Two 20-year-old Decorah natives took a different approach to post-graduation plans and instead opened NextGen Nutrition, a one-stop shop at 2211 College Street on College Hill that offers a diverse range of healthy, nutritious boba, teas, shakes and coffees.
Owners Joe Bockman and Kollin White looked at the space on the Hill as an opportunity to connect to the college community and seek out those who have or want to begin healthy lifestyles.
“We have a lot of friends that go to UNI here, so we thought what better to open a nutrition store down here [the Hill] and saw it as a great opportunity,” White said.
NextGen Nutrition’s grand opening was in November 2023.
Beverages are supplied through a company called Herbalife. According to the Herbalife website, the 40-year-old company has roots in over 90 countries, supplying healthy supplements and beverages that promote healthy weight loss and muscle gain.
All menu items incorporate some sort of Herbalife product, each formulated with a specific nutrition goal in mind. Bockman noted that all of NextGen’s teas contain less than one gram of sugar and shakes that are high in protein, containing around 24 grams per serving.
The decision to become their own bosses was easy for the pair, as nutrition is something that has followed them with their involvement in the gym life.
Bockman said that he and his business partner had similar thoughts on attending college, making the ultimate choice to open a storefront paramount.
“We didn’t really like school that much and we weren’t interested in what the schools we went to had to offer,” Bockman said. “We thought we might as well knock two birds out with one stone.”
When starting a business, funds are essential to the success in the long term, as well as having a marketing strategy.
“Our start-up funds weren’t the most,” White admitted. “We did not have enough invested like we thought, we were definitely short on some stuff… Marketing is tough, it’s a lot harder than you’d think it is.”
White said it was worth it though and that “it’s fun to meet a lot of new people, see new faces.”
One goal they have for the new space is to create a study atmosphere so students can come in and hang out. White said the office space may be turned into a podcast room for anyone to use and TVs will hopefully be added in the future to show menus, movies, or whatever the crew has planned for the day.
Being 20 and owning a business is shocking to some, but being in a college hub has its perks in itself, according to White.
“It’s definitely a good reaction when you tell people,” White said. “People are always really surprised, and I feel like walking past and seeing two young guys in here is a little different than seeing some 40, middle-aged mom in here. It’s a lot easier to relate to just the college kids.”
In the end, the goal is the same for the two business owners.
“I hope to change people’s bodies to the way they want and help them achieve their goals. Weight loss is what we’re here for,” Bockman said of the business.
NextGen Nutrition is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and can be found on Facebook at NextGen Nutrition and on Instagram at nextgennutrition.cf.
