The $700 water brand

Hi, Guy & Farzan here,

Every week we spend a bunch of time creating content to help you grow your side hustle into a full time gig.

Today we have a real founder story of a multiple 6 figure revenue solopreneur in Australia. Plus an unreal founder playbook of a marketing genius who's created a unique $700M water brand.

Read time: 5 mins

In the mail:

1. Founder story: Sydney surfer, 6 figures revenue 🏄‍♂️

2. Founder playbook: Liquid Death, $700m killer water brand 💀

3. Video playbook: The solopreneur making $1.7M with 0 employees 👌

4. Quotes: Two lush quotes for side hustlers 😍

5. Fun fact: Jeff Bezos 🤡

1. Founder story

The story of a solopreneur Sydney surfer, going from side hustle to doing multiple 6 figures in revenue 🏄‍♂️

Aaron Beashel started his entrepreneurial journey while studying at the university by cold-calling local businesses and selling them websites. Selling these websites paid for most of Aaron's time at Uni.

After graduating, he co-founded Launchpad6 which he sold in 2010. Aaron then worked in marketing at Invision, Campaign Monitor and Safety Culture. A solid track record to say the least.

Starting Attributer

He then came up with the idea for Attributer a tool that helps businesses track their leads and revenue sources. Aaron was solving his own problem with this software and soon found out that a tonne of other businesses needed it.

He launched it on Product Hunt but initially only got a few customers paying $49 per month.

Despite this, he continued to invest in the idea and eventually grew the business to multiple 6-figures in revenue. 💰

Aaron’s primary way to grow has come via SEO. He knew it was a long game and has written a blog post every day for a year. SEO is where the vast majority of Aaron’s customers have come from.

Attributer is an excellent solution for businesses to track the sources of their leads and customers, and it's now being used worldwide.

Aaron’s cracking advice for founders

3 key takeaways

1. Sometimes the best ideas come from trying to solve your own problem.

2. Product/market fit is critical for any startup to succeed; early validation is a good sign.

3. SEO can be a slow burn, but it's worth investing in.

2. Founder playbook

How Liquid Death's founder started a killer water brand worth $700 Million 💀

Liquid Death is a unique water brand that comes in a tall boy can and has rapidly gained popularity. Founded in 2017 by Mike Cessario, a former Netflix director, the brand has raised $75 million in a Series C funding round, and its value is over $700 million. The idea for the brand came from the preferences of rock bands who prefer water while performing.

Who is Mike Cessario?

Mike Cessario is the CEO and founder of Liquid Death. He was inspired to create a water brand that appeals to young people because of his background in the punk/metal music scene. He chose water as his product because he grew up as a vegetarian and was always conscious of staying healthy.

Cessario wanted to create an environmentally friendly brand, so he used recycled materials for his tallboy cans and donated a portion of sales to clean plastic garbage from the ocean.

Liquid Death's Branding

Liquid Death's branding is influenced by punk and heavy metal music, catering to the straight-edgers who avoid drugs and alcohol. The brand's campaigns are eye-catching and humorous, and Cessario shot the first commercial for just $1.5k.

The brand's unique album on Spotify, "Greatest Hates," includes songs of negative product reviews and haters' comments.

Liquid Death's Higher Purpose

Liquid Death's mission is to reduce plastic waste by using more environmentally friendly materials. The brand uses aluminium cans, which are more sustainable than boxed or bottled water. It donates 10% of its profits to non-profit organisations curbing climate change and plastic pollution.

Liquid Death's Future

Liquid Death has snowballed, with its products being sold in major retail stores in the U.S., including Whole Foods and Target. In 2021, the brand signed a deal with Amazon, further accelerating its growth.

Liquid Death plans to introduce new flavoured waters that suit its punk-metal ethos and expand its exclusive club, which involves a commitment to limit plastic and save the planet.

3 key takeaways

1. Unique branding and marketing strategies can lead to rapid growth and success for a company. Liquid Death's humorous and eye-catching campaigns have helped it stand out in the crowded beverage industry.

2. Liquid Death's commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing plastic pollution is the core of its brand mission. The company's use of recyclable aluminium cans and donations to environmental non-profits proactively addresses a major global issue.

3. The success of Liquid Death has opened up new opportunities for growth and expansion, including partnerships with major retailers and the introduction of new flavoured water products. With a growing customer base and a commitment to its core values, Liquid Death is well-positioned to continue its upward trajectory

3. Video playbook

The solopreneur making $1.7M with 0 employees 👌

4. Quotes

Two lush quotes for side hustlers from Pat Walls 😍

5. Fun fact: Jeff Bezos

According to a Jeff Bezos biography by Brad Stone, Jeff Bezos' biological father was a circus performer and unicyclist named Ted Jorgensen. 🤡

When Stone sought to interview Jorgensen for the book, Jorgensen had not seen his son in many years and was unaware that Bezos was his biological child.

According to Stone, after their reunion, Bezos reassured Jorgensen that he had no resentment towards him. Ted Jorgensen passed away on March 16, 2015, at 71.

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Guy + Farzan
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