Lewis Alexander Baxter's Linkedin Analytics

Building a better way to discover, buy and experience functional drinks. That’s FUNC’s mission. Here’s why we’re launching an online shop, not another functional product:👇 (for context, we’re pre-launch, so all this thinking is based on my educated assumptions and discussions with industry experts) My co-founders and I knew one thing: We wanted to build in the functional drinks space. The sector is booming. But we weren’t clear on the right business model. One thing was obvious - being another functional drinks brand wasn't enough. What would we create? Electrolytes? A kombucha brand? A CBD drink? Protein shakes? A mushroom-based coffee alternative? So many phenomenal products already exist - drinks that do good and that people love. In 2024 alone, 260+ functional drinks hit the market. Crowded? Yes. Saturated? Not quite. But that’s exactly why we paused. Instead of ‘competing’, we looked for leverage. How do we create our blue ocean? That’s why we built a marketplace, not just a brand. The home of functional. Your well-known brands to new and emerging products - under one roof. We exist to: ↳ Help customers discover, buy & experience the best functional drinks ↳ Give new and emerging brands a platform & visibility. ↳ Make better-for-you products more accessible. Super excited to see it come to life! — P.S. This is post #005 of FUNC Files - your peek behind the curtain of building the go-to platform for functional drinks. Follow Lewis Alexander Baxter (me!) for insights on agency life, entrepreneurship and for behind-the-scenes content of building a D2C + community brand from the ground up. And, follow FUNC (we’re on Insta too)!

The most underrated benefit of having a personal brand: You attract people. → Team members → New customers → Job opportunities → Investment opportunities No matter what your goal is - having a strong brand makes everything easier.

Big news, in the world of fitness… Runna has been acquired by Strava! Fun fact: the founder Dom Maskell and I went to the same school (small world!). Now, earlier this month, I ran my first half marathon. Training, powered by Runna. This brand kept popping up on my feed - it was everywhere! Runna’s rise has been incredible: → Raised over £8m in funding, with backing from JamJar Investments, Eka Ventures, and top athletes like Beth Potter and Steph Davis. → Expanded to 180+ countries, and now boasts more American users than British ones! → Their team has grown by 248% in the past year alone. to 100+ people and their subscribers 4xed in 2024 🤯 → Runna is the highest-rated running coaching app on the app store, and one of 3 global finalists of Apple's app of the year. → And today, acquired by Strava 🔥 The brand leveraged the unstoppable power of a community through: 1/ Community challenges 2/ Run clubs in multiple cities 3/ Collaborations that feel human, not transactional 4/ Partnerships with athletes, creators and massive brands like lululemon In a space crowded with content, Runna doubled down on connection. As a result, they didn’t just build an app, they built a movement - making running more: Accessible Inclusive Fun Growth becomes inevitable when you build a whole army of raving fans. Brand champions + users of the app - rolled into one. Incredible watching a company start small, think big, and run with it. I’m inspired by Dom’s and Ben’s story.

I love it when a plan comes together. Proud of my mate Keelan as he officially launches BWOWNIES BITES. In this pic (three years ago!), Keelan told me his vision: to build the most-loved brownie brand in the world. Not just a brand that sold brownies online, but one you could find everywhere: On supermarket shelves, in petrol stations, on aeroplanes, trains, vending machines… the list is endless In the last few years, Keelan has sold thousands of BWOWNIES direct-to-consumer - building a loyal community of brownie-loving fans who believe in everything that BWOWNIES stands for. Today, his bigger vision takes a huge step forward. BWOWNIES BITES aren’t just another version of BWOWNIES' famous postal brownies - they’re made for retail. Tasty brownie pieces coated in chocolate. Bagged to go, ready to eat. It’s been a privilege to work on BWOWNIES BITES with Keelan - supporting on the messaging and helping to bring this idea to life. The start of something special. Big things ahead!

Be known for one thing. Not everything. Not a bit of everything. Just one, clear, valuable subject area. For example: → The go-to for paid media → The ops specialist that scales agencies → The founder who helps brands get stocked in retail When people know what you’re great at: 1/ They trust you 2/ They remember you 3/ They refer you Clarity > complexity. And in business, the clearest offer wins. -- PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership. Repost to help your network grow 🔁 and follow Lewis (me!) for more.

