‘Step up to the plate and take a swing’

Born into entrepreneurial family, Greg Stroh worked for his family’s Stroh Brewery Co. in Michigan for 11 years before he made a big splash in the beverage world. He and his partner Todd Woloson started Boulder-based IZZE Beverage Co. in 2002 and sold it to PepsiCo for $75 million in 2006.

Today, Greg Stroh has once again defined a new niche in the industry as one of three cofounders of mix1, which produces an all-natural “functional beverage” of the same name.

Q: What was the genesis of the idea for mix1?

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A: I knew Dr. James Rouse from my days at IZZE. We were always throwing around ideas back then. I met him for lunch one day and we were discussing how his patients were always asking for an all-natural meal replacement, and none existed! Ensure and Boost were the only ones in the market doing at least $500 million a year, and they are both owned by large pharmaceutical companies.

Q: What came first, the problem or the solution?

A: The problem existed, and we wanted to create a true functional beverage to serve the market. We envisioned creating the highest quality all-natural products, to have a truly functional nutrition for wellness and peak performance that promotes health, wellness and performance. Our passion is to define the functional beverage market.

Q: What is the passion that it fills for you personally?

A: To create something from nothing. Putting it all on the line and taking risks. Free enterprise is something unique to the U.S. as compared to most other countries. I feel I have an obligation to embrace it. I enjoy wearing all the different hats it takes to run a company.

Q: Where do you see yourself and your company in 10 years?

A: Having an international presence, to be the product that has defined a new functional beverage market. To have expanded products beyond the mix1 drinks we have today.

Q: What are the biggest challenges you face as an entrepreneur?

A: It’s easy to be the Monday morning quarterback and see all the faults in everything going wrong around you. You need to have a thick skin and be willing to wear multiple hats. As an entrepreneur, you will make mistakes. The big question will be how do you deal with your mistakes and stick together as a team. Will you be able to react quickly? You have to focus on the problem, not the person. It’s important not to second guess yourself or dwell on the mistakes but to learn from them and move on quickly. Your success will be defined by how well you react to challenges and adversity. The best advice I can give is that you just have to be willing to step up to the plate and take a swing.

Q: What aspects of ownership are the most rewarding?

A: The positive feedback I get and the pride in seeing our product out there. I love watching people we hire blossom and realize their full potential and accomplish the success that results from their efforts.

Q: What is the most important attribute you look for in an employee?

A: The first and foremost important thing they must have is passion. They must have passion for the product, the company, and the idea. Everyone here is passionate about nutrition. I seek people who have an entrepreneurial mindset, willing to take risks and be innovative and never settling for the status quo.

Q: Do you recommend any books or an MBA?

A: I don’t have an MBA myself but I think it is valuable to hire MBAs. There are many books I could recommend, but the ones that are on the top of my mind right now are “The Tipping Point” by Malcom Gladwell and “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin.

Q: Slogan to live by or what it might say on your tombstone?

A: “Get up to bat and take a swing, just go for it!” and “Believe in yourself, you’ll be a lot more fun to be around.” There is a fine line in not being conceited, but you do need to love yourself and know you have a lot to offer the world. It starts with believing in yourself!

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

A: I think the worst thing you can do is get overly focused on the end point of where you think your company will be; it distracts you and you will wind up missing other opportunities. Mid-stage, you just want to create options. If you’re having fun and enjoying yourself, success will happen, but if you are in it for the end game, others will sense it and you won’t attract the right people or success.

Be sure you know the main drivers of your business. In our model, it’s all about sales and marketing. We outsource everything except for sales and marketing because we know that’s what it takes to be successful. I think back to the many microbreweries that were good but went out of business in the ’90s. If you look at the ones that failed, you’ll see that they tried to do it all. The successful ones like Sam Adams focused on the sales and marketing, knowing that finding and pleasing customers was the most important thing.

Brian Schwartz is the founder of 50 Interviews Inc., and can be reached at www.50interviews.com.