Dave Colina is the co-founder of O2 which started in Columbus, OH in 2014. O2 Oxygenated Natural Recovery drink was created by a CrossFit trainer and a medical doctor who were sick of unhealthy sports and energy drinks. It has electrolytes, natural caffeine, and added oxygen to help your body process toxins faster. They’ve gone from slinging O2 out of the back of a Prius to becoming a top seller at hundreds of CrossFit gyms and Whole Foods stores in Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, DC and Maryland as well as Krogers.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [1:18] Jeremy introduces his guest, Dave Colina.
- [2:30] Dave talks about the early days of DrinkO2 and why he and his partner started it.
- [10:45] Stepping out into the unknown.
- [16:15] Dave opens up about the research and development process.
- [26:00] Finding the right flavors for DrinkO2.
- [36:00] Mistakes made along the way.
- [40:30] Correcting a mistake and sticking to the value of honesty and transparency.
- [49:30] A high point on the journey.
In this episode…
What does the process look like to develop and market a natural recovery drink? Where would you start? How would you choose to sell the product in such a crowded industry? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Dave Colina. In his conversation with Jeremy, Dave opens up about how O2 started, what the research and development process was like, how they decided on which flavors to market, lessons learned from mistakes made along the way, and much more. Have pen and paper ready; you don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode!
Do you ever find yourself wondering why there aren’t more natural recovery drinks that feature a high dose of electrolytes without adding artificial sweeteners? It seems that most recovery drinks are full of sugars and unnatural colors that should give more consumers pause. Here to help bring a solution to the marketplace is Dave Colina and DrinkO2. DrinkO2 started from humble beginnings as Dave and his business partner were selling the product out of the trunk of Dave’s Prius. Now the business is thriving thanks to their simple yet powerful message, natural recovery is possible!
Did you know that oxygen plays a considerable part in your body’s recovery process after a workout? Several medical studies have shown up to a 60% increase in the rate your liver processes toxins by consuming oxygenated liquids. Dave and his team at O2 created their product with this medical information in mind. The pure oxygen in O2 is measured at seven times higher than the typical levels found in tap water. Get more info about O2 and a great deal on their product by checking out the information located in the resources section at the end of this post!
What causes entrepreneurs and innovators to step out into the unknown and start something new? Let’s face it, these folks are a rare breed, and we need to hear more of their stories, so this risk-taking journey is encouraged for the next generation of business leaders. As Dave Colina rose through the ranks at Nationwide, he quickly discovered that he wanted to do something different and build a business of his own. While he was still young and free from any family obligations, Dave pulled the trigger and went for it. The journey was scary and not always smooth but looking back, Dave is more than satisfied with how the project has fared thus far.
If you were to create a natural recovery drink, where would you start? Would you dive into the industry with guns blazing or would you take a more cautious and measured approach? Sitting with the idea for several years, Dave and his business partner went for a deep dive learning all the info they needed to make a startup based on a natural recovery drink succeed. Through the highs and lows, they were able to overcome some enormous challenges and now enjoy prominent placement in grocery store chains like Whole Foods and Krogers.
Resources Mentioned on this episode
- DrinkO2
- www.drinko2.com/tryo2 enter the code: SAMPLE
- CrossFit
- High Hanging Fruit
- Mission in a Bottle
- Shoe Dog
- Beatbox Beverages on Inspired Insider
- Intro Music by Kidd Russell
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