Amanda Hester-Smith Of Balaveda On How They Are Promoting Healthy Snacks and Treats
An Interview With Martita Mestey
“Everything takes longer and costs more.” I don’t think there’s a truer statement in business. It shows up in almost every story I could tell.
Take manufacturing, for example. If you end up choosing the wrong manufacturer, even just once, it can set your entire timeline back by weeks, sometimes even months. A delay in a single production run doesn’t just mean your product’s late; it means missed retail windows, delayed launches, and broken momentum. And that ripple effect is real.
Then there’s inventory and supply chain management. If you’re not planning ahead, even basic ingredients or packaging can take far longer to arrive than you’d expect. A simple label delay or ingredient out-of-stock can bring the whole system to a halt, and in this business, time is money.
And speaking of money, the little things add up fast. A few extra cents here or there in your production costs might not seem like much, but by the time that product hits the shelf, those pennies can easily become dollars. If you’re not carefully budgeting and cost-engineering every piece of the process, you’ll feel it in your margins, and fast.
It’s a constant learning process. The key is staying flexible, planning ahead, and being absolutely meticulous about who you work with and how you budget.
In today’s fast-paced world, snacking has become an essential part of our daily routine. However, not all snacks are created equal, and many options available are unhealthy. Fortunately, there are companies dedicated to creating and promoting healthy snacks and treats that are not only delicious but also nutritious. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Amanda Hester-Smith.
Amanda Hester-Smith is the President, R&D Officer, and Founder of Balaveda drinks. As an 8-year Ayurvedic & Naturopathic Practitioner, herbalist, and a certified yoga instructor, Amanda’s extensive knowledge and experience in these fields have been pivotal in the success of Balaveda Beverage Co. Her profound understanding of the principles of Ayurveda, combined with her expertise in herbalism and yoga, enabled her to create a line of beverages that cater to the needs of health-conscious consumers.
Balaveda began with Amanda’s determination to create something that would help her find balance in her own body. In her kitchen, she experimented with blends of herbs and adaptogens, inspired by her background in Ayurveda and a deep commitment to wellness. Balancing a full family life and the demands of a farm outside Nashville, Amanda was determined to find natural ways to manage stress, boost energy, and support overall health. Balaveda grew from her belief that wellness should be accessible, rooted in nature, and beneficial to everyone. Each Balaveda drink reflects Amanda’s passion for simple, pure ingredients and her vision of spreading health and vitality.
Thank you so much for joining us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?
I became a certified yoga teacher in 2002, and from that point on, I just kept diving deeper with my studying, learning, and growing in the practice and craft of personal wellness. In 2005, I began teaching kids yoga in New York City, and did that for many years, adding more certifications along the way, like mom-and-baby yoga, yin yoga, mantra, and more. As the years passed, and we grew to a family of five, life led us to a farm just outside of Nashville, and that’s where I really immersed myself in herbalism and Ayurveda. That journey, rooted in wellness, nature, and daily rituals, led to the birth of Balaveda. Fast forward to 2025, we create powerful, organic wellness shots and functional drinks that are as delicious as they are good for you.
Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?
Our beverages actually began as smoothies, and, without knowing what was coming, we launched them just two weeks before the COVID lockdown. Almost overnight, everything we had planned disappeared. The stores we were in, the momentum we’d built — it all vanished. It was terrifying on so many levels. But looking back, the biggest takeaway was this: in business, you have to be ready to pivot. Things rarely go exactly as planned, and facing that reality right out of the gate turned out to be a blessing. It reminded us that we’re not always in control — and if we wanted to keep going, we had to stay flexible. That’s when we decided to shift entirely to shots, and that pivot gave our company a true rebirth.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Authenticity — I know it might sound cliché, but being true to yourself and offering what only you can bring to the world is everything. No one else can do what you do, in the way that you do it. People value realness, and they can usually sense when a founder isn’t being authentic.
Tenacity — The real secret to success is simply not giving up. It’s about showing up every single day, even when it’s hard. There are no shortcuts — you either keep going or you don’t. And for us, we choose to keep going.
Trust — Trust yourself. Trust your team. Trust the process and trust the timing. Sometimes that’s the hardest part, but it’s also the most powerful.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that might help people?
We’ve got some exciting new products, collaborations, and launches on the way; there’s always a million things happening behind the scenes. At the heart of it all, our goal remains the same: to help people adapt better. These upcoming products and collabs are all about supporting the nervous system and sharpening focus. Personally, I believe that every time we learn to adapt and overcome, we level up, not just in our habits, but as human beings.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. What inspired you to focus on creating a healthy beverage?
I was personally struggling with my energy, focus, and overall sense of drive, and I knew I needed to find a solution. With my background in herbalism and Ayurveda, I set out to create something that didn’t just help me get by but actually helped me feel like myself again. I wanted to move past the burnout and step into a version of myself that felt strong, clear, and alive.
Once I found a formula that worked and my energy, focus, and motivation came back, I had a moment of clarity: If this is helping me, then maybe it can help someone else too. So, I went to work formulating healthy beverages that came from a real personal need; whether mine, a family member’s, or a friend’s.
How do you ensure that your products remain both healthy and delicious?
