This story appears in the March 2026 issue.
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When I founded a water company in 2017, I wasn’t trying to reinvent water. I was just trying to build on a simple belief: People are naturally good.. If you give them a clear way to practice this virtue, I am sure they will. That’s why we have a 1:1 model: for every bottle sold, we provide clean water to someone in need.
One day, we heard from a young basketball coach. He wanted to teach his children that their choices matter – even the little ones, like what water they drink. We used to send him one case every month. He said it helped them bond as a team and feel united around a mission. When his team won the championship, he sent me a championship ring. I kept it in my desk drawer, a source of pride for a job well done.
In 2019, this ring took on a whole new meaning.
At the beginning of the year, my team planned to install a water filtration system in an elementary school in Haiti. Local children were getting sick from the dirty water, and we were desperate to help. But then there was civil unrest, and we had to cancel the trip. I was crushed.
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To mourn, our founding team decided to fast for the five days we spent in Haiti. I would look at the championship ring often, reminding myself what we were working towards. Then, during that fast, my team discovered something unexpected: There was no hydration formula designed to help people who were fasting or had limited access to food. So we made it ourselves. It’s called FAST:RX, a line of active drinks for people who fast.
Now, every time I see a championship ring, I appreciate how wise that coach was. yes, Choice is important. When we take steps to help others, we think more deeply about their needs. This helps us identify new ways to help them.
We provided clean water to people in need, and found others with the same mission. This coach chose our water to help unify his team, which helped them win the championship. We fasted, and it helped us create a new product.
In other words: when we choose to help others, we also help ourselves.
Related: I Built a Business Around a Product That Didn’t Sell – All Because No One Wanted to Piss Me Off
When I founded a water company in 2017, I wasn’t trying to reinvent water. I was just trying to build on a simple belief: People are naturally good.. If you give them a clear way to practice this virtue, I am sure they will. That’s why we have a 1:1 model: for every bottle sold, we provide clean water to someone in need.
One day, we heard from a young basketball coach. He wanted to teach his children that their choices matter – even the little ones, like what water they drink. We used to send him one case every month. He said it helped them bond as a team and feel united around a mission. When his team won the championship, he sent me a championship ring. I kept it in my desk drawer, a source of pride for a job well done.
In 2019, this ring took on a whole new meaning.
