The Secret to Subscription-Only Success in the DTC Wellness Space With Adam Gillman

Minds of Ecommerce

Adam Gillman is the Co‑founder and President of Hiya Health, a children's wellness company that reimagines kids' vitamins by delivering sugar‑free, transparency‑focused nutrition through clean, science‑backed products. A seasoned entrepreneur, Adam has built and scaled consumer‑facing businesses in health and fitness, including CycleHouse. Motivated by his experience as a father, he teamed up with Darren Litt to disrupt the gummy vitamin market, creating Hiya's signature chewables using real food ingredients and recycling‑minded packaging. Under his leadership, Hiya has grown into a fast‑scaling, subscription‑based brand that drew the attention of USANA, which acquired a controlling stake in late 2024.

In this episode…

Many brands invest heavily in influencer marketing, yet few see consistent, scalable growth. Despite having access to creators and content, campaigns may fall short due to misaligned messaging, lack of authenticity, or a focus on short-term wins. How do you build a long-term influencer strategy that converts and drives sustainable revenue?

Adam Gillman, an expert in DTC growth strategy, shares how his team scaled a wellness brand by rejecting surface-level influencer tactics and instead focusing on creator relationships rooted in trust, relevance, and storytelling. Adam emphasizes selecting influencers not by follower count but by credibility with niche audiences, especially in sensitive markets like children's wellness. He advises brands to set clear creative guardrails while allowing influencers freedom in tone and delivery and to always tie campaigns to measurable, ROI-driven offers. By prioritizing authentic partnerships over ad placements and building a strong subscription model, Adam reveals a playbook for long-term customer retention and predictable growth.

In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce podcast, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Adam Gillman, Co-Founder and President of Hiya Health, about scaling with influencer-led marketing. Adam shares how authenticity outperforms reach, why UGC isn't always effective on-site, and how a subscription-only model lessened Hiya's market risk. Other highlights include creator compliance strategies, performance-focused partnerships, and long-term brand loyalty.