The Supplement Industry Is Broken: How Two Athletes Fixed It with Caroline & Sebastian Graeff | Ep. 186

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Founder's Story" – Episode 186

Title: The Supplement Industry Is Broken: How Two Athletes Fixed It with Caroline & Sebastian Graeff
Host: IBH Media
Release Date: March 14, 2025

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Introduction to Guests and Their Journey (00:28 – 04:53)

In Episode 186 of "Founder's Story," host Daniel welcomes Caroline and Sebastian Graeff, the co-founders of NIAID, a pioneering health supplement company. Both siblings transitioned from professional athletics to entrepreneurship, leveraging their sports backgrounds to address gaps in the supplement industry.

Background and Early Influences:

• Sebastian and Caroline: Grew up in France in a sports-centric family. Their father was a professional soccer player and a self-made businessman, instilling in them the values of discipline, resilience, and ambition.
• Caroline's Athletic Pursuit: Caroline was a professional snowboarder for France and a two-time All-American tennis player at Pepperdine University. Her athletic career cultivated her dedication and work ethic.

Transition to Entrepreneurship:

• After university, Sebastian worked with their father in the mail-order business before launching his own venture focusing on health supplements.
• Caroline moved to the U.S. over two decades ago to pursue studies and entrepreneurship while maintaining an active lifestyle through triathlons and outdoor activities.

Catalyst for Founding NIAID:

• Caroline experienced joint issues from her active lifestyle. Sebastian recommended one of his supplements, which significantly alleviated her symptoms after a month. This success inspired them to launch NIAID in the U.S., prioritizing quality, safety, and sustainability in their products.

"I was starting to have a lot of joint issues... I took it and after a month it felt like a miracle." — Caroline Graeff [04:14]

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Working as a Sibling Duo (04:53 – 06:16)

Daniel expresses admiration for their partnership, highlighting the common concerns about working with family. Caroline elaborates on their harmonious collaboration, emphasizing complementary skill sets:

• Sebastian: Brings extensive knowledge of the health supplement industry from Europe.
• Caroline: Focuses on the creative and branding aspects of the business.

Challenges:

• Geographical Distance: Caroline resides in Switzerland, while Sebastian is in California, posing logistical hurdles. However, their complementary strengths and shared values help mitigate potential conflicts.

"We live in Switzerland and she lives in California. So that's our biggest challenge." — Caroline Graeff [05:16]

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Product Development and Market Differentiation (06:16 – 11:04)

Daniel steers the conversation towards product-market fit in the competitive U.S. supplement market. Caroline outlines NIAID's strategic approach to differentiation:

Product Range:

• NIAID offers five core products: Joint Health, Stress Management, Muscle Recovery, and Weight Management.
• Emphasis on products that resonate with their lifestyles and health beliefs.

Key Differentiators:

1. Simplicity and Purity:

   • Single-Ingredient Focus: Four out of five products contain only one natural, bioactive ingredient, enhancing efficacy without unnecessary additives.
   • Example: Mangosteen for joint health and lemon verbena for stress management.

   "Our formulas... actually most of our formulas, four out of the five products we have only have one ingredient." — Caroline Graeff [07:30]

2. Clinical Validation:

   • NIAID conducts clinical testing on entire formulas, not just individual ingredients, ensuring safety and effectiveness without adverse ingredient interactions.

   "We have clinically tested formulas... there could be negative interactions between several ingredients which is a final product you actually put in your mouth." — Caroline Graeff [09:15]

3. Sustainability:

   • Eco-Friendly Packaging: Partnered with Bio Bottles to use a special plastic that decomposes naturally, reducing environmental impact.
   • Carbon-Neutral Shipping: Collaborated with Sandal to ensure all shipments are carbon-neutral, maintaining competitive shipping rates without burdening consumers.

   "We went in all in... no plastic in our shipments. We're really trying to stay true to this value." — Caroline Graeff [10:45]

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Mission Beyond Products: Education and Community Building (11:04 – 14:01)

Caroline emphasizes that NIAID's mission extends beyond selling supplements. The company aims to educate and empower consumers to adopt healthier, balanced lifestyles through:

• Educational Resources: Personalized eBooks, weekly wellness tips, and easy-to-make recipes provided to the community.
• Habit Formation: Encouraging sustainable habits like meditation and regular physical activity alongside supplement use.

