Mitch Gould, founder and CEO of Nutritional Products International, has authored a memoir titled The Blonde, the Ferrari, and the Kwan: The Quintessential American Success Story. The book, written during the COVID-19 pandemic and set for global release on Amazon, provides insights into Gould's journey from Brooklyn to becoming a retail distribution expert and his philosophy on resilience and success. Gould explained his motivation for writing the memoir, stating that he wanted people to know that love and success really do exist. The title represents three core elements of his life: his wife Sherry (The Blonde), his achievement of wealth through determination (The Ferrari), and the concept of complete love, health, wealth, and happiness (The Kwan).
One of the most significant aspects of Gould's career detailed in the memoir is his instrumental role in Amazon's expansion beyond books into health and wellness. In the early 2000s, working with distributor Muscle Foods, Gould helped stock Amazon's new platform with more than 100 sports nutrition and wellness brands, effectively creating the sports nutrition category from the ground up. This achievement not only established his reputation as a retail distribution pioneer but also inspired the development of NPI's Evolution of Distribution platform. This early work with Amazon demonstrates how individual distributors can shape the trajectory of major retail platforms, creating new market categories that continue to generate billions in annual sales.
Gould's retail expertise spans generations, with his family having worked in retail for multiple generations. He has sold products to virtually every major retailer, including GNC, Walmart, Vitamin World, Vitamin Shoppe, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe's. His career includes representing iconic brands and celebrity lines, having owned Sports Nutrition Innovations with Hulk Hogan and worked with figures such as Steven Seagal, 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, Wayne Gretzky, and Chuck Liddell. This extensive network and experience across multiple retail channels provides valuable insights into how consumer products gain shelf space and market penetration in competitive environments.
David Schneider, who authored the book's foreword, described Gould as having a win-at-all-costs attitude and noted that his license plate reads WIFT, reflecting his personal motto. Schneider wrote that Mitch's story is a compelling and relevant one: a self-made man who has worked tirelessly to achieve his success and come out on top despite the challenges life has thrown at him. Through NPI and its in-house agency InHealth Media, Gould continues to shape how consumer brands enter and expand in the U.S. market. The memoir details both the business strategies that made him successful in global retail and the personal relationships that defined his journey, particularly highlighting the partnership with his wife Sherry as fundamental to his achievements. This combination of business acumen and personal philosophy offers readers a comprehensive view of what drives entrepreneurial success in the competitive retail distribution industry.
