How One Founder Took On Liquid Death and Won

Josh White is the co-founder and CEO of Cano Water, the UK drinks brand that helped pioneer canned water as an alternative to single-use plastic bottles. The idea was born after a trip to Thailand with friends, where he witnessed the scale of plastic pollution firsthand — a moment that turned into a mission and, eventually, a business. Before water, Josh ran an events company bringing together some of the biggest names in grime and electronic music across the UK. In this episode, Josh joins Jack and Zac for a candid conversation about building Cano Water from an idea people initially dismissed into one of the UK’s fastest-growing drinks brands, the reality of bootstrapping a physical product business, and how his own personal struggles growing up shaped the way he leads and builds today. What you’ll learn in this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Josh White, Founder of Cano Water 00:01:39 The Troubled Kid: ADHD, Addiction, and Rehab at 15 00:12:15 Finding Purpose Through Music: The Events Company Journey 00:17:40 Rock Bottom to Reborn: The Turning Point at 21 00:19:43 The Thailand Trip: How Cano Water Was Born 00:37:48 The ADHD Superpower: From Problem to Solution in Seconds 00:33:49 Wrapping Cans in Mum's Kitchen: The Scrappy Early Days 00:35:36 The Selfridges Miracle: Perfect Timing and Saying Yes with Nothing 00:48:12 Taking On Liquid Death: How Cano Survived the American Giant 00:57:37 The Future of Cano: Staying True to the Mission #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding #FounderStory #CanoWater #SustainableBusiness #ProductInnovation #Marketing #Bootstrapping #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Josh: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/joshwhite2201 🔗 Cano Water: https://canowater.com Hear more from the Hosts: 🔗 Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b 🔗 Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have a Meeting: New episodes every week with founders, sales leaders, and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.