I am back with our second Boston Partner Spotlight: Drink Simple! Drink Simple has two purely refreshing and ultra-hydrating product lines: Maple Water and Sparkling Maple Water, varying in flavors from Original to Raspberry Lemon to Orange Mango. According to Drink Simple’s website: “Maple water is the water that comes from the tree. It contains 46 naturally occurring polyphenols, antioxidants, prebiotics, minerals, and electrolytes. It also has just half the sugar of coconut water and more manganese than a cup of kale.” As if that wasn’t enough, maple water is linked to anti-aging, improving aerobic athletic performance, and lessening the severity of a hangover. You got me Drink Simple – I’ll drink to that!
To learn more about how maple water is made, its nutritional value, how it compares to coconut water, and its benefits, click here. One interesting fact I learned from my research on the distinction between maple and coconut water is that while coconut water involves shipping coconuts here from elsewhere in the world, the U.S., specifically New England, has an abundance of maple trees that can be tapped for water. How about that for keepin’ it local?
Now, I want to feature Drink Simple’s passionate co-founders, Kate Weiler and Jeff Rose. For this spotlight, I spoke with Kate, an Ironman triathlete and passionate advocate for nutrition and holistic wellness. Oh, and I forgot to mention: a Boston native! Kate has completed countless triathlons, including eight full-distance Ironman triathlons, and is a finisher of the 2013 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Wow!!!
Here is a snapshot of what Kate and I discussed:
Discovering the Power of Maple Water
Kate and Jeff were in a coffee shop in Canada, doing what we all do while in Québec – preparing to compete in the Ironman Mont-Tremblant triathlon (that is, a 2.4-mile swim + a 112-mile bicycle ride + a marathon 26.22-mile run). In this shop, they found a small manufacturer that had bottled maple water. Up until this point neither Kate nor Jeff knew that when you tap a maple tree, maple water comes out, as it is a common misconception that it is the sticky sap we associate with maple syrup. In case this wasn’t yet clear: maple water is not water mixed with maple syrup.
After drinking the maple water, Kate and Jeff felt more ready than they ever had before to tackle the day and tackle their race. When Kate realized that maple water was the natural product of a local natural resource that was native to New England, well, that’s when the idea behind Drink Simple started to flow.
The Maple Water Consumer
“Everybody should be drinking maple water!” While there are a myriad of benefits for all who drink maple water, the people who gravitate towards it are those looking to thrive naturally and put ‘better-for-you products’ into their bodies. In Kate’s experience, people appreciate that Drink Simple maple water makes them feel great but also that it tastes delicious. We would have to agree, Kate!
Spring Tree Tapping Season
As Jeff is talented at building supply chain and facilities, the two-to-three week tree-tapping window in Franklin County Vermont is now practically seamless. Kate admits, however, that it wasn’t always that way: “The first couple years it was pretty crazy. It was staying up all night, falling asleep on production facility floors.”
Maple Water Recipes
While there are a lot of really great recipes, Kate has two favorites: maple water + protein (great for rehydrating and rebuilding) and maple water + cold brew coffee (essential for early morning wake-up calls). If you want to give them a try, definitely check out the easy-to-follow recipes for Maple Water Cold-Brew and Pumpkin Protein Smoothie.
COVID-19’s Health & Wellness Implications
Kate, an advocate for nutrition and holistic wellness, told me: “I think it’s super important to move your body outside.” Kate’s advice is to find a way to move out of your office chair, whether that be going for a run, a short walk, or even just doing some form of stretching in the house. If you are looking for more ways to keep busy while practicing social distancing, check out our blog post from March.
Lesson Learned
This is it: the BIG question for entrepreneurs, especially when you limit them to only ONE lesson. Since starting Drink Simple, Kate has learned that “mindset is really everything” and “being able to strengthen your mindset is one of the most important things you can do.” Kate herself has been open to learning from others, such as Spanx founder, Sara Blakely, on how to develop the right entrepreneurial mindset. For all interested, this process involves training your brain to embrace failure, looking for hidden lessons in challenging times, visualizing and setting your intentions, and aiming high. Listen to this podcast on Relationship Commerce to hear from Kate herself on the importance of building a tough mindset as an entrepreneur.
Instead of ending this blog post in my own words, since you’ve likely had enough of me by now, I will let Kate give some closing thoughts (cue: Closing Time):
“Being an entrepreneur is like a really really really long Ironman…”
