From Wall Street to Spiked Coconut Water – Chris Allen’s Startup Leap

Join Up Dots - Business Coaching Made Easy (With A Bit Of Life Coaching Too)

David Ralph of Join Up Dots

Interview, Motivation, Online, Businessinterview, Education, Businesscoaching, Entrepreneur, Lifestyle, Income, Business

5 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From Wall Street to Spiked Coconut Water – Chris Allen’s Startup Leap In this episode of Join Up Dots, we dive into the incredible journey of Chris Allen, co-founder of CV Brewing and the mastermind behind Osena, the world’s first spiked coconut water cocktail. Chris didn’t start in a brewery—he began in the high-stress world of corporate finance, crunching numbers in boardrooms. But at 27, he made a bold pivot, walking away to pursue an MBA at Wharton, and ultimately launching a product that now rides the wave of the hard seltzer and wellness beverage boom. You’ll discover how Chris and his co-founder brewed their first batches of Osena in a tiny New York apartment during a summer internship—turning an experimental idea into a fast-growing drinks brand known for its zero sugar, 100-calorie, electrolyte-packed punch. But the road wasn’t easy. Osena launched just as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted every aspect of life and business. Chris shares how they pivoted with remote testing, virtual focus groups, and a healthy dose of Wharton resourcefulness to stay afloat and thrive. We also explore: How a corporate background gave Chris the tools to manage uncertainty Why mental health and entrepreneurship must go hand in hand What Chris learned from appearing on Netflix’s Million Dollar Secret And the advice he gives to anyone thinking about starting a business today Whether you're thinking about leaving the corporate grind or launching your own product from scratch, this episode is packed with honest insights, startup strategy, and inspiration from someone who made the leap—and stuck the landing.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Life shouldn't be hard. Life should be a fun-filled adventure every day.
0:05.0	So now start joining up dots.
0:07.0	Tap into your talents, your skills, your God-given gifts, and tell your boss, you don't deserve me.
0:14.0	I'm outta here.
0:16.0	It's time for you to smash that alarm clock.
0:20.0	And start getting the dream business and life you will of course
0:24.6	are dreaming of let's join your host david ralph from the back of his garden in the uk
0:30.7	or wherever he might be today with another jammed pack episode of the number one hit podcast
0:36.8	join up dots yeah good morning to you,
0:40.5	good morning to you and welcome to Join Up Dots, the podcast where we trace the big dots of
0:45.3	entrepreneurial journeys, connecting ambition, adversity, and fingers crossed, ultimately success.
0:52.6	And today we're diving into the remarkable story of
0:54.6	the co-founder and owner of CV Brewing, the creative force behind Ossena, the world's first
1:00.7	spiked coconut water cocktail. Now, his path began not in a kitchen or a brewery, but in the
1:06.7	high-pressure world of corporate finance. He spent his 20s immersed in spreadsheets and
1:11.7	boardrooms, only to realise that something fundamental was missing. So at 27, he left it all
1:17.7	behind and pursued an MBA at Walton, a bold leap that would change everything. It was during a
1:24.0	summer internship in 2019 when he was sharing an apartment in New York with
1:28.7	his now co-founder that the idea for Ossena took root. Combining the explosive growth of
1:35.0	hard seltzers with the natural goodness of coconut water, they brewed their first batches
1:39.6	in a tiny written house apartment layering electrolytes and light carbonation to perfection.
1:46.5	But entrepreneurship never moves in a straight line as we hear time and time again on joinup dots.
	...

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