Mike Repole, a St. John’s University alumnus and successful entrepreneur, recently engaged with students at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, sharing insights from his career and personal experiences. Known for cofounding popular beverage brands such as vitaminwater, smartwater, and BODYARMOR sports drink, Repole emphasized the importance of prioritizing learning over financial gain.

Repole advised students to seek practical experience in their fields, suggesting they work for small companies to gain valuable lessons regardless of the company's success. "Go out there and get real-life experience," he encouraged them. He further stressed that "what you do with that learning is more important than what you are going to do with the money you might have made."

Repole's background includes a humble upbringing in Middle Village, NY, where he attended local Catholic schools before studying Sport Management at St. John's University. Despite admitting he was not an outstanding student, his talent in sales led him to significant roles at Mistic Beverage Inc. and Crystal Geyser Water Company.

In 1999, Repole co-founded Energy Brands (Glacéau) with Darius Bikoff, launching the enhanced water beverage space before selling the company to The Coca-Cola Company for over $4 billion in 2007. In 2011, Repole re-entered the beverage industry by creating BODYARMOR, which saw investment from NBA star Kobe Bryant in 2014.

Recalling a conversation with Bryant about BODYARMOR's prospects, Repole said: “We were having dinner, and I told Kobe that this had a one percent chance of succeeding.” Bryant responded by recounting his own journey through challenging odds: “That one percent is the best odds I have ever had in my life.”

The Coca-Cola Company later acquired BODYARMOR for $8 billion in 2021. Throughout his talk at St. John's University, Repole highlighted the significance of relationship building and faith as key components of his success.

Students attending Repole's presentation appreciated his approachability and insightful advice. Panagiotis Papastefanou described it as an opportunity to learn from a self-made billionaire: “This was an opportunity to gain valuable insights and information from a self-made billionaire who can help you avoid unnecessary or mistaken steps.”

Isabella Patterson praised Repole's ability to connect with students while sharing stories of overcoming challenges alongside Kobe Bryant: “His experience working with Kobe—and the two of them defying the odds no matter what people said—is a great story.”

Concluding his discussion, Repole encouraged students to embrace life's challenges: “Do you want a boring life or a great life? Challenge yourself to make it a great life." He later visited St. John's Venture and Innovation Center (VIC), providing feedback on business pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs.