# Therabody: Jason Wersland

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-05-20
- Length: 1h 11m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland

## Summary

Jason Wersland, co-founder of Therabody, explains how a debilitating motorcycle injury led him to jury-rig a Makita jigsaw into a percussive massager that relieved his nerve pain. After validating the concept with patients and selling early prototypes made from cheap power tools and cat toys, he partnered with Ben Nazarian to launch the Theragun, leveraging endorsements from NFL and NBA athletes like Kyrie Irving to drive mainstream adoption. Wersland details the company's growth from a side hustle to a multi-million dollar brand, highlighting the importance of intellectual property protection against copycats and the strategic use of celebrity equity deals.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=0) Introduction: Jason Wersland and the Theragun Origin
- [5:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=333) Early Life, Flooring Business, and Career Pivot
- [25:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=1506) Motorcycle Accident and the Jigsaw Prototype
- [35:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=2145) Validating the Product with Patients and Athletes
- [49:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=2946) Manufacturing Challenges and Partnership Disputes
- [57:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=3440) Partnering with Ben Nazarian and Scaling the Business
- [1:02:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland#t=3772) Celebrity Endorsements, IP Protection, and Growth

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Therabody (company)
- Theragun (product)
- Makita (tool)
- Kawasaki (tool)
- New England Patriots (company)
- Kyrie Irving (other)
- Justin Timberlake (other)
- Jay-Z (other)
- Ben Nazarian (other)
- Angela (other)
- China Bob (other)
- North Castle Partners (company)
- Amazon (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 263: Making as Therapy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-06-05-episode-263-making-as-therapy) (Making It)
- [018: Re-inventing the walker with Jennifer Harris of Motivo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-09-13-018-re-inventing-the-walker-with-jennifer-harris-of-motivo) (Product Startup)
- [#229 - The Rise of Ketone IQ: Creating a New Energy Category with Michael Brandt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-12-30-229-the-rise-of-ketone-iq-creating-a-new-energy-category-with-michael-brandt) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#012 - Feel the beat - creating the world’s first wearable device for musicians, with Florian Simmendinger of Soundbrenner, Germany - Hong Kong](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-02-08-012-feel-the-beat-creating-the-worlds-first-wearable-device-for-musicians-with-f) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [095: Solve End-User Pain for Consumer Product Success](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-09-29-095-solve-end-user-pain-for-consumer-product-success) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-20-therabody-jason-wersland. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.