Podcast Summary: How One Founder Beat Billion-Dollar Competitors With Zero Funding

Podcast: Founder's Story by IBH Media
Episode: Ep 280 with Blake Niemann, Founder of Levels
Date: November 17, 2025
Host: IBH Media Host
Guest: Blake Niemann

Episode Overview

This episode features Blake Niemann, founder of Levels, who shares his journey bootstrapping his protein supplement company from his Jersey City apartment to becoming a leading US protein brand, outcompeting billion-dollar giants—all without outside funding. The discussion dives deep into Blake's strategies, lessons in risk management, the power of customer-centric product development, and bold, unconventional career advice that challenges the status quo. An inspiring conversation for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking real talk about grit, focus, and sticking to your values.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Genesis of Levels: Tinkering and Observing an Industry Ready for Change

(02:17–06:22)

• Blake started Levels in 2016 with about $10,000 from his New Jersey apartment.
• Early fascination with technology and fitness; observed a disconnect in the supplement aisle between product substance (whey, a natural dairy product) and the aggressive, "synthetic" branding (dark color schemes, artificial-looking packaging).
• Identified that most supplement companies chased fads, leaving the huge but “sleepy” whey protein category ripe for innovation:

  “Why does everything look black and synthetic and like bro meat heady, like pharmaceutical neons and ice creams and artificials? Like, this is dairy. Why don't we make it look like a food, a natural food?” — Blake (04:42)

• Decided to create an affordable, premium-feeling protein with minimal natural ingredients—avoiding even "natural" additives that sounded artificial (e.g., avoided xanthan gum).

2. Bootstrapping to $3 Million Revenue—While Keeping the Day Job

(06:22–09:11, 12:25–15:40)

• Blake grew Levels while working full-time in high-tech sales, only quitting after reaching $3M in revenue:

  “I was doing it solo... didn't leave my full time job until the company was generating I think like $3 million in revenue.” — Blake (07:49)

• Focused exclusively on product quality and customer feedback, refining the product based on Amazon reviews rather than chasing paid advertising:

  “We didn't even spend money on paid ads till we did like 3 million in revenue. It was just organic snowball growth off of reviews.” — Blake (08:10)

• Advocates for hedging personal risk—keeping reliable income while testing and scaling the business.

  “If you can pull it off, do it. And the fact is is like you're going to have to suck it up... you might have to work 40 hours a week at a regular job and then another 40 hours a week building what you're building.” — Blake (13:21)

3. Competition, Focus, and Outpacing the Giants

(06:22–09:58, 24:15–25:56)

• Stayed intensely focused on one flagship product—whey protein—rather than expanding too quickly.
• Emphasizes the importance of deep market focus and incremental growth (“maniacal focus”).
• On competing with massive, better-funded incumbents:

  “People think I'm lying but we didn't even spend money on paid ads till we did like 3 million in revenue... built review by review.” — Blake (08:03)

• Sees large companies’ inability to pivot quickly as an ongoing advantage for nimble startups:

  “Their biggest issue is that they can't seem to get out of their own way on making like, simple decisions like our competitive brands, you know, they continue to keep artificial... ingredients in their protein powders. And I think it's just a corporate culture or the inability to move at the speed that we can move.” — Blake (22:50)

4. Expanding to Retail: Timing, Profitability, and Risk Mitigation

(09:58–12:25)

• Deliberately waited 6–7 years before entering physical retail (“risk averse”):

  “We waited a pretty long time... six to seven years into the company's history to even go into physical retail.” — Blake (10:01)

• Digital-first strategy enabled refinement and profitability, allowing the online channel to bankroll retail expansion.
• Strong advice: prove and refine your model online before scaling to retail, particularly if your product is shelf-stable.

