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THE
SEPTEMBER 2018
REFINED SUGAR AND ROAD TRIPS
These days, the summer passes by so fast. When I was a student, the complete and utter freedom that came with school being out made the season feel like it would last forever. I have to admit that I sometimes miss those old days of reckless abandon. Then I remember the crushing feeling that would set in this time of year as my brother and I once again had to drag ourselves back into the school year. Reflecting on those days, I was a very different person as a teenager — weren’t we all? I was a student athlete in high school, but I wasn’t nearly as health-conscious as I probably should have been. In my defense, this was the ‘90s, and parents didn’t see much of a problem with letting their kids consume vast quantities of sugar. The sweet stuff was practically unavoidable for student athletes. I can’t remember a time Gatorade wasn’t available in the dugout, even during practice season.
For what it’s worth, I can say with confidence that the things our parents do to make our childhoods better stick with us, even if we don’t appreciate them in the moment. rule: We weren’t going to the same place twice. While she put a lot of effort into these trips, as teenagers, we were mostly resentful of them. We would rather have been out with our friends or at baseball camp than driving through cornfields on our way to the Rockies. It’s only when I look back as an adult that I can truly appreciate what an incredible experience this was. By the time I graduated high school, I got to see every state in the continental U.S. and enjoy the beautiful landmarks and national parks that make each unique. To this day, I have a deep love of driving to new places and exploring this great country. This is all thanks to my mother, who single-handedly took it upon herself to give us kids an enriching experience regardless of whether or not we appreciated it at the time. If I do become a father one day, I hope I can summon the same force of will and positive energy she gave us during those trips across the nation. As hard as it is to admit now that I’m competing with the neon- colored giants of the industry, I loved sugary drinks back in the day. I’m not a father myself, but I can imagine how difficult it must be for parents to wean their kids off of that stuff. For what it’s worth, I can say with confidence that the things our parents do to make our childhoods better stick with us, even if we don’t appreciate them in the moment. Prime example: the Colina family road trip. Every summer, my mom packed me, a friend from school, and my brother, Mike, into a conversion van and took us on a three-week road trip. When planning these excursions, our mom had one steadfast
Boy, how times have changed. Parents these days pay way more attention to what
their kids consume, and the results are inspiring to say the least. It seems that every year, more and more
high schoolers take up CrossFit and excel at it. Seeing up-and- coming athletes like Ohio’s own Olivia Sulek crush the
teenage division at this year’s CrossFit Games certainly gives us hope for
the future. The whole O2 team and I are proud to be providing kids like
these with great-tasting alternatives to the sugary, caffeinated beverages we drank at their age.
Here’s to the sacrifices, big and small, parents make for their kids.
–Dave Colina Founder, O2
Cheers,
O2 | PAGE 1 | DRINKO2.COM
4 BUSINESS LESSONS FRO
Lemonade stands are rumored to have originated with New York journalist Edward Bok, who, as a kid growing up in Brooklyn, sold ice water on hot summer days to thirsty passersby. When other water salespeople tried to move in on Bok’s profit, he got creative by adding lemon juice and eventually sugar to the mix. The result of this innovation? Sales soared. Lemonade stands continue to be a popular summer pastime for burgeoning entrepreneurs, and there are a few things we can learn from these humble business endeavors. BE ADAPTABLE. Warren Buffet has had business on the brain since birth. During his childhood, when he noticed that a friend’s house got more foot traffic than his did, the future tycoon moved his lemonade stand to the prime realty. Buffett obviously benefited from this innovation; the jury is still out on his friend. GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS. When Ann Handley’s daughter and her friend opened up a lemonade stand, they found a way to connect with their demographic. The location of the stand was frequented by many French-speaking Canadian customers, and since the friend was born in Montreal and spoke French, the girls greeted each customer in English and French. More conversation makes more sales.
TIPS TO HELP YOUR KIDS GET BACK ON SCHEDULE THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL GROOVE
With the school year getting back into full swing and fall sports kicking off, we’re sure many parents out there are facing a difficult challenge: getting your kids back into a routine. Starting or resuming a schedule is difficult enough as adults, so getting kids and teens back on track after the long freedoms of summer can prove quite the challenge. For all our awesome readers out there balancing their boxes with family life, here are some tips to help your kids get back in the groove. First and foremost, it’s important to create a clearly defined schedule with your child. Knowing exactly what is expected of them from morning through bedtime is an important part of keeping young adults on track. If you have high schoolers, consider allowing them to set some of the parameters, such as when they’d prefer to work on homework. While discussing these details, let your child know that adapting to a new schedule will be difficult but that you’ll support them while they adjust. COMMUNICATE
even harder to get up the next morning. Consider limiting your child’s screen time before they go to bed.
CUT THE CAFFEINE
Caffeine’s negative effects can range from jitters to upset stomach to fatigue in young adults. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teens consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day. For reference, your average cup of coffee contains about 200 milligrams. For student athletes, this can be tricky, because most of the leading sports and energy drinks on the market contain high levels of sugar and caffeine. Finding your athlete caffeine- free alternatives, like our new flavors of O2, can ensure they stay hydrated without giving up a good night’s sleep!
