We were lucky to catch up with Odera Akachukwu recently and have shared our conversation below.
Odera, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
January 4, 2023 – A Life-Changing Night
Four days before my wedding in Abuja, Nigeria, I found myself in an ICU bed—poisoned by counterfeit alcohol. The doctor’s warning back in the U.S. was stark: “Stay away from alcohol or risk your life.” As I walked down the aisle on January 7th, I carried a renewed purpose: to build something that celebrated life, not endangered it.
March 2023 – A Shower Revelation
One night in March, I joined friends for bottle service in Dallas. As I sipped mixers and energy drinks, I felt a disconnect—hydration felt purely functional, not celebratory. That Sunday after church, I prayed for guidance. The next morning at 7 AM, I stood in the shower when a vivid image struck me: servers handing out Pedialyte bottles adorned with sparklers. Absurd yet brilliant—electrolytes didn’t have to be a post-party afterthought; they could be a daily toast to balance and vitality.
Brand Origin & Name
That very day, I brainstormed with my wife and sister-in-law We wanted a name that captured both stillness and vitality. StayLyte emerged—a nod to staying true to your core (“stay”) while igniting your full power (“lyte”). I filed the trademark within hours and secured StayLyte.com before sunrise.
True North & Isaiah 40:31 – Our Spiritual Compass
Inspired by Isaiah 40:31—“They shall mount up with wings as eagles… run and not be weary”—I set StayLyte’s True North: create a drink that restores balance, empowers endurance, and uplifts the spirit. Our eagle motif and upward waveforms aren’t just branding—they’re a promise that when you align your body, mind, and faith, you can soar above any storm. Unlimit Life
Weeks 2–4 – Tactical Blueprint
1)Lean Business Plan: Drafted a one-page Lean Canvas outlining problem, solution, target customers (fest-goers, sober-curious, wellness seekers), and key metrics.
2)Co-Packer Outreach: Contacted three co-packers, visited two labs, and compared quotes.
3)Regulatory Setup: Registered business, ordered UPC barcodes, and submitted label proofs to be completed by the end of March.
4)Prototype Panels: Hosted ten blind taste tests with friends, Doctors, bartenders, and local bar owners to refine flavor and carbonation levels.
April–December 2023 – Formulation’s Fierce Journey
We committed to full-spectrum electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate—and 100% natural ingredients. Over 10 lab runs and 15 taste iterations, we perfected our three flagship SKUs:
Tropical Zest (mango-pineapple)
Citrus Splash (lemon-lime)
Hibiscus Rush (-OG)
Every setback—too salty, too flat, too sweet—became a calibration point guiding us closer to an ideal balance.
September 2023 – All-In, No Turning Back
I intended to parlay StayLyte into a side project, transition out of corporate work, then scale gradually. But in September, I was laid off. Suddenly, it wasn’t part-time passion—it was everything. I dipped into personal funds, exhausted retirement accounts, and reallocated nearly all of my 401(k) to our first 37,000-can production run. It was a leap of faith—rooted in purpose, driven by love for my family, and fueled by a conviction that StayLyte could rewrite the story of social hydration.
Soft Launch & Sound Pairing
In early 2025, we debuted at a local Dallas festival—handing out cans paired with a live DJ set tuned to our “LytePair” concept. Each SKU aligns with a music genre and frequency: “Tropical” for bright house beats, “OG” for deep Afro-house vibes, “Splash” for chill techno. The crowd didn’t just taste hydration; they felt a curated soundscape designed to elevate every sip and take them to the Lyteverse.
Why We Stand Out
-A healthy alternative: electrolytes + vitamins for daily wellness
-A “mocktail” moment: an elevated, non-alcoholic option for social settings
-The perfect mixer: a balanced base for cocktails
Target Markets: Wellness-minded consumers, sober-curious crowds, nightlife venues
Sound-Synced Experience: Hydration meets harmony—our True North pairing transforms cans into concert tickets for your body and soul.
