Athletes frequently encounter health challenges during their careers, necessitating breaks or lifestyle adjustments. Phil Mickelson’s journey was no different, as he too faced such a situation, prompting significant changes in his life.
However, the professional did not take the blow as it was. The LIV golfer showcased his will to get better and, in turn, went ahead to draw inspiration from the health scare to start an initiative of his own—a wellness brand no less!
Phil Mickelson and his fast-growing wellness brand
The veteran athlete has managed to garner 45 wins on the PGA Tour during his long career. And, during the same period, he had never once drank coffee, not even for the first four decades of his life. However, when the professional reached the age of 40, he was hit with psoriatic arthritis, leaving him immobile. This, ultimately, led to a change in the way he viewed the beverage.
“You cannot believe the excruciating pain,” Mickelson once said as he recounted the experience of the health scare. Continuing on the same, he mentioned how he was lying on the ground, unable to move, while thinking, “How am I going to play golf again?” Although he was able to recover from the same, this inspired the then-40-year-old to start a new venture related to coffee.
This would in turn lead to a fast-growing brand in the health industry. Phil Mickelson established For Wellness in 2020 with co-founder Dave Philips. The decision came as a result of his friend Philips explaining the effects of the beverage to ‘Lefty’. The origin of the new brainchild was born more out of necessity than profit or such. And now, the brand has managed to outgrow its early phase to produce a flagship product—a coffee supplement called The Good Stuff—that aims at the recovery of the body.
One can’t help but respect the golfer for turning his health around and coming up with a new venture on top of that, leading it to be a part of the INC 5000 fastest-growing bands. Well, what else can we expect from a person who has worked hard on and off the course his whole life?
The growth of Mickelson and his brand
The 6X major winner experienced the health issue in 2010 when he was preparing to compete in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The concerned athlete found a rheumatologist, who in turn diagnosed the golfer with this type of arthritis. However, the 47-year-old’s recovery has been nothing short of an inspiration, as since 2010, he has been able to win a total of 13 times, including two majors.
The brand that he set up has more than 10,000 subscribers who have been able to receive the products made through delivery. Moreover, the company has been projected to make an annual revenue of close to $7 million in 2023. And all of this was made to happen with just a simple act: switching off the diet coke for arabica beans!
