In this interview series by
Website Planet, leaders from successful online companies reveal exactly the strategies, tools, and resources that helped them stand out and grow even in the most competitive markets. Each interview is a mini collection of tips proven by decades of experience and real data that you can apply immediately to any website at any stage of growth, and see quick results.
William Grand is the co-founder and CEO of NutriFusion, a company specializing in concentrated micronutrient blends from non-GMO fruits and vegetables used in various food and beverage products. The company has gained recognition for its innovative approach to food nutrition, especially for sectors such as pet nutrition and nutraceuticals.
During his 35+ years in corporate management, sales, marketing, and product development, he has served as CEO of Earth Eco Research LLC and President of Mackay Specialties.
Why is now the time for your company to exist? What are you disrupting or changing that’s broken in your space?
Serious nutrition issues are plaguing our world, resulting in a health crisis that has become overwhelmingly complex, with diabetes and heart disease (just to name a few) well on the rise.
Much of this is due to the
serious dangers of over-processed food, which unfortunately can be found in many pantries across the globe, even making it into the lunches of children. Over-processed food is considered nutritionally-dead as through over-processing, all nutritional value is stripped away.
The prevalence of pesticides and fertilizers are also causing serious issues in the nutritional landscape, as these are essentially ruining the food that comes out of the ground. In fact, in the last 60 years, nutrition has dropped a whopping 50% due to man’s negative impact. Global warming has also played a major role in the decline of nutrition, turning the food industry upside down, as well as a serious lack of clean water.
We want to make a difference by creating fruit-and-vegetable-sourced blends that allow the easy incorporation of nutrients into daily diets that support healthier lifestyles, benefiting not just adults and children but also pets. The craving for increasing revenue has caused companies in the food and beverage and nutraceutical spaces to throw health aside, and we aim to rectify their recklessness through our products.
What unique approach, features, or capabilities make you stand out, and how? Can you share metrics and examples that show the difference you’re making?
Until we came onto the scene, the only choice for nutrition was synthetic vitamins,
which despite general opinion, simply do not do the job. Among the supplement products that populate the shelves of many popular retailers, only about 90% of them should be there. Unfortunately, supplement companies lead consumers to believe their products are the end-all in nutrition, driven by money and pushing aside ethics. What many consumers don’t know is that the chemical structure of synthetic vitamins is quite different from the chemical structure of plant-based nutrition, which is where true nutrition lies.
We put in significant efforts to support R&D and ensure we serve as partners to food scientists and medical professionals who are furthering nutritional advancements. We’ve also learned so much in partnerships with researchers – for example, the tie between fruits and vegetables and the issue of inflammation, leading to chronic health conditions – that help to further inform how we approach our products. It’s these kinds of efforts that we, in our own small way, help to combat the health crisis.
What are the biggest challenges your company has overcome since its founding, and what lessons did you learn from these experiences?
The heavy marketing dollars spent by companies is fueling misinformation in the food industry, starting from what food processors view as healthy but is in reality totally devoid of nutritional value. Synthetic vitamins, until NutriFusion, were the only way to offer vitamins and other nutrients.
NutriFusion only uses natural, plant-based nutrition, which is considerably better than synthetic vitamins. The importance of plant-based nutrition has always been minimized prior to NutriFusion, as synthetics were the only alternative.
Based on your experience, what are the 5 things people need to understand to build a successful online business?
Business is not static. It’s important for any business to be ready to change and adapt, as market demands and customer demands are constantly changing.
A seamless visitor journey is crucial. Our website is very clean and information-heavy since we play in the B2B space as an ingredient provider, vs. a finished consumer product provider. With this, product developers, corporate executives, etc. are able to gather a great deal of information about the benefits of our product to help with purchasing decisions. Additionally, we make it a point to reduce the number of clicks on our website so people can easily access the page they need.
A clear call to action makes a difference. Understand what exactly visitors are trying to get out of your website and make sure to reinforce your calls to action to support their quest.
Leverage multiple forms of communication for a bigger impact. Let powerful tools like social media, such as LinkedIn (which our sales team leverages quite a bit) to guide individuals to your website, which will increase traffic and general engagement.
Analytics tell a deeper story. Be sure to regularly check website analytics to ensure that what you are presenting is resonating, as well as be prepared to tweak the approach as needed.
If there was one unconventional piece of advice you wish our readers could bring home from this interview, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to vocalize your opinions and your stance on industry issues, even if they aren’t popular. Of course, you want to do your best not to alienate others, but with authenticity comes truth, and that kind of truth is crucial for establishing relationships.
However, be selective in the battles you choose to fight – not all issues need to be addressed in one sitting, as that can actually sever relationships, or cause others to steer clear of what you’re trying to communicate, whether directly through messaging or in just the perception of your brand.
How can our readers connect with you?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wgrand
