Tell me a little bit about yourself and your passions?
I am a California kid that loves staying active and spending time outside. My love for risk and adventure has driven my love for gymnastics. When I think about the skills I can make my body perform everyday, my mind is blown. Being innately ambitious, I live for pushing my body to its limit each and every day at the gym. I credit much of my success and achievement, inside and outside the gym, to an herbal tea called Yerba Maté. This drink has supplied me with the energy to make everyday count.
Talk to me about your Olympics journey and what it felt like getting the bronze
Heading into the Olympics, I had to overcome much adversity. In the year leading up to the Olympics, I experienced two broken ankles and was one of the youngest gymnasts at the Olympic trials. Thankfully, I persevered and qualified for the Olympic games in London. I focus on living in the moment and this quality allowed me to fully experience and cherish each moment at the London Olympics. There is no better feeling than putting on a United States jersey at the Olympics. I was so proud to know that an entire country was believing in and rooting for me in those moments where my dreams were coming true. As a team, we had a disappointing fifth place finish at the 2012 Olympics. That said, we were one of the youngest teams; so going into 2016 we are hoping to have a similar line up and we are all hungry for victory. We managed to claim the bronze at the 2014 World Championships after a solid performance. What stood out most at the World Championships was the unity and camaraderie of the US team. American camaraderie and passion is unparalleled because we do what we love and, as a result, achieve greatness.
For people looking to get into gymnastics and the Olympics, what piece of advice would you give them?
Commit. If you love something, give it your 100% focus. Even when things don’t seem to be going your way, keep your head up and never give up.
How about what led to MatéBros?
MatéBros all started with three friends, Alex, Jordan, and Sam. We were all on the same gymnastics team since we were 10 years old. Alex quit to be a wrestler when he was 14, and we didn’t see him all too much. It wasn’t until he invited Jordan and I over a year later that our friendship rekindled. He wanted to have a “Maté Sesh” before Jordan and I headed to practice. We climbed on top of Alex’s roof on a sunny California day and drank this herbal tea. After enjoying each others company and finishing off the tea, Jordan and I returned to our gym. To our surprise, we had one of the greatest days of our lives. We were full of energy and life. We had a new motivation to work hard and commit to our practice like we never had before. We were having fun and everything was happening so easily. We knew from that day on that we were onto something great, and since then, we have been working on together to make MatéBros a reality.
Why is it better than the alternative?
MatéBros is not your typical energy drink. This tea is made from Yerba Maté leaves, which contain a balance of caffeine, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. This balance allows the tea to energize you without causing jitters or a crash. This beverage is all natural and low in calories. Our ultimate goal is to replace coffee and chemically infused energy products and shots with a natural drink that your body will appreciate. It also tastes so much better!
Have you had any setback in your entrepreneurship journey and if so how did you overcome them?
One of the setbacks we have experienced in our entrepreneurial venture is time. We have had to balance being college students and being college athletes on top of building a business. Now that graduation is coming up, I will soon have time to fully commit to our business and my training.
If you could solve a problem in the US what would it be?
Obesity. In today’s world of processed foods, preservatives, and media geared towards unhealthy meals, it is so easy to make the wrong choice when it comes to nutrition. Being athletes, we have learned to how to eat right for our bodies to keep them healthy and in shape. We would love to share our knowledge with the world to motivate others and promote healthy lifestyle choices. MatéBros is our effort in our mission to bring people together and inspire them to achieve their goals.
Now at UYD, we are always looking to find out different ways people use their difference to make a difference. How do you use your difference to make a difference?
My ability to handle pressure situations by having fun makes me unique. In fact, enjoying some MatéBros before each competition gives me the energy to compete more confidently and gives me the ability to live in the moment while interacting with others at stressful competitions. I would love to make a difference in the world by inspiring others. I want others to love their life and enjoy their passions like I do. I want to leave a positive impact on everyone by helping them fulfill their dreams and goals.
How can we support and what can we look forward to?
The MatéBros mission is to share our product with the world. To do this, we are creating a Kickstarter so we can reach as many people as possible. Through this medium, our consumers will have the ability to purchase our product online and have it delivered right to their doorstep. Our product becomes available December 1st. In anticipation of that date, we’re looking for support on social media and we are asking everyone to share our product on all social media sources. Check out our website at matébros.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to join the MatéBros family!
