Joe McMahan
Azoia – MICRO Spring 2025
Published September 10, 2025
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Joe McMahan, Founder & CEO of Azoia based in Charlotte, NC. Azoia‘s mission is to make nutrition simpler for endurance athletes. We currently manufacture and sell the world’s simplest, cleanest, tastiest, and easiest to digest energy gel.
Q: What problem are you trying to solve and what influenced you to start your company?
A: Fueling is a massive part of the equation to perform well in running. It is one of the few variables which an athlete can control. However, many runners find it too complex with the ultra-processed products available today and are seeking alternative solutions – fueling with maple syrup, honey, dates, and many other ways to get the carbohydrates they need. I wanted a more natural solution to fuel my training, so I started making my own product.
Q: What are you most excited about right now? What keeps you up at night?
A: I am most excited about the health revolution happening in the US. So many people – especially the younger generation – are prioritizing their physical and mental health. This can be seen through run clubs and marathons exploding in popularity. Seeing people invested in the best, healthiest versions of themselves gives me a lot of hope about the future, and I am excited to see the US as the happiest country in the world.
What keeps me up at night? Entrepreneurship is a tough mountain to climb. The tasks, the uncertainty, and the hours thinking about the business.
Q: Who do you look to for advice and mentorship?
A: It’s so important to seek our role models. Unless we are very lucky, the people who are where we aspire to be are likely outside of our immediate vicinity. I look to podcasts, books, and YouTube to find mentors. I also apply myself to many different events or communities to find people I can turn to for advice and mentorship.
While visiting Charlotte, Joe recommends:
- Spend the day at the Whitewater Center or the Mint Museum. Optimist Hall or Camp North End are my favorite food spots – food courts of local restaurants for anyone’s preferences.
Support Azoia and Joe by:
- Try out our product! Even if you aren’t a marathon runner, you likely need some clean energy before any exercise. Hopefully, we will be in every running store across North Carolina, so you can pick them up near you! Then, if you like them, tell your friends 🙂