Founder Spotlight: Megan Riggs of Crunchy Hydration
Meet Megan Riggs
Megan Riggs built Crunchy Hydration out of the year she spent living simply in the Thai islands, where a daily juice-shop ritual and a search for calm reshaped her life. The University of Virginia grad turned that experience into a zero-sugar sparkling wellness water now stocked in more than 650 stores, including Whole Foods, Kroger, and Wegmans. Her company is women-owned, and her story starts with a one-way ticket and a single backpack.
Company:
Crunchy Hydration
Crunchy Hydration is a women-owned, sparkling wellness water revolutionizing the way we hydrate. Combining clean ingredients with scientifically-backed benefits, Crunchy supports natural hydration, stress reduction, and overall wellness.
Location:
Virginia Beach, Virginia
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When did you launch the business?
May 1, 2026
Startup Stage?
Seed
What led you to where you are today?
Like so many, I struggled with racing thoughts, anxiety, and daily overwhelm. I created Crunchy to make calm simple. A daily ritual anyone can reach for when anxiety shows up. What started as my personal solution has become a mission: to bring better mental and physical health to others, one sip at a time.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
I wish I knew that entrepreneurship is far less about having everything figured out and far more about your ability to keep moving through uncertainty. Some of the biggest breakthroughs in my business came from taking imperfect action, learning quickly, and staying adaptable. I also underestimated how important resilience, community, and protecting your mental health are while building something from the ground up.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
One of the most difficult decisions I've had to make was pivoting away from our CBD products after regulatory changes in Virginia significantly impacted the business. Those products were deeply tied to our early story and growth, but I had to make the decision to adapt quickly, protect the future of the company, and focus on building a scalable, nationally distributed brand. It taught me that entrepreneurship often requires letting go of what once worked in order to create space for what's next.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
I'd love to help the VEGPRENEUR community with retail expansion and building an authentic wellness brand in a crowded market. I'm passionate about helping founders grow with limited resources, create community-driven marketing, and turn personal stories into brands that genuinely connect with consumers.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
The VEGPRENEUR community can help me by continuing to foster meaningful connections, mentorship, and collaboration with other mission-driven founders. Building a business can feel isolating at times, so being surrounded by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges, share insights, and support one another is incredibly valuable.
Fun fact about you:
I quit my job, gave away most of my belongings, and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand before starting my entrepreneurial journey. That experience completely changed the direction of my life and inspired Crunchy Hydration.
Anything else you would like to share?
If you have an idea, just do it! Start by sharing what you are working on and ask for help. You would be amazed at the support you will find in your community when you just share your idea and goals.
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