‘Our motto of lifelong wellness starts here, and I really took that to heart’: TVS CEO on leading by example

02-Apr-2024 - Last updated on 02-Apr-2024 at 15:13 GMT

To build trust and credibility, management has to lead by example. But when you work for a health and wellness company, that takes it to a whole new level—and that's exactly what Lee Wright, CEO at The Vitamin Shoppe, did.

Speaking to a crowd of 900 at The Vitamin Shoppe Summit in Grapevine, Texas last week, Wright credited his weight loss success to his coworkers.

"I've lost about 30 pounds as I became full-time CEO, and this is thanks to your education, your inspiration, and the great news is I have more muscle mass [than] I've had in 20 years as well," he said. "I still got the dad bod, but it's much closer to the younger dad bod."

Speaking to NutraIngredients-USA at the Summit—an event Wright describes as “The Super Bowl of education for Health Enthusiasts”—he discussed his health journey and vision for the company as he embarks on his one-year anniversary as CEO.

"Our motto of lifelong wellness starts here, and I really took that to heart," he said. "I realized that lifelong wellness needs to start with me here with me as well. And I did it. I wanted to ensure that I was leading by example and I was setting that example, and they [the Health Enthusiasts] inspired me. And they educated me as I traveled to stores, as I met with Health Enthusiasts, and I asked them so many questions about products.

"I was able to really create what I view as a foundational supplement stack to help my life, and it's been a full transformation for me personally in terms of the amount of weight I've lost, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, just better health building muscles. So it's been a full transformation all due to the Health Enthusiasts of The Vitamin Shoppe who truly inspired me, educated me, motivated me everyday."

While Wright’s weight loss journey did not include GLP-1 agonist drugs, the company does want to support those who chose to take that route.

“We're really leaning in on a couple of key trends that we view are really up and coming… whether it's providing solutions for people that have chosen the pharma option for weight loss of GLP-1 drugs, ensuring that we're giving them the right needs that they have for protein or for digestive health, and some of the other adverse effects when they take those GLP1 drugs,” he explained.

During the summit, Muriel Gonzalez, president at The Vitamin Shoppe, previewed a few more trends, telling us that more will be outlined in a report slated to be released later this spring.