rawdose® Origins: Why We Started and Who We Support

Introduction

In the landscape of entrepreneurship and high-performance work, there’s an unspoken reality: many of the people building companies, creative projects and athletic careers are quietly running on empty. Long hours blur into late nights, meals happen at desks, and coffee evolves from a ritual into a requirement. Energy is abundant, yet clarity is fleeting. The cost of sustained output mounts until the body and mind demand a pause. RAWDOSE® was born from this reality. Founder Michael Massa didn’t start his company to follow a fad; he created it in response to his own experience with burnout and the unmet needs he saw among peers who were “always on.”

Why RAWDOSE® Exists: Supporting Entrepreneurs

For more than a decade and a half, Massa built and scaled Uplyft Capital, a multi-million-dollar business finance company. He was making hundreds of decisions daily and guiding more than 200 employees, all while sacrificing sleep and wellness to keep his momentum going. Nutrition slipped, workouts faded and caffeine became a lifeline. The narrative felt familiar: keep pushing, deal with the consequences later. But “later” arrived in the form of brain fog, constant exhaustion and a creeping sense that success was coming at the expense of his health.

Massa realized that there was no system designed for builders like him. The market offered quick fixes, sugary energy drinks and supplements promising immediate performance, but nothing existed to support sustained output while respecting long-term wellbeing. RAWDOSE® emerged from this gap. It was conceived not as a shortcut or hack but as a support system—something that helps entrepreneurs, athletes, creators and health-driven individuals hold their pace without breaking. As Massa often notes, RAWDOSE® is for those who have no choice but to keep going; the brand’s mission is to make that journey more sustainable.

Built by an Operator, Not a Marketer: Adaptogenic Coffee Designed for Performance

One of the most striking elements of the RAWDOSE® story is that it was built by an operator rather than a marketer. Massa’s background wasn’t in wellness products or branding; it was in running a fast-growing finance company and later building TRUTRVLR, a luxury hospitality property in New York. Both ventures reinforced the importance of systems, consistency and emotional control. They also taught him that people connect to care, not polish—that authenticity carries more weight than slick marketing. These lessons carried into RAWDOSE®.

In 2024 Massa decided to create a daily ritual he could trust: a mushroom-infused coffee blend that delivered clean energy and cognitive support without the crash or anxiety he experienced from conventional coffee. RAWDOSE®’s flagship drink combines organic Arabica coffee with adaptogenic mushrooms like lion’s mane, turkey tail and king trumpet. Lion’s mane supports cognitive function and nerve growth; turkey tail contains beta-glucans that nourish gut bacteria and bolster immunity; king trumpet offers antioxidant polysaccharides that reduce oxidative stress. The result is a coffee that provides a stable energy curve and mental clarity—a contrast to the jittery spike and crash of typical brews.

The product line reflects Massa’s disciplined design philosophy: strip away excess, reduce friction and focus on the user’s needs. According to a brand profile, RAWDOSE® is committed to creating premium wellness products that combine the best of nature and science, designed specifically for the modern urban lifestyle. The brand’s visual identity mirrors this commitment. Its logo is intentionally simple and fluid, conveying modernity and naturalness. RAWDOSE® refuses to clutter its products with unnecessary ingredients or flashy packaging; instead, it builds trust through rigorous sourcing, third-party testing and transparency.

The Burnt-Out Entrepreneur and Why RAWDOSE® Exists

Entrepreneurs live in a paradox: they build companies to improve lives yet often sacrifice their own well-being to make that vision a reality. Massa has described this cycle as one where people “keep going until they can’t,” only to look up and realize that success has come with a heavy cost. RAWDOSE® exists to break that cycle. It’s not about pushing harder; it’s about supporting the builder so they can maintain clarity and energy over the long haul. This philosophy informs every product decision, from the careful selection of mushrooms to the deliberate absence of added sugars or artificial stimulants.

