Gnaw Labs: Restoring men’s confidence, one smile at a time. Only at Amazon and getgnawlabs.com
- KLS
- 9 minutes ago
- 5 min read
For the 225th feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with Gnaw Labs and Founder, Matt Kiss. Men struggle with confidence every day and when it came to oral care everything was built for someone else. They were sick of bland teeth whitening strips and products that didn’t speak to us. That is why they started Gnaw Labs. No investors and no corporate polish. Building the kind of teeth whitening we actually wanted. FoamFlex™ Technology that adapts to your smile. Flavors that don’t suck. Oral care made for men to give confidence back to men.
"Together Talks" feature # 225: Gnaw Labs presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most? Share a decision that you made that was detrimental? Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
Story of how it was created?
Gnaw Labs wasn’t some big boardroom idea, it started in high school. Like most guys that age, I began getting pimples and became self-conscious for the first time in my life. Guys don’t really wear makeup, so I was looking for something, anything that could help me feel more confident.
I started walking through CVS and Walmart, scanning shelves for products, but everything was clearly made for women. The branding, the messaging, it all felt feminine. That’s when it really hit me: why was there no oral care designed specifically for men?
Around that time, I was using teeth-whitening strips at home, but they were too small for my teeth. They didn’t fit properly and barely worked. That was the lightbulb moment. I realized there was a real opportunity to create whitening strips made for men, larger strips, stronger formulas, and better ingredients.
That idea became the first Gnaw Labs product.
Previous experience to this venture?
I’ve been in the e-commerce space since grade nine, back when dropshipping was really taking off. My very first business was a cat toy company. The only customer I ever had was my mom, but it was my first real step into entrepreneurship and direct-to-consumer business.
From grade nine through college, I probably started 10 to 12 businesses. Most of them failed and didn’t generate real sales, but each one taught me something valuable. Those years of trial and error gave me the experience and confidence to know what I’m doing today.
What separates you from your competition?
There’s definitely a lot of competition in oral care, but we’re the only whitening strip brand designed specifically for men.
Our differentiators are simple:
Bigger strips that fit larger smiles
Stronger, effective formulas
High-quality, dentist-approved ingredients
We’re also U.S. dentist-recommended and use ingredients dentists actually rely on, like hydrogen peroxide. About 80% of competitors don’t even use real whitening agents, they rely on gimmicks like purple or green strips that create a temporary illusion but fade almost immediately.
We focus on real results. Our formulas include hydrogen peroxide, Dead Sea salt, coconut oil, sage oil, and lemon peel to minimize sensitivity, a major issue with whitening products. On top of that, we use premium manufacturing quality without luxury pricing. Our goal has always been to make effective oral care affordable and accessible. Every year we donate a percentage of our sales to men’s mental health nonprofit organizations.
What have been the biggest challenges?
The hardest part of being a small company is having a small team and limited capital. You quickly realize you don’t have the luxury of big budgets, so you learn to think differently.
That means doing your own accounting, marketing, and social media, wearing every hat. It often means working 14-hour days. There’s a quote I love from Rocky: “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
That pretty much sums up entrepreneurship. You’re going to get knocked down, you just have to keep going.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
Over the next few months, we’re launching our Nano Hydroxyapatite toothpaste. It’s a mouthful to say, but it’s a game-changer. Nano hydroxyapatite makes up about 95% of what your teeth are actually made of. Unlike fluoride, which protects enamel, this ingredient actively helps rebuild it and reduce sensitivity.
We’re also launching a whitening gel that concentrates our whitening formula into a brush-on product. Instead of strips, you’ll simply brush with it, making whitening easier and more convenient.
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business?
I graduated college while all my friends were landing corporate jobs and making real money. Meanwhile, I was broke, fresh out of school, and betting everything on an idea.
It’s scary. You have no money, no guarantees, and no way of knowing if it’s going to work. At some point, you just have to trust yourself, keep trying, and accept that success often comes down to persistence and timing.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
The feedback. Nothing compares to the messages I get from guys who say they’ve always been insecure about their teeth, and now they feel confident showing up to school or work.
This product genuinely changes how people feel about themselves. That’s what pushes me to work as hard as I do. Those messages make everything worth it.
Share a decision that you made that was detrimental?
My biggest mistake was not being careful enough with partnerships. Partnerships can be great—but they can also go bad fast if expectations aren’t aligned.
If one person is doing 90% of the work and the other is doing 10%, resentment builds quickly. If you’re going to partner with someone, make sure the workload is truly balanced and that you each bring different, complementary strengths to the table.
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
Every review, every message, every piece of feedback. Creating the product was an amazing feeling, but hearing from customers is the real reward. That’s the cherry on top.
Piece of Advice
Don’t listen to anyone when it comes to your dream.
In college, I wrote a business report on this idea and failed it. I got a 40%, and the feedback said it would never work. Family members told me it was a bad idea. Friends said it was terrible. No one believed in it, until it worked.
Then suddenly it was, “Great idea. I always knew you’d do it.”
Trust your gut. Bet on yourself. If you believe in it, keep going.
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Gnaw Labs and Founder, Matt Kiss, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!