Latest news with #JeffByers
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Why This CEO Cut a $500,000 Per Month Product — And What Every Founder Can Learn From It
In a noisy supplement market filled with hype, Jeff Byers is proving that trust, transparency and a back-to-basics approach to wellness are the future. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. I helped launch Momentous over five years ago, and I've witnessed firsthand how the brand does not just talk about integrity, it lives it. But what impresses me more than the products, advisory board and partnerships, is the mindset behind it all. And that starts at the top. Jeff Byers, the Co-Founder and CEO of Momentous, is not your typical supplement company executive. A former USC and NFL offensive lineman, Jeff is a father of three boys, a values-first leader and someone who is not afraid to pull a top-performing product if the science no longer holds up. That's exactly what he did with Fadogia, a male hormone support supplement that was bringing in $500,000 per month in revenue. "When we looked at the body of research during our quarterly review, it just didn't meet our standard anymore," Jeff told me during a recent conversation. "We're not in this to chase every trend. We're here to build trust and offer only what's scientifically sound." Byers explained that it was difficult to rally the team around it because it was going to hurt the business in the short term. That quality over quantity, science-over-noise mindset is one of the reasons Momentous is rapidly becoming a go-to brand for the world's best athletes, military professionals and everyday high-performers. With years of experience in the nutrition and supplement industry, I've seen just how messy and misleading this space can be. It's overrun with hype, loose regulations and consumer confusion. Many products make bold claims, but few are backed by true research or certifications that mean anything. "Made in the USA," for instance, often just means "mixed here," not that the ingredients are U.S.-sourced or even clean. "It's easy to start a supplement company," Jeff says, but "it's hard to do it right." As a former NFL athlete shaped by discipline and setbacks, Jeff shared a powerful mantra from his USC Coach, Pete Carroll, that has become a guiding principle for how he leads today: "Do it better than it's ever been done before." Related: I Treated My Health Like a Business. It Changed My Life Jeff's approach is refreshingly clear: focus on foundational products backed by the strongest science - supplements like creatine, protein and omegas, what the brand calls "The Momentous Three™️." These essentials are difficult to get in sufficient amounts from diet alone, and have strong science for supporting lean muscle mass, brain health and long-term performance. Instead of flooding the market with trendy SKUs, Momentous doubles down on what works, then ensures those products meet the gold standard of NSF certification and label claim accuracy. That's uncommon in a category where what's listed on the bottle isn't always what's inside. "More isn't better," Jeff says. "Better is better." With that same mindset, the company recently launched "The Women's Three™️"composed of iron+, calcium and vitamin D3 to focus specifically on women's physiology, and this was led by Momentous' Co-Founder and President, Erica Wood and renowned female physiologist, Dr. Stacy Sims. Jeff is also one of the few leaders in the space who doesn't pretend supplements are magic bullets. I agree with his philosophy that health is behavioral first. Supplements are literally, supplemental. He was quick to point out that the growth of the supplement industry has paralleled the rise in chronic health conditions in the U.S., not the reverse. More supplements have not made us healthier, and it's a driver for why he and his team focus on simplifying, not complicating. His personal health philosophy is grounded in the 80/20 rule and with consistency driving results. Jeff told me, "If we can help people build better habits around nutrition, sleep and recovery, and then support that with the right tools, we're doing our job." Pulling a product like Fadogia or NMN (removed two years ago due to updated FDA regulations) isn't easy, especially when those products are high-margin. But Jeff views those decisions as long-term brand investments. He aims to build a brand people can trust - not just because they say the right things, but because they follow through with action. That's what makes Momentous different. This long-term approach is what allows Momentous to innovate from a place of responsibility. The brand partners with some of the best minds in sports science and medicine, including Dr. Andrew Huberman, Dr. Stacy Sims, Dr. Andy Galpin, Louisa Nicola and others, and develops every product with rigorous testing and intention. Not all certifications are created equal, and Jeff ensures the ones Momentous uses are meaningful. Related: I Work Nearly 50+ Hours a Week and Rarely Feel Tired Jeff's leadership hasn't been without setbacks. One of the most formative periods of his career came after merging Momentous with a prior company. His mantra at the time? "Don't Die!" He now describes it as both their biggest opportunity and biggest mistake. "We tried to blend two different cultures instead of setting a new direction," he shared. "I was trying to make everyone happy, and when you do that, you make no one happy." It took six to nine months of rebuilding to get the company aligned again. The lesson he learned is that if you don't set a clear north star, you don't have culture. And without culture, you have confusion. That clarity has become a hallmark of the brand today. Momentous isn't trying to be all things to all people. It's aiming to be the most trusted performance supplement company in the world — and it's on its way. Beyond business, Jeff is a father of three and a husband who is deeply committed to showing up at home, not just at work. He puts his phone away in the early evening and prioritizes presence. He explains that the lines blur quickly when you're building a company, and if he's not showing up for his family, nothing else really matters. That intentionality shows up in the way he leads, too, with transparency, humility and a relentless focus on the mission. In a world where it's tempting to scale fast, chase trends or throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, the former Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers offensive lineman is playing a different game. It's a game rooted in trust, science and human-first leadership. That's what builds legacy brands. Whether you're building a supplement company or any startup, Jeff's story is a reminder: doing the right thing may not be the fastest path to success, but it may very likely help you build a lasting brand.
