Johnny Russell
Daniels MS Applied Quantitative Finance students often experience some fascinating journeys after finishing their undergraduate studies and prior to beginning their graduate work. Johnny Russell is one such student. Russell joined forces with fellow Colgate alumni to grow a superfood snack bar product from start-up to its eventual acquisition by PepsiCo this past fall. Read more about Russell’s experience, and how it impacted his decision to study at Reiman:
Russell started his academic journey at Colgate University, where he fell in love with policy and economics through studies in international relations. His passion for the world at large originated with extensive travels as a child and two years living with his family in the Philippines, and was reinforced with time spent studying abroad in Paris. Graduation was followed by two years’ work at a policy think tank in Washington, D.C. His experience there ultimately helped him realize that he wanted to step outside the confines of politics and try his hand at creating value in the market.
An avid reader, Russell became fascinated with start-ups during his time in Washington, D.C. During that time, he kept in touch with a friend from Colgate who was starting up a venture called Health Warrior. Although the nascent operation was headquartered in Virginia, Russell was able to parlay his desire to relocate to Colorado into an opportunity to lead their sales and marketing efforts for the Rocky Mountain region.
Russell describes these early days working for a start-up with fewer than 10 employees as “a relentless ground game.” He spent his days going door to door, introducing the brand to as many retailers and marketers as possible – from coffee shops to yoga studios to individual Whole Foods locations. The contrast to his time in D.C. was undeniable: where the nation’s capital offered rules and established ways of operating, building a start-up was like the Wild West, allowing Russell to learn on the fly and help the company write its own story.
During five years at Health Warrior, Russell tried his hand at sales, marketing and finance. He discovered a fascination for internal systems and processes as he immersed himself in Health Warrior’s CRM systems and data reporting. This ultimately led him to pursue a masters in finance at DU, where he’s enjoying diving into the fundamentals of finance. In the meantime, he continues working part-time doing database management for Health Warrior.
Health Warrior has remained focused on its belief that better health can build a better society. Their observation that the packaged industry is broken – with its focus on three primary ingredients: soy, corn and wheat – is countered by their mission to introduce consumers to superfoods and the biodiversity of the planet. Health Warrior was the first company to put chia seeds as the #1 ingredient in their product. The goal was never to create another sugary, 200-calorie protein bar, but rather to introduce a light snack – that professionals might eat at their desks – with high nutritional value. Their dedication to this approach received what many consider the ultimate industry recognition – a buyout by PepsiCo in October 2018. Health Warrior is now part of PepsiCo’s Hive VC platform, with the Health Warrior team charged with bringing its nimble and innovative culture to PepsiCo’s broader initiatives for product development.
A keen outdoorsman, Russell is training for this August’s Leadville 100 trail run. The race is a natural extension of the connections he’s made through Health Warrior’s involvement with the race, both through past sponsorships and fellow Health Warrior employees completing the race in both 2017 and 2018.
The road ahead promises to be an exciting one for Johnny Russell. In the meantime, you may want to pick up a Health Warrior bar the next time you’re shopping for a healthy snack!