Three years ago we were college students at Brandeis University with a super busy schedule between classes, activities and part-time jobs. Close to midterms, we, as many other fellow students, were stressed, lacked sleep, and were worried about our grades. It’s a time where the library tends to be crowded day and night, and when consumption of coffee, and especially energy drinks, skyrockets, as the race against time begins.
Most students, however, rely on energy drinks that are unhealthy, made of ingredients that require a degree in nutrition to unscramble, and taste of a mix of cough syrup with rocket fuel that makes you feel guilty after every sip. Dissatisfied with the existing realm of energy drinks, we set out on a mission to create one that we could feel good about drinking, an energy drink that would complement our health-conscious lifestyle.
We started researching what our peers, professors, and coworkers found most important in a functional beverage. Our research showed that taste, functionality, and nutrition were the top three factors people were looking for. Working with experts, we took all of the information we gathered and for almost a year, worked on formulating, surveying, and testing potential variations of our drink. Our end game was to create a product that would impress with its nutritional qualities and be appealing to even the healthiest among us. We wished to create an energy drink that defied expectations. And we did it: our drink comes lightly carbonated in a delicious raspberry pomegranate flavor, is certified USDA organic, vegan, kosher, and contains fair trade certified organic cane sugar rather than the cheap sucrose syrups found in most energy drinks.
One thing was for certain, whatever we were going to be doing, the time and effort we were spending had to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Coincidentally, we were enrolled in H’University’s online course, where they brought in brilliant and talented entrepreneurs to give live honest advice to students. The first live interview featured Adam Braun and Gary Vaynerchuk. Their interview marked a turning point in the evolution of our initial idea.
Education is the most valuable asset we possess, yet, millions of children worldwide are denied access to it, and therefore lack foundational skills, such as being able to read and write. Through Adam Braun’s book, The Promise of A Pencil (a book on how an an ordinary person can create extraordinary change that we highly recommend) we realized just how much of an impact we could make on the lives of thousands of children and their communities.
We wanted to incorporate the ideas and notions we learned into our project. More specifically, we wanted our drink to have a purpose beyond simply giving a boost. Our goal was to make our consumers actively take part in something greater with each sip, hence our decision to donate 10 cents from every can to support our mission. Currently, our first campaign is to raise $35,000 to build a school for children through an organization called Pencils of Promise.
Our adventure continued under a brand name, 4 Purpose Energy™, that resonated with our values. Our small team is composed of very talented and amazing people who have all contributed in making this idea a reality. It should be noted, however, that anything worthwhile doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years of nonstop hard work which is often met with adversity, delays, and setback. We, unsurprisingly, faced these kind of challenges along the way. Some were easy fixes, others took months to solve. Today, we have a final product that tastes great, is made with the highest quality ingredients, and is helping change the lives of thousands of children.
We are different from anyone else in the industry, we are young and ambitious, pride ourselves on an exceptional customer service, and are fully committed to making a positive difference in the world. With that said, we invite you to join us on our mission and take part in our first campaign to raise $35,000 to build a school for children through Pencils of Promise. Together we can change the world.
Cheers to your health!
The 4 Purpose Energy™ Team