Meet the Founders of DIRTEA - Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Ritual

Brothers, creators, and wellness disruptors - Simon and Andrew Salter are on a mission to reimagine what it means to feel good. DIRTEA isn’t just a supplement brand; it’s a movement rooted in centuries-old wisdom and powered by today’s science. Their journey started with a simple question: What if the future of health didn’t lie in doing more - but in doing better?

At DIRTEA, they’ve built something remarkable. A brand that bridges old and new, nature and innovation, stillness and performance. Their goal? To make functional mushrooms part of everyday life - not as a trend, but as a trusted, timeless tool for clarity, balance, and resilience.

We caught up with the Salter brothers to talk about burnout, brotherhood, building movements - and the small rituals that change everything.

1. You’ve both had such a unique journey - from launching a global campaign about men’s health to creating DIRTEA. What first sparked your interest in wellbeing, and how has that evolved over time?

SIMON & ANDREW: Growing up, we were surrounded by a generation that approached health reactively. Seeing your doctor regularly was normal - but the depth of knowledge shared, or time spent understanding the root causes? Not so much. It wasn’t their fault; it came from a legacy of not knowing better. Our parents, our schools, even our food systems were all wired to respond after the problem had occurred.

We were taught biology by dissecting frogs, but no one taught us how to understand our own biology. The curriculum didn’t teach us how to regulate stress, manage energy, or optimise our minds. It didn’t teach us to prevent disease - only how to identify it once it showed up.

By 2019, we had already begun our mission with Feeling Nuts, pushing conversations around men’s health into the mainstream. But our deeper personal journey had already begun. We became obsessed with the idea of prevention over cure - how to live in sync with our circadian biology, ancestral rhythms, and natural medicine.

We leaned into nature, ancient practices, and tools that today are gaining mainstream traction - but back then were seen as fringe or “woo woo.” Simon, in particular, was quietly doing it all - mouth taping, grounding, cold immersion, sauna, forest bathing, journaling under trees. Things that were once labelled eccentric are now going viral on TikTok.

And the reason is clear:
We are living in an era where stress has become a status symbol. Burnout is branding. If you're not always plugged in, you're falling behind.
It’s not ambition anymore - it’s addiction.

DIRTEA was born out of that paradox. Out of the noise. We wanted to create something that helps people slow down, reconnect with nature, and reclaim their health - not with gimmicks, but with tools rooted in thousands of years of wisdom and backed by modern science.

2. Let’s talk about mental wellbeing. Was there a point in your journey where things felt out of balance - and what helped you start finding your way back to yourself?

SIMON: Oh yes - stress was accepted, even glorified, in the early stages of building our companies. We weren’t educated about the impact on the body, so it was easy to ignore. But when you run on empty long enough, the body pushes back. And when it does, it’s not subtle. Anxiety. Fatigue. Panic. And worst of all - not knowing why.

That tipping point, as uncomfortable as it was, became our moment of awakening. We started asking different questions. What if the solution wasn’t more hacks or more hustle, but a return to what’s always been there? Rest. Rhythm. Ritual. Nature. Mushrooms. The wisdom of the ancients, backed by the science of now.

That curiosity became our compass. That breakdown? It led to the breakthrough.

3. #FeelingNuts was bold, brave, and way ahead of its time. What made you want to talk openly about male cancer and vulnerability - especially in a world where that’s still a tough conversation for many?

SIMON & ANDREW: Owning your mortality at a young age is devastating - especially when it comes to something like testicular cancer. What hit us hardest was this brutal truth that: every death from testicular cancer is needless when caught early. It’s one of the most curable forms of cancer - if people know how to check and aren’t too ashamed to talk about it.

The turning point came when we met Wendy Gough, who had lost her son to testicular cancer. She handed us the emotional and practical tools to make a difference - and in many ways, gave us the permission to take her life saving message and turn pain into action. What we did understand was culture - how people communicate, connect, and share.

Our aim was to make this message entertaining, human, and impossible to ignore.

This was 2014. Vine was exploding. Instagram was becoming the platform. And everyone wanted their five minutes of fame. We knew if we could package the tools of how to keep in check and turn it into a peer-to-peer social challenge - something bold, even ridiculous, like a “crotch grab” with the hashtag #FeelingNuts - we could hack the algorithm of attention.

We collaborated with comedians, creators, and celebrities - people like Ant & Dec, turned them into a pair of testicles to teach the public how to check themselves. Stephen fry educating how to check. We then understood the concept of how people like to challenge their community so we kicked off a crotch grab challenge that became the tipping point when the likes of Hugh Jackman, Ricky Gervais, Cara Delievinge One direction, and Nigel patrick harris accepted the challenge the movement became so big, We got Jack Whitehall to host a Channel 4 prime-time special. The world responded.

