Soylent

Metamucil for millennials — D2C subscription fiber brand

Greg pitches rebranding a daily-routine staple like Metamucil as a D2C subscription with a brand millennials connect with, the same way Soylent was conceived as 'Ensure for millennials.' Shaan rates it a solid 9/10.

“I love subscription-based businesses. I love businesses that are repeatable. People who take Metamucil take it every day mostly to get their routine intact.”

Steal thisTake an unsexy daily-routine consumable, rebuild it as a D2C subscription with a brand a younger demographic actually connects with.

Lucy nicotine gum: an early angel bet on Soylent's founder

Shaan recounts one of his first angel investments — Lucy, a 'new age Nicorette' nicotine gum subscription started by Soylent founder Dave. He reasoned the nicotine market is huge with great retention, and the bet paid off (he later cites a 5-6x markup).

“one of my first angel investments, uh, I don't remember when this was, 3 years ago, the founder of Soylent, Dave, um, who's my friend, Dave Renton, uh, Renton, he started this thing and, um, it was based— it's basically a Nicorette. So it's new age Nicorette. Nicotine gum.”