Interview John Layfield Of Mamajuana Energy shot 03/25/08
Question 1. Who are you and what is the name of your company?
John Bradshaw Layfield, CEO of Layfield Energy
Question 2. How many people work for your company?
It’s hard to put a size on our full team—in-house we have 6 officers and a few employees, but we also outsource all production and fulfillment—manufacturing, bottling, as well as a nationwide rep network.
Question 3. How long has your company been in the energy drink market?
Actually, we don’t consider ourselves to be in the “energy drink” market—we are in the virility drink market. MamaJuana is our first product—it launched in Jan. of this year.
Question 4. Who originally came up with the idea for Mamajuana?
The Taino Indians, before Columbus! MamaJuana has been around for centuries in the Dominican Republic. I came up with the idea of taking it out of the Caribbean and bringing it to the world, but the recipes are closely guarded and vary drastically among the many villages and families who make it. And 95% of the ingredients aren’t legal on the U.S. market. We kept the name because it was part of our inspiration; it has a cool back-story and legacy. And we developed an entirely new product that would have the same sexual effects that made the original mamajuana so legendary.
Question 5. Why did you decide to make Mamajuana an energy drink? Is it not originally an alcohol based drink in the Caribbean?
We didn’t set out to make an energy drink—we set out to make a sex drink. We eliminated the alcohol because even though MamaJuana Energy is inspired by a rum-based cocktail, we wanted a product that could be enjoyed widely. The energy component was added because it enhances the sexual performance benefits.
Question 6. How did you go about converting the Mamajuana from its original form into the current form?
We started from scratch—none of the original ingredients could be used. The Dominicans have a great product, but it’s steeped in rum and made from tree roots and herbs not insurable in the U.S. Through Baywood International, a leading nutraceutical company focused on all-natural remedies and supplements, we conducted extensive research and testing to develop the current formula.
Question 7. I like the little bottle you drink comes in. It stands out well from all the other shot type drinks. Who designed the bottle?
Thanks, the MamaJuana Energy bottle was designed in-house. We have a world-class graphic designer who did the bottle design and all of our packaging. He took a lot of imagery from the Caribbean, and tried to make a bottle worthy of its name and its contents.
Question 8. Why go with a shot type product and not a full size energy drink?
We wanted to give consumers a product that was effective and fit their lifestyle; it didn’t need to be a full size drink in order to be potent. The 2oz. shot is easy to take and gets in your system faster than a pill. You can carry it when you’re going out or traveling, and it’s the perfect size to mix with a drink. Plus, the distribution market is totally different.
Question 9. Who is your products main competition? Energy drinks, Energy shots, Energy pills, Coffee, Viagra?
Our main competitors are sexual performance products, including over-the-counter (OTC) nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals that men are taking recreationally. This is not a drug, it won’t cure E.D.—there are great medications available for that. But for healthy, virile men that want to boost their performance, MamaJuana Energy is incredibly effective, all natural and available without a prescription. It’s also safer and more effective than most OTC nutraceutical products.
Question 10. What is your target market for Mamajuana? What kind of customers are you looking for?
We’re targeting adult men of all ages—our customer is old enough to go to war and wants to perform like a porn star in the bedroom.
Question 11. Do you think there is room in the energy drink market for another drink/shot like yours? How are you going to set yourself apart from the herd?
MamaJuana Energy isn’t an energy drink, it’s a sex drink. The energy drink market is crowded, and there are a lot of great products available—we’re not competing with them. What we’re offering is sex in a bottle, which isn’t readily available without a prescription. Most OTC products that claim to provide similar benefits contain Yohimbe and/or ginseng, which aren’t FDA-approved. Our product is not only more effective, it’s fully insurable; we were careful to consider these health aspects when creating the formula.
Question 12. Can Mamajuana be mixed with other drinks and where do you stand on the mixing of energy drinks and alcohol?
MamaJuana Energy can be mixed with other drinks. In fact, we have some great recipes with brandy, bourbon and champagne. But I don’t really have a position on mixing other products with alcohol.
Question 13. As a wrestler do you think Mamajuana can be used to enhance sports performance or is it best to just be used in the home?
No—MamaJuana Energy was designed to boost sexual performance, it’s not a sports drink. We will be expanding into that market with products formulated for the specific needs of athletes.
Question 14. Now that you have returned to the ring, do your ever use Mamajuana before a match?
No.
Question 15. Can your shot be used anytime and any place? I mean I’m thinking maybe when you’re hanging out with your buddies you might not want to be drinking Mamajuana.
(Laughs) When we were working on the formula, we tested out the different variations on ourselves. At one point, there were 8 men in a room drinking the stuff, with no women around. I stopped and looked around for minute and decided something wasn’t right. So we started doing the tests at home and then discussing the results as a group.
Question 16. Do you use Mamajuana yourself on a regular basis?
Sure. It’s made to be used by any healthy, virile man, which is what I consider myself to be.
Question 17. In your experience how does Mamajuana affect women? Do they have the same reaction as men?
No. Women will experience the energy benefits, but the sexual blend of MamaJuana Energy was created for men. We will be launching a product for women—look for it this summer.
Question 18. I know you have given some free samples to some of your wrestling buddies but have you given and free samples to anyone at Fox?
There are quite a few guys at Fox, from cameramen to anchormen that are hooked on it! MamaJuana has been well-received across a wide sampling of audiences.
Question 19.Tell all the Energy drink junkies out there why they should use and support Mamajuana. Give us your best sales pitch.
People are busy, that’s why they use energy drinks. It’s the same with sex: men want to perform like porn stars, but maybe they’re not 20 anymore, or maybe they’ve been working long hours and they’re tired. Our product will give them the boost they need. And anyone who’s tried MamaJuana Energy knows that it works.
Read my review of Mamajuana here