Podcast Summary: Habits and Hustle
Episode 457: Jeff Byers: The Former NFL Player Exposing the $200 Billion Supplement Scam
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Hosts: Jennifer Cohen and Habit Nest

Introduction

In Episode 457 of "Habits and Hustle," host Jennifer Cohen welcomes Jeff Byers, the co-founder and CEO of Momentous, to discuss his remarkable journey from the NFL to leading a top-tier supplement company. The conversation delves into the intricate world of supplements, exposing industry flaws, and emphasizing the importance of quality and transparency.

Guest Background

Jeff Byers shares his inspiring story of transitioning from a nationally recruited high school football star to an accomplished CEO. A two-time captain at USC, Jeff's athletic career faced significant challenges due to severe injuries, including two hip surgeries that threatened his ability to play football. Despite these setbacks, Jeff's resilience led him to earn an MBA from USC and eventually secure a position in the NFL, playing for teams like the Seahawks, Broncos, and Panthers.

Notable Quote:

"The hardest part about transitioning out of sport or military is you let sport define you. Right. Because it's everything to you. And you have to realize when you transition out of sport is like the sport never defined me, it was a part of me. I defined me."
— Jeff Byers [03:07]

Leadership Insights

Jeff attributes much of his leadership philosophy to his father and legendary NFL coach Pete Carroll. Drawing parallels between managing a sports team and running a business, Jeff highlights the significance of consistency, accountability, and compassionate decision-making.

Notable Quote:

"From Pete, to me, really showed me the power of if you show up consistently and you show up with the ability to galvanize and bring passion and purpose to what you do, people rally."
— Jeff Byers [14:10]

Building Momentous

Jeff discusses the origins of Momentous, born from a spin-off of a biotech company focused on transdermal drug delivery. Initially targeting elite athletes and special forces with innovative products like PR Lotion, Jeff and his co-founder Erica recognized the need to democratize high performance for everyday consumers. This vision led to the merger with another supplement brand, resulting in the creation of Momentous—a company committed to quality, transparency, and efficacy in the supplement industry.

Notable Quote:

"We wanted to democratize high performance and turn it into human performance because high performance is what happens in the NFL. Human performance is what you and I do every day."
— Jeff Byers [58:29]

The $200 Billion Supplement Scam

A significant portion of the discussion addresses the rampant issues within the supplement industry, including lack of regulation, deceptive marketing, and compromised product quality. Jeff exposes how many supplement companies prioritize profits over consumer well-being, often leading to mislabeled or contaminated products entering the market.

Notable Quote:

"The industry is so messy, so dirty, unregulated. My ego said, you don't want to be a supplement company... What I saw in supplements was marketing, marketing, marketing. Not brands that I loved and not great products."
— Jeff Byers [32:01]

Importance of Certification (NSF)

Jeff emphasizes the critical role of third-party certifications like NSF Certified for Sport in ensuring product quality and safety. Unlike many companies that skip rigorous testing to cut costs, Momentous invests significantly in both inbound and post-production certifications to guarantee label accuracy and absence of banned substances.

Notable Quote:

"NSF Certified for Sport is the highest testing that NSF does because it's like every other test, you have to pass every other one of their qualifications to get certified for sport."
— Jeff Byers [38:27]

Momentous Product Line (Momentous3)

The centerpiece of Momentous's offerings is the Momentous3, a trio of supplements comprising creatine, omegas, and protein. Jeff explains how these foundational products are backed by extensive clinical research and are designed to support long-term health and performance rather than short-term gains.

Notable Quote:

"Momentous3. It's creatine, omegas, and protein—the three most important products that have the most clinical research and the biggest impact on performance today and performance tomorrow forever."
— Jeff Byers [47:27]

Jeff’s Personal Supplement Stack

Jeff provides a candid overview of his personal supplement regimen, highlighting his commitment to foundational nutrients and occasional supplements tailored to specific needs. His stack includes:

• Consistent Daily Intake: Creatine, omegas, and protein.
• Targeted Supplements: Collagen for connective tissue health, vitamin D for bone and immune health, and a comprehensive multivitamin.
• Occasional Needs: Adaptogens like Rhodiola and Ashwagandha for stress management, and specialized products like the Elite Sleep pack for improved sleep quality during travel.

Notable Quote:

"If you haven't built your foundation and you don't continue to care for your foundation, which I consider is the Momentous3, you can't build a strong house or strong anything on top of it."
— Jeff Byers [51:34]

Testing and Quality Control

Momentous's dedication to quality is exemplified by their stringent testing protocols. Jeff shares instances where products failed NSF standards due to contamination or inaccurate labeling, leading the company to pull these products off the market to maintain integrity.

Notable Quote:

"We spend about 1.6% of our top line revenue on post-production certifications. That number used to be double, triple, quadruple that. And that just takes straight out the bottom line because guess what, if you don't have we could, we could have had a certification that cost us $100."
— Jeff Byers [38:28]

Hormone and Testosterone Discussion

Jeff touches upon the sensitive topic of hormones and testosterone, advocating for natural supplementation and lifestyle adjustments over pharmaceutical interventions like Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). He highlights how Momentous incorporates scientifically-backed ingredients to support hormone health without the risks associated with synthetic treatments.

Notable Quote:

"A lot of hormone crap out there is really big, and it's really... Hormones are a tough one for me because it's not something I naturally see."
— Jeff Byers [86:15]

Concluding Insights

Wrapping up the episode, Jennifer Cohen and Jeff Byers underscore the importance of informed supplement choices, emphasizing that consumers should prioritize quality, transparency, and scientific backing when selecting products. Jeff reiterates Momentous's mission to provide reliable supplements that genuinely support long-term health and performance.

Notable Quote:

"If you don't know why you take something, you shouldn't take it. Reassess and go back to the basics."
— Jeff Byers [91:14]

Final Thoughts

Jeff Byers's journey from the NFL to disrupting the supplement industry offers valuable lessons in resilience, leadership, and the pursuit of excellence. Through Momentous, Jeff champions a movement towards higher standards, ensuring that consumers receive products they can trust for their health and performance needs.

Visit Momentous: For those interested in Jeff Byers's high-quality supplements, visit livemomentous.com and use the code Jen for 35% off your first subscription.