Episode #568: Scaling Physician's Choice From Startup to $250M-Logan Chierotti on Smart Growth and Supplements

On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Logan Chierotti, founder of Physician's Choice supplements, to dig into the in's and out's of building a high-growth company in the HALO space. Logan discusses his journey from working in digital marketing to launching what is now the top probiotic brand on Amazon, with annual revenues approaching $250 million. He opens up about the importance of focusing on value and science-backed products, the challenges of navigating both e-com and retail distribution, and the lessons learned in building a top-tier executive team.

Whether you're a health club operator considering selling supplements or an entrepreneur looking for growth tips, you'll want to hear Logan's takeaways on company culture, self-awareness, and long-term success in a rapidly evolving, highly-competitive space.

When it comes to educating customers beyond just price, Logan states, "We wanted to give consumers value. And what's nice is with the Internet or e-commerce or even . . . med spas or health clubs, is you can educate the consumer more, right? They come into your store or they come online and you have all the marketing there so you can really educate them as opposed to just dropping your product in Walmart, which is a pure brand or commodity game. People are buying there based on price or based on packaging, versus when you control the distribution channels, you can educate them a lot more."

Key themes discussed

• Transition from e-commerce to retail distribution strategies.
• Building a high-quality executive and leadership team.
• Navigating retailer partnerships and managing risk.
• Importance of a singular brand focus: Probiotics and gut health.
• Educating versus marketing to the consumer.
• Value and growth of subscription business models.
• Founder self-awareness and letting go of ego.

A Few Key Takeaways: 

1. Hyper-Growth Through Strategic Focus: Logan shared how Physician's Choice grew quickly by narrowing their initial focus to just probiotics and gut health. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, they became the top probiotic brand by focusing on a science-backed, in-demand supplement.

2. Controlling Distribution—Don't Chase Every Retailer: Logan emphasized the importance of controlling your own distribution channels, especially in the early stages. He cautioned against being seduced by "sexy" big box retail deals, which often shift risk onto the product provider and can become a logistical and financial nightmare. Physician's Choice only says yes to retailers who agree to their terms.

3. Value-Driven Brand Built on Education: The brand positioned itself as a value brand—affordable, yet backed by science and trust in the name. They focused on educating consumers through controlled channels like e-commerce and social media rather than relying on traditional retail, where purchasing decisions are much more driven by price and packaging.

4. Building a Strong Executive Team: Chierotti's biggest learning was recognizing his own strengths and weaknesses early. He surrounded himself with a high-level executive team, brought in a CEO when the company reached a certain size, and freely gave equity to key hires. He stressed that hiring smart people and getting out of their way was crucial to scaling up.

5. The Power and Patience of the Subscription Model: About 40-50% of Physician's Choice revenue comes from subscriptions—compounded over years. Logan pointed out how businesses (health clubs, supplement companies, etc.) often underestimate how long and compounding subscription revenue can take to build, but if you stick with it and focus on customer retention, the growth will come.

Resources: 

• Logan Chierotti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganchierotti   
• Physician's Choice: https://www.physicianschoice.com  
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com