What does it take to build a brain-boosting empire? As a Harvard neuroscience grad, Will Nitze knew brain fuel was essential. His journey began with a simple idea: what if we could fuel our brains the same way we fuel our bodies? Fast forward, and his brand, IQBAR, has become a go-to for anyone looking to snack smarter, hydrate better, and optimize mental performance.

But what really goes on behind the scenes of running a functional food brand? Between formulating new products, scaling a company, and keeping his own brain in peak shape, Will knows a thing or two about balancing health, business, and real life.

In this edition of Living Well, Will shares the biggest shift in his mindset as a founder, the wellness habits that keep him at his best, and what he’d tell his younger self before starting this wild ride.

Living Well with Will Nitze

You went from neuroscience at Harvard to launching a nutrition brand—what’s been the biggest shift in your mindset along the way? The real world is vastly messier than the theoretical world. Starting a “brain food” brand was unbelievably challenging in ways I never expected. There are pretty much never-ending fires to put out across all elements of the company – manufacturing, supply chain, legal, HR, etc. It’s a journey (but I wouldn’t have it any other way).

What’s one habit or ritual that has been a non-negotiable for your mental wellness or physical health? Exercise and sauna. If I’m not elevating my heart rate on a daily basis, “burnout” starts to creep in. Sweating provides a much-needed mental reset for me. It also helps me to segment and compartmentalize my day.

What’s a health trend you see people getting wrong? Cutting out caffeine. There’s so much data that coffee extends lifespan, and it certainly objectively improves quality of life and productivity for most people who consume it (myself included!).

As a CEO/founder of a growing brand, how do you maintain a balance between work and personal life? Honestly, I didn’t for the first ~5 years. You just have so much energy and bandwidth in your 20’s! But that isn’t sustainable, so as the company found its footing (both financially and otherwise), I made a concerted effort to hire great folks, delegate, and lean into a wellness routine outside of work.

Your bars focus on keto, plant-based, and brain-boosting nutrition—why these three pillars? For us, it’s all about brain health and functionality. For instance, our bars are low in sugar and net carbs not because it’s a trend, but because it reduces mental crashes. They’re plant-based because there’s good data suggesting a diet high in vegetables benefits the brain. And they center on nutrients like magnesium and lion’s mane because these have been shown to keep folks sharper between the ears!

What was the biggest challenge you faced in launching IQBAR, and how did you overcome it? Honestly, nailing the product was the hardest part. It took many, many iterations and as someone with no food science background, I was consistently humbled throughout the process. Formulating ultra-low-sugar products that taste great is also wildly challenging. But we got there.

IQBAR started with brain-boosting nutrition bars and has since expanded into hydration mixes (IQMIX) and instant coffee (IQJOE). What motivated you to diversify the product line?The goal has always been to build a brain and body nutrition platform. Whereas most bar brands would expand into other packaged food items, we wanted to instead solve other, distinct problems for our consumers throughout the day. IQBAR satiates, IQMIX hydrates, IQJOE caffeinates.

What’s been the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn as a CEO? Every problem is a people problem. If you hire, fire, and retain well, you solve all problems.

If I could give just one piece of health advice it would be… Prioritize sleep! It’s the most effective performance-enhancing drug known to man. Beyond that…eat IQBARs.

If you could sit down with your younger self at the start of this journey, what would you tell him? I would tell him to radically shift his definition of success. Forget financial outcomes, accolades, and “status.” Focus entirely on building a great life for yourself – inclusive of your working life, at-home life, and health.