• The campaign reached over 1.5 billion people
  

• Spread across 157 countries
  

• Was covered by MTV, who said we came close to “breaking the internet"

It was a cultural movement disguised as entertainment. We didn’t just raise awareness - we broke the silence. So why did we do it? Because if not us, then who? And if not now, then when? This was Wendy Gough's message, we were an extension of her mission. We’ve always believed in big ideas that create real change - and #FeelingNuts proved that when you combine purpose with creativity, the impact can be seismic.

4. DIRTEA’s all about natural support, daily rituals, and feeling good from the inside out. What role has functional mushrooms played in your own routines - not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too?

SIMON: It's a small vote for the identity I reinforce: I value clarity, calm, and long-term health. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Functional mushrooms became part of my day because they fit into a broader ritual - morning writing, movement, focused work. and they support the systems I rely on. I’m not chasing a spike in energy; I’m investing in resilience.  For me a real change comes from what you repeat and what mushrooms have become for me. A way to cast a vote every day for a healthier, sharper, calmer version of myself.

5. Running a brand, staying creative, and looking after your wellbeing - it’s a lot. What’s helped you both stay grounded when life gets hectic?

SIMON: Two words: emotional insurance. That’s what we are to each other. We’re not just co-founders - we’re brothers, and that bond is ironclad. When things get heavy - and trust me, they can and will - having someone who’s in the trenches with you, who sees you, calls you out, and has your back unconditionally, that’s the difference between burning out and staying in the game. We want each other to grow. it s a rarity that keep DIRTEA alive 

We live in a culture I believe that can sometimes worship the solo hero. The entrepreneur who grinds alone, never cracks, never asks for help.  The truth is, challenging times are on the horizon and it will question everything. And when that happens, what matters is who’s standing next to you when the lights are off and the noise is gone.

For us, it’s this rare combination: radical support, honest feedback, and the ability to say “I’m not okay” without it being a weakness. We have learnt that is not soft - that’s what keeps us mentally aligned.

6. We talk a lot at CHILL about unlearning habits that no longer serve us. Was there a moment when either of you realised you needed to change how you looked after yourselves - and what did that shift look like?

SIMON: There wasn’t one dramatic “aha” moment - it was more like a slow erosion. A quiet realisation that a lot of the things we once thought were fun, normal, or even necessary… were actually not serving our best interest for a future for the greater of good for our body and mind

We started shedding the fake dopamine hits - late nights, people that didn't serve our pursuit, chasing the night, drinking too much, waking up with a foggy head and pretending that pushing through was some kind of badge of honour. 

Now? We chase the real dopamine, cold, heat, meditation, journal, and drink rarely. We worship our sleep. We choose environments, habits, and people that compound positively. Not because it sounds good in a wellness post - but because there’s literally no upside to feeling low in the morning.

In a world addicted to stimulation, the real flex is saying no.

7. For anyone out there feeling stuck, stressed, or like they’ve lost their spark - what’s one small thing you’d suggest they try, just to get started again?

SIMON: Before you journal, manifest, or prayer - just get outside and sweat. Walk. Run. Lift. Breathe. Our body is the most underutilised antidepressant on Earth.

8. And finally… you're brewing your favourite DIRTEA blend. Where are you, who are you with (if anyone), and what about that moment feels like your version of ‘wellness made simple’?

SIMON: Ah mate… I’m in Costa Rica, deep in the jungle, where the trees hum and the ocean’s just a short barefoot walk away. I’m standing on the sand, feet grounded where the tide kisses the shore, watching the sun rise slow and golden. My (future) wife is next to me, calm and glowing, and my kids are hanging off me - rolling in the sand, laughing, wild and free.

There’s no phone. just…this . The kind of moment where time dissolves and you remember that most of the things that truly matter - sunlight, breath, connection - are free.

I’ve got a hot cup of DIRTEA in hand - probably cacao or lion’s mane - and I’m sipping it slowly, savouring not just the drink, but the stillness, and the love all wrapped into one. That, to me, is wellness made simple - when you’re so rooted in the now, nothing else matters. 

From bold ideas to quiet rituals, Simon and Andrew Salter are reimagining modern well-being, using the power of functional mushrooms to create simple, daily rituals that help us slow down, think clearly, and live more sustainably.

Through DIRTEA, they’ve created more than a brand: they’ve built a space where ancient practices meet modern life. Whether it’s a morning cup of Lion’s Mane to spark clarity or a rich Cacao blend to anchor the moment, each ritual is an invitation to be more present, more intentional, more grounded. 

Curious? Try DIRTEA for yourself and experience how small daily rituals can shift the way you move through your day!