Startup of the week: Stacked Fitness Hydration

Born from frustration with watered‑down hydration products, Stacked’s CEO & Co-Founder Kristopher Wilkins set out to build something real. In our exclusive interview, he talks about creating performance‑driven formulas and a brand rooted in grit, inclusion, and progress.

Tell us about your company.

Kris: Stacked is a fitness hydration brand built to make health and wellness more accessible. We combine hydration with performance ingredients in a single stick, simplifying routines that are typically fragmented across multiple products. At its core, Stacked is about helping people get more out of their workouts without adding complexity. We’re starting with hydration, but the broader vision is to build a brand that supports everyday fitness in a more approachable and effective way.

What made you become an entrepreneur?

Kris: It really came down to two things: fitness and brand building. Fitness has always been a meaningful part of my life, and I’ve spent my career building brands. Starting Stacked was an opportunity to bring those together in a way that actually impacts people. In the corporate world, you’re often optimizing within an existing system. This felt like a chance to build something from the ground up that could genuinely help people improve their lives.

What is the most challenging part of running your own startup?

Kris: The hardest part is bridging the gap between what we know to be true and what the market understands today. We’ve validated the concept, we see the opportunity, but building belief at scale takes time and resources. When you’re operating with limited funding, every decision matters, and you’re constantly balancing long-term vision with short-term realities.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced when looking for funding?

Kris: The biggest challenge has been getting investors to see Stacked as a brand, not just a product. On the surface, people compare us to existing products, but that misses the larger opportunity. We’re not just creating another hydration mix, we’re redefining how hydration and performance fit together. When investors understand that shift, they see the potential. The challenge is getting them to look beyond the product and recognize the brand we’re building.

What is the most rewarding aspect of entrepreneurship?

Kris: It’s the growth. You quickly realize that building something from scratch requires a different level of resilience, adaptability, and execution than anything you’ve done before. It’s both humbling and motivating. Every challenge forces you to get better, and there’s a real sense of ownership in seeing your skills tested and sharpened in real time.

Learn more about Stacked Fitness Hydration on their website: https://drinkstacked.com/

Thank you Kris for the interview!