Today we’d like to introduce you to Akarsh Teki.
Hi Akarsh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Victera Fitness started because of my love for fitness along with my cultural South Asian roots. Growing up, as I got increasingly into fitness, I had role models in the fitness industry like Chris Bumstead or Steve Cook who I looked up to and were huge inspirations along my own fitness journey. However, as I got deeper into the fitness industry, I noticed that there wasn’t too much South Asian representation or role models in the community — it was at that moment that the idea of Victera Fitness was born. I, along with many of my friends take multiple supplements like pre-workout and whey protein, etc. However, after taking them for many years, the flavors became boring or repetitive. I wanted to implement a way to tie in my cultural roots with my love for fitness and deliver something new to the fitness community—which is where our first product originates from. The Mango Lassi Pre-Workout. Mango Lassi is a traditional mango smoothie-type drink that almost everyone I know seems to enjoy. So, I figured what better way to enjoy it and also be able to stick to your fitness goals than a supplement that many people use.
Formulating the flavor profile of the Mango Lassi was an extremely difficult task. The actual ingredients that provided energy and blood flow was pretty easy to formulate with my understanding of the supplement industry. The flavoring, however, was a whole different story. Because it was a first of its kind, there wasn’t really any platforms to base it off of. Coming up with the flavor profile we ultimately ended up deciding on involved drinking a lot of Mango Lassi. I mean A LOT of Mango Lassi. Taking notes on the things we like and didn’t like and what it would taste like with water instead of being yogurt based the way lassi is normally based. After figuring out a flavor profile we worked with our US-based manufacturer to come up with multiple flavor iterations that we liked and finalized it after about 6-7 months of testing. Finally, the end product was ready and ready for consumers.
Today, we are slowly continuing to grow as we continue to increase our social media presence and our presence in the fitness community. We’re excited for the road ahead in 2023 and can’t wait to see where the journey takes us!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to where we are today has definitely had plenty of bumps and roadblocks. When I first started this company, I was a one-man team. Figuring out how to start a business while working in a clinical healthcare setting at the height of a pandemic was extremely challenging but a rewarding journey.
A lot of the struggles were due to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues. Our manufacturer was facing supply chain shortages and price inflations which trickled down to us as a more expensive and sometimes delayed process due to the supply chain issues. Because our manufacturer is not from the state I currently live in, it involved multiple trips flying back and forth to meet with them and work with them to sort of details with production, etc. Having to do all of this solo meant taking time away from work or having to travel in between workdays and weekends.
Some of the other struggles we faced were with flavoring the pre workout itself. I wanted something that I could drink every day and recommend to my friends and followers. I strongly believe in only products that I use personally and if I was making a product myself, that value had to of course still hold true. I also wanted to create a more premium product that of course, comes with a premium price tag with regards to manufacturing, production, etc.
Lastly, our struggle comes from the social media perspective. We’re a new brand and in the era of eCommerce and Influencer marketing gaining traction can be difficult and sometimes long journey. As we slowly begin to gain momentum on social media, we anticipate more challenges on the road ahead and look forward to facing them head-on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I work as a Consultant in the Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical space. My specialization is in project management and business development which I believe are key skills that translate well into expanding Victera Fitness. I also have an extensive knowledge on the Health IT and Interoperability concepts that I utilize daily within my professional career to help the clients I work with streamline their systems and workflows. I am proud of being able to step into this new role within the past year and grow quickly within the professional space.
I think one of the biggest things that sets me apart from others is my drive and my dedication. I was originally a Pre-Med going into undergrad and as the COVID pandemic occurred, being on the front lines in the Clinical space made me realize this is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life which is what prompted me to pivot career paths into the world of Consulting. The drive and dedication comes from my desire to be 1% better every day and to challenge myself mentally and physically to see what new levels I can reach. I carry these principles in all I do, professionally, with fitness, and now with my business.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the unique atmosphere that Dallas has to offer along with the great weather. Growing up in the Northeast, I have grown to despise the cold. Places like Deep Ellum with their cultural and art background provides for an innovative creator space that helps new ideas form. The economy in Dallas is also very diverse, which I believe helps significantly to explore new business ventures and grow your personal and professional network.
I can’t really say I have too many complaints about Dallas as a whole. One of the things I did notice is that for a city with such incredible wealth, there sometimes seems to be an imbalance in the quality of life associated with it but I found that to be true only in recent years which could be due to the pandemic as a whole.
Pricing:
- $40 for 60 servings of a fully stacked preworkout. That’s roughly $1.50 per serving.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.victerafitness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victerafitness
- Other: Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akarshteki
Image Credits
Victera Mango Lassi
Harish Ganesh
