The Protein Pit Stop
During my first year of university, I co-founded a business with a group of friends called The Protein Pit Stop. The concept was simple but ambitious: sell healthy, water-based protein ice creams at techno festivals and commercial gyms. Our goal was to offer a guilt-free, high-protein treat tailored to active lifestyles, merging fitness, convenience, and fun in one product. It was an exciting entry into entrepreneurship that taught us a lot about product development, branding, and the challenges of launching a business in a competitive, fast-paced environment.
My role in the start-up
In the startup, I was responsible for multiple key areas, including branding, marketing, and finding a suitable ice cream manufacturer for our product. I developed the visual identity and messaging of The Protein Pit Stop, ensuring that it reflected both our fitness-focused mission and our fun, energetic vibe especially important for standing out in the festival and gym markets.
Beyond the creative side, I was also deeply involved in the strategic and operational aspects of the business. This included attending meetings, co-developing our business model, creating marketing materials, and pitching to potential investors and partners. Wearing many hats gave me valuable insight into the startup world and taught me how to balance creativity with execution under real-world pressure.
Key achievements
Although our business ultimately didn’t succeed, we were proud to be finalists in the Rabobank x Anner Award, a national competition that recognizes some of the most innovative and promising startups in the Netherlands. Our team pitched The Protein Pit Stop to a panel of judges and advanced to the final round, gaining valuable exposure and feedback in the process.
Reaching the finals allowed us to learn directly from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors, deepening our understanding of what it takes to start, sustain, and scale a business. It was a defining moment that turned a failed startup into a powerful learning experience.
Why the project failed
From the start, I must admit, we got the financial side and the business model wrong. One of our biggest early mistakes was deciding to make the ice cream ourselves. While it seemed like a cost-saving idea at the time, it quickly became clear that we were overlooking key logistical challenges.
We hadn’t fully accounted for hidden costs like frozen transport, cold storage, and scalable production. In hindsight, we should have partnered with a professional ice cream manufacturer from the beginning. This would have given us a clearer picture of the real expenses and operational needs, allowing us to build a more sustainable business model early on.
What I learned from this
Through this startup experience, I gained valuable insights into the early stages of building a business. I learned how crucial it is to establish a solid financial foundation and a well-thought-out business model from the beginning. But I also discovered the importance of creating a meaningful experience for the customer — one that goes beyond the product itself.
Working in a team taught me how to collaborate, communicate, disagree constructively, and push ideas forward through iteration, even when the path wasn’t clear. Also on the importance of outsourcing key aspects where you can not get a hold on, like in this case the ice cream production.
But perhaps the most important lesson I took away was learning when to stop, to recognize when a project, strategy, or business no longer has a sustainable future. Knowing when to let go is just as important as knowing when to push through, and that perspective has shaped the way I approach every project since.