S2 Episode 8: Tero Isokauppila, Founder, Four Sigmatic | Marketing Functional Foods to Everyone

Tero Isokauppila grew up in a fairy-tale setting on land his ancestors settled on 13 generations ago in Finland. The family farm forms the roots of his company, Four Sigmatic, a highly functional foods business that helps people focus, gain energy and relax. But this Finnish nomad strayed far from home to build it. Through careers in consulting and online marketing, across continents, Isokauppila has made mushrooms, some native to Finland's deep forests, and other nutrient-packed ingredients, into a functional foods mainstay sold at behemoth retailers like Target and Walmart. He talks about marketing research on PubMed and Amazon reviews, his love for podcast advertising and a career journey befitting a storybook. In this episode you’ll learn: If it’s good enough for a Viking, it’s good enough for a banker Read your 3-star reviews on Amazon, they wish you were better No one cares about the mushrooms or the coffee, it’s how it makes them feel You don’t tattoo Harley Davidson on your arm after your first ride Basic nutrition is the white belt, sleep the purple, mind health the black The Four Sigmatic name is part of an ethos of nerdy and geeky Brought to you by Mekanism.