Think Millions Podcast

How to Build a Multi-Million Dollar Brand with Zero Investors with Timothy Rexius

• Alexa D’Agostino • Season 1 • Episode 100

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In this powerhouse episode of the Think Millions Podcast, host Dr. Alexa D’Agostino sits down with Timothy Rexius, CEO of Rexius Nutrition, Iron Heaven Gyms, and Omaha Protein Popcorn- for a raw, tactical, deep dive on building multi-million-dollar brands without outside funding, scaling through people, and turning “failure data” into breakout growth. From raising six kids while running three companies to a 20,000% relaunch after a day-one tradeshow flop, this convo is a masterclass in grit, systems, and brand clarity.

Keys Parts of the Conversation:

  • 1:06 – 3:35 | Family as Fuel & Early Involvement
    How six kids became an asset in brand-building, softening the approach at events, and sparking product ideas—plus the “seven shared calendars” system that keeps life and business in sync.
  • 3:35 – 6:09 | Why Protein Popcorn Exists
    Solving a real problem at home: getting kids and older adults to consume protein. 600 batches later, candy-coated protein popcorn is born.
  • 13:18 – 14:06 | Be Somebody’s Something
    Tim’s mentor line: “Don’t try to be everybody’s everything—be somebody’s something.” Staying in your lane beats carrying every product under the sun.
  • 17:25 – 18:12 | Tradeshow Faceplant → Breakout Pivot
    Day one: zero foot traffic. A Hershey’s exec delivers brutal feedback; they add the words “Protein Popcorn,” and lines form for two straight days.
  • 18:54 – 19:10 | The 20,000% Relaunch
    Wife and daughters redesign the brand for the real buyer. New look, mascot, color system—demand explodes across 14 countries.
  • 21:53 – 23:31 | Scaling Through People, Not Heroics
    Selling stores to staff, franchising to insiders, and moving to a chairman role while partners run SOPs and day-to-day.
  • 23:45 – 24:18 | Permission to Innovate
    Empowering a 21-year-old operator to “step on my toes.” Merging Gen-Z ideas with seasoned strategy.
  • 24:30 – 25:23 | Owner Mindset at Every Level
    Profit sharing, equity for key team members (including his former nanny turned assistant), and why 200 “owner eyes” beat one founder.

Great Quotes from the Podcast:

  • “If I’m going to be broke, I might as well be happy and broke—not miserable and broke.”
  • “Don’t try to be everybody’s everything—be somebody’s something.”
  • “The ability to shake a hand and cultivate a relationship creates repeat business you can’t buy with ads.”
  • “Our first expo day nobody stopped at the booth. Day two, one banner change to ‘Protein Popcorn’ and there were thousands in line.”
  • “Women make 80% of buying decisions—I was marketing to me. That had to change.”
  • “I look at every employee as a long-term interview for a future partnership.”
  • “When you give people ownership and profit sharing, you get 200 sets of owner-eyes on the business.”
  • “The popcorn started as a way to trick my kids into getting protein—then the market told us we’d built a brand.”
  • “Ego holds you in the operator seat. Let others lead so you can build the brand, the systems, and the future.”

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