Interview with Brian Boakye-Ansah, Founder of X Hydration
Brian Boakye-Ansah, current student majoring in Business and Marketing Education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities' Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development and minoring in Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management, is the founder of X Hydration, a sports drink brand focused on nutrition and performance. A former track athlete at the University of Minnesota, he turned his passion for athletics into entrepreneurship, creating a hydration solution that blends aloe vera, adaptogens, and collagen for enhanced recovery and wellness.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity while maintaining their original intent.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur.
Brian Boakye-Ansah: As a kid I was energetic and never liked being tied down. As I got older, I realized I couldn’t see myself working a traditional desk job. That led me to have a real passion for athletics and eventually join the track team at the University of Minnesota. For most of my life, I wanted to be a professional athlete because it represented freedom to me. Over time, that desire for freedom evolved into an interest in entrepreneurship, which I see as a way to invest in yourself and take control of your time. X Hydration started during my freshman year of college. After an injury, I started questioning my future. I wondered, what if I don’t become a professional athlete? What will I do next?
I called my best friend from high school, and we started discussing business ideas. Since we both had experience competing at high levels—me in track, him in hockey—we understood the importance of nutrition and hydration. We decided to channel that passion into creating a sports drink. I then called my older brother and told him about my idea. Without hesitation, he believed in me and gave me $3,000. He happened to be sitting next to a friend who was also interested in business, and that friend immediately invested another $3,000. That belief and support were the foundation of X Hydration. From that moment, we never looked back.
Brian Boakye-Ansah, Founder of X Hydration
What steps did you take to turn your idea into reality?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: Once I had the capital, I knew we had to take action. It helped that my father was entrepreneurial—he was always trying to start new things. Seeing that and hearing about his experiences shaped my mindset. I also had some great mentors along the way.
The first thing we focused on was a name and intellectual property. We needed to find something unique, something that wasn’t already trademarked. Finding the right name wasn’t easy. I remember sitting in my car one day, completely frustrated, thinking, I can't find a name that sticks. I had asked everyone I knew for ideas, and nothing felt right. Then, out of nowhere, while I was driving, I just blurted out, X. I had no idea what it meant yet, but I knew it felt right. Later, my brother and I talked about it, and we landed on X Hydration.
After securing the name, we dove deep into research and product development. We wanted to create something that wasn’t just another hydration drink on the market. So we took our knowledge of nutrition and innovation and pushed it further. We studied what hadn’t been done, what could be improved, and how we could make a real impact. Once we had a solid foundation, we partnered with an accredited laboratory to start formulating the product based on our research and ideas. We went through countless focus groups, strategy sessions, and rounds of ideation.
What did you learn during this process?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: You learn by making mistakes, and those mistakes teach you so much. We had to take full responsibility for learning everything—how to create a business plan, protect our ideas, build a team, and establish a company culture. I founded X Hydration in 2021, but we didn’t start selling until April 2024. That was intentional. I believe in doing things right the first time, so we took our time to perfect every detail. I didn’t want to launch and then have to fix things later. I live by the idea that you do it right before you do it twice. We didn’t move forward until we knew the product was exactly what we wanted it to be.
What makes X Hydration unique?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: X Hydration is an innovative aloe vera fitness water. It contains a patented aloe vera ingredient that enhances your body's ability to absorb vitamins, improving bioefficacy and bioavailability. In most traditional sports drinks and fitness waters, high sugar content actually inhibits vitamin absorption. But with X Hydration, the aloe vera helps your body absorb the nutrients more efficiently. While there are other aloe drinks on the market, they tend to be chunky and have an unappealing texture. X Hydration, on the other hand, is completely soluble—you wouldn’t even know there’s aloe in it, but it’s packed with functional benefits. It also contains adaptogens like ashwagandha and lion’s mane to help your body manage physical and chemical stressors. It’s all-natural, with no artificial colors or dyes, and naturally sweetened. Plus, it includes collagen, making it a truly premium fitness water—great-tasting and packed with benefits.
How did you build and scale your business?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: I’d say the biggest thing as an entrepreneur is playing to your strengths. When I started this business, I knew I had a strong network. As an athlete on campus, I had a lot of connections—friends, teammates, and people I had trained and competed with. I knew that if I built something, I’d have a solid support system backing me, and that played a big role in growing the company. At the beginning, I relied on instinct. When you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you just start thinking, Okay, I need to do this, then this. This idea could work, so let’s expand here. It wasn’t so much about extensive research—it was more trial and error. I’d try something, see if it worked, and if it didn’t, I’d adjust and try again.
As the business grew, I did have some mentors who helped guide me. They shared key insights and strategies that made a big difference in scaling the company.
You mentioned that several years passed between having the idea and bringing it to market. Were there moments when you felt discouraged? How did you push through them?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: Absolutely. Every entrepreneur faces setbacks, and we had plenty—whether it was getting the flavor right, perfecting the appearance, or just not nailing things on the first try. What kept me going was the end goal: bringing a successful product to market, achieving financial freedom, and having the flexibility to live life on my own terms—traveling, working on my own schedule, spending time with friends and family, and running a company I believe in. That vision kept me motivated. Even when things got tough, I reminded myself: I may not figure it out today, but I will figure it out. Ultimately, setbacks are inevitable. Every business, even the biggest ones, faces challenges. The real question is: How do you respond? It’s about problem-solving, using critical thinking, and leveraging the tools you have to move forward.
