Cheap Ain’t Easy

Last week I left off with making history—first company to sell one freeze-dried berry, sliced in halves and deseeded. But I knew it wasn’t the berry I was selling—it was the experience.

Nobody knew the berry existed but I was convinced everybody had five bucks. That was enough to let them prove it to themselves. Based on my projections, we’d clear a million in revenue our first year even in the most conservative scenario.

I figured I’d start with everyone I knew. Get them to try it, blow their minds, then they’d leave a great review and tell everyone with taste buds. Our target market? “Anyone with a tongue.”

We had achieved so much, but we still hadn’t made a penny. As a lifelong seller, now turning pro, that was starting to hit me hard. I couldn’t waste time now that we had a product.

I remember thinking, “Good thing I know a lot of people.” Once the product was packed, I started hitting up my contacts—text messages, LinkedIn, Instagram DMs. I told them: the miracle berry is ready, only $5.

Crickets. The small army I rallied turned out to be an army of silence. It was crushing. I realized the only thing people saw was a $5berry. And nobody wanted to live in that world.

That’s when the mission became clear: Nature’s Wild Berry would make the miracle berry more affordable and more available. Simple.

From the outside, it looked like we’d solved a problem by creating another one. In the early days, raw berries cost me $5–10 each depending on quantity. Now I expected people to be thrilled about a different $5 version?

Juliano and I needed a better plan—fast. Begging friends wasn’t going to cut it. If we had to go door to door, then that’s what we’d do. And that’s where we’ll pick up next week.

Meanwhile, the berry kept inspiring new experiments. I was down the rabbit hole and willing to try anything—for science.

There was this raw food recipe I’d heard about for years: orange blended with cactus and aloe vera. It had a cult following. The flavor? Strong. So strong most people couldn’t handle it.

But I was curious—what would it taste like with the berry?

My only hesitation was the aloe. Growing up sunburned, I used it all the time. Tried eating it once as a kid—never again. This time I wanted the berry to block the bitterness and add sweetness.

So I hit the Asian market. I grabbed aloe, lime, and unsweetened cranberry juice. Peeled the aloe and let it marinate overnight. Froze the mix for an hour. Then, 30 seconds before trying it, I popped the berry.

With the pulp on my tongue, the whole treat turned into a cold, citrusy gummy I could fall in love with.

Want to feel your hair fly back? Look up the orange, cactus, and aloe vera blend. Just remember where you heard it first.

Next week, I’m back with a cousin to the berry—something most athletes and gamers have no idea could give them an edge at game time.

And as always, your hidden 48 hr 20% off alphanumeric code is hiding in plain sight. Look closely at the text—did you spot a word that’s formatted oddly? Enter it exactly as shown!

– Hank