Young Millionaires Part I

Company: SOMOJO (Spence-Owned, Marc-Owned, Jay-Owned) International LLC
Year Started: 1995
Start-Up Costs: $80,000
1997 Projections: $1 million

Pulling all-nighters during finals is the norm for most college students. But brothers Marc and Spence Levy and their buddy Jay Abramowitz, self-proclaimed "caffeine junkies," wouldn't just hit the books during late-night cram sessions-they'd also throw together homemade cola/coffee concoctions for the ultimate caffeine rush.

Once they graduated, the jolt became a booming beverage business for the trio. With the help of a flavorist and several months of trial-and-error testing, they created the winning recipe behind Cafe Cola, a soda that promises consumers a caffeine level equivalent to a cup of coffee.

Today, diet and regular versions of the carbonated drink can be found on the shelves of more than 240 stores in South Florida. Ninety percent of SOMOJO International's product, however, is exported to Argentina, Brazil and Russia.

It's all come full circle for these Miami Beach, Florida, entrepreneurs. Says Spence, "My brother and I always had a dream growing up that we were going to become millionaires together."

This article was originally published in the November 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Young Millionaires Part I.