{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Startup CPG Podcast","title":"Founder + Funder: Alex Michaelsen of Leisure Hydration and Ryan Springer of Midnight on Fundraising, Retail Growth, and Building a Modern Hydration Brand","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3078,"description":"In this episode of Founder + Funder, Hannah Dittman sits down with Alex Michaelsen, Co-Founder and CEO of Leisure Hydration, and Ryan Springer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Midnight, for a conversation about fundraising, founder-investor relationships, retail expansion, and what it takes to build a next-generation beverage brand.Leisure Hydration was founded by brothers Alex and Steve Michaelsen after recognizing that hydration products had remained largely focused on athletic performance while millions of consumers were struggling with everyday hydration challenges that impacted focus, stress, energy, and overall wellbeing. Their vision was to create a hydration brand built for modern lifestyles rather than sports performance, pairing healthy ingredients with a brand experience that felt approachable, creative, and enjoyable.Since launching, Leisure has grown into one of the fastest-rising hydration brands in the country, securing placement in major retailers including Whole Foods Market, Target, and H-E-B while expanding into thousands of retail locations nationwide.Joining Alex is Ryan Springer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Midnight, a consumer-focused venture capital firm investing in the next generation of wellness and consumer brands. Ryan and the Midnight team first met the Leisure founders years before investing, providing a unique perspective on how founder-investor relationships develop over time and what ultimately drives conviction from an investment standpoint.Together, Alex and Ryan share the story behind Leisure's fundraising journey, why relationship-building matters more than most founders realize, and what both founders and investors should be looking for when evaluating long-term partnerships.Listen in as they cover:· The founding story behind Leisure Hydration· Why modern hydration needed a new approach· How Leisure built traction before major retail expansion· The unconventional strategies that helped the brand grow· Building...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/pMuUaMpWaAi3tfCEgC2OkLBVzokuLjLsIzwDIbGFqi4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hMTFl/MTgxNTNlZTAwZjU1/ZmNmNWM1ZjkwMDg5/NTU4MS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}