Olly and Rupert are friends turned co-founders who decided to put an elevated spin on sodas.Their award-winning, innovative line of soft drinks use natural fruit juices and botanical extracts, ensuring that there are no added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Thanks to refreshing flavors like yuzu, cucumber, and hibiscus rose, these bubbly beverages taste like summer in every sip.
Recently, we caught up with Olly and Rupert to learn more about their journey and hear their advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
1. Why did you start Something & Nothing?
I (Olly) started a pub in East London called The Gun – come and say hi! After six months of fun and boozing, I felt I needed a break, but I didn’t want to just drink sparkling water. This is what made me look more closely at soft drinks, and I quickly realized there were no grown-up, elevated sodas that tasted amazing. On top of that, everything was sweet and full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. I got chatting with my mate and co-founder, Rupert, and we decided to make our own using the highest quality natural juices, extracts, and botanicals.
2. What obstacles did you face along the way?
It's not a linear journey. You are constantly learning, building, fixing, and adapting as you go. You have to stay focused on why you created the drinks in the first place, and you definitely need a large dose of stoicism. Here are just a few things we’ve faced:
- Exploding cans – make sure you have a great co-packer partner otherwise you may end up with kombucha.
- Containers heading east when they should’ve been going west.
- Never having enough time or resources.
3. What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
Don’t take yourself or your work too seriously – there are much more important things in the world than building a company. At the end of the day, it is Something, but also definitely Nothing…Surround yourself with great people who you love spending time with and help each other grow. It’s a lot of work that can get stressful but try and find some joy in every day.
4. What’s on the horizon for Something & Nothing?
We’ve got lots of exciting new flavors coming — we are focused on creating better-for-you and better-tasting sodas, never adding sugar or sweeteners and always using the best quality ingredients. People want a refreshing, cold drink that they can enjoy guilt-free, and that’s what we’re about. We celebrate creativity in everything we do, from the design of the can to our newsletters which explore beauty in everyday life.
5. How do you keep work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
Rupert
- I stay focused on the biggest priorities so we have time each week away from work.
- I spend a lot of time traveling (for work) so I carve out time to discover the cities I’m in by walking a lot, visiting record shops, exploring cultural centers, and attending the occasional baseball game.
- I love seeing each of our team members develop and grow along with their passion for the brand and company.
- I’m always inspired by responses to the brand and how delicious people think the drinks are.
Olly
- I go running in the countryside as a form of meditation.
- I try to make sure there is room in my brain for creativity, culture, and inspiration — not just margins, sales channels, and EBITDA.
- When someone comes rushing over and says with genuine excitement, “I love your drinks!” Quite often, it’s people who’ve given up drinking or are moderating and have been looking for something special and not too sweet — those moments make it all worthwhile.