Dehydration is a Massive Problem: How Two Founders Are Turning Water Into a Health Empire | Ep 219 with Yash and Smile Founders of Dr. Water

Yash (the "Water Genie") and Smile (an Ironman athlete) co-founded Dr. Water to solve what they call the world’s most overlooked health crisis: dehydration. With backgrounds in sustainability and performance science, the duo reveals how hydrogen water can transform energy, recovery, and aging—while also cutting plastic waste. They share the journey from building DTC wellness brands to going viral on TikTok and pitching billionaires via cold emails. Key Discussion Points The Spark of a Problem : Why 75% of Americans are dehydrated—and what that does to your body. From Ironman to Founder : How Smile’s training journey revealed major hydration myths. Hydrogen 101 : The science behind hydrogen water, molecular research, and anti-aging benefits. Design Meets Wellness : Creating the first modern hydrogen tumbler with UV filtration. Go-to-Market Playbook : Why social selling (TikTok, Meta) beat Amazon for this brand—and how they got their first billionaire buyer. Founders Who Fit : Why this co-founder duo works—9 years of history, clarity of roles, and shared obsession. Educating a Market : Using MMA athletes, NFL doctors, and real stories to take hydrogen water mainstream. Key Takeaways Water is Wellness : You can’t absorb supplements, recover well, or think clearly without proper hydration. Science Backed, Lifestyle Led : Products need to heal and be something people love showing off. Social is the New Shelf : Founder-led brands that educate and entertain will win on TikTok and YouTube. Complementary Founders Scale Faster : Visionary + executor beats any solo genius. Hydration is the First Habit : If you fix water, you unlock the foundation for every other wellness behavior. Closing Thoughts From battling microplastics to unlocking cellular energy, Dr. Water isn’t just a hydration brand—it’s a movement. Tune in to learn how two first-time founders went from global agriculture and Ironman races to building a multi-country wellness company that just might reshape the water industry from the inside out. Our Sponsors: * Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY * Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com * Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.