’re married now). Looking back, it wasn’t easy. But 13 months after starting Stronger U, I knew the days working at my stable corporate were numbered. While I was nervous about giving up a reliable paycheck, I was never scared because the Stronger U community gave me all of the confidence I needed. To experience this level of support for a company is unlike anything I have ever seen. The stories you share are why this company is what it is. Not because I’m some business expert. I’m just some ordinary guy who is utterly obsessed with seeing people succeed. Our community and the people involved are the secret sauce and why we’re on the Inc 5000 list. You’re the reason that a fellow Stronger U member reading this post has a better life. Let that sink in, and you can feel what I feel every single day.
Investor money, fancy marketing, and questionable ethics seem to be the way to grow a business these days. But that isn’t how we built Stronger U. Together; we showed that it’s possible to build a thriving company on honesty, integrity, and community. I genuinely believe that doing things backward is precisely why this worked. We fix problems and give people hope in a hopeless industry. Our focus is on your success, satisfaction, and breaking the mold of what good nutrition means. We know dieting isn’t fun, and we know most businesses don’t care enough to connect with their customers. So, we’ll be different. I’ll be different. My job as CEO is to make sure you’re taken care of, to be in the mix with you, and to constantly be improving the experience so that we can help even more people. I love that you know me and I hope I can know you.
I never set up Stronger U to become one of the fastest-growing companies in America. I set this up to become the thing that gave people an opportunity to improve their lives, connect with others on a similar path, and fall in love with the journey.
Now go plan your day, keep up the good work, and don’t mind me while I cry in a corner thinking about how we all feel like we’re not doing enough until we’re reminded of just how far we’ve come. I thank you for choosing us to build your own success story. We all thank you for what you’ve helped us achieve and look forward to many more years together.
Mike D
Food Dad
