A founder series highlighting the reality of entrepreneurship, capital, and growth.
1) Out of all of the products out there, why good-for-you cold brew with a buzz?
We were working high-intensity finance jobs in New York City and we, along with many of our friends, would enjoy our drinks with coffee on a Friday night after a long week of work. We were frustrated that existing options in the market either used synthetic caffeine, low quality coffee, were full of sugars and carbs, or multiple of the above! We decided that we wanted to infuse 100% ethically sourced Arabica bean cold brew coffee with naturally gluten-free alcohol to make BOMANI delicious, convenient, and better-for-you choice when it comes to alcohol + caffeine.
2) If you could offer one sentence of advice to entrepreneurs seeking capital, what would it be?
Like everything else in business (and in life), it's all about people. Raise from people who you believe genuinely understand your vision and are excited about it. Be selective and don't be afraid to pass up dollars if it isn't the right fit!
3) Entrepreneurship. Two roses and a thorn. Go!
Roses: (1) it's a ton of fun and (2) you get to work towards a vision you're extremely passionate about with people who inspire you.
Thorn: there are only 24 hours in a day, and trust me, you are going to want 25 of them as an entrepreneur!
4) What do you think is your greatest differentiating factor as a founder?
I'm confident in empowering my team members to make decisions when they are more informed on the situation than I am. I bet that many founders would say that, but as a founder, your company is your baby - and it's much more common for founders to want to make every single decision. This is a quality of BOMANI's culture, and it has had a meaningful empowering effect on our team to be creative and exceptionally successful!
5) In 5 years, how will the world look different because Bomani exists?
It'll be more fun. It'll be more electric. Our vision is to electrify life's celebrated moments. We chose the name BOMANI because it translates to "to have purpose." We believe that you deserve to be able to work towards your purpose without sacrificing your social life or your physical health. So in 5 years, you'll be able to get BOMANI at your favorite retailer, your favorite bar, your favorite music venue, and more!
About Bomani
BOMANI Cold Buzz is alcohol-infused cold brew coffee. At 5.7% ABV and 1/2 a cup of coffee's worth of caffeine, BOMANI is only 110 calories, 0g sugar, and 0g carbs. Having only launched in March 2020, BOMANI's cultlike following has earned BOMANI shelf space at Whole Foods, Ralph's, Stater Bros., Total Wine, and more. BOMANI is available at select bars, restaurants, and music venues. With over 29 million views on TikTok, BOMANI is arguably the most successful alcohol brand on the platform!