Meet Shivraj Bassi, founder of Innermost
I’m Shivraj Bassi, I was born and raised in London after my folks emigrated here from The Punjab in the 60s. They met in London and worked incredibly hard to create a life for themselves. My brother and I were the first members of our family to go to University; I went to Imperial College London while my brother, who is two years older, was down the road at UCL.
After graduating, I got a job at Goldman Sachs and spent 10 years working at an investment bank. It was a great experience and I learnt a huge amount, but I always had a longing to have my own business. Combine that with a passion for health and fitness, and it partly explains why I gravitated towards setting up a brand like Innermost.
By way of background, Innermost is a modern wellness brand that makes it easier for people to take control of their health so that they can feel great, whoever and wherever they are on their journey. We do that by using the power of nutrition to craft ground-breaking nutritional supplements that benefit the body and mind.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
I was raised in a household where food was very much regarded as medicine. Some of my earliest memories were helping my mother pick out exotic herbs and spices, which she would combine into amazing health-giving recipes. In my early teens I stepped into a gym for the first time and was hooked. It wasn’t long before I realised the important role nutrition played in achieving your fitness goals. While I had used nutritional supplements in the past, I felt there was a gap between what I wanted to put into my body versus what was available out there. I felt the market was calling out for a smarter, more interesting approach that offered real clarity and honesty to consumers.
Innermost is a wellness brand that combines science and nature, as well as best practices from Ayurvedic and Asian medicine to deliver tailored nutrition products that help people take control of their health.
Describe your business in three words.
Considered
Transparent
Responsible
How did you fund the business in the early stages?
The business has been self-funded to date. While we’ve had no shortage of people asking us if we would consider giving away equity for funding, my philosophy has been to grow steadily, prioritise balanced growth, build for the long-term, diversify to ensure we can see out market shocks, and focus on investing in rapid growth as and when opportunities arise. The business is profitable, we’re growing fast and in control of our own destiny. I think that puts us in a really interesting position.
What plans do you have for Innermost over the next two years?
Growth, and at pace. We want to consolidate our position in the UK and continue to expand internationally. In the five years since launch, Innermost has become the leading nutrition brand in the boutique fitness studio space. We’ve acquired listings with many leading retailers, including John Lewis and Selfridges; we’ve won awards for our products and brand, and expanded internationally with a strong presence across four continents. This year and next, we want to continue introducing the Innermost brand and product to as many people as possible.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Work hard, trust the process, stay humble, be positive, surround yourself with people you trust and whose advice you respect, focus on your goals, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
At Innermost, we use science to make decisions, not trends. We know the best way to get healthier is with evidence-based science, not gimmicks. So we’ve built a new approach – one that cuts through the confusion and supports our customers on your journey to better health by offering access to experts, education, advice and evidence-based nutrition products. As a result, we gain loyalty and longevity from our customers.
What’s the most important question entrepreneurs should be asking themselves?
A question everyone should ask themselves before they even choose to go down the entrepreneurial route is whether being an entrepreneur is something you really want to be and whether you’re prepared to make the sacrifices that will be needed to make things a success?
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, focus on the big picture and keep pushing forward.
What does your business offer its target audience
Nutritional supplements that put you in charge of your health - not the other way around. At Innermost, we believe that better health is for everyone. Representation and inclusivity are really important to us as a brand, and we don’t want anybody to feel that they’re not included in the conversation. We encourage people to experiment to find what works for them and do things that make them happy.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
I like to work out first thing most mornings, generally on an empty stomach with a little help from our pre-workout, The Energy Booster. My workouts are pretty varied and I like to keep my body off-balance through HIIT workouts, functional movements, lifting weights and playing sports. I’ll often enjoy a healthy smoothie too. I’ve got two smoothie recipes that I’ve perfected over time that I’m proud of and are pretty hard to beat. The Strong Protein and almond butter are a match made in heaven!
