Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jordan Bass, Co-Founder and CEO of HOP WTR, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
HOP WTR was founded out of the desire for a non-alcoholic beverage that also did not contain any calories or carbs. I enjoy drinking beer, but time and time again, I found myself wanting a tasty option without any negative effects. I knew there was a hole in the market when I could not find something that had the great taste of beer while also having functional benefits. We created HOP WTR to be a refreshing non-alcoholic sparkling hop water crafted with crisp, bold hops and mood-boosting ingredients. Not only does it taste great – offered in a variety of flavors –but there are also no calories, no carbs, and no hangover. HOP WTR is designed to be enjoyed by people who are looking to have a better relationship with alcohol, whatever that journey might be.
What’s most exciting for us, and where we see the most opportunity, is the current market. The number of consumers that don't drink is growing. Knowing this, we are especially motivated to provide a product for those consumers still looking to be included in social events without the judgment or even to simply have a non-compromising option to help them unwind after a long day. People should not feel excluded for whatever their reason to not drink. That being said, when you look at the market, most consumers still do consume alcohol in some capacity. And we’re finding more and more people that are saying, “Yeah, but on a Tuesday night, I don't want to drink,” or “I want to drink a little less when I go out.” HOP WTR is at the forefront of this trend, allowing people to choose the right mix of beverages for their lifestyle or an occasion without experiencing any pressure to drink and allowing themselves to be on their game the next day.
Tell us about yourself
My eventual co-founder Nick and I were introduced through a mutual friend (Anthony). Anthony and I worked together at The Wonderful Company, and he was Nick’s roommate in business school. As Nick and I became friends, we began discussing the hole we both saw in the beverage market. It was on a family camping trip in Central California that the idea and concept for HOP WTR was born.
Both Nick and I had been searching for alternatives to cracking open a beer after a long day at work. We wanted the relaxation but not the calories, alcohol, or carbs. When my wife got pregnant, it put a spotlight on the fact that I was the only one crushing double IPAs on the couch at night and too many lagers on the weekend. I switched to La Croix but found they didn't fulfill my needs, and traditional non-alcoholic beers had too many calories. Additionally, both options removed the functional ingredient of alcohol that helped me unwind. When I could not find something on the market that was low-calorie, had the great taste of beer and offered functional benefits, I knew there was an opportunity!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We at HOP WTR pride ourselves on having built an amazing team. We genuinely wouldn’t be successful or growing at the current rate without brilliant people behind the scenes putting in the work.
The team is invaluable. And it’s something I didn’t fully recognize while in business school because everything there was so mechanical and theoretical. But when you get started in the business world, you soon realize it’s all about the people – from the buyers you're working with to the partners, as well as every person on the team in between. To have a strong, quality team that is motivated to grow and better your brand is something I do not overlook.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I think one of the hardest things is that you must not let the highs be too high. Conversely, don’t allow the lows to be too low. Especially in a small business, we don't have the long-term foundation that you have in an established business; little things can be very disruptive. When you’re just starting out, you constantly have single points of failure in the business. Frankly, there are countless times when things don't go well. On the flip side, there are all kinds of things that do go to plan and even exceed expectations. And it's easy to let yourself sit back and really celebrate those highs, but I’ve learned that the lows get lower when you do that. So, you must try to keep a level head and just keep pushing forward.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- “Loose is fast, and on the edge of out of control.” This is a quote about race cars from Harry Hogge, but I feel like it applies to business as well. What it means is that when the car is a little loose, which means that the rear back end is kind of sliding a little bit, it feels a little out of control. But it’s actually the fastest way to get around the track. I appreciate this analogy because I used to live near where you want to be. You don't want to be so loose in your business that you're out of control.
On the other hand, you also don't want to be so tight in control that you are not maximizing opportunities that arise or going as fast as you could be. To be in the right amount of control, you want to have the necessary foundation and processes in place. This will allow you to disrupt them when needed at the right moment. - Stop overthinking. I'm an analytical person. And I think you can get that kind of classic paralysis through analysis when you overthink things. My advice would be to just move forward. Do the required amount of thoughtfulness and analysis to lower the risk proposition as much as you can and to a reasonable extent, but then just keep moving forward.
- Hire the right people. Partner with the right people. Promote the right people. My partnership with Co-Founder Nick Taranto and every one of the incredible team members that make up our small but mighty company is why we can change directions quickly if we need to. They give us the ability to jump on every opportunity and keep moving forward.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
HOP WTR is continuing to pursue our vision to reimagine the beer category with better-for-you innovation, providing consumers with more options that fit their lifestyles.
HOP WTR is available nationwide at HOPWTR.com, goPuff, Amazon, and Thrive Market. HOP WTR can also be found at Erewhon, BevMo!, Wegmans, Target, Big Y, and selected Total Wine & More, Ralphs, Kroger, HEB, and HyVee locations. For more information, please visit our website and follow us on Instagram!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://hopwtr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkhopwtr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopwtr/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hopwtr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hopwtr/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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