Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Fitzalan Crowe, Co-Founder of Supersapiens, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Supersapiens is a sports tech company that develops innovative insights around glucose that aim to unlock better performance and recovery by driving positive behavior changes. We are both a B2B and DTC company, but the customer is essentially the same. Our customer is the everyday athlete looking to improve their performance, dial in their nutrition, and enhance their recovery through our ecosystem, which includes our app, dashboard, Energy Band, and key integrations. Additionally, we support teams, coaches, federations, and organizations through our unrivaled dashboard.
Tell us about yourself
As one of the co-founders behind Supersapiens, I have been here since this was just an idea. It has been an incredible four+ years which has seen us grow and evolve tremendously. While it hasn't been easy or straightforward launching a company during COVID nor raising money in the current financial environment, my passion around what we are doing only continues to expand. What motivates me is the research and science around what we are doing -- we are truly helping people understand their bodies better and how to properly fuel them on an individual level. This means more people enjoy exercising, which ultimately makes us a healthier planet. On a personal level, I feel strongly about the research we are doing around nutrition specifically for female athletes. It has been an under-researched area for too long.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Not only surviving but thriving during these challenging years. We've got to work with some of the best athletes in the world and support them as they've set world records (Eliud Kipchoge - Berlin Marathon), earned Gold medals (triathlon, cycling-track, marathon, etc.), and surpassed what was believed was true around human performance (Sub7 Ironman with Kristian Blummenfelt).
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Understanding that not everyone has the same level of passion and dedication to the company as I do as a co-founder. I cannot expect everyone to put in the same number of hours and drive to the project. Sure, I wish they would, but they also deserve a better work-life balance.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Invest in in-depth market research.
- Build long-term partnerships and relationships with complimentary companies. This can help you in so many ways (hiring/HR, co-shared marketing campaigns, brainstorming/problem solving, etc).
- Find an experienced mentor. You will face so many challenges and problems. Some you will be experienced and capable to handle, but others may be something new. Having a mentor to talk to not only helps you approach issues from the perspective of someone whose been through it and knows all the various angles you should be looking at it from (helps you see your holes), but it also keeps you focused on the North Star and allows you to weather the problems more gracefully. They remind you that problems are normal, and it all comes down to how you handle them.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.supersapiens.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitzalan-crowe-9603554/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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