“F*$k Your Coffee!”

Like millions of Americans, Shane Heath started each day with coffee, a ritual so ingrained that everything else took a backseat. While it fueled his mornings, caffeine also came with side effects — anxiety, tension and restless nights. Instead of accepting this cycle, Heath decided to change it.

In 2016, Heath, an artist and entrepreneur, realized how coffee was impacting his well-being. Searching for an alternative, he began experimenting in his kitchen, mixing masala chai with functional mushrooms like Lion’s Mane, reishi and Cordyceps. What started as a personal solution soon sparked something much bigger. By 2018, Heath launched MUD/WTR, a coffee alternative designed to provide energy and focus without the jitters or crash. Within months, demand skyrocketed. Today, MUD/WTR is a multimillion-dollar brand helping people rethink their morning routines.

Heath’s journey to entrepreneurship was anything but conventional. Raised in Santa Cruz, California, he grew up surrounded by creativity and craftsmanship. 

 

“My dad was a builder, turning ideas into homes, and my mom worked in computer science for one of North America’s largest mushroom growers,” he says. “I was always around blueprints, technology and fungi — an unexpected but fitting foundation for what I do now.”

His childhood was spent outdoors, surfing, mountain biking and training jiu-jitsu. Many of his friends pursued professional surfing careers, but Heath sought a different path. Encouraged by his mother, he took graphic design and drawing classes at Cabrillo College, which led him to study both at San Diego State University. A series of personal losses in high school and college deepened his interest in life’s meaning and mental health, drawing him toward yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda.

“My dad taught me the value of hard work — how ideas in your head could become reality if you put in the effort,” Heath says. “My mom always encouraged me to follow my heart, and that balance led me toward entrepreneurship.”

 

 

After college, he co-founded a tech company with a friend, worked at Silicon Valley startups, and pursued fine art — painting at music festivals and hosting exhibitions. Eventually, he left his job for a six-month art residency in India. By the time he returned to Los Angeles, he had developed a daily spiritual practice and was questioning the coffee-fueled hustle culture.

“I wanted a morning ritual that wasn’t just about loading up on caffeine. I started playing around with functional mushrooms, creating a blend that made me feel good,” he explains. “I took it everywhere, and in May 2018, I started sharing it with others. That’s how MUD/WTR was born.”

Health and wellness had always been a part of Heath’s life. Growing up in Santa Cruz, he was exposed to progressive diets early on. 

“I tried making kombucha in my college closet once — didn’t work,” he laughs. “By junior year, I was doing Ayurvedic cleanses, and my roommates thought I was crazy. I’ve always been experimental with my diet and habits.”

His curiosity eventually led him to question caffeine’s role in daily life. “People treat caffeine like it’s nothing, but it’s a psychoactive drug. I saw people taking anti-anxiety meds while drinking the equivalent of five caffeine pills a day. That was me, too. I didn’t want to live like that anymore.”

 

 

 

Rather than quitting his morning routine, he reinvented it. “I wasn’t trying to be a mushroom evangelist — I just wanted a morning drink that gave me energy and focus without the anxiety and bad sleep. I wanted something that supported my gut and immune system while keeping me ambitious. A little caffeine, paired with functional mushrooms, hit the sweet spot.”

What started as a personal wellness experiment quickly became something much bigger. “I wasn’t planning to start a beverage company — I thought I’d build a tech startup,” he says. “But people kept asking what I was drinking, and I realized I wasn’t alone. A lot of people are stuck in a cycle of anxiety, poor sleep, and caffeine dependence, and no one talks about the downsides.”

MUD/WTR’s blend includes masala chai, cacao, and functional mushrooms. “Masala chai gives it a warm, grounding base with a subtle caffeine kick, and cacao adds a rich, chocolatey flavor with mood-boosting theobromine,” Heath explains. “Then there’s Lion’s Mane for focus, Cordyceps for energy, reishi for stress, and Chaga for immunity. Turmeric and cinnamon round it out with anti-inflammatory benefits.”

The recipe took time to perfect. “I experimented a lot — at one point, I even snorted cacao, which wasn’t my brightest moment,” he admits. “Eventually, I found the right mix. Later, I worked with food scientists to refine the formula while staying true to what I was making in 2016.”

The transition from a personal project to a full-fledged business happened quickly. Within six months, MUD/WTR was making $150,000 a month.

“I was still working a day job to pay rent, mixing the product myself in a commercial kitchen at night, and shipping orders during my lunch break. But the demand kept growing,” Heath says. 

The brand’s messaging played a huge role in its success. “The name, MUD/WTR, was polarizing. Our branding — stickers that said, ‘F*** your coffee’ — made people stop and think. We weren’t just another health drink; we were challenging the status quo.”

Scaling the company came with challenges. “I had no background in food production or team management. I was learning everything on the fly — how to forecast demand, pitch investors and build a team. It was trial by fire, but I raised over $20 million in funding and figured it out.”

MUD/WTR quickly expanded from an online business to retail, now available in Target, Sprouts, and thousands of stores. “We’ve also expanded to Canada and the UK, and even opened a café in Santa Monica,” Heath says. “But the product itself hasn’t changed — we’ve stayed true to the ori\ginal vision.”

Sourcing high-quality ingredients has been a priority from the start. “Our mushrooms come from Carlsbad, California, and our cacao comes from the Dominican Republic. The spices are sourced from India and Sri Lanka. We’ve faced occasional supply chain challenges, but our team is always ahead of the game, ensuring quality never wavers.”

Despite the rapid growth, Heath remains grounded. “It’s surreal to see ads for MUD/WTR pop up on YouTube or hear strangers talking about it. I don’t always stop to reflect, but when I do, I’m grateful for how far we’ve come.”

Looking back, Heath says the biggest lesson he’s learned is the importance of understanding yourself before starting a business. “Your ‘why’ is what keeps you going when things get tough. If you don’t have a deep sense of purpose, it’s hard to push through the challenges.”

As for the future, Heath sees MUD/WTR as more than just a beverage company. “I want it to spark a cultural shift in how people think about energy and daily habits. It’s not just about selling a product — it’s about changing the way people approach their mornings.”

He credits his parents, his wife and his son for their support, and, as he puts it, “the man upstairs for giving me this opportunity.”

What started as a simple experiment in a kitchen has become a movement. Heath’s journey with MUD/WTR proves that questioning the norm can lead to something extraordinary.