I was relaxing and drinking a glass of flavoured-water last week and took a moment to look at the beautifully designed bottle that it came in. It made me appreciate just how huge and competitive the designer water market has become globally, and how sophisticated the marketing and promotion of these products has become over the years. It made me remember fondly how, in the early 1980s, I sampled my first lemon scented Perrier water when it launched in the market, loving the concept and the taste. Bringing the flavoured water story back to today, I was reminded of a woman entrepreneur who became a major success story with her flavoured water brand Hint, back in 2005. Kara Goldin, the ceo and founder of the brand, launched the business to create a healthy alternative to the sugar laden fizzy drinks that she was in the habit of drinking. She had no beverage industry experience, the big industry brands laughed at her, but she knew what customers wanted from her own personal experience. Taking that knowledge, she took a leap of faith, launched her brand and her products, and today the brand has grown into a $200m operation. Kara’s experience is a good reminder to us all that sometimes it’s good to trust your intuition in business and product development.
Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! — Melanie