First Gap Year fellow drives growth at wellness business
RIT’s Gap Year Entrepreneurial Fellowship helps students and alumni build businesses
The thrill of launching and expanding companies pulled Brandon Hudson ’19 away from his childhood dream of working for the FBI and into business ventures.
Entrepreneur Magazine this year named Project LeanNation one of the hottest health-and-wellness franchises in the United States. Brandon Hudson ’19 (individualized program) is leading the expansion of the business that blends prepared meals and weight-loss solutions.
A serial entrepreneur, Hudson was RIT’s first Gap Year fellow in 2018. Even before that, Hudson had a knack for business. He began “Click” as a first-year student living in the Computer Science House and sold wristbands for the then-new Apple Watch.
Later, Hudson partnered with a team to form Connexus Controls and develop energy efficient heating and cooling. He transferred into the School of Individualized Study (SOIS) and designed a degree program that allowed him to “build my business as a major.” Then, SOIS Dean James Hall invited him to test-run the new entrepreneurial program.
“The Gap Year Fellowship is like a co-op for yourself,” Hudson said. “It gives you an opportunity to work for yourself, knowing that you can still come back to the classroom and keep going.”
After five years with Connexus, Hudson joined a health-and-wellness startup and learned about the technological needs of an existing company, Rochester, N.Y.-based Project LeanNation.
Hudson joined Project LeanNation after experiencing the product, a combination of healthy food and personalized nutrition counseling, and losing 75 pounds. He started in late 2019 to form the franchise development team.
“When I came in, we had one location here that was the flagship and three licensed locations that were proof of concept,” Hudson said. “Fast forward, and we’ve got 34 open today and another 50 on the way.”
Hudson, a partner in the business and head of growth, leads technology development, marketing, and operational and strategic planning.
The software systems Hudson built have powered Project LeanNation as an emerging franchise. They prioritize customer experience, train teams, report sales data, and communicate through an integrated platform like Slack.
Hudson and Project LeanNation founder and CEO Tim Dougherty are launching their spin-off company Franstrata Inc. in 2026 to make the software tools available to other franchises and brands.
Hudson’s successes led to an invitation to join the SOIS national advisory council.
“I was the first Gap Year fellow, and I also have a lot of knowledge on the business side and where the world is headed, but I’m also really young,” Hudson said. “So, I think I offer a fresh perspective that bridges the gap for college students.”
Got big ideas? Gap Year fellows do
Since 2018, RIT’s Gap Year Entrepreneurial Fellowship has helped students in the School of Individualized Study who want to launch a business while working on their college degree. Keep reading to learn about where some of RIT’s first Gap Year fellows are today.
