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You Don’t Need Permission to Build Something Great
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What if building a healthy cereal brand wasn’t just about clean ingredients—but redefining performance nutrition from the ground up?
In this episode, Eion Carroll, founder of Truly Cereal and former pro bodybuilder, shares his journey from competitive sports to pioneering a high-protein cereal brand that puts quality before hype. Learn how his obsession with nutrition and performance shaped a company focused on clean ingredients, vertical integration, and bold packaging. Eion opens up about bootstrapping the business, balancing fatherhood, and pushing boundaries in the crowded CPG space. If you're an entrepreneur, health nut, or someone looking to fuel smarter, this conversation is packed with takeaways on building resilience—both personally and professionally.Subscribe now for raw insights into brand-building, discipline, and innovation from someone who's lived it.
Key Takeaways
- Quality Over Marketing – Eion built Truly Cereal by prioritizing clean, high-performance ingredients like avocado oil and 18g of protein per bowl over flashy branding and gimmicks.
- Vertical Integration Is Power – By owning the manufacturing process, Eion ensures product consistency, maintains control, and stays agile in a highly competitive market.
- Bootstrapped, Not Boring – Starting without outside capital meant Eion had to build smart systems, develop grit, and take calculated risks to grow sustainably.
- Black Packaging That Stands Out – The decision to use bold, minimalist black boxes helps Truly Cereal pop on shelves and signals a premium experience to consumers.
- Balance Is Non-Negotiable – From fatherhood to fitness, Eion emphasizes health, family, and cutting out distractions as foundational to entrepreneurial success.
Timestamps
0:00:00 – Introduction
0:01:22 – Jonathan’s first impression of Truly Cereal
0:03:45 – Eion’s pro bodybuilding roots and obsession with nutrition
0:06:18 – Why building a great product came before content or hype
0:09:10 – The origin and vision of Truly Cereal
0:12:32 – Standing out through packaging and product quality
0:15:47 – How protein cereal could follow the success of protein bars
0:18:29 – Courage, risk, and ignorance as entrepreneurial fuel0:21:05 – The emotional toll and rewards of bootstrapping
0:24:15 – Ingredient integrity and why they chose avocado oil
0:27:01 – Balancing taste, digestion, and health
0:30:11 – Vertical integration and manufacturing control
0:34:40 – Handling criticism and staying true to your vision
0:37:28 – Scaling without compromising quality
0:40:55 – Balancing business, health, and fatherhood
0:45:08 – Future vision: US expansion and brand evolution
0:48:39 – Final reflections on purpose, feedback, and resilience
Connect with Eion Carroll & Truly Cereal
Website: https://www.trulycereal.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trulycereal
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