Get All Access for $5/mo

The More Competition, the Better The Chairman of the Alkaline Water Company discusses how greater competition in the premium water category serves to validate their role as pioneers.

By David Meltzer

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Aaron Keay is the Chairman of the Alkaline Water Company, a producer of premium bottled alkaline water, flavor-infused waters and CBD-infused products. Keay shares with #ThePlaybook host David Meltzer about how his professional sports background helps him in business, the rise of premium water and his water consumption tip.

Keay talks about the lessons he learned while playing professional soccer that he's applied to his business career, including the importance of leadership, accountability, honesty and humility. He also speaks about the company's early strategy to focus on big-bottle alkaline water and how it has since diversified to include small bottles, flavored waters and CBD-infused products.

Keay speaks about the increased competition in the alkaline water market, particularly as Smartwater — owned by Coca-Cola — has introduced its alkaline water. This competition, Keay says, validates the category and his company's role as pioneers and innovators.

As an expert on hydration, Keay recommends that we not drink water with our meals and refrain from drinking water beginning half an hour before eating. He says this will allow the digestive system to better absorb nutrients and enzymes from the food we're eating.

Related: Achieving Success the Faster Way

David Meltzer

Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing, Speaker, Author and Business Coach

David Meltzer, co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing and host of Entrepreneur's podcast, “The Playbook”, is a Top 100 Business Coach, global public speaker and three-time international best-selling author who has been honored by Variety as “Sports Humanitarian of the Year”.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Management

Why Business Owners Should Mix Strategy with Hands-On Involvement

Conventional wisdom says to work on the business, not in the business. That sounds like good advice, but is there more to it? Yes, and finding the balance is key to entrepreneurial success.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Growing a Business

You Need an Advisory Team More Than Ever. Here's Why — and How to Run One Effectively.

The right advice, particularly in a company's early stages, can be an existential matter: how to surround yourself with the right minds.