This episode explores how Neuro co-founder Kent Yoshimura leveraged a diverse background in art, martial arts, and neuroscience to build a successful functional confectionary brand now in 12,000+ retail locations. Learn actionable strategies for maintaining momentum, scaling physical products, and differentiating in a competitive CPG market. This is a must-listen for founders navigating growth and retail expansion.
Kentaro is a multimedia artist, creative director, martial artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles, CA. After studying Neuroscience at UCSD then entering into the film program at UCLA, Kentaro started his career creating content for global brands such as McDonald’s, Lego, Benjamin Moore, and many others before eventually transitioning to be a children’s book illustrator and brand director. He created the visual direction for the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s children’s line with The Magic Tea House, and his children’s illustrations have traveled across museums throughout the United States. He has been featured on NBC for his large-scale guerilla pieces, the New York Times for his mural work, and in TIME magazine, Slash Film, Forbes, Huffington Post, Men's Health, GameRant, Vice, and NPR for his films. As a martial artist, Kentaro competed internationally, fighting Muay Thai at Pattaya Stadium in Thailand and training with Judo Olympians at the Kodokan and the Japanese royal guards within the Imperial Palace. He currently remains one of the cultural ambassadors for the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics. In 2015, he co-founded Neuro - a functional confectionary brand revolutionizing the consumable supplement space. With over 50 million pieces sold since Neuro’s successful Indiegogo campaign, the company has been featured in TIME magazine, Dr. Oz, Forbes 30 Under 30, The New Yorker, Buzzfeed, Shark Tank, The Joe Rogan Podcast, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur magazine. It can now be found in over 12,000 retail locations nationwide including Walmart, Whole Foods, Erewhon, Bristol Farms, Wynn hotels and Jet Blue. Alongside his ventures, Kentaro currently paints large scale murals as both a freelance artist and a qualified muralist through the Department of Cultural Affairs. As an experiential artist, he co-designed the immersive retail experience CAMP in New York, The Sixth Collection for Jerry Lorenzo's streetwear brand Fear of God, Brit