Building WILDER: Community, Hydration, and the Future of Wellness in Thailand

Episode 30 of The Exponential Show marks our first episode of 2026, and it kicks off with a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, product building, and community-led growth. Host Mayank Singh sits down with Michael Ray, Co-Founder and CEO of WILDER Hydration, to unpack the journey behind building a modern hydration brand in Thailand and the broader fitness and wellness landscape in Southeast Asia.

From lifelong entrepreneurship to launching a consumer brand in a competitive and regulation-heavy market, Michael shares an honest look at what it takes to build something meaningful from the ground up.

A lifelong entrepreneur meets a market gap

Michael describes himself as a lifelong entrepreneur. From mowing lawns as a kid to building and scaling multiple businesses across different industries, entrepreneurship has always been his chosen path. He views it much like an art form. Constantly evolving, creative, demanding, and deeply personal.

That mindset eventually brought him to Thailand, where he found himself drawn into the fast-growing health, fitness, and wellness ecosystem. Southeast Asia, he notes, is one of the fastest-growing wellness markets in the world, and Thailand sits right at the center of that momentum.

The idea for WILDER emerged from a simple but persistent frustration. Despite being active and fitness-oriented, Michael and his eventual co-founder Ben struggled to find proper hydration options in the region. Most products available were sugary sports drinks, lacking balanced electrolytes and designed more for mass consumption than real performance or recovery.

Every time they travelled back to their home countries, they returned with suitcases full of electrolyte products that simply did not exist in Asia. That gap sparked a question that many founders will recognize all too well: how hard could it be?

Building the product the hard way

The answer, of course, was very hard.

Developing WILDER took close to a year, including more than 50 formulation iterations. Michael and Ben worked closely with athletes, doctors, nutritionists, and scientists to dial in a product that actually supported performance, recovery, focus, and daily hydration for active people.

Sodium, potassium, and magnesium formed the electrolyte backbone, but the team also introduced L-theanine, an amino acid derived from green tea known for supporting calm focus and mental clarity. This made WILDER particularly appealing to athletes in sports that demand concentration and precision, from basketball and golf to Muay Thai.

Taste, however, was just as critical as function. Michael is clear that even the most scientifically sound product will fail if people do not enjoy consuming it. Ben’s background in beverage formulation played a key role here, sourcing natural, fruit-derived flavouring ingredients to ensure the product was as enjoyable as it was effective.

Their launch flavour was Yuzu, followed by Strawberry and Peach, and later a Phuket Pineapple flavour inspired by Phuket in southern Thailand.

Community before commerce

What truly sets WILDER apart, however, is the emphasis on community.

Long before the product officially launched, Michael and Ben started the WILDER Training Club, a free, open-to-all fitness session held every Sunday morning at Benchakitti Park. The idea was not to sell, but to give back, build relationships, and create a space where people could move together.

What began with just a handful of participants slowly grew week by week. Today, the training club regularly draws more than 250 people, supported by a team of volunteers and instructors. For many attendees, it is their only workout of the week. For others, it is a social ritual that reinforces healthy habits and connection.

The sessions are free by design. Rather than monetizing the experience, WILDER uses it as a way to authentically engage with the community, gather feedback, and build trust. Participants are invited to try the product, share honest opinions, and spread the word organically.

This approach has created a powerful network effect. Each Sunday becomes a shared story, amplified through personal social networks without paid influencers or advertising spend.

Distribution, trust, and organic growth

In its first year, WILDER has expanded to more than 300 retail and fitness partners across Thailand. These include gyms, CrossFit boxes, padel clubs, golf courses, and training facilities. The brand is also available through online channels, but physical presence within fitness communities has been key.

Michael points out that over 60 percent of customers return for repeat purchases, a strong signal of product-market fit, especially in the consumer goods space. The team has deliberately avoided paying influencers, instead relying on athletes, coaches, and trainers who genuinely believe in the product.

For WILDER, trust has been built the slow way. By getting the product right first, then letting the community carry the message.

Thailand’s fitness and wellness boom

Zooming out, Michael observes a dramatic shift in Thailand’s fitness culture over the past few years. Gyms, padel courts, CrossFit boxes, and mass participation events have exploded in number. Thousands of races, tournaments, and fitness events now take place annually, and that number continues to grow.

What stands out most is the cultural change. Activities that once felt niche or impractical are now mainstream. Parks are packed. Running tracks are full. Fitness has become social, visible, and aspirational.

For WILDER, this shift has created the perfect environment to grow. The brand sits at the intersection of hydration, performance, and community, aligning naturally with where consumer behavior is heading.

Navigating the realities of entrepreneurship in Thailand

Michael is candid about the challenges of building a business in Thailand. Regulatory hurdles, product classification issues, and unexpected banking problems nearly derailed the company in its early days.

Rather than framing these as uniquely Thai problems, he views them as part of the broader entrepreneurial journey. Every market has its own landmines. The key is learning from near-misses, staying adaptable, and focusing on what can be controlled.

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond

As WILDER enters its second year, the focus is on regional expansion. The brand is already testing markets in Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Qatar, and the United States, with feedback mirroring early responses from Thailand.

The long-term ambition is clear: to become the leading hydration brand in Asia, while continuing to build deeply rooted communities in every market it enters.

Michael closes the conversation with a simple reminder. Most people underestimate the role hydration plays in their daily performance, recovery, sleep, and focus. Whether through WILDER or other solutions, paying attention to hydration is one of the easiest ways to improve overall wellbeing.

As The Exponential Show steps into 2026, this episode sets the tone perfectly. Thoughtful product design, community-first growth, and the resilience required to build something that lasts.

Stay hydrated.