Jan 10, 2019
Rusty Jones and Tom Bushkie are the founders of Hello Water. Hellowater is fiber infused with zero grams of sugar and five grams fiber to help with a healthy lifestyle. Hellowater is also a fresh delivery system for fiber with exciting flavors such as Dance, which is their orange mango version. You can find Hellowater at Target, Jewel Osco, Woodmans, on Amazon and many more retailers across the country.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [1:35] Jeremy introduces his guests, Rusty Jones and Tom Bushkie.
- [3:50] What caused Rusty and Tom to work together?
- [5:30] Why is it so important that Hellowater infuses fiber?
- [8:30] What was the first version of Hellowater like? How has it evolved?
- [15:45] The guys talk about launching Hello Water with three flavors.
- [17:00] Why does Hellowater feature fun flavor names?
- [22:30] How did the guys get Hellowater on retail shelves so quickly?
- [26:30] What does, “Non-stop hustle” mean? Who is on the team?
- [29:00] Finding the right investors.
- [31:45] Why it is important to start small and correct mistakes as they arise.
- [34:00] How did Hellowater get on shelves in Target?
- [38:00] A look at the future of Hellowater and Hellowater Kids.
- [40:45] Why Hellowater is available on Amazon.
- [43:40] Tom talks about a low moment in business.
- [47:00] Rusty talks about a low moment in business.
- [49:15] How to connect with Hellowater.
In this episode…
Have you ever been concerned about the health of your gut? From sugar cravings to constant fatigue, these are just a few symptoms caused by an unhealthy gut. What if there was a way to restore your gut health? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from beverage innovators Rusty Jones and Tom Bushkie. In their conversation with Jeremy, Rusty and Tom open up about what led them to go into business together, why they decided to focus on fiber infused beverages, challenges they have faced along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this informative episode featuring Rusty and Tom!
When was the last time you took a moment to consider how far you’ve come in your career? Let’s face it, most of us are terrible at looking back and marking significant moments, but this is a helpful practice! As they reflected on their meeting Rusty Jones and Tim Bushkie now realize how fortunate they were to meet at the right place at the right time. Meeting briefly at a beverage conference in St. Louis, Rusty and Tom connected a few months later and began the groundwork for what would later become Hellowater. What can you learn from their story? What moments should you pause to reflect on in your career?
Did you know that most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet? It’s true! With all the recent focus on improving your gut health and cutting out sugar, most of us still struggle with getting enough fiber in our daily diet. Realizing this huge whole in our nutritional needs, Rust Jones and Tom Bushkie went to work searching for an answer. After months of research and time at the drawing board, the guys came up with the perfect solution. Hellowater, with 5g of soluble fiber in each bottle, promotes appetite control, healthy digestion, and lower cholesterol. Make sure to check out Hellowater by visiting their website located in the resources section.
Coming up with a solution that many people desperately need is one thing, marketing that solution in the crowded field of healthy beverages is a whole different animal. Thankfully, Rusty and Tom were up to the task, bringing their years of experience in the beverage industry to the table when they started Hellowater. To stand out in a crowded field, the guys decided to make a bold move; they highlighted fun flavor names like, “Smile,” “Live,” “Laugh,” “Love,” and “Dance.” These flavor names are featured prominently on the bottles rather than the brand name, “Hellowater.” This bold move paid off for Rusty and Tom as they saw their product resonated with many customers that were looking for something outside of the box.
One of the most valuable takeaways from Rusty and Tom’s story is the fact that they learned and adapted to every challenge that came their way. Earlier in his career, Tom led another beverage startup that didn’t perform as well as Hellowater has. Despite this setback, Tom pressed ahead, learned what he needed to, and came back to build something that would thrive. Don’t despair if you stumble on your journey! You can learn from your mistakes and setbacks if you adopt the right mindset. Let Rusty and Tom’s story motivate you as you keep your head up and follow your passion!
Resources Mentioned on this episode
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