"At Naiad, we are not trying only to sell products. We are also trying to educate and empower people to adopt a healthier and more balanced lifestyle." — Caroline Graeff [11:04]

Strategic Planning:

• The comprehensive approach was part of their initial plan, ensuring that every aspect—from product formulation to sustainability—aligned with their core values and mission.

"It was part of the plan because Sebastian's background in health supplement came from the mail order industry for the most part." — Caroline Graeff [14:01]

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Host's Impressions and Conclusion (14:01 – 21:00)

Daniel expresses profound admiration for Caroline and Sebastian's meticulous planning and strategic execution, noting their comprehensive approach to product development and brand building. He is particularly impressed by their focus on quality, sustainability, and community engagement, distinguishing NIAID in a saturated market.

Call to Action:

• Website: Listeners are encouraged to visit www.nyadshop.com for more information and to purchase products.
• Amazon Presence: NIAID's stress management and joint health products are available on Amazon.
• Social Media: Followers can connect with NIAID on Instagram and Facebook for updates and wellness content.

"I'm super inspired. I think other people not only to try your product but also to live their dreams about maybe working with family members..." — Daniel [19:52]

Final Remarks: Daniel commends the Graeff siblings for their inspirational journey, encouraging listeners to adopt strategic planning in their entrepreneurial endeavors and to prioritize quality and sustainability.

"Well, Caroline and Sebastian, this has been great. I'm very, very impressed by what you've been doing." — Daniel [19:52]

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Conclusion

Episode 186 of "Founder's Story" offers an insightful look into how Caroline and Sebastian Graeff transformed their athletic experiences and entrepreneurial spirit into a health supplement company that prioritizes quality, sustainability, and consumer education. Their strategic approach and commitment to clean, clinically tested products set NIAID apart in the competitive U.S. market, embodying the true spirit of innovation and resilience.

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Notable Quotes:

• "I was starting to have a lot of joint issues... I took it and after a month it felt like a miracle." — Caroline Graeff [04:14]
• "Our formulas... actually most of our formulas, four out of the five products we have only have one ingredient." — Caroline Graeff [07:30]
• "We have clinically tested formulas... there could be negative interactions between several ingredients which is a final product you actually put in your mouth." — Caroline Graeff [09:15]
• "At Naiad, we are not trying only to sell products. We are also trying to educate and empower people to adopt a healthier and more balanced lifestyle." — Caroline Graeff [11:04]
• "It was part of the plan because Sebastian's background in health supplement came from the mail order industry for the most part." — Caroline Graeff [14:01]
• "I'm super inspired. I think other people not only to try your product but also to live their dreams about maybe working with family members..." — Daniel [19:52]

---

Links and Resources:

• NIAID Website: www.nyadshop.com
• Amazon Products: Available on Amazon.com
• Social Media: Instagram and Facebook

Transcript

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[Daniel]

Foreign welcome back to Founder Story. Today we have Caroline and Sebastian Graph, co founders of niad. And Caroline and Sebastian you have a very interesting story going from professional athletes to helping people which we're going to get into all that. I am very passionate about health. I think our audience always really enjoys to hear people talking about this topic because we are all stressed out. Entrepreneurs, founders, business executives, stress overeating, I mean joint health, getting older, longevity. These are all things that we are very interested. But before we dive into everything around the supplements and your company, can you share the story as to why did.

[Sebastian]

You even become founders?

[Caroline]

Hi Daniel, thank you for the introduction and thank you for inviting us to the show. So I'm Sebastian, this is Caroline. We both grew up in France in a very sporty environment because our father himself was a soccer professional player and he was as well a self made businessman which helped us to instill in us the principles of discipline, resilience and ambition. And from a young age we were immersed in the world of sports, constantly challenging ourselves, competing and learning the importance of perseverance. So for me personally my passion was tennis. I pursued it at the highest level professionally, but also in college where I was a two time All American at Pepperdine University in a D1 school. And all those years it helped me with, it taught me the values of discipline, mental strengths, work ethics. When I was done at the university, when I graduated, I went back, started working with my father actually in the mail order business. And then after a few years I went on and went on to start my own business where I started focusing mainly on health supplements. My sister, which is, I think now she should go.