Global Ambition from Texas: We’re building a movement—empowering people everywhere to “Unlimit Life” with every can.
Key Lessons from “Still Life”
-Listen to life’s warnings. Sometimes your biggest crisis becomes your clearest calling.
-Validate fast, iterate faster. Turn shower ideas into action plans within days, not months.
-Build with heart—a small, aligned team outperforms a large, disjointed one.
-Stay rooted in purpose. Faith, family, and wellness drive every decision as we grow from an idea into a movement.
Beyond Launch – Scaling a Movement
Today, StayLyte is in 20+ retail outlets, multiple venues, and online subscribers nationwide. We’re finalizing national distribution deals and exploring partnerships in Europe and Africa. Our True North remains unwavering: restore balance, empower endurance, and uplift the spirit—so everyone can Soar Above and Unlimit Life.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
From the moment I discovered my dyslexia at the University of Kent, I realized that the very challenges I once viewed as obstacles would become my greatest assets. My name is Odera Macfoy Akachukwu, and my journey—from engineering student in Nigeria, to supply-chain leader at Target and GoPuff, to entrepreneur, consultant, author, and family man in Dallas—has taught me that resilience, curiosity, and faith can transform any setback into a springboard for innovation.
A Foundation of Learning and Leadership
I began with a BEng in Computer Engineering from Covenant University, followed by an MSc in Supply Chain & Logistics Management at the University of Kent, where I learned to marry technical rigor with holistic thinking. Early roles at Bloomingdale’s, Target, GoPuff, and Pandion honed my ability to optimize complex operations, reducing lead times, slashing costs, and scaling fulfillment networks to meet soaring demand. Along the way, I earned certifications as a PMP, CSCP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified ScrumMaster, and SAFe Agilist. Yet despite these achievements, I felt a calling to build something entirely new.
What We Offer
-StayLyte(https://staylyte.com/buy): A line of sparkling electrolyte drinks—Tropical Zest, Hibiscus Rush, Citrus Splash—each paired with a curated music genre in our SoundSip™ experience. Whether you’re recovering from a festival set, leading a boardroom, or sharing a family brunch, StayLyte restores balance, fuels endurance, and uplifts the spirit.
GiftedStylus Consulting (https://giftedstylus.com): High-impact supply-chain and operations consulting for startups and Fortune 500s. My blueprints have delivered up to 45% capacity gains, 98% client retention, and millions in new revenue.
Author & Speaker (https://oddymacfoy.com/book): My bestseller, I Would Begin With Normally: Atom’s Journey to Soaring Heights, reframes dyslexia and career pivots into actionable strategies for resilience. I keynote global summits and university series, inspiring audiences to see obstacles as opportunities.
What Sets Us Apart
-Holistic Expertise: An engineer’s precision, a strategist’s vision, and a storyteller’s heart.
-Full-Spectrum Formulation: Five electrolytes, added vitamins, zero artificial shortcuts.
-Sensory Innovation: LytePair™ turns each can into a concert for body and soul.
-Purpose & Faith: Rooted in Isaiah 40:31’s promise—“They shall mount up with wings as eagles”—we build with family at our center, serving communities through board roles with Genesis Shelter and the International Dyslexia Association.
Proud Milestones
-Becoming a Bestselling Author, empowering thousands of readers through my book and speaking engagements
– Launching staylyte
-Guiding clients to 20–45% improvements in efficiency through GiftedStylus
– Becoming a Dad
What I Want You to Know
I am more than the sum of titles and certifications. I’m a husband and father who believes that true success is measured by the lives we uplift. Whether you choose StayLyte to hydrate your body and spark your senses, partner with GiftedStylus to optimize your operations, or draw strength from my story to navigate your own challenges, know this: every barrier you face can become the very engine of your greatness.
Join me on this journey. StayLyte. Soar Above. Unlimit Life.
