# #191 - GNC’s Next Big Thing: Plink! and Green Regimen’s Winning Formula

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-04-09
- Length: 39m
- Episode: 140
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-04-09-191-gncs-next-big-thing-plink-and-green-regimens-winning-formula
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/eb731a54

## Summary

Luke Montgomery-Smith of Plink! and Tyshawn Bryant of Green Regimen discuss winning GNC’s Next Big Thing competition, detailing their application strategies, the high-stakes pitch in Pittsburgh, and the subsequent national retail test. They explain how they leveraged the win to secure permanent shelf placement, raise funds, and build relationships with GNC’s store staff to drive sales across different regional markets. The founders emphasize the importance of understanding GNC’s evolution from hardcore fitness to holistic wellness and the necessity of active founder involvement in retail execution.

## Outline

1. Introduction: GNC Next Big Thing Overview
2. Luke Montgomery-Smith: Plink! and Expo West
3. The Pitch Day Experience in Pittsburgh
4. Post-Win: Onboarding and National Distribution
5. Tyshawn Bryant: Green Regimen and Application Strategy
6. Retail Execution and Customer Education
7. Conclusion and Call to Action

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- GNC (company)
- Plink! (product)
- Green Regimen (product)
- Startup CPG (company)
- Expo West (other)
- Ghost Energy (product)
- Aulani Nu (product)
- Erewhon (company)
- Bevnet (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Advice Line with Andrew Abraham of Orgain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-16-advice-line-with-andrew-abraham-of-orgain) (How I Built This)
- [#057 - Kickstarter Post-launch - a home gym challenges the "No pain No gain" crowd, with Joey Atlas of SCULPTAFIT Global, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-06-20-057-kickstarter-post-launch-a-home-gym-challenges-the-no-pain-no-gain-crowd-with) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Advice Line with Perry Chen of Kickstarter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-12-advice-line-with-perry-chen-of-kickstarter) (How I Built This)
- [Magic Spoon & Exo: Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-12-magic-spoon-exo-gabi-lewis-and-greg-sewitz) (How I Built This)
- [Mythical: Rhett and Link](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-04-08-mythical-rhett-and-link) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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