Yes, it's important to know that because it, it really shaped why we started this company. So myself, I used to be a professional athlete in snowboarding for France. And then I moved to the US over 20 years ago to finish studying and also become an entrepreneur and. But basically I kept on having a very busy lifestyle doing triathlons and a lot of outdoor activities like rock climbing, still skiing, a lot. And I was starting, I started having a lot of joint issues and my brother said, you should try one of my supplements, I think you like it. So I took it and after a month it felt like a miracle. I was able to do a lot more and remove some of the stress before my long distance activities. And that's when we thought there could be something to be done in the US with that supplement. Initially it was just one supplement, the joint health supplement. And we decided to partner up and to launch niaid. But we wanted to do it different than what we were seeing in the US we had a strong vision and mission when it comes to products, quality of products, safety, but also sustainability. And so yeah, we went in all in.

[Daniel]

It's amazing that you have a brother and sister duo. I think some people are afraid sometimes to work with their family. You know, some people say it's great. Some people have had a mixed experience. How has that been? And if it's been a great experience, what are some pointers to the audience who are also thinking about going into business with their family?

[Caroline]

For me personally, we, we grew up with our father who was a, like I said, a self made businessman. He loved the, I mean he was crazy about working. He was a workaholic. And for us it was natural at some point to work together. I mean, it happened just on a circumstance because she was suffering with her knee. But we always talked about potentially working together one day. So it really happened naturally. The biggest challenge is actually I do live in Switzerland and she lives in California. So that's our biggest challenge.

But we, yeah, we're very complementary. You know, whatever strength he has, it might be a weakness. Well, he knows the health supplement business really well since he's developed it in France and Portugal. And for me, I'm more on the creative side. So we really balance all the tasks. And like you said, the main objective, it's been the time difference.

[Daniel]

No, that's great. You're working through the strengths of one another. Um, and you have complimentary skill sets. So it doesn't sound like you're going to be stepping on each other's toes. So that, that makes total sense. You know, you had instilled from your father, you know, family and understanding business was going to be a thing for you. So let's talk about product, market fit. So you create this product, you, you look at. The market you want to go into is the US which is obviously a very competitive market. What are you doing or seeing? Or can you elaborate on the things that really set you apart from what you were talking about earlier?

[Caroline]

Of course, Daniel, you're very right. It's a big take to launch in the US in such a big market. So the first thing was we decided not to focus just on one product. We decided to focus on product that matter to us and usually around lifestyle. So, so we have actually five products right now. Joint health, Stress management, Muscle recovery and Weight management. So for us, it was very important that we, we feel connected to those products based on our lifestyle, our experience, and what we believe is health is having a healthy life. So how do we. So the big thing that I was telling you earlier, like it was important for us to have a very, a very strong vision and we have very strong values that come with it. And so we use that as at our advantage to differentiate ourselves. So the first thing is our formulas. And actually most of our formulas, four out of the five products we have only have one ingredient. So they're very natural. They all come from nature. So we have the mangosteen for drone health, lemon balm for stress, lemon verbena for stress, for muscle recovery. But with that being said, the composition of our products is very simple, but it's about the bioactive ingredients. That's what makes it so special. We're able to extract them in a way that allows us to make very efficient supplements. So it's not like, oh, I drink a lemon verbena tea, that will help me with muscle recovery. It may help, but really it's different. Not all products are equal. And then on matters of safety, our products obviously are tested for compliance in the US and also in Europe. Our products are non gmo, vegan, gluten free, free of additives. We're trying to stay very simple and clean. It's. And that's huge for us and I think it's a big advantage to, to focus on that in today's market. People, consumers are very skeptical and that's a big thing we've seen through our marketing and customer service is very important to customers. So that's our first way we differentiate ourselves. The other thing is our products are all clinically tested and proven, not just, not just ingredients which usually you'll see companies, competitors saying that they have clinically tested ingredients, we have clinically tested formulas. So there is no issues of two ingredients counter interacting. There could be negative interactions between several ingredients which is a final product you actually put in your mouth which is very important. And we believe we're one of the only people doing this. The third part is the sustainability part. Being an outdoorsy person, I'm really a snowboarder and I do a lot of backpacking, backcountry, skiing, et cetera. It's very important to us. So it was a very. For our audience right now that is interested in becoming a sustainable company. It was very challenging to find to look for non plastic options when it comes to packaging. And we found a great company called Bio Bottles. And it's actually, it's a plastic that has specific technology in it that helps the plastic break down in a natural setting which is fantastic because it's light. So it's great when shipping. But also it doesn't. It prevents microplastic and you could recycle it and if you don't recycle it, it will eventually break down in nature settings. So that was the first thing. And then when it comes to shipping, we partnered with a company called Sandal and we're able to ship carbon neutral which is also very. Without putting the burden on consumers. With added costs. We have very, very competitive shipping rates. So we were very happy to be able to to fill this sustainable objective. We still have to improve of course, but we have no plastic in our shipments. I mean we're really trying to stay true to this value.