Entrepreneur
15-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Former NFL Lineman Turned Entrepreneur Helps Feed Island
After nearly burning out trying to grow his company, Jeff Byers reconnected with his core mission. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Jeff Byers has spent most of his life surrounded by elite athletes. As an All-American at USC and later as an NFL lineman, he trained alongside some of the best in the world. And when he co-founded Momentous—a science-backed supplement brand used by pro teams and the U.S. military—his mission was to give people the tools to perform at their peak. But even Byers was blown away by what he saw in Hawaii. On the latest episode of One Day with Jon Bier, Byers recounts his visit to Maui Nui Venison, a company that humanely harvests invasive axis deer to restore native ecosystems and feed the local community. He joined the crew for one of their overnight harvests and watched as they carried 140-pound animals down steep volcanic slopes in the dark—again and again. "These guys are absolute machines," he says. "What they do is physically and mentally harder than anything I saw in pro sports." And they were using his product, Fuel, to get through it. Related: A Deer Invasion in Hawaii Has Turned Into an Environmental Crisis—And a Sustainable Business Opportunity Performance with purpose Fuel is Momentous' endurance supplement, developed for workouts lasting over an hour. It's 3:1 carb ratio provides steady energy with fewer spikes or GI issues—something that appealed directly to the Maui Nui crew, who endure loads of brutal physical exertion. Byers left that trip with a new sense of purpose. "We started this company to support high performance," he says. "But this was about something more." He partnered with Maui Nui to create a tropical-inspired flavor of Fuel, Passionfruit Orange Guava. For every pack sold, $10 goes to the Holo 'Ai program, which distributes wild-harvested venison to families across the island. The goal is to raise $200,000, enough to provide a meal for every resident on Maui. "It's not just a collab," Byers says. "It's a commitment." From the NFL to nutrition Byers' journey to building Momentous wasn't ripped from a playbook. After leaving the NFL, he went into finance before co-founding the biotech startup behind PR Lotion. That venture eventually merged with Momentous in 2021, and the newly combined company took off. But growth came with pain, sometimes worse than what he experienced on the field. The merger nearly broke him. "That was one of the darkest times of my life," he says on the podcast. "I was working 80 hours a week, burned out, trying to hold everything together—and failing at it." He had to rebuild not just the company, but himself. "I realized I was never taught how to lead people at this scale," he says. "I had to change. I had to become the kind of leader the company needed—or let it fall apart." That meant making decisions that hurt in the short term. He pulled top-selling products when the clinical data didn't hold up. He scrapped an entire production run of a nootropic when purity tests missed the mark. This cost Momentous time and money, but ultimately paid off. "We're not chasing trends," Byers explains. "We're chasing trust. That's harder, but it lasts." Today, Momentous products are used by every NFL team, hundreds of collegiate programs, Olympians, and even NASA. The company has landed on the Inc. 5000 list two years in a row. But Byers says success isn't about the metrics—it's about the mission. And that mission came into sharp focus during his visit to Maui Nui Venison. "You don't leave Maui Nui unchanged," he says. "They're feeding people, healing an ecosystem, and doing it all with purpose and grit. It reminded me that performance isn't about the spotlight—it's about showing up for what matters, even when it's hard." Related: The Supplement Business Has a Trust Problem. This Tech Startup Wants to Fix That.
