Tim O’Sullivan has always been a rule-breaker with a knack for taking bold chances. The co-founder of Bae Juice didn’t follow a typical career path. His story is a cocktail of missteps, gutsy decisions, and ingenuity that spiraled into something extraordinary. From being expelled as a teenager to creating a wildly successful beverage tackling one of life’s most universal struggles—hangovers—Tim’s rise is a gritty, inspiring tale of resilience and vision. But this isn’t a solo story. Alongside his fellow co-founders, Liam Gostencnik and Sumin Do, he’s turned a wild idea into a brand that’s taking over the wellness market.

Finding Direction Through Exploration

Tim wasn’t the kind of guy who excelled in classrooms or stuck to traditional plans. After being expelled for shoplifting on a school trip, he opted out of university and bounced between jobs like roofing, bartending, landscaping, and flipping burgers. It all seemed random at the time, but these experiences shaped Tim into someone scrappy and unafraid to try new things. Eventually, his family bought a small café in Essendon, Melbourne, where Tim learned the ropes of business by managing inventory, customer service, and wages. It was through the café that Tim found his entrepreneurial spark.

Meanwhile, Liam was taking his own unorthodox path. A similar misfit to Tim, Liam hated school and dropped out of university after three days. He tried his hand at door-to-door sales, which eventually led to a rekindled friendship with Tim. The two had a shared interest in trying “get-rich-quick” ideas, from a sandwich deli to apps, but nothing quite stuck. However, everything began to align when Sumin Do entered the picture.

Sumin, originally from South Korea, had grown up with Korean pear juice as a daily staple. She shared this uniquely Korean tradition with Tim during a trip to meet her family, which turned out to be a watershed moment for the trio.