Yanni Hufnagel’s business venture was not initiated with just one dollar but instead began with an ambition to revolutionize how Americans drink liquids and lemons. When he assumed the role of basketball coach for the University of Nevada in Reno in 2016, he started a ketogenic diet regimen that required him to consume organic lemon water each day at its beginning.
Squeezing his lemons for his morning drink became a nuisance, but he kept doing it because the water excited him. Then one day in the locker room, he noticed all the players and coaches had anti-oxidant water, which was very popular. An idea struck him – why not combine something pleasant tasting with a healthy substance, something that could even improve America’s health? That is how Lemon Perfect was created.
Hufnagel declared that “in his view, sugar is at the core of much of the deterioration of health among American consumers, and it’s far more difficult to consume five hamburgers than to drink five sodas. He states that much of the decline in health within America, mainly in economically disadvantaged areas, is caused by liquids consumed instead of food eaten.”
After investing a decade as an aid for the men’s college basketball coaches, Yanni Hufnagel is well aware of what teams need. In his opinion, it is essential to be surrounded by competent people who have faith in their goals and strive to accomplish them together. With Lemon Perfect, they are “creating something nutritious that can be consumed daily and help maintain a healthy lifestyle,” explains Yanni Hufnagel. Furthermore, this “makes our company worth a billion dollars.” The group of 72 he has constructed all hold Lemon Perfect close to their hearts.
To grant everyone the ability to collaborate as teammates, Hufnagel attempted to keep any existing hierarchy at a minimum. Crucial to this scheme is that all those employed in the company hold equity, which he strongly believes contributes to motivation. According to him, Lemon Perfect’s crew are granted the feeling of constructing something “all their own,” with each share owned by them.