Husband/Founders Chat: Bloom Energy Drink, Addressing The Haters, Relationship Advice & Motivation for Entrepreneurs

Mari and Greg share their contrasting experiences when they were apart: Mari embraced solitude in Austin by engaging in fulfilling activities, while Greg immersed himself in the demands of his work trip in LA during the intense Prime Day event.

Mari embraced being alone in Austin, finding activities and connections that helped her feel fulfilled

Throughout Greg's trip to LA, Mari actively sought out activities to fill her time. Mari engaged in various hobbies such as Pilates classes, sourdough baking, and horseback riding. She also made sure to connect socially by taking walks, dining out with friends, and building her community in Austin. Despite her initial discomfort with sleeping alone, Mari felt proud of herself for handling the week well and thriving independently.

Mari engaged in various hobbies and social activities during Greg's trip, including Pilates, sourdough baking, horseback riding, and dinner with friends

Mari took the opportunity to participate in Pilates, which she enjoyed, and baked sourdough bread, an act of service that she knew Greg appreciated. Additionally, she spent time horseback riding and socializing with friends over dinner. These activities helped her feel more connected and fulfilled.

Despite her initial discomfort with sleeping alone, Mari ultimately had a positive experience and felt proud of her ability to thrive independently

Mari admits to her discomfort with sleeping alone, recognizing she feels more vulnerable without Greg. She often woke up at night to check the doors. However, despite these challenges, she had a positive experience being on her own and appreciated the support and connections she had established in her community.

Greg was immersed in the hectic demands of his work trip, especially with the challenges of Prime Day

Greg describes his work trip to LA as "absolute madness," signifying the chaotic pace he faced during Prime Day. This pivotal event, which he compares to a "Super Bowl," requires rigorous focus as he and his team strive to make their products the top-selling supplements on Amazon.

Greg and his team worked tireles ...

Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia, the creators of Bloom's new energy drink, share insights into the drink’s formulation and its swift market success, aiming to revolutionize the energy drink market, especially catering to women.

The Bloom team carefully crafted the energy drink formulation to balance functional ingredients with great taste

Mari and Greg designed an energy drink that is palatable, contains beneficial ingredients, is moderate in caffeine, and appeals to the "Bloom girl." They worked with advanced formulators to craft a drink focused on gut health with low calories and a great taste, integrating elements like apple cider vinegar, green tea extract, and lychee extract, known for metabolism-boosting properties.

They incorporated prebiotics into the drink, taking care to balance the functional ingredients' bitterness with good taste. Mari and Greg collaborated with established food scientists during this process, opting for Sucralose as a sweetener because of its proven safety record. Maintaining only 10 calories and zero grams of sugar was essential to meet their customer's health preferences.

Mari references experts like Lane Norton and Peter Attia to underscore the safety and health benefits of artificial sweeteners. She ensures that sucralose is safe and evidence-backed, guaranteeing she wouldn’t offer a product she didn't fully stand by.

The energy drink launch has been a major success, with the product quickly becoming a top seller at Target

The Bloom team, after extensive testing which included sampling 12 versions of each of the four launch flavors—raspberry lemon, strawberry watermelon, peach mango, cherry lime—agreed unanimously on the selection, ensuring the flavors met their high standards for the energy drink now sold exclusively at Target for the remainder of 2024.

The energy drink's release at Target has seen an overwhelming response. Mari recounts the surprise she felt when people began to find and review the drink on TikTok before the official announcement, enhancing early consumer engagement and awareness. The visibility of Bloom Nutrition end caps with four giant shelves in the grocery or energy drink aisle and the stock ...

As Mari and Greg begin their journey with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) this month, they are embracing cautious optimism about the process.

Mari and Greg are cautiously optimistic as they begin the IUI process this month

Mari and Greg are managing their expectations, fully aware that IUI does not ensure success. Their hope is that this method will give them a better chance of conception. Yet, they’re also mentally preparing for the possibility of disappointment. Mari feels the emotional weight of the process, acknowledging the sadness that will come if the treatment doesn't result in pregnancy.

Greg touches on the broader emotional challenges, discussing the impact that high expectations—often exacerbated by social media—can have. Despite this, they maintain a plan to proceed with IVF treatments starting in September if the IUI attempts are not successful.

Mari is being transparent about their fertility journey to provide support and information for her followers

By sharing her fertility treatment experiences, Mari aims to lessen the stigma around such discussions and offer support to women facing similar challenges. Her openness is part of her effort to foster a community where the conversation about fertility is approached with empathy and understanding.

Her transparency ...

Mari discusses how criticism and negativity are often part of pursuing ambitious goals and making bold moves, and she shares her approach to handling online toxicity.

Mari recognizes that criticism and negativity often come with pursuing ambitious goals and making bold moves

She has developed a resilient mindset, choosing to block and disengage with hateful comments rather than let them undermine her progress

Mari understands that negativity is an inevitable aspect of doing something significant or worthwhile. To protect her mental health, she doesn't watch or engage with any hateful content made about her. She has adopted a practice of blocking negative commenters and moving on with her life, demonstrating a strategy of disconnecting from negativity to maintain her progress and focus.

Mari believes that women should be uplifting and supportive of one another, rather than tearing each other down

Mari is disheartened by the trend she observes, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where women are tearing down other women. She criticizes this behavior, finding it counterproductive, and suggests that a more supportive and uplifting approach is necessary among women.

Mari emphasizes the importance of focusing on your own goals and creations, rather than spending time criticizing others

She encourages her followers to channel their energy into positive, productive endeavors instead of engaging in online toxicity

Mari points out that critics often fail to create anything of their own and tend to focus solely on producing negative content. She implies that it is more fulfilling to ...

As the child of a diplomat and a French American schoolteacher, Mari's upbringing profoundly shaped her cultural adaptability and love for adventure. Her global travels and experiences have become invaluable in her personal and professional life.

Mari's international upbringing, including living in various countries and attending multicultural schools, has given her a unique cultural adaptability

Mari was brought up in a world steeped in international backgrounds, much of which can be attributed to her father's role in the United Nations and her mother’s occupation as a school teacher. This diverse environment honed her language and etiquette skills, making it easy for her to navigate different cultural contexts. From a young age, Mari was thrust into situations that required her to engage with other cultures, such as ordering in French bakeries. She honed her skills in etiquette and cultural assimilation through these experiences, learning the appropriate behaviors and greetings for different settings.

Mari recalls that her acclimatization to American culture did not fully begin until college, as her circle consisted of friends from different parts of the world, such as South Africa, the UK, and Scotland. This exposure to diverse perspectives during her formative years has led Mari to develop a deep appreciation for global cultures and a keen sense of her multicultural identity.

Mari's parents' passion for travel and exploration instilled in her a love of adventure and a willingness to step outside her comfort zone

Mari's adventurous spirit is deeply rooted in her parents' affinity for travel and their willingne ...