Our Sales Director, Mari Wines, interviewed Michael Pickett, the Co-Founder of Cytosport Inc., to ask about the early days of the company when no one knew just how successful Muscle Milk would turn out to be.
What would you say is the biggest challenge of being an Entrepreneur in the beverage industry?
The biggest challenge is having enough patience to let the business grow at its natural rate. It always takes longer and costs more money than you think. Anything worthwhile takes a while. People look at Muscle Milk today as one of the most recognized beverages. When we first started, we made 30 jugs of Muscle Milk and everyone said that it would never work. People thought it had too much fat or too many carbohydrates. Everyone just wanted protein. We had a big belief system on how protein should be delivered to the body.
Your team has the same belief system about Steamm. You truly believe that espresso is the best energy source. I love what you do to help children but what is more important is your strong belief that this organic, antioxidant rich formula that is free of sugar and chemicals makes the best energy shot. Knowing that this is the right way to have energy is what will enable you to give out all kinds of vaccinations and help more children.
What is important for Entrepreneurs to remember during the early days?
Entrepreneurs have to go to work every day because they love and believe in something. Forget what you learned in college, which are all the reasons why you might not be successful. It is important to keep the ‘why not’ attitude and forget that all the odds are against you. To be successful as an entrepreneur you have to have tunnel vision, work hard and remain all in. You only go out of business when you give up. We were determined to educate the world on protein. We had no plan B.
Your family didn’t have a plan B, but the employees who worked for you most likely had other options. What advice would you give around having the right people to help grow a start-up?
Companies are built on great products and great people. We were very fortunate that our brand attracted young energetic people that really believed we were doing something good. They enjoyed it. The atmosphere was fun and vibrant. My father and I didn’t micromanage. We hired good people and let them go do their job their way. We wanted to create an environment that was a nice place to come to work everyday. You could wear what you wanted. We were very casual. We started being casual 18 years ago before all of the Silicon Valley start-ups. We offered yoga classes and boot camp. We wanted people to work hard but also have fun. We didn’t ask people to check in at the gym or check on how long their lunches were. People want to work hard for something they believe in and do good. If you start nickeling and diming them with time they will start to treat the job as an 8-5. They will give you their eight hours and be done.
Fast forward to present day. Your family’s dedication, employees’ hard work and the company culture have grown the business to one of the most trusted and recognized sports nutrition companies in the world. What is one of your most satisfying moments?
There are a lot but I would have to say taking a sports specific product and crossing the big divide out of nutrition stores into mainstream America. We brought protein to convenient stores like 7-Eleven where you used to only buy alcohol or sugary drinks. We put healthy shakes on every shelf in America. We changed the views of large companies who now add protein to their products and emphasize the protein in their products. Commercials today are all about five or ten grams of protein to help your muscles. People need a lot more protein in their diets and the fact that we were part of helping that means we did something well.
We have established that believing in your product is the most important thing but Cytosport does give back in a few ways. Can you tell me about that and what it means to you?
One of the things I am most proud of is when my sister and I started building programs to give back. Our collegiate program gives away $250K - $400K each year to underprivileged children so they can go to college. We also donate scoreboards and other equipment to high school and college soccer fields, basketball courts and other sports arenas. I am a bit of a spiritual guy and believe the good Lord only gives you enough to see what you are going to do with it. It is your responsibility to give back when you have a good fortune.
About CytoSport, Inc.
CytoSport, Inc. is among the most trusted and recognized sports nutrition and functional beverage companies in the United States. As the maker of Muscle Milk®, Monster Milk® and Cytomax® brands, CytoSport is dedicated to providing premium protein products that elevate everyday performance for every body. The CytoSport portfolio serves the needs of elite athletes, active lifestylists and weekend warriors with a wide-range of innovative protein-enhanced solutions that taste great and appeal to evolving consumer demands.
CytoSport is a trusted partner with storied collegiate athletic programs, world-class professional athletes, and elite training facilities. All CytoSport powder products are NSF Certified for Sport® ensuring their safety and freedom of banned substances. In 2014, Fast Company listed CytoSport as one of the world’s top 10 most innovative companies in fitness. CytoSport was named one of CircleUp25’s 2013 most innovative companies by Forbes magazine. The company was founded in 1998 by the Pickett family, acquired by Hormel Foods Corporation in 2014, and is headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA.