LARQ: From reinventing the water bottle to being acquired by BRITA
Behind the Business with Michelle Toh
Release Date: 11/13/2025
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Introducing Behind the Business
Behind the Business with Michelle Toh
Welcome to Behind the Business, a new podcast and video series hosted by CNN and FORTUNE alum Michelle Toh that aims to explore the decisions and philosophies behind some of today’s most influential leaders, such as the founders of Warby Parker, Coffee Meets Bagel, "Your Rich BFF" and more. Recorded in studios across the U.S. as a special interview series, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstory of founders, corporate leaders, investors, and creators a
info_outlineOur latest guest is Justin Wang, who, back in 2017, decided that the way we drink water could use an upgrade.
Justin left a successful corporate career to tackle an everyday problem all of us face at some point: icky water bottles.
He is the co-founder & CEO of LARQ, the company behind the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle that it says can eliminate up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria and is meant to ensure you’re not worrying about how clean the water is when you’re traveling.
What started as a crowdfunded product quickly turned into a multinational brand, earning a spot on Shark Tank, where he walked in with the highest valuation seen in the show’s history, and most recently, being acquired by BRITA.
Prior to LARQ, Justin served as president of FOREO, the beauty tech company, and earlier as an investor with L Catterton, one of the world's top PE firms.
In this interview, we get into:
| 00:00:00 — Introduction
| 00:01:27 — Early beginnings that shaped Justin's resilience
| 00:03:45 — Working with people who share your vision
| 00:05:16 — Tackling 100 investor conversations to close their Series A back in the day
| 00:06:04 — How a cabinet full of dusty bottles sparked the concept
| 00:11:21 — What it really takes to launch and 10x a Kickstarter campaign
| 00:16:35 — How to make it in a hardware business
| 00:18:30 — Existential crisis during COVID
| 00:23:52 — What it’s really like to pitch on Shark Tank — and tips for fellow entrepreneur
| 00:28:52 — Breaking into dream stores, from MoMA to Target to Apple
| 00:29:35 — Knowing when your startup is truly ready for retail
| 00:34:39 — Manoeuvring tariffs and supply chain chaos
| 00:37:36 — Justin's best day: the rush when your Kickstarter campaign goes through the roof
| 00:38:36 — Leaving behind the so-called “golden handcuffs” to build something new
| 00:45:54 — How a cold email led to LARQ’s acquisition by BRITA
| 00:47:59 — Long-term vision
| 00:49:04 — Where LARQ is headed next
| 00:49:57 — Competition: BRITA vs. BRITA
| 00:55:20 — Audience question + advice for founders on having conviction, not chasing an exit
| 00:57:45 — Rapid-fire round
About Behind the Business:
Behind the Business is a video series and podcast hosted by Michelle Toh, CNN and Fortune alum, that explores the decisions and philosophies behind today's most influential leaders. Recorded in person across the US, the show is grounded in the belief that business is in fact personal, providing the backstories of founders, corporate leaders, investors and creators and how they push through to make the most of both work and life each day. What's the worst day you've faced at your company? How do you cope with crisis or rejection? Or what's a pinch-me moment you'll never forget? In each episode, guests get into it all. New episodes every Thursday.
About Michelle Toh:
Michelle Toh is an award-winning international journalist. She has covered some of the top stories in global business and tech, most recently as a reporter based in Hong Kong appearing across CNN's digital and television platforms. Before joining CNN, she was an associate editor of Fortune Magazine, and her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, and the South China Morning Post.
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