San Luis Potosí
No. 196, Suite 206
Roma Norte
06700 CDMX
E. hello@thrust.com.mx
T. +52 8190 1290
M. +52155 40941527
How did we help GNC unlock a change-responsive culture that empowered them to thrive as a truly omnichannel company?
GNC, a global leader in vitamins and nutrition, has been part of the Mexican market since 1991. With over 650 stores nationwide, the company has become a trusted name in health and wellness, building strong connections with millions of consumers. In the wake of the pandemic, GNC saw a strategic opportunity: to evolve into a truly omnichannel business, combining the strength of its physical presence with the agility of digital channels. This shift not only expanded growth opportunities but also unlocked new ways to engage with customers and elevate the brand experience. To bring this ambition to life and ensure its people were ready to drive it forward, GNC partnered with Thrust in 2021 to design an adoption strategy that would secure the transition and empower employees to sustain the transformation at every level.
Below the Surface of Change
The starting point for designing an adoption strategy was to clearly understand how prepared the organization was to take its next leap. To do this, we applied Change Readiness AI™, Thrust’s proprietary model that anticipates hidden dynamics and strengthens the conditions that sustain transformation. The analysis gave GNC a holistic view of how its culture could respond to change and which strengths could be amplified in this new stage. Through interviews, surveys, and a heatmap assessment, key insights emerged that helped focus efforts and optimize resources—ensuring teams embraced the shift to an omnichannel model as a true opportunity for growth.
The Change Readiness AI™ Model
From a neuroscience perspective, we know the brain processes social threats in the same way it processes physical ones—limiting cognitive capacity and, in turn, adaptability to change. To understand this phenomenon and turn it into a strategic advantage, the Change Readiness AI™ model integrates two core systems that uncover the cultural undercurrents behind any transformation.
The Cause System measures the factors that trigger either resistance or openness to change, grouped into six dimensions: Familiarity, Certainty, Autonomy, Status, Fairness, and Change itself. The Consequence System reflects how those causes materialize within the organization across four dimensions: Trust, Capacity, Motivation, and Transcendence.
This dual lens revealed that the sheer volume of transformations underway at GNC made it harder to align collectively and pivot toward a click-and-collect model. At the same time, it created the opportunity to anticipate risks, focus on high-impact areas, and turn what was once invisible into accelerators of readiness.
A Living Map of Transformation
The diagnostic enabled GNC to clearly identify the pivotal moments within its change journey, as well as the unique characteristics of each geographic region across the organization. With this insight, we designed tailored and strategic interventions that responded to each context—activating operational practices, communication tactics, and customized support protocols. This approach ensured the transition was not only consistent but also personal, building trust at every level of the organization and turning the change experience into a shared opportunity for growth.
From Map to Measurable Journey
Building on this foundation, a change roadmap was drawn that outlined the key phases of adoption, fully aligned with GNC’s strategic priorities. This framework also introduced change favorability indicators, designed to measure the real pulse of the transition and ensure tangible progress at every stage. The organization was left not just with a plan, but with a compass—one that could guide its evolution, validate impact, and guarantee the sustainability of transformation over time.
Where Strategy Meets Results
GNC launched a strategy that embedded a change-responsive mindset across every level of the organization. This allowed the company to implement key adjustments, sustain its growth vision, and move toward omnichannel with both agility and coherence. Today, the adoption process has turned transition into a concrete opportunity for sustainable and orderly expansion.
On GNC’s global digital channel, gross merchandise volume reached US $227M in 2024, reflecting an estimated 5–10% growth over the previous year. By July 2025, monthly online sales remained strong at around US $20M (EcommerceDB, 2025). This stands as proof of a smoother adoption process and a more integrated customer experience—where omnichannel has ceased to be just a goal and has become a platform for tangible results.
San Luis Potosí
No. 196, Suite 206
Roma Norte
06700 CDMX
E. hello@thrust.com.mx
T. +52 8190 1290
M. +52155 40941527