BE CAREFUL WITH CELLPHONES
This is something we adults could be better at ourselves. Cellphones and most other electronic screens emit light at blue wavelengths, which the human brain interprets as sunlight. Studies have found that too much exposure to “blue light” at night can affect our circadian rhythms, making it hard to get to sleep and
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YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
ASK FOR REFERRALS. Megan, kid entrepreneur and owner of “Dr. Megan’s Mad Mango Lemonade” in Louisiana, knows a thing or two about the value of word-of-mouth marketing. Megan makes sure customers have an easy time spreading the word about the refreshing lemonade. In her second summer running the stand, Megan says, “I advertised through Facebook and word of mouth. I created my own business page. I shared it with friends, family, and the community. ArkLaTex Horse Rescue advertised my stand, and I posted advertisements to many local Facebook groups as well.” BUILD YOUR BUSINESS AROUND YOUR VALUES. Have you heard of anyone starting a million-dollar lemonade stand? There’s one person who has, and her name is Alex. She was diagnosed with cancer as a young girl, and her determined spirit motivated her to fight back. She started a lemonade stand to raise money for other kids with cancer. The message of the stand with a purpose spread, and Alex raised $2,000 in a single day. Sadly, Alex passed away when she was 8, but her legacy continues to thrive through her family, who turned Alex’s Lemonade Stand into a foundation. It’s raised over $127 million for cancer research.
SHOUTOUT TO OUR FANS
THANKS FOR MAKING THE 2018 GAMES INCREDIBLE!
The 2018 CrossFit games were an absolute blast. As always, our team worked hard slinging cans of O2 to competitors and spectators alike. We expected our new caffeine-free flavors, Lemon Lime and Blackberry Currant, to make a splash. What we didn’t expect was the level of excitement and support we received from new and old O2 fans alike! First and foremost, watching people fall in love with the new flavors of O2 was incredible. We sold almost twice as much of these new editions as we did our existing flavors, which also sold really well. Part of this was thanks to CrossFit Mayhem, whose teams went absolutely nuts over Lemon Lime. Watching these high-level athletes knock back case after case, we began to worry that we hadn’t brought enough cans. Plenty of folks new to the O2 brand were excited to try flavors unlike anything in the sports beverage market. The “godfather of weightlifting” himself, Coach Mike Burgener, swung by to give Blackberry Currant a try. To his surprise, he absolutely loved the unique, dark flavor profile! It’s always great to win over a new fan. And Coach B. wasn’t alone. Over the course of the Games, we added over 30 new affiliates to our retail family! Having so many people get excited about O2 and come on board was incredibly humbling. It’s this kind of experience that lets us know we are delivering on flavor and function, making a product we can be proud of. Best of all, we got to meet many of our O2 affiliate owners and fans in person. Getting to know the folks we’ve been forging relationships with across the country was incredibly rewarding. In fact, we want to deepen that sense of community. That’s why we are going to start running an extended spotlight of our affiliates and their boxes in this newsletter. The work you do, the stories of your success, and the things that make your box unique are too good not to share with our readers. You are part of what makes this community so incredible to be a part of. Thank you.
ROASTED TURMERIC CAULIFLOWER
When it comes to eating healthy, side dishes are almost always a bigger challenge than mains. If you’re in need of a flavorful vegetable dish, check out this recipe for spicy, savory cauliflower.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Chopped fresh basil, to garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400 F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together coconut oil, spices, garlic, and water. 3. Lay cauliflower across a large baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and top with mixture. 4. Roast for 30 minutes, garnish with basil, and serve.
See you next year in Madison,
THE O2 TEAM
Inspired by PaleoHacks
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Refined Sugar and Road Trips Page 1 What You Can Learn From the Most Successful Lemonade Stands Help Your Kids Get Back on a School Schedule Page 2 Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower Thanks for All the Love at the CrossFit Games! Page 3 Discover ‘The Art of Learning’ Page 4
‘THE ART OF LEARNING’ This is a book about a journey. It chronicles a life of international chess tournaments, high-stakes martial arts competitions, a boy who found too much success, and the man who had to relearn everything A CHILD PRODIGY RETHINKS SUCCESS because of it. Yes, “The Art of Learning” reads like a gripping, emotional memoir, but make no mistake — Josh Waitzkin’s work doubles as an effective guide for business owners striving to attain perfection in their fields. Josh Waitzkin’s name will be familiar to longtime chess fans and movie buffs alike. As a child prodigy, Waitzkin won his first national chess title at age 9, which quickly made him an international sensation. His father, Fred Waitzkin, wrote the renowned book “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” chronicling his young son’s journey into the world of chess. This then inspired the movie of the same name. Now, one does not normally think of child prodigies as being great sources of insight into finding success. By definition, prodigies are exceptional — exceptions who operate on a different playing field than most. But Waitzkin firmly positions his journey through the chess world as the antithesis of what he calls “the art of learning.”
and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.” Waitzkin was very gifted at chess, and he didn’t have to push himself early on, but by the time he did find challenging opponents, he found loss and adaptation impossible to handle. It wasn’t until he stepped out of the rigid grids of chess and into the flowing movements of tai chi that Waitzkin was able to formulate a guide to success.
Appropriately subtitled “An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance,” Waitzkin’s story of grappling with childhood stardom and climbing the brackets of the tai chi chuan circuit is full of wisdom applicable to anyone looking to achieve mastery in their field. With compelling personal anecdotes and a unique perspective on what success really looks like, “The Art of Learning” is a fresh, vibrant addition to the personal development genre.
As the author states, “The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience
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