For serious athletes who want to work harder and longer, there aren’t many naturally effective (not to mention legal) products on the shelf. Two local doctors are breaking into the market with Sword, an all-natural sports drink mix that’s free of chemicals, dyes and artificial preservatives. It was crafted not in a laboratory but in a kitchen by two doctors and amateur athletes experimenting with a mixing spoon and a blender.
When the co-founders met, Shawn Stasko was a physiology Ph.D. candidate and Dr. Scott Black a UK faculty member. They partnered for an independent research project, and the two became fast friends, bonded by their mutual passion for running and sports nutrition. Soon they were brainstorming ideas for a product that would provide athletes with enduring hydration and fuel.
Sword co-founders Shawn Stasko, left, and Scott Black, right, met at the University of Kentucky.
“We came at it with the idea that we’re trying to sustain hard work, particularly in harsh, especially hot, environments,” while also protecting the stomach, said Black.
After reviewing medical literature, they began developing their own formula with a focus on three main components: carbohydrate fuel, sodium electrolytes and natural fruit flavor.
Over 18 months, they perfected Sword through trial and error, according to Stasko, “to get the backbone and the heart of the product right.”
“Thankfully, [Scott’s] wife, Lisa, let us destroy her kitchen for almost two years,” Stasko said.
The iteration they settled on is low in sugar and dissolves to a clear liquid. Taste was another matter, however. Initially, their product ranged from flavorless to salty water. With no background in food production, they turned to Flavorman, a beverage manufacturer in Louisville. Their aim was to avoid the pitfalls of other niche competitors — namely, bad taste and unnecessary additives.
“You almost need a Ph.D. to understand their labels,” says Sword Chief Marketing Officer Ted Hissey.
In addition to endurance drink mixes, Sword recently added caffeine tablets to its product lineup.
Sword, by contrast, keeps it simple. They squeeze real fruit juice into their products so that, say, an orange-flavored drink actually tastes like an orange. Stasko describes this as a “massive distinction” from the most ubiquitous corporate brands.
“Athletes who really put their bodies through a lot of stress do not drink Gatorade or Powerade,” said Stasko. “They’re designed for someone who’s sitting on the couch watching a football game as opposed to actually playing the football game.”
When you compare the ingredient lists, Stasko observes, drinking a Gatorade is equivalent to drinking a Pepsi, minus the carbonation and brown food coloring.
“Would you give your son or daughter a Coca-Cola on the sidelines?” Stasko often asks parents. Perhaps that’s why several high school sports teams in the Fayette County district now provide Sword.
“Would you give your son or daughter a Coca-Cola on the sidelines?” —Sword co-founder Shawn Stasko
Sword’s founders aren’t targeting the “lifestyle beverage” crowd, as they call it. That’s why you’ll never see their products at convenience stores, gas stations or in grocery stores.
Rather, they focus on “point of sweat” locations like running, biking and fitness shops. The company’s marketing efforts are narrowly targeted, too, with a focus on social media ads and event sponsorships like Run the Bluegrass.
This strong brand identity is essential to the Sword team.
“We spent a lot of time finding ‘what is Sword,’ ‘what does the brand stand for,’ and who our targets are,” said Hissey. Nailing down the company’s values — particularly athlete mentorship — has helped them stay on-brand and gradually expand.
“Initially, we were just an endurance drink mix,” Hissey said. “We’ve expanded what Sword means … we’re evolving into a total sports performance company.”
Sword ships coast to coast from its online store, and online sales constitute most of the company’s business. Sword is also stocked in more than 100 retail locations, mostly concentrated in Colorado and Kentucky, including local retailers like Allsports, Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling and John’s Run Walk Shop.
Sword has found success with both online and "point of sweat" sales.
Sword recently released its second product, caffeine tablets, and signed star runner Jordan Hasay as one of its Elite Athletes.
Yet the Sword team still knows the importance of patience.
“We started small and understood that,” Black said. “It’s been slow, predictable and regulated growth — and we haven’t incurred a lot of debt.”
It would be premature to suggest that Sword’s growing pains are over. In part, they attribute their success so far to their willingness to embrace challenges.
“It’s [about] not being afraid of what you don’t know and being open to criticism,” said Black. “We still make mistakes, and I’m sure we’ll continue to do that for a long time.”
Stasko also advises fellow entrepreneurs to “be ruthless with perseverance,” he said. “You cannot take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Those looking to start or grow their own business should take advantage of Lexington’s resources, they suggest.
“It’s a good entrepreneurial community,” Black said. Sword credits local agencies like Bullhorn Creative and Awesome, Inc., which shared their enthusiasm for innovation in the company’s nascence.
Said Hissey: “We found that people are very open to trying new things, as long as you can provide a compelling story as to why you’re better.”