We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessie Zachowski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, thanks for joining us today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

We’re proud members of 1% for the Planet, which means we commit to donating at least 1% of our annual sales—not just profits—to environmental causes. Joining this global network felt like the most transparent and impactful way to align our values with action.

We chose 1% for the Planet because it allows us to support vetted nonprofit partners doing meaningful work to protect our ecosystems, fight climate change, and advocate for a healthier planet. As a brand that depends on the natural world for our ingredients and inspiration, giving back to the planet isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Jessie Zachowski, founder of High Ground Elixir—a sparkling beverage infused with adaptogenic mushrooms. I’ve spent my entire career in health and wellness, developing functional products for leading brands, but my deepest passion has always been the healing power of mushrooms.
High Ground was born from a desire to make these powerful fungi more accessible, enjoyable, and delicious. So many people are curious about adaptogenic mushrooms but feel unsure where to start—or they’ve tried powders or pills that just don’t fit into real life. We set out to change that with drinks that taste amazing, feel good in your body, and support your mood, clarity, and calm—no caffeine, no alcohol, no crash.
We’re also proud members of 1% for the Planet, because wellness shouldn’t stop at the individual—it should give back to the world we live in.
What sets High Ground apart is our commitment to ingredients that truly support your wellness, and to creating products with integrity, intention, and real functionality. I’m a self-funded, immigrant, female founder, and I started this brand to help more people feel their best, naturally. If you’re looking for a drink that works as hard as you do—and tastes incredible while doing it—you’re in the right place. It’s time to Claim the High Ground.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Absolutely. High Ground started as a side hustle and quickly turned into my full-time focus—and honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful. I’ve never felt so passionate and energized for anything else in my professional career.

I had spent years working behind the scenes in the health and wellness world, developing products for other brands. But I kept coming back to the same frustration: there were so few beverage options that truly supported mental wellness and tasted amazing. I’ve always believed in the healing power of mushrooms, and I wanted to find a way to bring their benefits to more people—without asking them to choke down powders or pills.

So, I started experimenting on the side. Nights, weekends, early mornings—testing blends, researching ingredients, sourcing mushrooms, and dialing in the flavor profiles. I brought samples to friends, family, and eventually industry contacts. The response was immediate: people were craving something functional, natural, and actually enjoyable. That gave me the push to go all in.

Some big milestones along the way:
– Finalizing our formulas after 10 months of trial and error (and lots of taste testing)
– Becoming a proud member of 1% for the Planet
– Landing our first store partnerships and seeing High Ground on shelf for the first time
– Sponsoring events that aligned with our mission and watching people try the drinks and instantly get it

Now, High Ground is my full-time job, my passion, and my purpose. It’s been a wild ride—and we’re just getting started.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building an audience on social media has been a mix of trial, error, and staying true to what I believe in. When I first started High Ground Elixir, I didn’t have a huge following or a polished content strategy—I just knew I wanted to create something real and connect with people who cared about wellness in a deeper way.

In the beginning, I focused on showing up authentically: sharing behind-the-scenes moments, the messy parts of building a brand, and why I believed so strongly in mushrooms and mood support. Instead of trying to go viral, I focused on building trust—one post, one conversation at a time.

Over time, the audience started to grow—mostly through word of mouth, real engagement, and people resonating with the mission. We leaned into storytelling, especially around wellness, functional ingredients, and personal experience. I also made sure the tone felt human, not salesy—because people don’t connect with perfection, they connect with honesty.

My advice to anyone just starting out:
– Be consistent—not just in posting, but in your voice and values.
– Don’t chase trends if they don’t align with your brand. It’s better to go deep with the right people than wide with the wrong ones.
– Show your face. Let people see the human behind the brand—it builds trust and connection.
– Start conversations, not just promotions. Ask questions. Share stories. Listen to your audience.

Your community will grow when people feel like they’re part of something meaningful—not just following a brand, but joining a movement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drinkhighground.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkhighground/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564620053081
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-zachowski/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@high.ground.elixi