Inc.
A tiny magnetic nose device born on a motocross track could become the next big thing in wellness.
The Next Big Wellness Brand May Be a Product You Didn’t Know You Needed
Author: Netta Jenkins
Investors are always searching for the next big consumer brand. Sometimes, however, the biggest opportunity isn’t inventing something new. It’s changing how people think about a product they may not know they need.
That’s the opportunity Elle Lanning, president of investments at Camino Partners, sees in Intake Breathing, a company whose magnetic nasal dilator is designed to support airflow.
Lanning brings experience from helping scale Kind, the snack brand founded by Daniel Lubetzky, who also founded Camino Partners. She played a key role in growing Kind from $20 million to more than $1 billion in retail sales, and says that experience informs how she evaluates businesses with the potential to create entirely new consumer categories.
The opportunity isn’t just the product
Intake reminded Lanning of Kind’s early challenges. Both businesses had to navigate distribution and positioning while introducing products to consumers who weren’t necessarily familiar with the category.
“We saw similarities between Intake and Kind in the early days. Both businesses faced the challenge of positioning a product in a category that consumers didn’t fully understand yet,” Lanning says.
From motocross goggles to everyday wellness
Intake’s origins were practical. The product was initially designed by family patriarch Jim Castillo for motocross goggles before the family developed it into a standalone device for broader uses, including sports and sleep. The company’s product information explains how its magnetic band and adhesive tabs work together to support the nasal valve.
Lanning sees an opportunity to make the product part of routines consumers already have.
“You’re not asking people to completely change their routines. You’re giving them something that can fit into what they’re already doing,” she explains.
The strategy echoes Kind’s approach to healthier snacking: Make a product appealing and accessible without asking consumers to abandon familiar behaviors.
Why retail could accelerate growth
Although Intake has focused on direct-to-consumer sales, Lanning sees retail as an important channel for awareness and trial. Physical stores can introduce the product to shoppers who might never search for a nasal breathing solution online.
Consumer testimonials and credible data can help explain the product’s value to both customers and retail partners. Placement also matters: Intake has an opportunity to become part of broader wellness and performance assortments rather than remaining confined to the traditional nasal strip category.
“Retail is an opportunity to build awareness, help people discover the product, and make it easier for them to try it. The key is making sure the product is in the right place and consumers understand its value,” Lanning says.
Scaling without losing what works
For Lanning, the investment decision also depends on leadership. She highlights the importance of founders who demonstrate resilience, vulnerability, and openness to feedback.
As businesses grow, leaders must decide which behaviors helped them succeed and which processes, capabilities, and roles need to evolve.
“Scaling isn’t about changing everything that made the company successful. It’s about understanding what got you here, what you need next, and communicating that clearly to your team,” she says.
For Intake, the challenge is bigger than selling a product. It’s building consumer awareness, expanding distribution, and developing the organization needed to support a broader market.
For investors, that’s the larger bet: backing not just a product people can buy today, but a category they may increasingly recognize tomorrow.
Credits: TCA, LLC.