Perfectionism looks like ambition. But often, it’s fear in disguise. In law, football, and agency life - it gave me an edge. It taught me to care. To push harder. To be curious. To ask deeper questions. But building FUNC has made me look at it differently. At times, my innate fastidiousness and obsession over every detail has held me back and slowed us down. (And this has been tough - anyone with Co Founders will understand - each of you moves at different paces) I’ve caught myself: - Tweaking fonts that no one notices - Rewriting copy that already hit the mark - Delaying decisions for the ‘perfect’ version All in the name of getting it ‘right’. But ‘right’ is a moving target - and it’s subjective. And perfection is just a well-dressed excuse. A hard truth I’ve realised: Not launching doesn’t make it better. It just makes it later. Of course, perfectionism can be a strength. But only when it’s aligned with progress. When it starts to block momentum? It becomes fear in disguise. And (very) recently, my mindset has shifted. Here’s what I’m learning: 1/ You don’t get real feedback until you go live. → Ship it. Learn from it. Improve it. 2/ The details matter - but only to a point. → If it won’t move the needle or the customer won’t notice, let it go. 3/ You often don’t need more time. You need more action. → Most “waiting” is just fear disguised up as preparation. I still feel that inner voice - the one that says: “Wait. Tweak. Add more.” But I’m learning to push back. Because done is better than perfect. And momentum matters more than polish. -- ♻️ If this resonates, please repost. PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership.

I’ve been building FUNC for the past year. Here’s one of the biggest lessons so far: Small details matter. A lot. And one of the most powerful details to us: the boxing (and unboxing!) experience. When you’re building a brand, it’s easy to only focus on the big vision: Bold, bright orange packaging that screams FUNC. But bold ideas take time. We’re not there yet - because as a startup, we have to be smart with budgets, MOQs, and what’s possible right now. So instead, we focus on the small wins. Marginal improvements. Version 1 → Version 2 → Version 3 Each iteration of our box gets us a little closer to the experience we’re aiming for. You might wonder: why care so much about the box? Because in FMCG and retail, the details speak volumes. They truly shape how people feel about your brand, your products and whether they come back. The little things are the big things. Box by box. Detail by detail. That’s how the best brands are built. Ps. here's the 3 iterations of our boxes (so far) - progress! 👀

For the last 7 years, I've spoken to a 90-year-old man every fortnight. This is the most powerful lesson he’s taught me: Don’t take the little moments for granted. A quick check-in call. A laugh around the dinner table. A shared silence that says everything. Those are the moments that matter most - And they pass by quietly, until one day you realise how priceless they were. Life moves fast. Plans change. People get busy. But, it’s connection that leaves the biggest impact. This isn’t meant to be a heavy post. It’s a gentle reminder. Make the time. Be present. Soak up the ordinary joys with the people who mean the most. Because when you look back, it’s those little, everyday moments that leave the biggest mark.

I used to hate running through my village of 300 people (even at night) Now, I run through London, a city of 8.5 million people (during the day)… And I LOVE it. If you’d have told me 12 months ago that I’d be running a half marathon this year, I’d have laughed. Well… tomorrow is the day! I’m running the London Landmarks Half Marathon (raising funds for Child Action Northwest) 21 km. Starting at Downing Street Along the river to the Tower of London Then, a winding route through the city Via the Walkie Talkie, Gherkin, Cheese Grater, Guildhall & the Bank of England. Before circling St Paul’s and past Somerset House…. And finally, a (slow) sprint to the finish line at Trafalgar Square. Sounds like the perfect Sunday! — Ps. if you’re able to support, it’d mean the world! Last push! (I’ve put a link below 👇)

Not every team social needs to revolve around alcohol. We’re currently planning our summer social at Kurogo! And we're trying our best to make sure it’s something everyone can enjoy. As COO of a remote agency and Co-Founder in the functional drinks space, I know first-hand that: 1/ Not everyone drinks alcohol 2/ Not everyone is neurotypical 3/ Not everyone enjoys overstimulating, loud environments (Truthfully? Some days, neither do I) So when we plan our socials, we do things differently. We mix it up: - Strategy sessions - Games and low-pressure activities - A night out (for those who want it) Because when your socials only cater to one type of team member: You’re not building culture - you’re excluding people from it. I’d never want anyone in my team to feel sidelined simply because they don’t drink. The BEST socials create space for team members to: 1/ Switch off and unwind - in a way that feels natural, not forced. 2/ Connect with their colleagues - through activities, games & shared moments. 3/ Show up as themselves - feel seen, without needing to mask, drink or ‘perform’. (This is particularly important for remote or hybrid companies) More companies need to stop equating “culture” with “boozy bonding”. We can - and should - do better. What’s the best team social you’ve ever been to? What’s a team social you’ve attended that actually made everyone feel included? Drop your ideas below - we’re taking notes!👇 -- ♻️ Please repost if this resonates! PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership.

