Andy Frisella

Andy Frisella began his entrepreneurial journey over 20 years ago in Springfield, Missouri, with limited resources. As athletes interested in supplements, he and partner Chris Klein raised $12,000 through odd jobs but faced immediate setbacks: their first storefront required a full year's rent upfront ($12,000), leaving them to max out credit cards for inventory and furnish the space themselves, including sleeping on a urine-stained mattress from a Salvation Army store. Despite early struggles—barely making $500 daily—they built rapport with clients, acquired failing supplement chains, and expanded to over 30 Supplement Superstores branches, emphasizing customer needs over products via direct relationships and social media feedback. In 2009, Frisella and his partners launched 1st Phorm International, shifting from retail to manufacturing high-quality supplements amid an industry focused on cheap production. This move succeeded after persistent efforts to build trust, growing the company into a global fitness brand sponsoring over 4,000 influencers and generating an estimated $175 million+ in annual revenue. Frisella credits his father's lessons on work ethic and determination, applying a mindset shift—viewing personal 'scars' as sales advantages—to scale operations. Frisella expanded beyond supplements, founding or co-founding Alpine Sports Products, Carbon Fire Nutrition, Paradise Distribution, and 44Seven Media, with his ventures collectively exceeding $200 million in yearly revenue. He entered media with the 2015 MFCEO Project Podcast and Real AF, sharing entrepreneurship insights, and created 75 HARD, a 75-day mental toughness program. As a bestselling author of six children's books and a self-help title promoting hard work, and a top keynote speaker, he co-founded The Arete Syndicate with Ed Mylett for elite entrepreneurs.