March 31, 2016

2 Min Read
How Bhakti created a powerful, playful brand with purpose

BrookEddyBhakti.jpg

Watch the on-demand webinar here.

Watch the on-demand webinar here.

“A great product is a great product, but I just don’t think it’s enough,” said Brook Eddy, CEO of Bhakti, during a NEXT Accelerator CEO Brown Bag Luncheon webinar Wednesday. “Without a purpose, it’s just a SKU without a story.”

The beverage brand, which she founded in 2007 to sell concentrated teas to local cafes, has blossomed into a flourishing B Corp with a line of ready-to-drink iced chai teas and a new line of bubbling teas in retail stores across the country.

Two of the biggest contributors to the company’s success, Eddy said, is having a purpose that differentiates the company, and having fun. Bhakti has a platform that it calls GITA (give, inspire, take action) to bring awareness to and support small projects that are making a big impact in the global community, with a special interest in projects that support women and girls. Eddy noted that companies can’t just have a purpose – they have to make sure they’re communicating it to retailers, customers and investors, too.

In 2015, Bhakti purchased the first electric Tuk Tuk (a three-wheeled rickshaw) in the U.S., which the team named Ginger, and embarked on a 20-city tour of the U.S. handing out samples to people, visiting retail partners and participating in large consumer events. While it may not have been the smartest financial decision at the time, Eddy said, it brought great brand awareness to Bhakti and made the team really excited.  

“I haven’t been able to pay huge salaries, but I’ve been able to attract people with our purpose, our mission and how much fun we are as a brand,” she said. “People are willing to take some pay cuts to be a part of something bigger.”

To hear more of Eddy’s insights on growing the grassroots way and crafting a brand around a purpose, watch the webinar on-demand by clicking here or on the photo above.

Other webinars from this series:

John Foraker, CEO, Annie's

Arran and Arjan Stephens, Nature's Path

Allie Rabman, business development, CircleUp

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