5. The Realities of Entrepreneurship: Pain, Risk, and Mental Grit

(15:40–18:47)

• Dismisses the 10-hours/week “Lamborghini” social media fantasy:

  “This is insane. This is fantasy... It should be extremely painful. It should test your resiliency. And if it was easy, everyone would do it.” — Blake (15:55)

• Says entrepreneurs must create real (or artificial) “back against the wall” scenarios to fuel action and smart, urgent decision-making.
• The hard path: long hours, continual setbacks, but laser commitment to the long game.

6. Lessons from Failure, and the Will Not to Quit

(18:47–20:35)

• Early failures (before Levels) provided crucial lessons, but never deterred him.

  “I was watching Jack Dorsey run Twitter and Square Payments. I was like, how is this guy running two companies and I can't run one?... I don’t care if it takes till I’m 80, I’ll figure something out and make it work.” — Blake (19:05)

• Believes opportunity is greater than ever with today’s tech, particularly AI—even if some lament increased competition.

7. Industry Insights: Supplement Regulation and the Clean-Label Movement

(20:35–24:15)

• Discusses lax US supplement regulations versus Europe/Canada—leading to consumer confusion and risks (e.g., undisclosed or harmful ingredients).
• New “clean label” movement: consumers now scrutinize ingredient statements like legal fine print, demanding real, minimal food-based ingredients.

  “The T's and C's that you have with the consumer is your ingredient statement now.” — Blake (23:11)

• Incumbents struggle to meet new consumer demands due to scale, cost, and org structure.

8. Radical Career Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

(25:04–27:14)

• Blake’s advice to college students: “Drop out of college today. And I know that might scare some people, but I'd leave. I think the advancements in AI plus the cost of college, like, negates the ROI...” — Blake (25:04)
• Promotes real-world experience: work for entrepreneurs, use AI to provide value, or learn business by selling anything—even hot dogs.

  “There's nothing beneath you to sell hot dogs. Like, figure out how the consumer thinks, figure out how you could sell them for more.” — Blake (26:00)

• Warns against expensive degrees when immediate, applicable experience is readily available, especially for digital natives skilled at using AI.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Differentiation:
  “I'm gonna make this look like dairy like a bottle of milk would with an infusion of like sports nutrition in branding.” — Blake (05:19)

• On Product Development:
  “We launched the product through customer reviews on Amazon. We found out what they liked, they didn't like, every little detail and refined. And refined. And it was built review by review.” — Blake (07:49)

• On Grit:
  “It should be extremely painful. It should test your resiliency. And if it was easy, everyone would do it.” — Blake (15:55)

• On Mindset:
  “...I was watching Jack Dorsey run Twitter and Square Payments... I don’t care if it takes till I’m 80, I’ll figure something out and make it work.” — Blake (19:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:17–06:22: Blake’s background, founding story, industry observations
• 06:22–09:11: Bootstrapping and organic growth
• 09:58–12:25: Transition to retail, risk management
• 12:25–15:40: Balancing a job and entrepreneurship
• 15:40–18:47: The real grind vs. entrepreneurial fantasy
• 18:47–20:35: Learning from failure, refusing to quit
• 20:35–24:15: Supplement industry trends, regulation, consumer demands
• 25:04–27:14: Career advice for students and aspiring founders

Practical Takeaways

• A hyper-focus on one differentiated product and customer-driven iteration trumps chasing industry “shiny objects.”
• Bootstrapping can mitigate risk, but it requires relentless work ethic and long-term commitment.
• Testing your product in the digital marketplace builds a financial foundation and invaluable market insight before high-risk retail expansion.
• Real-world experience and adaptability now outpace formal education, particularly for those versed in new tech like AI.
• If you have the right grit and mindset, the tools to succeed have never been more accessible.

Closing & Contact

• Find Levels: levelsprotein.com, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, Vitamin Shop, various groceries.
• Recommendation: Blake encourages anyone—student or otherwise—to pursue hands-on entrepreneurship, to never stop learning, and to embrace the grind long before expecting overnight success.

This episode is a masterclass in resilient, self-funded entrepreneurship, challenging prevalent myths and offering both inspiration and actionable lessons for founders at every stage.