So. And lastly, so at Naiad we are not trying only to sell products. What we're trying to do is also to educate and empower people to adopt to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. So through our journey in sports wellness, Caroline and I have learned that true well being comes from daily habits, mindful choices and a commitment to continuous growth. That's why we focus on providing the knowledge and tools to help our community thrive. We share personalized ebooks, weekly wellness tips and Nutrius easy To make recipes in order to make it easier for people to integrate healthy routine into their daily lives. And our goal is to inspire movement, encourage self care and foster a deeper awareness of all our choices, impact both our bodies and the environment as well.

Yes.

So it's really important for us. You know, it's like nowadays you can say it's easy like when you take like for example a weight management product, oh, you're going to lose so and so kilos or pounds. But if you don't put some efforts on your side, it's not going to happen. This is going to help you. And what we want to try is to have to change this mentality where people have just a better structure in their life and those products, all of them for different things. It will help them.

Yes, we want to build sustainable habits, help people build sustainable habits in the long term. So it's not just about taking a supplement, but maybe meditating, going on walks and moving your bodies. So we're trying to emphasize also on educating our consumers.

[Daniel]

I'm really blown away because you've thought about a lot of features and a lot of benefits, more so than just the product alone. For example, you, you said the formulations versus the ingredient being looked at in terms of efficacy. You community building things, giving people education and know how as well as, you know, standards from the bottle being, you know, the bottle to the shipping, you've really thought about every step of the way. And I would say, you know, European standards, from what I've seen in supplements are much higher. The US is not always, you know, they allow a lot of things that I know Europe won't even allow in ingredients. I'm curious with all of these things that you've, that you've created and all of these amazing benefits and stuff, did you, did this just become an organic thing? Did you like, did you plan on, okay, we're going to have sustainable bottles and we're going to, we're going to do tests on the formulations. Or was this something that came along the way? What was your process in determining, you know, we're going to do all. Because it seems like it's a lot of things, amazing things, but I'd imagine in the beginning it would be tough to know everything. But did you plan this all or did it organically happen?

[Caroline]

Yes, it was part of the plan because Sebastian's background in health supplement came from the mail order industry for the most part. He also did a bit of E commerce, but it was mostly catalog sales and very little about branding and for me branding was is big and I feel like that's when people connect to a brand they get inspired, they listen and with this with what matters to us between the sustainable part and the education part was that was non negotiable when we decided to launch. I mean in Switzerland they are just like very eco friendly anyway so I don't think he realizes how much more difficult it could be in the US so but it took a long time to find the right partners and to make sure that as a young company we don't get penalized should I say from higher costs or we do not penalize then consumer right because at the end we want our consumer to be able to purchase a product without having to purchase because the bottle might be too expensive or so we were really able to find great partners in that realm and we're very happy.

[Sebastian]

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[Caroline]

Were able to accomplish those objectives for sure. Like I already said no.

[Daniel]

This is really great. I'm very very impressed. We've talked to other founders that have been doing supplements. I've never seen anyone who has focused or who has planned out so many of the pieces along the way. I'm very impressed by that. I want to try this product. I have joint issues in my knee. I need and I love Mangosteen like I need to get this product and I got stress and I want to you know be in the best shape of my life.

[Sebastian]

So if you want to get in.

[Daniel]

Touch with you and they want to maybe find out more about the products, about your journeys, how can they do.

[Caroline]

So they can Visit our website ww.nyadshof.com so it's n A I A D s h o p.com we also have a couple products on Amazon right now. We have our stress management and our joint health product also on Amazon.

And you can follow also of course on the social media. Yes, on Instagram and Facebook.

[Daniel]

Well, Caroline and Sebastian, this has been great. I'm very, very impressed by what you've been doing. I'm super inspired. I think other people not only to try your product but also to live their dreams about maybe working with family members, you know, planning out and being more strategic with the launches of their products, services, whatever they're doing in their company. I think this has been a great conversation and thank you so much for joining us today on Founder Story.

[Caroline]

Thank you very much Danielle. Thank you. Bye. Thank you. Bye bye bye.

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