Leading For Wellness

More than 30 years ago, Steve Jennings played a pivotal role in introducing the world to the benefits of creatine supplementation at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. 

In this conversation, Steve will share the reason behind why he's now leading the charge with creatine 2.0, and how we can shift our perception beyond the world of gyms and performance sports, and introduce the broader health and wellbeing benefits of creatine to the mass...

Your gut does more than digest food. It shapes your cravings, energy, and even your mood. So how can you work with it instead of against it?

Liesl Bernard sits down with Sierra Simpson, founder and CEO of BrilliantBiome, to talk about the microbiome’s surprising influence on health and performance. After struggling with the effects of long-term antibiotic use, Sierra turned to science to heal herself and discovered the powerful c...

AI won’t take your job. Someone who knows how to use it will. So what does that mean for the nutraceuticals industry?

Liesl Bernard sits down with Andy Dahlen, a veteran in consumer packaged goods and dietary supplements, to talk about how AI is shaking up nutraceuticals and personalized nutrition. With experience leading brands like General Mills, Beech-Nut, and MegaFood, Andy shares how AI is speeding up ingredient research, ma...

Mitochondria fuel every cell in your body, but how often do you check in on their health? 

In this episode, Dr. Hemal Patel, a tenured professor at UC San Diego and Chief Scientific Advisor for Versailles Discovery, joins Liesl Bernard to unpack why these tiny powerhouses hold the key to longevity and how an innovative at-home test can provide real insights into your energy levels, resilience, and overall well-being. 

Dr. Patel...

Adversity often opens unexpected doors to purpose, growth, and deeper spirituality. In this episode, Liesl Bernard sits down with Johnny Blackburn, the founder and director of Mystics, a school for personal and spiritual development. 

Johnny shares how a life-altering injury transformed his path and led him from consulting to a deep dive into spirituality and personal development. He reflects on the power of facing difficult emot...

Mastering leadership, understanding consumer behavior, and balancing intuition with business savvy are important to success in the functional beverage world—insights Jim Tonkin has cultivated over four decades. Jim, the “Functional Beverage Guru,” joins Liesl Bernard in this episode to share his journey of creating iconic brands like Essentia Water, Zico Coconut Water, and Suja Juice. From leaving his family’s 7-Up franchise to pur...

“Our vision is to pop it fresh and have really quality popcorn with purpose. Our popcorn is with purpose because we put intentional ingredients into it,” says Tim Wood, the CEO of Fired Up! Popcorn and a full-time fireman at Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego. In this episode, Tim joins Liesl Bernard to share his journey from creating a simple, healthy snack at the fire station to building a business rooted in wellness. His dedication to...

“There’s a lot of tradition and culture involved with the treatment and consumption of psychedelics that needs to be honored because of the nature of how all of it really started out years and years ago. We’re just kind of coming about it right now, and there’s a lot of wisdom there that we can understand,” says Gary Seelhorst, a pharma, biotech, and functional wellness executive. In this episode, he joins Liesl Bernard to talk abo...

“The beauty of kombucha, besides the big, bright flavor, are the health benefits. So, if you’re not offering those live probiotics, I just think you’re doing a disservice to the potential of kombucha for wellness and health,” says Michael ZonFrilli, creator of Bambucha Kombucha. Known for his chef-crafted, wellness-driven beverages, Michael brings both culinary artistry and a commitment to authentic kombucha into each batch he make...

“Broccoli microgreens are the most potent antioxidant compound. They contain sulforaphane, which is beneficial for the immune system, has anti-cancer properties, and so forth. They’re also linked to longevity and anti-aging,” says Vladi Delsoglio, the CEO of Ederra, a farm-to-body functional food company. He joins Liesl Bernard in this episode to share how a personal health scare—being diagnosed with fatty liver disease—opened his ...

“80% of consumers in the US are deficient in Omega-3s,” shares John Stockman, the CEO of Nordic Naturals, a company that is known for their commitment to wellness through high-quality supplements. He joins Liesl Bernard to share his journey from the corporate world to leading a brand that's focused on delivering the purest, most potent, and freshest Omega-3 supplements. How much do you really know about the role Omega-3s play in yo...

“I think there will be an ever-growing interest in wellness, but also in how supplements will propel us forward into the next decade, century, and beyond,” says Shaun Ahuja in this first episode of “Leading for Wellness.” Host Liesl Bernard, CEO of Kalon Executive Search and Staffing, sits down with Shaun to talk about his journey as the founder and CEO of Nutracode, a New York-based company known for its innovative supplement deli...