Trading Secrets, Episode 260: Shahab Elmi – The Mindset Behind Cymbiotika, Wellness as a Luxury, and the $$$ Behind It All

Podcast: Trading Secrets
Host: Jason Tartick (with guest co-host David, “Curious Canadian”)
Guest: Shahab Elmi, Founder & CEO of Cymbiotika
Release Date: October 27, 2025

Overview

In this episode of Trading Secrets, host Jason Tartick dives into the business and mindset behind Cymbiotika, one of the fastest-growing wellness supplement brands in the US, with its powerhouse entrepreneur CEO, Shahab Elmi. Together, they discuss moving beyond profit, wellness as a new form of luxury, generational shifts in health priorities, tough business decisions, key product quality differences, investing in personal health, and how foundational relationships power sustainable growth.

This conversation seamlessly blends finance, personal development, entrepreneurship, and concrete tips for savvy consumers interested in the future of wellness.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Personal Health as True Wealth

[05:18 – 07:32]

• Shahab shares a recent health scare: His appendix burst, leading to a week in the hospital, losing 24 pounds and facing potential sepsis.
  • "When you're in that bed, no one's thinking about Ferraris or Lamborghinis or Bugattis. Everyone's concerned. I just want to be back to what you were before. Just normal." – Shahab [05:51]
• He emphasizes that health is the real form of wealth, vastly more important than money or status symbols.
  • "It's a corny and cliche, but health is wealth. The real wealth in this world is health." – Shahab [06:58]
• The generational shift: younger people are smarter, more informed about health, and make more intentional choices.

2. The Wellness Industry Boom and Cymbiotika’s Origins

[07:33 – 12:00]

• The US health and wellness market is now a $2.21 trillion industry, with millennials and Gen Z embracing different spending patterns—Gen Z focuses more on health.
• Gen Z's changing habits: Alcohol consumption has dropped sharply; today’s consumers seek moderation and longevity.
  • "This generation is smarter, they have more data...they’re realizing health matters." – Shahab [08:52]
• Cymbiotika wasn’t built around profit—it began from a desire to help people, especially after losing family members to cancer.
• Product focus: unwavering commitment to quality, never sacrificing ingredients for margin.

3. Investing in Quality over Profits and “Good Money” vs “Quick Money” Investors

[12:01 – 18:48]

• Why Cymbiotika refuses to cut raw material costs:
  • "The second you give that directive [to cut costs], what you’re telling them is quality down...We’ve never done that. We’ll never do it. Not as long as I’m around." – Shahab [10:18]
• Explosive growth: From their first packet in Jan 2019, they’ve now sold more than 100 million packets, projecting 250 million next year—without paying celebrities for endorsements.
• Instead, authentic relationships result in celebrity investors like The Weeknd, Mark Wahlberg, Daymond John, and others—all are users, not just faces.
  • "That’s not marketing. Those guys need to have kids and grandkids and great grandkids, and they realize they’re smart. This generation of rock stars are different." – Shahab [11:36]
• Investor philosophy:
  • Institutional investors didn't want in because Cymbiotika refused to cut corners for profit; instead, they chose investors who share their ethos and use the product.
  • "The folks who invest in our company aren’t institutional investors. It’s people who are passionate."[15:49]
• Key business KPI: They were profitable year one—positive cash flow from the beginning, only recently taking on select investors.

4. Consumer Secrets: How to Choose (and Avoid) Supplements

[20:44 – 25:39]

Top three consumer tips for navigating supplements:

1. Preservatives: Avoid products with potassium sorbate (cheap, synthetic, poor for gut health).
   "If you’re using potassium sorbate, don’t buy it." – Shahab [21:18]
2. Underdosing: Many brands underdose ingredients like creatine. Clinical effectiveness needs 4–5 grams; many supply less, so it’s ineffective. "It says creatine, and it sounds fantastic, but when you take it, you’re taking less than the clinical dose, which means it doesn’t do anything." – Shahab [22:06]
3. Premixed with water: Some ingredients, once mixed with water, quickly lose efficacy (e.g., creatine, NAD, Vitamin C). Many pre-mixed products on shelves are thus largely ineffective by the time they’re consumed. "After 24–48 hours it’s really not that effective anymore...just take a little time to research." – Shahab [23:51]

• The supplement industry has little regulation, so consumers must be vigilant; even small improvements can have big results.

5. Practical Approaches to Health and Realistic “Wins”

[26:12 – 32:02]

• It’s unrealistic to achieve perfect health or emulate extreme influencers. Instead, focus on incremental improvements:
  • "Find ways to find small wins like Poppy has, like Coconut Cult has. Those companies have done a great job doing it." – Shahab [28:42]
• Gut health: Central to overall well-being; avoid overly “perfect” habits (LED lights, no WiFi) and be pragmatic.
• Don’t shoot for perfection—focus on daily, winnable upgrades in diet and lifestyle.

