NEW ORLEANS – Spencer Maxwell Shilstone, son of New Orleans fitness icon Mackie Shilstone, has launched health, wellness and nutritional supplement company MaxWell Nutrition in a 500-square-foot location at the Rink on Prytania (2727 Prytania Street). Customers can also shop online, where Shilstone offers articles and videos, including his father’s “Workout Wednesday” web series.
“I knew I could offer a better alternative; one driven by science-based, research-driven nutritional products,” said Shilstone in a press release.
The younger Shilstone is a 2014 marketing and business management graduate from the University of Mississippi. He’s been certified as a nutrition coach by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He said the idea for this new venture came into focus after he was accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, which provides education, capital, and business support services to entrepreneurs. But Shilstone has been around the industry from a young age.
“I guess you can say my career somewhat started when I was 12 and was tasked with sweeping floors,” he said. “After college and venturing out on my own a bit, I joined my dad and really learned all aspects of operating a business, and that is an invaluable education.”
Shilstone knows that his target audience is more likely to be shopping online rather than in-person, so he made it a priority to build a “comprehensive, user-friendly website populated with all the MaxWell Nutritional products.”
“I’m very proud of Spencer and all that he has accomplished,” said the elder Shilstone, who has coached thousands of professional athletes, including Serena Williams, along with actors and actresses, law enforcement personnel and members of the military. He recently sold his stake in several GNC franchise stores in the greater New Orleans area and he is taking fewer professional responsibilities to focus on other interests.