Prior to launching our brand, we did a ton of research and found that the options out there just weren’t good enough. The organic ones tasted terrible, and the ones that tasted good were full of stuff your body doesn’t need. We saw a real gap in the market and from day one, we made a non-negotiable decision: ZERO compromises; not on effectiveness, taste, price, or sustainability.
And because we know that quality and effectiveness are so important, we work directly with our partners and have strong relationships with our food suppliers, manufacturers, lab, distributors, and stores, and we run regular quality checks; and most importantly, we drink our own drinks every single day.
What are some things you have done to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of your products?
We definitely use social media, and it helps that people are becoming more familiar with terms like adaptogens, ashwagandha, and others we work with. But honestly, it’s a lot of repetition, consistently showing up and reminding people who we are, what we do, and why it matters. I also blog on our website a couple of times a month to share education, recipes, and little insights from our world. It’s all about staying connected and building trust over time.
Have you experienced any challenges in changing consumer perceptions about healthy beverages? How did you approach that?
There will always be resistance when you’re trying to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful changes in one’s daily ritual. The market will not change overnight. It takes time for people to shift mindsets and habits toward health and wellness, but I’m here for that. I’m a pretty patient gal ;) I think the first thing people notice is taste, and that’s why it was so important for us to back into shots that tasted great and were actually drinkable, then once people feel the effects, it’s easier to make the switch. But getting people to try it is probably the greatest challenge because people assume that if it’s good for you, it must taste awful.
What are your ”5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started”?
1 . “Everything takes longer and costs more.” I don’t think there’s a truer statement in business. It shows up in almost every story I could tell.
Take manufacturing, for example. If you end up choosing the wrong manufacturer, even just once, it can set your entire timeline back by weeks, sometimes even months. A delay in a single production run doesn’t just mean your product’s late; it means missed retail windows, delayed launches, and broken momentum. And that ripple effect is real.
Then there’s inventory and supply chain management. If you’re not planning ahead, even basic ingredients or packaging can take far longer to arrive than you’d expect. A simple label delay or ingredient out-of-stock can bring the whole system to a halt, and in this business, time is money.
And speaking of money, the little things add up fast. A few extra cents here or there in your production costs might not seem like much, but by the time that product hits the shelf, those pennies can easily become dollars. If you’re not carefully budgeting and cost-engineering every piece of the process, you’ll feel it in your margins, and fast.
It’s a constant learning process. The key is staying flexible, planning ahead, and being absolutely meticulous about who you work with and how you budget.
2 . Aligning yourself with the right people is incredibly important especially when you’re building something special. The truth is, when you have something great, a lot of people will want a piece of it, and that’s when discernment becomes crucial. As more people get involved in your company, knowing who truly aligns with your mission and who’s just along for the ride can make all the difference.
We’ve been pretty good at this overall, but we’ve definitely had a few bad apples along the way. they were tough lessons that taught us to trust our instincts, stay true to our values, and protect what we’re building.
3 . As an entrepreneur, you grow in every part of who you are: mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. The truth is you will be tested. There will be pressure, setbacks, and some tough moments, especially when you’re passionate about building something big from the ground up. Those challenges can either break you down or grow you. If you’re lucky, they’ll stretch you in ways you never imagined. Just don’t give up and use the hard stuff as fuel to expand your dream, not retreat.
4 . It will not go the way you think it will go, it will be better. I never could have imagined through the process of running this company that I would meet so many amazing people, that doors closing were also doors opening, that “NO’s” were only redirections. I guess this one is really about trusting the process, the timing, the alignment of each situation as it arises, because chances are it’s happening “for” you, not “to” you.
5 . Your daily practices are your foundation, lean into them, especially when things get hectic. For me, if I skip my yoga, meditation, diet, or sleep routines, everything starts to unravel. I just can’t show up the way I need to for my company without them. Taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury, it is downright essential if you want to lead, create, and sustain real success.
In a constantly evolving industry, how do you stay ahead of trends to keep your offerings innovative and appealing?
Staying ahead of the curve starts with staying grounded in our purpose. I created our first formulas in my own kitchen, not by chasing trends, but by responding to real needs: energy, focus, immunity, stress; all without compromising purity or quality. That same mindset still drives us.
We keep our edge by listening closely to our customers and keeping up with what’s happening in wellness culture globally. We’re not interested in gimmicks, we’re interested in what works and how we can deliver that in simple, natural, and powerful ways. Whether it’s formulating with adaptogens long before they were mainstream or designing products that feel as good as they function, our goal is to create modern rituals that evolve with the way people live.
Innovation isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about leading with purpose, and for us, that’s people first, always.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Love yourself, truly & deeply, and just watch what happens. When you start caring for your body and soul with real compassion. You’ll notice that everything around you begins to shift. It changes the way you treat the Earth, how you respond to others, and how you move through your day.
Loving yourself first isn’t selfish; it’s foundational, and that kind of love creates a ripple effect. It softens how we see each other, and it gives others permission to be their most authentic selves, too. If more people truly loved themselves, there would be less judgment, and people would feel freer to be their authentic selves, and that alone would be a movement that changes everything.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
Website: www.balaveda.com
Instagram: @Balaveda
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