Most people don’t think of Rory Sutherland when they think of personal branding. They should. We recently hosted Rory at the Kurogo Studio. (for David McIntosh Jr. Origin Story Podcast) A privilege. A masterclass. And a reminder of what an iconic personal brand looks like. Here’s why Rory’s brand is a blueprint for the rest of us:👇 1/ Distinctness > polish Many think personal branding is about looking polished. But Rory doesn’t try to be shiny. In an era of over-curated content, flooded with AI-written platitudes and billboards with quotes, his brand stands out by being unmistakably human. Wit. Charm. Authenticity. He has it all in abundance. And his analogies are genius. Rory doesn’t clean up his edges. He leans into them. His ‘real-life’ self is his online self. That congruence builds trust - and loyalty. -- 2/ Own ‘one big idea’ For decades, Rory has obsessed over one big idea: “People don’t make logical decisions”. He showed up everywhere: talks, books, tweets and now TikTok - with the same message framed a hundred ways. That’s the magic: - No clickbait - No viral hacks - No gimmicks Just 'one big idea', told relentlessly well. -- 3/ Be valuable (and entertaining) Too many experts are either clever or engaging. Rory is both. He makes behavioural economics feel like a pub conversation, not a lecture. And he turns complex truths (his ‘one big idea’) into sticky soundbites. Because in personal branding, being useful gets attention. But being entertaining earns affection. -- So if you’re building your own personal brand. Don’t chase followers. Don’t mimic the masses. And don’t worry if you haven’t nailed your ‘one big idea’ yet. I’m certainly still finding my feet (even after being on LinkedIn/socials for 8+ years!) Just keep showing up, sharing what you see - in a way only you can say it. Because that’s what Rory does. And that’s how he’s built something bigger than a personal brand - a lasting impact. And he deserves it. -- ♻️ Please repost to share Rory’s personal brand blueprint with your network. PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership. PPS. this was genuinely one of the best days of my career. So glad to make this happen David / Howie

At the start of this year, I struggled to run more than 5k. I was genuinely unfit (especially with how much I ate over Christmas). On Sunday, I ran my first ever half marathon: The London Landmarks Half Marathon. I'm sore and I'm hobbling round the house. 😆 But I'm really proud. I pushed my physical and mental boundaries more than I've ever done before. To some people, running 13.1 miles (or 21k) is a breeze. To others (and I'd put myself in this category!), it's a real accomplishment. People ran for their charities of choice - causes close to their hearts. I ran for Child Action Northwest. This charity means a lot to me, and I proudly serve as their Vice Chair and Trustee. I ran with others from CANW who backed the same mission. The crowd was unreal (if you were there, thank you!) And, to top it off, the weather was perfect. The highlight of the day was being overtaken by a man dressed as a Christmas tree (fitted with baubles and decorations!) half way through the race... 🎄 Time to rest for a few days and ask myself: 'what's next?' Full marathon? 👀

For some of us, flexible work isn’t a 'perk' or 'nice to have'. It's a necessity - it's how we keep going when life gives us no room to breathe. For me, flexible working was a lifeline. Age 17, I was a full-time student and a carer for my mum. And age 21, I became her full-time carer - supporting her in the year before she died. Her cancer was terminal. This meant: → Daily care tasks that didn’t fit neatly into a '9-5'. → Frequent (often unplanned) hospital appointments. → Late-night and early-morning emergencies. As her carer, my mum came first. But, I also needed to earn money. So I found work that could bend: → Freelance social media gigs (approx 10 hrs p/w) → Tutoring GCSE English and A Level Law (approx 5 hrs p/w) → Admin support for a local recruitment firm (approx 10 hrs p/w) Anything that gave me real freedom - and control over when I worked. I wasn't work shy. Or lazy. I just had responsibilities most people never saw. And those experiences have shaped how I lead now. 1/ It’s why I'll always champion flexible work. 2/ It’s why I focus on outcomes - not when someone logs on or off. 3/ And it's why I design roles around real lives, not just ideal schedules. Because there are people on your team carrying invisible weights. Mental health struggles. Caring responsibilities. Bereavement. Childcare. The things you'll never see in a calendar invite. A reminder to leaders: The future of work isn’t fixed hours. It’s flexibility, trust and space for real life. And if your version of “work” only works for people with no outside responsibilities, it's time to rethink what you’re building. -- ♻️ If this resonates, please repost. Someone in your network might be carrying more than you know. PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership.

There are people in your team carrying invisible weights That’s why flexible work matters. It's not just a 'perk' or a 'trend'. It's a way to create space for real life - the messy, beautiful, complicated parts of it. On Tuesday, I shared what flexible work really meant for me. And since then, I’ve heard from thousands of you. And one thing is clear - There’s more going on behind the scenes than most of us ever see. Grief. Burnout. Childcare. Care responsibilities. Mental health challenges. The invisible 'stuff'. The 'stuff' we don’t talk about enough at work. But it’s there. Thank you to everyone who commented, engaged with the conversation and shared their stories. Let’s keep banging the drum for flexible work. And to the leaders who can make change:👇 You won't always see the weight someone's carrying. But you can choose to build in a way that supports it. Work should fit into life - not the other way around. -- ♻️ If this resonates, please repost. PS. Hey, I'm Lewis. COO at Kurogo and Co-Founder at FUNC. I talk about operations, scaling smart and human leadership.