Spread the Vibe: Share your StayLyte moments on social, bring a cooler to your next event, and invite friends to “Unlimit Life” with you.—
StayLyte: https://staylyte.com/buy
Purchase my book and learn about the story of ATOM: https://oddymacfoy.com/book
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
“The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
— Alvin Toffler
That idea—continuous reinvention—has been my lodestar. Early on, I carried another favorite into every challenge:
“It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena—whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…”
— Theodore Roosevelt, Citizenship in a Republic
I remind myself daily that true growth comes from daring greatly, risking failure, and rising stronger. At the heart of it all lies my deepest guidebook: the Bible, particularly Isaiah 40:31’s promise that “they that wait upon the Lord… shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” That verse shapes StayLyte’s mission to restore balance, endurance, and transcendence.
Books That Have Shaped My Thinking
1. Walking Backwards to Tomorrow by John Doe
A memoir of resilience and recommitment, this book taught me that sometimes the clearest way forward is to retrace your steps—revisiting past lessons to forge future breakthroughs.
2. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
“Build–measure–learn” is our daily rhythm at StayLyte. Ries’s methodology turned my shower epiphany into validated prototypes, saving precious time and capital through rapid experimentation.
3. Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Life is probabilistic. Duke’s insights on decision-making under uncertainty sharpened my appetite for calculated risks—whether choosing a co-packer or pivoting after a layoff.
4. Pivot by Jenny Blake
Blake’s four-step framework for career and business reinvention gave me the confidence to go all-in on StayLyte after losing my corporate role—transforming a moment of upheaval into the birth of a brand.
5. Range by David Epstein
This celebration of cross-disciplinary learning resonated deeply with my dyslexic mind. Epstein’s research validated the power of breadth over early specialization—fueling my ventures from supply-chain consulting to beverage innovation.
6. Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed
Embracing failure as feedback is central to our R&D. Syed’s exploration of how aviation and healthcare learn from mistakes inspired our 15+ lab runs—each “failed” batch refining StayLyte toward perfection.
Other Cornerstones
The Bible: Beyond personal faith, its narratives of perseverance, redemption, and purpose inform my leadership style and StayLyte’s “Unlimit Life” ethos.
Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena”: A daily reminder that impact is born in the struggle, not from the sidelines.
What This Means for You
These resources have taught me to question conventions, to iterate fearlessly, and to ground ambition in service and faith. If you’re charting your own course—whether launching a startup, leading a team, or simply seeking growth—I encourage you to read, reflect, and embrace the art of learning, unlearning, and relearning.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Early on, I believed that if I just learned the right buzzwords, crossed every T, and checked all the boxes, doors would magically open for me. I saw the world as a playing field that would be fair to anyone who followed the rules.
What I Had to Unlearn
Dependence on External Endorsement: I waited for someone “up there” to notice me—to sign off on my ideas, to give me permission.
Conformity Over Authenticity: I masked my dyslexia, mimicked others’ styles, and tried to blend in rather than lean into my strengths.
Linear Problem-Solving: I accepted processes as immovable, rarely asking “Why?” or “What if?”
The Turning Point
When I started asking my own questions—mapping who actually made decisions, reframing challenges to first principles, and testing ideas in real time—everything shifted. I discovered that:
Your Voice Matters Most: If you don’t speak up, your perspective goes unheard. Asking hard questions is the fastest way to clarity.
Dyslexia Is a Superpower: My brain naturally sees patterns and solutions that a single-track mind misses. Instead of hiding it, I now celebrate it.
Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Rather than waiting for perfect data, I make small bets, gather feedback, and iterate on the fly.
Ongoing Practice
Every morning, I remind myself:
“A closed mouth is a voided destiny.”
I frame problems from scratch, reach out directly to decision-makers, and lean into my unique thinking. By unlearning the need for external validation, I became proactive, resilient, and authentically myself—capable of turning bold ideas into reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://staylyte.com/buy
- Instagram: @oddymacfoy
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ odera-akachukwu
- Twitter: oddymacfoy
- Youtube: staylyte
- Other: https://oddymacfoy.com
Image Credits
ToluAjayiShots