The Birth of Vivo Life 'MINDGRND'

When Everything Was Falling Apart

Few years ago, Vivo Life was on the edge of collapse, Brexit hit us like a freight train. Ingredient costs weren’t just rising; they were exploding. VIVO LIFE, the company I had built from nothing, was hanging by a thread.

Every morning, I walked into our office knowing 86+ people were counting on me. Their mortgages, their families, their livelihoods—all of it rested on decisions I was making while running on caffeine fumes and minimal sleep.

“We have two choices,” I told my business partner during one particularly bleak meeting.

“We either pull back, play it safe… or we risk everything and double down.”

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was trying to save a wellness company while my own wellbeing was collapsing. The coffee that kept me going through 16-hour days was the same thing leaving me wired, anxious, and ultimately crashing harder each time.

The Cycle I Couldn’t Break

That’s the thing about coffee—it promises so much in that first sip. Clarity. Focus. Energy. But what it never mentions is what comes after: the jitters, the mid-afternoon fog, the strange mix of exhaustion and inability to relax. I was chasing that initial high, only to spend the rest of the day recovering from it.

One early morning, driving to our factory with my first coffee already half-empty, my head pounded. My thoughts raced but couldn’t land anywhere useful. I switched on a podcast, not expecting it to change everything.

A neuroscientist was talking about energy—real energy, not the caffeine-induced kind. He explained how mental clarity doesn’t come from stimulants but from proper circulation. Blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Then he mentioned Ginkgo Biloba, an herb used for exactly this purpose.

Right then, something clicked.

"Have I been doing this all wrong?" I said out loud to myself.

It wasn’t just about coffee. It was how I’d been approaching everything—quick fixes, brute-forcing solutions, rushing from crisis to crisis without ever being present enough to see the bigger picture.

Slowing Down to Break Through

Instead of reaching for a second Americano the next day, I cut back and started supplementing Ginkgo Biloba in my hot drink. I did something foreign after months of non-stop hustle: I slowed down, started to feel a lot better, a lot clearer, and maintained more consistent energy.

The business challenges hadn’t disappeared, but my approach shifted.

I began researching alternatives—not just to replace coffee, but to create something that would truly support sustainable energy. With 20 years of experience studying supplements, incredible formulators, relationships with top-tier ingredient suppliers, and manufacturing capabilities that many startups dream of, the possibilities were endless.

"What if," I proposed to our product team, "we created not just another supplement, but something to actually replace the ritual of coffee?"

The Journey to Clarity

The next few months were pure experimentation. We tested dozens of formulations, balancing efficacy with flavor—because if it didn’t taste good, no one would make the switch.

We combined Ginkgo Biloba with Lion’s Mane mushroom for cognitive function. Black tea and cacao provided nearly 7x less caffeine than coffee—enough to ease the transition without the crash. Adaptogenic mushrooms like Chaga, Cordyceps, and Reishi offered sustained support, while Peruvian Maca root rounded out the formula. Most importantly, each serving delivered a meaningful dose of B12 to reduce tiredness.

After what felt like the hundredth taste test, we finally had it.

A Different Way Forward

Vivo Life 'Mind Grnd' wasn’t born from a marketing strategy—it came from a genuine need. My need for a better way to fuel myself through challenging times.

Let me be clear—I still drink coffee. But this is about having better options when you recognize the pattern of relying on caffeine just to function.

When I stopped frantically chasing quick fixes and started making intentional choices, better decisions followed. The clarity I found personally translated to clarity professionally.

That’s the real story behind Vivo Life Mind Grnd. It’s not just another product—it’s a philosophy bottled:

• Sometimes more is not always more
• Slowing down can actually move you forward
• To get different results, you need to try something new

One of our mantras is "Do Life Differently"—because that’s exactly what this has allowed me, and now hopefully you, to do.

When you’re ready to break the cycle, we’ll be here. Vivo Life Mind Grnd is launching soon—stay tuned.