Our Founder

In Tribute to Our Founder: Mark Hughes 1956-2000

“You can’t stop a good idea from taking hold and spreading.”

The extraordinary vision and commitment that inspired Mark Hughes to found Herbalife began when he was just a teenager. Due to the tragic loss of his mother to unsafe dieting practices, Mark made a promise to find a way to help people lose weight safely.

Mark went to China to study the time-honored practice of using herbs for improving health. Impassioned by what he learned, he returned to the U.S. to form a team of medical and nutritional experts to create Herbalife’s breakthrough products. In 1980, Mark launched Herbalife by working as the first Distributor selling the nutritional products.

“The products are what get you an emotional experience. It’s the glow in their eye; it’s the way that they feel; it’s the excitement and the way that they act.”

As more and more people tried the products and experienced amazing results, the business quickly expanded. Mark developed a network of Distributors who shared his vision, were passionate about the products and excited about the business opportunity. Mark encouraged Herbalife Distributors to “have faith in the organization, to know that it’s going to work.”

“Through your efforts, people are discovering new worlds of opportunity and an eternal hope for the future.”

Speak with people who met Mark and they will tell you how he motivated them to commit themselves to reach greater heights personally and professionally. He inspired people from all walks of life through his faith in people’s ability to change lives, starting with their own. Mark believed that one person can truly make a difference and that difference is a healthier world.

“I am convinced the future will be brilliant beyond compare.”

Mark passed away in 2000, but his vision for changing people’s lives – helping people manage their weight, regain their health and find financial prosperity – continues to thrive. Today, there are more than one million Herbalife Distributors in over 60 countries, making their dreams of a healthier life and financial independence come true. See special moments, people and events from Mark’s extraordinary career in our Mark Hughes Photo Gallery.

“Introducing balanced nutrition to millions of people in the world is a dream come true for me.”

In honor of Mark’s pioneering work in weight management and nutrition, in 2003 Herbalife helped establish the Mark Hughes Cellular and Molecular Nutrition Laboratory at UCLA, dedicated to science-based nutrition research.