Interview: Bopha, Founder of PURUS

Bopha is an Oxford educated start up owner who took her brain and put it to use in what you’d think was an industry too saturated to make waves in… but she’s proved that wrong. Read on to learn about PURUS, why it’s addressing a gap in the market and what Bopha’s future plans are for the business.

Give us your elevator pitch: what is PURUS?

PURUS means Purity in Latin. So the Purus manifesto is: Clean bioactive wellness products, without artificial stimulants. 

How did you find yourself as a beverage start up owner?

Beverages are our pilot products and we have plans for more on the horizon. So for now, I’m a beverage start up owner. How did it come about? I was the person ordering sparkling water or lemon lime and bitters at every corporate function because I’m allergic to alcohol and excess caffeine! 

When Covid hit, I started making my own terpene drinks over daily remote Zoom calls – a stark contrast to the Dan Murphy’s specials. I went against the grain (literally and figuratively) to use botanical plant oils (terpenes) to create a drink that I can enjoy endlessly, without any side effects. There is significant research pointing to the potential use of certain plant-derived terpenes in modern medicine, demonstrating anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects of these compounds. From here, the idea was born.

You might be reading this thinking “yeah…so what?” The research that shows alcohol’s effects on neuro or cognitive decline (Dementia, Alzheimer’s, inflammation…etc.) make the choice to opt for non-alcoholic options a pretty compelling one. 

The beverage market is so saturated but you clearly knew there was still a gap to fill. What made you confident enough to get into it anyway, and what were some of the challenges it came with?

Ten years ago, someone wanted to sell bacteria and the market turned its nose up. Today, people know this as Kombucha and the market value is worth approx $3-5Billion USD.

There are drinks, but there is no functional drink that uses terpenes as their main bioactive. This is an advantage and disadvantage because customers don’t know what terpenes are. I’m grabbing the first mover advantage with both hands.

I’m willing to back myself because I understand research methods after attending Oxford University and working with professors at QUT with over 30+ years in terpenes research. PURUS has scientific foundations.

Since the company’s inception, I have had so many challenges: service providers falling short and not delivering, terpenes being unknown and people therefore not understanding its benefits, the changing landscape of AI and social media marketing and business applications…just to name a few. 

Above all, the process of learning how to run a business has been worth its weight in gold. Nothing I studied at university could have prepared me for the experiences I have now gained.  

What are some of the things you got right and that you’re particularly proud of as a business?

1. The people who are part of the PURUS family are the reason we have had success so far. I only work with people who have integrity and are aligned to my values. 
2. Communicate and engage with speed. I pay a fee to make sure the small team have technology to communicate easily, 24/7 
3. Always follow regulations and rules pertaining to production, legal and accounting. Creativity is for marketing! 

How has Future helped you along the way?

I love the fact that Antoine is my dedicated advisor. Representing Future, Antoine assisted in company mobilisation of the business infrastructure. 

Beyond administration, I appreciate that I can have wild ideas and Antoine will guide me on what is required, the impacts of those ideas and when some things are actually not advisable. I actually look forward to sharing my ideas and working through the plan of making things happen.

Each year, as I work through my annual planning with Antoine, this sets the foundation for the year ahead and I know what is expected financially and ensures my obligations are met. All done in a language that I can understand. 

Any advice for someone thinking about starting a business?

1. Business is hard but rewarding. No two days are the same. 

2. Define what success means to you when it comes to starting a business, and when the days get hard and your earnings are in the red, coming back to your success definition and your long term goals will help drive your momentum. 

Want to learn more about PURUS? Head to their website. Bopha has just launched the gummies range too.