RAWDOSE®’s flagship coffee is just one part of a larger system. The company also offers teas, matcha blends and daily rituals built around breath work, hydration and movement. Massa sees these as infrastructural tools, not motivational tricks. The goal is to build habits that sustain performance without sacrificing health. This approach resonates with a growing community of entrepreneurs and high-performers who crave support that aligns with their lifestyle. They don’t need to be told to work harder; they need tools that make their grind sustainable.

The First Apparel Drop: Celebrating Builders

RAWDOSE® is not limited to consumables. In 2025 the company released its first hoodie and sweatpant set, an apparel collection designed to honour the people who inspired the brand: entrepreneurs, creators, athletes and anyone balancing high output with self-care. The release wasn’t a marketing gimmick; it was a continuation of the RAWDOSE® philosophy.

Design Intentions

The hoodie and sweatpants were built with the same intentionality as the coffee. Soft yet durable fabrics provide comfort whether you’re seated at a desk for twelve hours or grabbing a red-eye flight to meet investors. A minimalist aesthetic reflects RAWDOSE®’s commitment to simplicity; there are no flashy logos, just a subtle message sewn on the inside: “Built for those who build.” Pockets are placed precisely to hold a phone or notepad, while the tapered fit offers enough mobility for an impromptu workout. The garments transition seamlessly from home office to gym to coffee shop.

Why Apparel?

Massa saw apparel as a way to celebrate and acknowledge the often unseen effort that entrepreneurs, creators and athletes invest daily. Clothing is deeply personal—it wraps around the body and accompanies you through moments of triumph and exhaustion. The RAWDOSE® apparel collection serves as a wearable reminder that high-performers deserve comfort and care. It’s also a testament to the brand’s belief that performance is holistic: it’s about what you put in your body, how you care for your mind and even what you wear while building your dreams.

Storytelling and Community

RAWDOSE® isn’t just selling products; it’s building a community of people who share a common rhythm. Social media posts and newsletters feature stories of entrepreneurs waking at 4 a.m. to work on prototypes, athletes training through setbacks and parents balancing startups with family life. The brand invites this community to share their own experiences of burnout and resilience, creating a feedback loop where product development and storytelling are guided by real needs.

Massa often speaks about the importance of showing people they are not alone in their pursuit. RAWDOSE®’s narrative is deliberately inclusive. It doesn’t promise overnight success or picture-perfect mornings. Instead, it acknowledges messy schedules, imperfect routines and the constant negotiation between ambition and self-care. This authenticity differentiates RAWDOSE® in a market crowded with loud promises and influencer-driven branding.

Guiding Principles for Sustained Performance

Several principles guide RAWDOSE®’s product development and storytelling:

Support, not hacks: RAWDOSE® products are designed for daily use, to accompany long stretches of work and training without relying on sugar spikes or stimulants.

Clarity and calm: Adaptogenic mushrooms such as lion’s mane and turkey tail help reduce stress and support mental clarity, offering a smoother energy curve compared with conventional coffee.

Quality you can trust: Ingredients are organic, lab-tested and free of fillers or artificial flavors. Every batch is tested for purity and potency.

Built for community: The brand exists not as a persona but as a gathering place for those who resonate with its ethos. RAWDOSE® invites feedback and evolves based on the needs of its users.

Intentional design: Whether it’s the weight of the hoodie, the placement of a pocket or the ratio of coffee to mushrooms, every detail is considered with the user’s real life in mind.

Conclusion

RAWDOSE® was born at the intersection of ambition and self-care. Michael Massa built the company after witnessing—and experiencing—the personal cost of sustained performance. Instead of masking fatigue with more stimulants, he created a system that supports clarity, resilience and community. From adaptogenic coffee to comfortable apparel, every RAWDOSE® product honours the truth that success shouldn’t require self-neglect. Whether you’re an entrepreneur navigating funding rounds, an athlete pushing through training cycles or a parent juggling business and family, RAWDOSE® invites you to join a movement that celebrates your work and takes care of you along the way.

In Massa’s words, “RAWDOSE® is for those who build and refuse to burn out.” It’s more than a brand; it’s a recognition that the world doesn’t slow down—but our support systems can make the journey healthier, more grounded and ultimately more fulfilling.