STACKED | Bitcoin, Wealth & Wellness for Women
EP 030. From Her Kitchen to $173 Million | Erica Groussman on Building TRUBAR With No Advertising, Landing 32,000 Doors, and Choosing the Right Buyer Over the Biggest Check
Welcome back to STACKED, the show about becoming your own best asset. Today Emily sits down with Erica Groussman, the Founder and CEO of TRUBAR, who started a better-for-you protein bar brand on her own kitchen counter in 2019 and sold it for $173 million in early 2026. Erica Groussman was a busy mom of two who grew frustrated with protein bars that tasted bad or were packed with ingredients she didn't want to eat. After a disappointing experience at Disneyland, she decided to create her own. Working with a food scientist, she developed TRUBAR's original vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free flavors and personally hustled to get them into customers' hands. A cold LinkedIn message to a Whole Foods buyer led to her first 30 stores, proving the power of persistence. From there, TRUBAR scaled to roughly 32,000 retail doors and about $100 million in revenue with virtually no traditional advertising and a lean, primarily female team of around 26 people. In this episode, Erica shares lessons on building a brand that drives repeat purchases, growing efficiently without unnecessary headcount, and making smart decisions around risk, equity, and fundraising. She also discusses TRUBAR's $173 million acquisition by ETi Gida in 2026, why she chose a values-aligned buyer, and why she's still focused on the next stage of growth as CEO. NEW PROMO CODE: STACKED20. Use code STACKED20 for 20% off TRUBAR at trubar.com. This episode is brought to you by The Brickell Babes, Miami's largest network of ambitious women. Join for lifetime connections, real recommendations, curated events, exclusive perks, and a community of women who actually show up for one another. Learn more about membership at www.thebrickellbabes.com/membership. This is the episode for anyone who has an idea sitting in their kitchen and keeps waiting to be ready. Key Topics: The Disneyland moment that sparked TRUBAR Why Erica rejected traditional protein bars Creating TRUBAR's first four flavors Why vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free mattered Personally handing out bars to early customers The LinkedIn message that landed Whole Foods Scaling to 32,000 retail doors Growing without traditional advertising Why virality doesn't build a brand Costco's role in driving repeat buyers Equity and dilution basics for founders Choosing investors beyond their money Inside the $173M TRUBAR acquisition Finding the right acquisition partner Trusting your gut in business Why Erica stayed on as CEO Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 03:01 - The Disneyland Moment That Sparked TRUBAR 03:50 - Working With a Food Scientist on the First Flavors 04:06 - Why Vegan, Gluten-Free & Soy-Free Was Non-Negotiable 05:22 - Handing Out Bars One Person at a Time 06:09 - The Whole Foods Breakthrough 06:18 - The LinkedIn Message That Opened 30 Doors 09:44 - Why Starting at 90% Beats Waiting for 100% 10:34 - Being for Most, Not for Everyone 11:27 - Trusting Your Gut in Business 16:16 - Why Going Viral Doesn't Build a Brand 16:35 - What Costco Taught Her About Repeat Buyers 18:12 - Why She Refused to Hire Headcount for Headcount's Sake 21:03 - Building a Lean Team of 26 People 22:14 - Choosing a Family-Owned Buyer 24:23 - Why Erica Stayed On as CEO 26:33 - What to Do Before Leaving a Stable Job 27:46 - Equity, Dilution & Founder Mistakes 28:35 - Choosing Investors Who Bring More Than Money Disclaimer: The content shared on this page should not be construed as legal, financial, investment, or medical advice. Your viewing and/or use of this information does not create any kind of client, patient, or fiduciary relationship with us. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own advisors concerning your situation and specific questions you may have.