What marketing channels or strategies were most effective in building brand awareness and getting it to where it is today?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: Content has been huge for us. Our CMO, Justin Coleman, does a fantastic job creating engaging content, and word-of-mouth marketing has played a major role as well. People don’t just support the product because they know us—they support it because it’s a premium product that stands on its own. We’ve also leveraged Instagram, attended pop-up events, and focused on getting more eyes on the brand. One of the biggest moments for us was when my mentor, Larry McKenzie, posted a picture of me and my brother at dinner. Coach McKenzie is one of the most respected figures in Minnesota—he’s the winningest coach in the state’s basketball history and a Bush Fellowship Award winner. That one post led to Lift Sports Management, one of the biggest agencies in the NBA and NFL, reaching out to us. Fast forward to today, and X Hydration is now the official drink sponsor of Lift Sports Management. We’ve also partnered with top athletes like Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor and former Timberwolves player Wendell Moore. Even Josh Dobbs, "The Passtronaut," is an ambassador for X Hydration.
Having that level of credibility definitely helped, but beyond that, we focused on grassroots efforts—going out, meeting people, shaking hands, and showing them what the brand is about. People want to connect with the story behind the product, and being genuine has been key. So, between our content, live events, and strong connections, we were able to gain real traction and credibility in the marketplace.
It’s amazing to hear about all the success you've had over the past year. Is there a specific moment or accomplishment that stands out as your proudest so far?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: Yeah, there have definitely been a few, but I’d say one of the biggest was when we first started selling the product and saw the number of sales coming in on the first day. That was a surreal moment. Another huge milestone was getting into all the Fresh Thyme locations in Minnesota. About four days after we stocked the shelves, I started getting calls that our product had already sold out in seven of the nine locations. That was crazy to me—especially because, at that time, we hadn’t even run any geo-targeted ads. It really validated everything we had worked for. That moment—our first brick-and-mortar retailer selling out so fast—was definitely one of my proudest accomplishments so far.
Another proud moment was getting X Hydration into the vending machines at my high school. When they added new vending machines and selected our product, it was an incredible full-circle moment. They even invited us back to speak to the business class, which was really special.
What does your business look like today?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: Right now, we have a team of 10 employees. We’re proud to be the official hydration partner of Lift Sports Management, and they also work with us on a consulting basis, which has been invaluable. Our product is sold in all Fresh Thyme stores in Minnesota, nationwide on Amazon, and we’ve also expanded into some unique spaces. We’re also in discussions with GNC, Target, and Hy-Vee, with plans for expansion in the spring. Looking ahead, we’re preparing to open investment rounds and continue growing our retail footprint. The goal is to keep expanding and building on the momentum we’ve created.
What does it look like to balance running a business while being a student and an athlete? How did you manage that?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: To be honest, there was a moment during my junior year when I had to take a step back from track. At the time, I had a lot on my plate—school, athletics, starting X Hydration, and personal matters. Sadly, I lost my mom in 2022, and that was one of the most challenging moments of my life. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how I managed everything. Losing my mom became one of my biggest inspirations for building X Hydration because one of the last conversations she remembered was me telling her I was going to start this company. That became my driving force—I wasn’t going to fail. I wanted to make her proud.
I saw college as a safe space to take risks. At 19, I knew that even if things didn’t work out, I still had school as a fallback. That mindset gave me the confidence to go all in. There’s never a perfect time to start a business, but I do think being young is an advantage—the stakes are lower. Balancing everything was tough, and honestly, I’m still learning how to manage work-life balance. I can be a bit of a workaholic, but I know the ultimate goal is to build something sustainable so that, eventually, I can create more freedom in my life.
If you could give one piece of advice to another student who has an idea or is thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, what would you say?
Brian Boakye-Ansah: There’s never a perfect time to start, so just go for it. Don’t wait for everything to be ideal because that moment will never come. Also, play to your strengths and pursue something you're genuinely passionate about. Burnout is real, and entrepreneurship comes with a lot of stress. If you’re working on something you truly care about, it’ll help you push through the tough times. Just jump in—learn as you go. You’re capable of way more than you think, and once you start building momentum, you’ll realize that. Success comes down to consistency. Keep going, keep learning, and keep improving.
Lightning Round Q&A with Brian Boakye-Ansah
What’s a tool or app you can’t live without for managing your business?
My phone. I’m always on it. But if I had to choose an app, I’d say Gmail—I’m constantly checking emails.
Would you rather have more time or more money to grow your business?
Both!
If X Hydration were a celebrity, who would it be?
That’s a great question! I’d say Lil Baby—premium quality, consistent, but also has that swag and "it factor."
What’s your personal favorite flavor?
I can’t choose—I like both!