In season 4's first episode of Braving Business, we sit down with Mark Rampolla, a trailblazing entrepreneur, investor, and author who didn’t just build a brand—he built an entire category. As the Founder of ZICO Beverages, Mark turned coconut water from a niche health trend into a global phenomenon, ultimately selling the company to Coca-Cola in 2013.

But success didn’t come easy. Five years on the verge of bankruptcy, high-stakes negotiations with Coca-Cola, and personal struggles—including chasing shiny objects, burying emotions, and relying on substances—shaped his journey in ways he never expected. Mark has since redefined what success means, stepping into the role of investor and mentor, and now as Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GroundForce Capital, he backs mission-driven consumer brands like Liquid Death and Thrive Market.

In this conversation, Mark opens up about:

• Why the traditional entrepreneurial success formula is broken—and how to flip it.
• How being first to market nearly killed ZICO, and how he finally turned it around.
• The biggest mistakes founders make when raising capital—and how to fix them.
• Why real freedom isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you create right now.
• Lessons from losing millions as an investor—and how he learned to play the game differently.

Mark’s upcoming book, An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Freedom, explores how founders can reclaim control of their lives, and in this episode, he shares his hard-won lessons on balancing ambition with well-being, success with self-awareness, and risk with resilience.

Oh, and yes—he really did personally unload 5,000 cases of ZICO in his early days.

Key Takeaways:

• The path to freedom isn’t through financial success—it starts with mindset and intention.
• Entrepreneurs fail when they chase growth for growth’s sake instead of aligning with their deeper purpose.
• Raising capital is a skill, and most founders make it harder on themselves by not understanding the game.

Connect with Mark Rampolla:

• LinkedIn: Mark Rampolla

Contact Us: Visit www.bravingbusiness.com for more information, resources, and episodes.

Mark’s story is raw, real, and packed with lessons for any entrepreneur—whether you’re building your first startup or trying to find your way back to the freedom you thought success would bring. This is one episode you don’t want to miss.