The brutally honest approach: Why these founders share every mistake on their road to $100m

Luis Evitt and his co-founder Jesse Bate are part of a growing trend of entrepreneurs chronicling their start-up journey on social media before they've made it big.  

They're documenting their ambitious plan to build a $100 million USD global company through their YouTube podcast Road to $100m – and they're being brutally honest about every mistake along the way. 

Their latest venture, nowhey, launched just four months ago, but it’s already making waves in the competitive drinks market with what they believe is the UK's first vegan protein water. 

A gym conversation that sparked a $100 million idea 

The idea came from a casual conversation at the gym, says Luis:  

"Jesse was drinking clear whey and he said, 'I don't know why someone just doesn't put this in a can in a ready to drink format.' And we were like, yes – that's the idea." 

What makes nowhey unique is that it contains no whey protein at all. Instead, it uses pea protein. This sets it apart from existing protein waters on the market, which are typically derived from collagen.

Luis adds. 

"The issue is collagen has a Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score of zero – it literally is one of the supplement industry's biggest debates at the moment.  

“It's marketed as a recovery product, but it doesn't help you recover because it doesn’t contain tryptophan or leucine, which are the essential amino acids for muscle repair and growth. It's great for your hair, skin, nails, but not for muscle repair after a workout." 

From rugby pitch to boardroom: Building credibility through experience 

Luis's background gives him credibility in the fitness space. A former professional rugby player for Leicester Tigers, his career was cut short by a serious knee injury when he was 18, leaving him with no qualifications but plenty of determination: 

"I was left with nothing to be honest with you. I'd messed around in school because all I wanted to do was play rugby.” 

At 19, he founded a marketing agency that has since worked with high-profile clients including the investment arms of Anthony Joshua, Bear Grylls and the United Nations.  

Jesse, a motorbike rider specialising in motocross and superbike racing, runs the Little Coffee Bag Company, which appeared on Dragons' Den. 

Selling 12,000 cans in three months 

The pair’s rapid progress is impressive. In just 12 weeks, they've sold 12,000 cans, secured listings with two of the UK's biggest wholesalers, and are in final talks with one of the UK's biggest gym chains for vending machine placement. 

Incredibly, they've already sealed an export deal to Saudi Arabia for 20,000 cans, says Luis: 

"I have a good friend who's also a client from my marketing agency. He's quite a big influencer in Saudi, he tasted the product and said there's nothing like this in Saudi, especially because it's vegan so it's naturally halal.” 

Self-funded success seeks serious backing 

The business is entirely self-funded so far, with Luis and Jesse investing their own money from their other successful ventures. However, they're now seeking £250,000 to £400,000 in seed funding to scale operations.  

"We're not backed by a VC. We're self-funded, and I genuinely believe if an existing large nutrition business launched this, it would be one of their best sellers. The issue is no-one knows who I am or who Jesse is." 

Their marketing approach is on trend – focusing on transparency and storytelling, building traction and a customer base ahead of product launch.

Their YouTube series Road to $100m documents their journey, including a brutally honest episode called We F***ed Up that lists all their mistakes, says Luis.

"I'm a big believer in telling a story. The world has changed in terms of marketing – people don't want to deal with faceless businesses. They want to deal with people's personal brands." 

Looking ahead, Luis genuinely believes nowhey will become a $100 million USD company.  

"I truly believe we've got the route mapped out. We just need the right person to invest and point us in the right direction." 

For Luis and Jesse, it's all part of the entrepreneurial journey they're documenting over on YouTube, featuring everything from products being stuck in customs to problems with HMRC.

All of which proves that with the right product, determination and positive mindset, rapid growth is still possible, even in challenging economic times.

Why brutal honesty is the new marketing goldmine 

Enterprise Nation social media adviser Alison Battisby says this way of growing a brand by sharing the honest growth journey is very “now”.  

"It's no longer enough to simply post about your products. Users want to get under the skin of what makes a brand unique, the decisions that are made and the challenges faced – and how they're overcome.  

“Putting faces behind your brand is not only a way to make your content more eye-catching, but it also helps to create a deeper relationship between you and your customers.

"It builds trust, relatability and loyalty, which are all qualities that traditional advertising can no longer buy."   

Alison added that nowhey's approach is similar to Get Baked’s founder Rich Myers (whose "Sprinklegate" story made it on to American TV) and Andrea McDowell’s Dahlia Beach brand. 

Tips on telling your story 

1. Be honest  

Try to be as honest as possible with your community. If you only ever share the “perfect” parts of your journey, you risk looking like every other polished brand out there.  

Let them know when you've made a mistake, show the reality of running a start-up – the late nights, the big decisions – and also celebrate every tiny win.  

This honesty is what makes your story compelling, and you never know who might be watching and could be willing to help.  

2. You don't need fancy equipment 

Don't worry about investing in fancy cameras, editing tools or microphones. The more unpolished and raw your content is, the more authentic it becomes.  

A shaky phone video filmed in your workspace can often outperform a glossy ad because it feels immediate and unfiltered.

You can do everything on your smartphone. Download a free app like Edits for editing and just get used to the process of filming and uploading.  

3. Keep it consistent   

You're not going to go viral overnight. If you keep plugging away steadily, you'll get noticed and your audience will grow organically. This doesn't mean daily posting – but find a rhythm that works for you.  

A few times a week is what most businesses aim for. Take time to reply to comments, ask your audience questions, and acknowledge the people who are cheering you on. This two-way interaction turns passive viewers into active community members. 

A simple “thanks for your support” or “what would you do in this situation?” can spark conversations and give you fresh ideas.

Real stories, real success

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