The Quality Makers: Walter Faulstroh of HUM Nutrition

Walter Faulstroh is an entrepreneurial leader and the co-founder of HUM Nutrition, a star in the health & wellness sector, whose mission is to help you find your confidence and feel good from the inside out. Walter is a European by birth—half Austrian, half German—although he’s lived in various creative hubs including Paris, London, New York and now Los Angeles, where we spoke recently. From our conversation, it is clear that Walter lives and breathes this brand. His dedication & passion can be heard in how highly he speaks of its success in the industry but more importantly in its power of changing people’s skin and body for the long run.

Known for their clean standards, efficacy and unique approach to sustainability, HUM offers supplements in both gummy and pill form. The name came about because Walter says he always feels good when he hums, and also finds inspiration in the hummingbird. HUM Nutrition’s mission is to make their customers feel that good, meeting their needs to the best of their ability. Everything they do is with the intention of inspiring others to lead a healthy lifestyle and bring joy into their lives. Read below for a deep dive into their process for bringing that vision to life.

Can you tell me the story of how you started HUM Nutrition?

I've been working in health and wellness for the last 20 years. My first company within the space was called V Water: a vitamin-infused water that I built up to become the number one functional water brand in the UK and Ireland. I ended up selling the company to Pepsi in 2008, but while I was working for V Water, one of my nutritionists really helped me figure out my skin.

I had been struggling with acne and breakouts well into my 20s and 30s. I was on Accutane three times, which is a very strong drug, but each time that I stopped my acne would return. So I was lucky to then work with one of the most forward-thinking, most innovative nutritionists in the UK who wrote a book about the importance of gut health and its correlation with skin health. She told me she could help me address my skin concerns through the lens of nutrition.

What did those nutritional changes look like?

With her guidance, I extracted certain food groups in my diet, but more importantly, I added in certain things like probiotics, healthy fats, herbs, etc, and suddenly, I was left with these incredible results. Not only did my skin improve, but my acne finally stayed away for good. I felt more energetic, my digestion was better, and I was glowing; my skin wasn't just clear, it was radiant. I knew there must be other people out there who could benefit from a similar approach to skin health from the inside out.

That’s why at HUM, our personalized nutritionist approach is very much a reflection of the backstory of the brand. I wouldn't have been able to solve my concerns without a true expert holding my hand along the way. We began by building a connection between the consumers and the nutritionists for free, to really help them understand what they need, what they're lacking, what’s right for them and what’s not. Our goal was always to educate the consumer, not just from a supplement perspective, but also in terms of tackling health through a truly holistic approach. I personally found that having the ability to interact with somebody who gives you personalized advice helps tremendously and that's why having an online nutritionist is so ingrained in our brand.

I moved to the U.S. in 2012 to start the company, and I’m grateful that I’ve seen phenomenal growth since then. HUM is now a household name and the brand is well loved. What was important to me was really having formulas that are clean, with ingredients we can trust, and that everything is truly based in clinical research. We’re actually conducting our own clinical research now, and really making sure that we deliver the best possible product, one that delivers its promises and is genuinely good for the consumer, meaning it's free of harmful ingredients and toxins at a price point that is really within reach. I never wanted to create an exclusive brand that only speaks to the wealthy few, but rather something that can move the needle for a much broader population.

What are your personal go-to products?

I'm a huge fan of our gut-oriented bundle, which includes Gut Instinct ($26), Daily Cleanse ($26) & Flatter Me ($26). These act as a base for me. The first step is Daily Cleanse, which helps you cleanse from the inside out and remove all those unwanted toxins including heavy metals that you often find in foods. Then, Flatter Me is a digestive enzyme which helps you debloat and optimize your digestive function, which helps you absorb nutrients much better. And lastly, Gut Instinct helps you further improve and feed your gut bacteria. Then, depending on the season and my concerns/needs at any moment, I layer in different products. I just came back from a trip in Europe with a nine hour time difference. We have a sleep gummy BEAUTY ZZZZ ($26), which really helps me recover more quickly from jet lag. And when I speak at conferences, I use our stress gummy Ashwaganda Calm ($26) to help calm my nerves. Other bestsellers include our Hair Strong Gummies ($26), as well as our Hyaluronic Glow Gummies ($26).

And lastly, we just launched our new Celery Juice Fiber Gummies ($20), the first of its kind in the world! This is a great example of how innovative our brand is, and why we’re constantly at the forefront of wellness. We always think through a consumer-centric lens: what are their needs? What's the latest and greatest in science? How can we develop interesting, never-before-seen products?