From Pro to Company Owner - Mike Spinner Talks EVL Nutrition 2

The effectiveness of sports nutrition products in action sports is no longer as much of a secret as it once was. One athlete in particular, now-retired BMX pro Mike Spinner, credits an unexpected career rejuvenation to his introduction to sports nutrition. Mike used multiple products to overcome numerous knee injuries and and elevate himself back to the top of the podium in some of BMX’s largest events. Mike was so inspired with his results that he decided to dive into sports nutrition himself and formed EVL Nutrition. Mike started EVL in 2013 and it has grown to be one of the leading brands in the field and the supplements of choice for many athletes on two wheels. We caught up with Mike to learn a bit more about his journey, his products, and how they can be used to get the most out of riding.

So, for those of us who know nothing about your company, give us a quick introduction.

EVL. EVLUTION NUTRITION. I launched it in 2013. It’s a sports nutrition brand and we make wide range of products to fuel any athlete, along with Health and wellness products that everybody needs! 

What lead to your departure from competitive BMX?

I love BMX. I miss it and think about it everyday. But, unfortunately for me, I tore my ACL 2009 - then after that, it happened couple more times. Mentally, for me, it was time to call it a career! 

Were you using sports nutrition products during your BMX career?

In 2009 - after my first ACL injury - I learned all about using sports nutrition products for recovery and discovered exactly what I needed to do in order to take to get back to riding at competition level. I started taking protein and BCAAs, which I firmly believe helped me bounce back to 100% and win the 2010 Chicago Dew Tour!

How did you end up starting your own brand?

After my second knee injury at the end of 2010, I spent too much time on the couch overthinking absolutely everything during my recovery. I needed to decide what was next after BMX and doing something with my passion for sports nutrition made sense.

How did your past as a professional BMX rider prepare you for this venture?

Focus. I had to take the same level of focus that I used to win events and pull new tricks and apply it to the business side of life. 

If I could match that same level of focus and commitment, we’d be ready to rock-and-roll.

Was it difficult deciding what products to initially focus on?

Yes - 100%. It was hard to nail it down, but we launched with five products - ENGN, our pre-workout, and four others that were all about recovery.

Where are all of your products made and who comes up with the recipes? 

When we first launched, I’d try to get meetings with anyone I could. A lot of people would take the meetings because I was the “cool BMX kid.” They weren’t prepared for the fact that I had spent countless hours doing my research and prepping my pitch and, by the time I had gotten through my presentation, they weren’t thinking about BMX anymore and respected me from a business angle. We’ve evolved over time and we now have an entire research and development process with four manufactures around the United States. It’s pretty wild!

Are you mindful of “banned substances” that are completely legal, but some athletes must pay attention to when creating new products?

Yes. We are definitely mindful of banned substances! All ingredients in our products are completely legal in the United States. However, we do recommend any athlete taking our products - or any sports nutrition product - consult with their trainer and athletic organization to review the banned substance list for their sport prior to taking any of our products.

What are some of your products that you’d recommend to anyone riding BMX / Moto / MTB?

Definitely BCAA Energy, which is my favorite. BCAA Energy is great before or during riding - it has a small amount of caffeine in it. For after riding, RecoverMode, then our Multivitamin, VitaMode.

What benefits do you think anyone partaking in action sports can see from taking these products?

More energy without a crash when you’re riding and less soreness when you’re finished!

I think there is a stigma that some of these products (protein, pre-workout, etc) are for huge muscle dudes, but I also see a lot of “regular” people taking them. How do you address that stigma?

I absolutely agree that the stigma exists, but over the last decade, it’s definitely changed to a more “lifestyle” focus to better suit everybody. From the soccer mom, to the traditional athlete, to the bodybuilders at the gym.

If anyone wants to check out some EVL products, where can they pick them up?

EVLnutrition.com, of course! Also Bodybuilding.com, Amazon.com, in WalMart stores, and IHERB.com for all international.

Do you think sports nutrition will continue to grow in the action sports world?

Yes. 100%. All of the top professionals might not be talking about what they take, but they take something. Trust me.

What’s in store for EVL’s future?

Our focus is to keep growing with high quality products that help support everybody’s needs!