Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Mills.
Hi Molly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Cole, my business partner, and I, have always been into the health and fitness kind of lifestyle. While Cole played college football, and I did competitive dance, we both prioritized working out and being our healthiest selves. With that being said after we met, we found ourselves going to smoothie king on Fridays for smoothies and Starbucks during the day for coffee. We weren’t just getting coffee though, but lattes, packed with creams and sugar. We realized there must be a better way to wake up and energize without going to Starbucks or drinking an unhealthy energy drink. This lead is to start doing research on energy drinks that used natural caffeine opposed to synthetic. We found out that green tea is a great source of caffeine as well as Guarana, a natural root from Brazil. We then thought of ways to sweeten the drink without using sugar or fake sweeterns. We came across stevia, which is a sweetener from a plant. After this, we decided we wanted our drink to have vitamins and electrolytes as well so that it could be beneficial to the body.
After weeks of putting together a formula, we came up with our “Boosted Refreshers.” After trying out flavors and drinking the drink every day before the gym, we realized we need to share the product with the world.
We then found a location in South Tampa and figured we open up our own store! A place where people can get a healthy alternative to a coffee or a canned energy drink. Also, a place where they could drink protein shakes and smoothies and know they aren’t packed with calories and unnecessary sugars. Cole and I are both in our early twenties so we decided to use our life savings and take a leap of faith on our product. We have now been open for 8 weeks and are looking forward to meeting more people in the Tampa community and helping them make healthier drink choices! Storm is a great place to stop before or after the gym or even just to get a drink to help get you through your afternoon!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road, but we also haven’t had any real struggles. The hardest part was coming in here for a month straight and building the place out on our own. Now that we are open, it is easy to see that it is worth it. The struggle we face now is the fact we aren’t getting a weekly paycheck. We know that it is going to take time before we can pay ourselves but this is just part of the journey!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Storm, we serve up healthy drinks that energize, refresh, and give you a boost of vitamins! Our boosted refreshers are only 15 calories with no added sugar. We use natural caffeine so that there is no crash or jittery feeling. We want the Tampa Bay community to know about this new drink concept so it can get them off the coffee and drink something that will actually energize you for longer.
What sets us apart from others is our protein shakes that are all very low-calorie! We are adamant about using the cleanest ingredients and not adding and sugars or syrups. They all taste amazing and are made with a vegan protein and almond milk. There is no dairy, no soy, and no added sugars. Our customer service is like no other since we are a small business. We are committed to creating relationships with all our customers and sustaining an environment that is positive and uplifting whenever you step in the building.
I think another thing that makes us different is that we are young entrepreneurs. We are in our early twenties and recent college graduates. This makes us open to learning and taking any suggestions along the way. We are not set in our ways, but want to give the Tampa community what it wants! If people tell us they would prefer something,
We listen.
I am most proud of the fact that our brand is committed to serving only healthy products that fuel your body in the right ways. We are adamant about not adding in any extra sugar to make things taste better. We have found other natural ways to make our products have great taste. Also, the caffeine in our products is all-natural and has proven to have positive effects on people’s cognitive function as well as metabolism.
We want the readers to know that at Storm, you are more than just a customer, but instead, a friend that we would love to get to know. We are all about treating people with the best care and making sure everyone walks out our door a little happier than they came in. We are the néw spot in South Tampa for any great-tasting protein shakes and healthy caffeinated, vitamin-packed drinks. You won’t ever have to feel guilty about treating yourself with a Storm drink!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The advice we have is just go for it! I never thought I would be opening up a business at such a young age. Trust God and the plans he has for your life before you ever start to stress or worry about what your future holds. I really didn’t know anything before starting out, but you can always learn along the way. Baby steps is the key! Take one step at a time and have faith that you can do anything you put your mind to.
Pricing:
- Our boosted refreshers (32 oz cup) are $6
- Protein shakes (16 oz) $8
- Smoothies (16 oz) $6
- Large protein shake (32 oz) $11
Contact Info:
- Email: Stormenergygroup@gmail.com
- Instagram: Stormhealthyenergy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stormhealthyenergy/?ref=pages_you_manage
