The beverage aisle at your local grocery store has a drink for just about everything. Whether you need some caffeine, a sugary treat, or a more powerful energy boost, it’s all there. Now, you can add confidence to the list.
Created by Brandon Oberfeld and Charles Gores, a pair of 18-year-old tech entrepreneurs from Beverly Hills, a new drink – aptly named “Confidence” – hit shelves this week.
“We noticed that there were drinks for basically every psychological effect you could think of. But there was nothing for confidence,” Oberfeld told the Courier. “Confidence is not just a human want, it’s a human necessity. So we wanted to be the first people to make a drink that gives you confidence.”
As recent high school graduates, Oberfeld and Gores said they have experienced firsthand the negative effects of social media and what Oberfeld called the “constant comparison culture” that permeates Gen Z.
Oberfeld previously worked on a social media platform aimed at improving mental health by removing likes and comments. But he quickly learned that initiating such a cultural shift would be difficult from within the tech world. Instead, he and Gores decided to create a physical product. In February 2020, the Confidence drink was born.
“We’re a brand with purpose,” Gores told the Courier. “The purpose is to really give people confidence, make people feel good, and to live a more full life.”
The duo spent more than a year working on research and development. Oberfeld said they identified five main elements of confidence to emphasize: relaxation, focus, natural energy, a good mood, and physical tension release. They enlisted the help of Dr. Matea Polisoto, a Beverly Hills-based specialist in naturopathic medicine. Polisoto helped the teens craft a formula of six adaptogens and nootropics – plants and substances aimed at relieving stress and improving cognitive function, memory, and general physiological stability. Confidence contains Griffonia seed extract (5-HTP), gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), ginseng extract, rhodiola rosea extract, numerous B vitamins, and magnesium.
Once the ingredients were set, the two turned their attention to flavor. Confidence tastes like a mix of berries, tea, and hibiscus and is sugar, calorie and caffeine free.
Oberfeld said he views Confidence as a multi-purpose beverage that can help with stressful situations in all facets of daily life.
“We think this is something that, once you add it into your daily routine, it really changes the way that you function,” he said. “It really does make a huge difference on your mind.”
Leading up to this month’s launch, Oberfeld and Gores faced their fair share of challenges. There were delays in production and design – most notably needing to relabel 100,000 cans. The pair also experienced a great deal of skepticism and pushback. The doubt was expected, Gores added. “When you innovate, you also have to educate,” he said.
Though there were issues to overcome, Oberfeld and Gores were motivated by their passion and purpose. They have been supported by a handful of investors and mentors, and by the end of June, they hope to grow their team to nine full-time employees and six part-time advisors.
So far, Confidence’s reception has been very positive. They have millions of impressions and views on Instagram and TikTok, and have already processed many orders through their online store.
As a drink built for Gen Z, Oberfeld added, the focus will be on e-commerce. But Confidence is also available in stores, including several Erewhon locations. They hope to be in every supermarket chain by summer’s end, then expand in California, the East Coast and nation-wide.
As Confidence continues to grow, and Oberfeld and Gores prepare to head off to college in the fall, they are both full of excitement and gratitude.
“It’s been a wild journey,” Gores told the Courier. “At the end of the day, we want to look back with pride, knowing that we did something that was impactful and that opened so much more room for conversation in this world about confidence and mental health.”
