345. Evan Quinn, Co-founder & CEO of hiyo

Today, I'm joined by Evan Quinn, co-founder and CEO of hiyo. A nonalcoholic social tonic with adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals, hiyo has expanded from DTC to 11K+ retail locations nationwide. In this episode, we discuss building a new category around social wellness. We also cover: Music and culture partnerships The household penetration opportunity Creating a proprietary "float" feeling from functional ingredients Subscribe to the podcast → insider.fitt.co/podcast Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider  hiyo's Website: www.drinkhiyo.comhiyo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkhiyo/  - The Fitt Insider Podcast is brought to you by EGYM. Visit EGYM.com to learn more about its smart fitness ecosystem for fitness and health facilities. Fitt Talent: https://talent.fitt.co/Consulting: https://consulting.fitt.co/Investments: https://capital.fitt.co/ Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (04:00) Company and founder story (05:25) College inspiration and founding (06:50) Social Tonic category definition (08:35) Avoiding mocktail positioning (10:45) Straddling three industries (12:20) The "float" concept (15:05) Early traction and social proof (16:30) DTC-to-wholesale transition (17:45) Retail expansion strategy (21:00) Music and culture partnerships (23:00) Ingredient philosophy (25:01) Staying disciplined on innovation (28:30) Regulatory compliance and quality (29:16) Category constriction and white space (31:30) Household penetration opportunity (34:00) Red Bull comparison and hiyo lifestyle (35:45) Meaning and ritual in wellness (36:30) Where to find (38:00) Conclusion