6. Luxury Redefined: Valuing Health over Materialism

[33:44 – 37:43]

• The real luxury is longevity and health, not cars or watches.
  • "The day that we recognize that as luxury...‘Longevity is the new luxury.’" – Shahab [31:18]
  • "The ability to be around for your family at optimal health into your 70s and 80s and 90s. That’s the stuff, man."[31:40]
• Cymbiotika’s tagline and expansion into experiences and brick-and-mortar (Fontainebleau Hotel in Vegas) reflects this new luxury mindset.

7. The Price of Wellness—and Why It’s Worth It

[33:44 – 38:22]

• Many consumers balk at spending $80–$100/month on high-quality supplements but will spend far more on fleeting luxuries.
  • "We spent 100 some odd bucks...No problem. We frown on that for our health. Why? That’s...crazy." – Shahab [35:08]
• Product absorption: Cymbiotika uses liposomal delivery for much higher absorption vs. cheap competitors.
  • "Depending on where you read, our absorption rates are about 90% or so." – Shahab [36:50]

8. Business Growth, Company Culture, and Leadership

[29:31 – 44:44]

• $40M revenue stats from 2022 are outdated—Cymbiotika approaches $200 million in revenue for 2025.
• Culture: Team believes in the mission; no remote work because the shared purpose is palpable (Shahab calls it “magic”).
• Leadership reflection:
  • "The intention leads to the result. If you’re trying to go for the result and reverse-engineer your intention, never works that way, man." – Shahab [19:36]

9. Effort, Self-Investment, and Choosing the Right People

[42:21 – 44:44]

• Shahab’s only “black and white” non-negotiable: effort.
  • "If your effort level is half-ass, I have zero interest in being with you...Effort level is all that matters to me." – Shahab [42:32]
• Health is a sign of commitment and self-respect—if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t be trusted to care for business or others.

10. The Power of Foundational Relationships

[47:03 – 52:56]

• Shahab’s most important role: being a good husband, father, son, CEO—in that order.
  • "The most important decision you’ll ever make in your life...is your spouse. That decision will define everything else for you." – Shahab [50:51]
• Shahab and wife Durana built 5 companies from scratch, starting with nothing; their bond enabled them to take risks and achieve mutual success.
  • "There’s so much power and belief in the fact that the person next to you...will be with you no matter what. That gave me confidence to go for it." – Shahab [49:05]
• The right supporting partner allows creators and leaders to enter the “flow state,” critical for sustained achievement.

11. What’s Next for Cymbiotika

[53:56 – 55:36]

• Massive national retail expansion—Cymbiotika to be in all Target stores (1,900+) starting October.
• New products: NAD, upgraded creatine, innovative menopause supplement, new flavors and formulas.
  • "We have products like NAD coming, our new creatine is coming, we have a menopause product coming that the world has never seen for women going through menopause." – Shahab [54:20]
• The mission remains the same: force the whole industry to improve by raising the bar.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On quality vs. profit:
  "The second you sell your soul to the devil, man, you never give it back."[15:44]

• On health as wealth:
  "What’s the point of having a hundred billion dollars if you don’t make it to 50? It’s useless." – Shahab [07:28]

• On relationships and “flow state”:
  "The most important decision you’ll ever make in your life is your spouse. If you get that one right, every single building block in your life...will fall into place." – Shahab [50:51]

• Final Trading Secret (from Persian poet Rumi):
  "Close your eyes, fall in love, and stay there." – Shahab [55:41]

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• [05:18] Health scare re-centers perspective
• [08:14] Gen Z spending shifts, origins of Cymbiotika
• [10:18] Product development with uncompromising quality
• [11:52] Celebrity investors, not celebrity shills
• [14:31] Institutional investors’ pushback vs. aligned investors
• [18:10] Early profitability, bootstrapped growth
• [20:44] Three essential consumer supplement tips
• [26:12] Gut health, pragmatism, incremental improvement
• [31:11] Redefining luxury: “Longevity is the new luxury”
• [35:08] Attitudes toward spending on health vs. luxuries
• [42:21] Black-and-white non-negotiable: effort
• [47:03] Building with (and choosing) the right partner
• [53:56] What’s next for Cymbiotika

Episode Tone and Takeaways

Throughout the conversation, Shahab comes across as direct, passionate, and deeply practical. He balances a driven entrepreneur’s mindset with an authentic, no-BS commitment to product quality and personal wellness. The episode is rich with tactical advice (both for consumers and startup founders), memorable stories, and actionable wisdom on aligning money, impact, and relationships.

For Listeners: Actionable Insights

• Prioritize health as your foundational asset; don’t undervalue investments in your well-being.
• Use ingredient labels, clinical doses, and research to make informed supplement choices.
• Build and grow with partners (in business and life) who share your mission and ethics.
• Focus on consistent, small improvements instead of chasing perfection.
• Redefine luxury around what lasts—health and time with loved ones, not status symbols.

Find Cymbiotika: Cymbiotika.com
Follow Jason Tartick: @jason_tartick

"Don’t chase the dollar. The foundation will always make sense when you believe in the long-term value and impact—that’ll be greater than any gross margin or profit margin." – Jason Tartick (Recap)