Business Journals
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
PECO offers financial incentives that help businesses save energy and money
As the cost of doing business continues to rise, many businesses are seeking ways to reduce expenses while maintaining profitability. PECO, Pennsylvania's largest electric and natural gas delivery company, supports businesses large and small with financial incentives and technical expertise to help them take control of their energy use and save money. 'Across the board, whether it's buying new equipment, rising energy prices, or the maintenance of facilities, things are costing more,' said Jeff Byers, senior energy efficiency program manager with PECO. 'Businesses of all sizes and from any industry can benefit from implementing energy-efficiency measures.' Through the PECO Ways to Save Program, customers have access to energy-saving strategies and incentives on energy-efficient products and technology that allow businesses to run more effectively with reliable, cost-saving equipment. This includes interior and exterior lighting, HVAC systems, motors and drives, compressed air systems, solar installations, custom solutions, and other energy-efficient equipment as part of new construction. An important aspect of the program involves working with PECO trade allies, contractors that have been trained in the PECO Ways to Save solutions and incentives. They can perform complimentary energy analyses of facilities to identify energy-savings opportunities. 'Our trade allies help get the wheels turning on the projects,' Byers said. 'We want our customers to know that we can connect them with right resources to make these projects a reality.' The PECO Ways to Save Program incentives are available to commercial customers until May 31, 2026. A full list of incentives can be accessed online. From education and healthcare to property management and retail, organizations across a wide range of industries are benefiting from PECO's expertise and incentives. 'All of our commercial customers can benefit,' Byers said. 'Any PECO business customer is eligible to take advantage of these incentive programs and our expertise to implement energy-efficiency measures.' For example, a longtime Philadelphia deli recently installed new LED lighting and fixtures. Thanks to the incentives, the project cost significantly less than the original estimate and the energy savings for the deli are equivalent to the cost of about 817 Italian hoagies per year. Similarly, a real estate company that owns and operates an office high-rise in downtown Philadelphia worked with PECO to help tenants implement energy-efficiency projects and improve facilities. This resulted in annual energy savings of 820,995 kilowatt-hours and cost savings of nearly six figures annually. How to get started on a path to energy savings There is a simple four-step process for working with the PECO Ways to Save program to uncover energy-savings opportunities: Verify project eligibility via a complimentary energy assessment by contacting an energy expert at 844-424-9728 or online. Fill out a pre-approval application to reserve funds and submit it online or via email, mail or fax. Work with a contractor or PECO trade ally to complete the project. Once the project is finished, the contractor will submit a final application, which will be reviewed by a PECO Ways to Save engineer for verification before the incentive is issued. Energy-efficiency upgrades are a smart investment in a business's long-term success that can extend equipment life, lower maintenance costs and provide a more productive environment with health advantages for employees and customers. Energy efficiency programs can also improve workplace safety and have a positive impact on the community, the environment, and corporate sustainability efforts. To begin the journey to energy savings, connect with a PECO Ways to Save program representative at 844-424-9728 or via this form. Use less energy, reduce operating costs, improve workplace safety and have a positive impact in your community. Connect with a PECO Ways to Save expert today to take control of your business's energy use and save more money for the things that matter most: PECO Business Solutions or 844-4BIZ-SAVE (844-424-9728). Working with your contractor or a PECO Trade Ally is the best way to ensure your project qualifies for financial incentives from PECO. Call 844-4BIZ-SAVE (844-424-9728) or contact us at PECO Business Solutions. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO serves more than 1.7 million electric and 553,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. The company is using new approaches and investments to help ensure safe and reliable service while providing customers increased control, access and convenience. The company continues to strengthen the community and build the local economy to help the region thrive, while being accountable to the environment through thoughtful investments and initiatives. Laura Newpoff is a freelance writer with The Business Journals Content Studio.
