Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maxx Holdrieth, Founder of Troov, located in San Diego, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

TROOV is an all-natural, plant-based, ready-to-enjoy, pre-workout drink designed to help you find your true groove over and over again—without the crash.

Why should I drink TROOV? Our customers are health-conscious consumers seeking a better-for-you energy drink or pre-workout.

Tell us about yourself

I have been a personal trainer for the past eight years. I am really obsessed with all things wellness and human optimization. Extremely displeased with the options for RTD performance beverages on the market, especially the energy drink category, I decided to create an all-natural drink that I would feel good about consuming on a daily basis and felt good recommending to my clients. What motivates me is giving everyday individuals access to clean fuel to increase their output so they can live a healthier, more fulfilling life. I am highly motivated to put the consumer first, which is not often done in food and beverage.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Maintaining 20+ personal training clients for 7+ years. Successfully formulating, branding, and launching a plant-based all-natural energy drink. The beverage space is extremely difficult to navigate, and just getting to this stage is an accomplishment I am proud of.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Loneliness. I dream of the day I get to run a company with a large team. At this stage, I am a solopreneur with a handful of advisors and investors. It can be extremely overwhelming and lonely to feel like you are going to battle by yourself each day, especially when you are dealing with the world of manufacturing.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Make sure you know why you are doing it and are genuinely passionate about it.
  2. Once you have a solid plan in place, act. The plan will always change, but you'll never know what to change until you get started. There is no quicker way to learn than to just get started.
  3. Have fun. Most people start businesses to make an impact and have freedom. Money is nice, but there are often easier ways to make it than starting a business. Don't forget to have fun along the way, or it will be miserable.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://drinktroov.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxxholdrieth/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3MJTBYE

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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