Pittsburgh entrepreneur Ron Cygnarowicz has launched a new health supplement company, PureStart Energy, that is taking more “feminine” approach to energy and mental clarity.
For years the caffeine-laden energy drink market has been dominated by men while woman have stood idly by, disappointed by the unnatural, even harmful effects of caffeine-laced products, explains Cygnarowicz. Men prefer products with hefty amounts of caffeine while women are inclined toward a product with subtle revitalization, mental clarity and memory support without calories or a bad aftertaste.
“Through our research, we found that women were not adverse to energy products; they just wanted them on their own terms,” says the Founder and CEO. “Our research suggested that one of the biggest opportunities in next five years will be women over 30. They’re the next big growth market.”
So Cygnarowicz organized a team of experts–including doctors, a pharmacist and nutritionist–and designed a product that offers women an all-natural boost without a caffeinated high, artificial sweeteners, calories or carbs, the dietary supplement PureStart Energy.
It took a bit to hit on the mix, but persistence is paying off, he adds. No newcomer to starting a business, Cygnarowicz worked with local startups Novaurora and Lexon Media. The result is a vegetarian capsule packed with B-vitamins, amino acids, minerals, natural enzymes and an energy/mental blend that includes L-Taurine, L-Phenylalanine and Cinnamon Bark.
The company has landed several retail deals to date. PureStart is available online, at MixStir Cafe locations and the Sewickley Spa. A liquid shot version is planned to hit the market in 2011. The company has nine “virtual” workers, is backed by local angel investors and has its headquarters in Mars, Butler County. The customer base is growing across the U.S., he adds, and 90 percent of all sales are to women.
“Pittsburgh is the perfect place for a startup,” he says. “It’s all about relationships and Pittsburgh has a two-degrees of separation from anyone else in the city.”
Source: Ron Cygnarowicz, PureStar Energy
Writer: Deb Smit
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