When most people hit burnout, they take a holiday or maybe try yoga. Shawn Singh started a copper drinkware company.

After clocking 60–80 hour weeks running operations at a booming fintech startup, Shawn’s body started sending up serious red flags—rashes, psoriasis, and an unshakable sense of overwhelm. The COVID-era growth spurt at work had been great on paper but brutal on his health.

Enter an Ayurvedic practitioner with some deceptively simple advice: breathe deeper, drink water from a copper vessel, and focus on being present. Skeptical but desperate, Shawn gave it a go.

What happened next? Not only did he feel better, the expereince sparked the idea for a whole new business. One that’s since grown from a side hustle in his garage to a $650,000 enterprise: Copper Culture, Australia’s leading ethical copper drinkware brand.

From burnout to business idea: discovering the benefits of copper water bottles

Before launching Copper Culture, Shawn had already ticked a lot of big boxes. A background in corporate ops? Check. Scaling a startup to half a million customers? Done. But what he didn’t have was a background in product design, eCommerce, or manufacturing.

“That’s what made it so exciting,” says Shawn. “It was starting from zero again. I’d solved huge problems before, so I figured, why not this?”

Still, it wasn’t a polished business plan that kicked things off. It was frustration. After losing his first copper bottle at the gym, Shawn tried ordering replacements online.

“Everything I bought was cheap, flimsy, and didn’t feel like real copper. That’s when the penny dropped: why wasn’t there anything high-quality in Australia?”

Most people would’ve shrugged and moved on. Shawn saw a gap and dove straight in.

The not-so-shiny side of sourcing copper drinkware

Like any new business, the early days were rough.
“Sourcing was a nightmare,” Shawn admits. “There are thousands of suppliers, but only a handful that really understand quality.”

One of his first shipments of 1,000 bottles arrived dented, scratched, and completely unsellable.

“It cost us over $40,000. I was ready to throw in the towel,” he says. “We got a bit back from selling them as copper scrap, but it hurt. That was one of the lowest points.”

But he didn’t quit.

Instead, he tested and tested and tested again, ordering samples from 76 different suppliers (his garage still holds the evidence). Slowly, things started to click.

How Copper Culture went from a side hustle to a $650K eCommerce success story

Copper Culture officially launched in late 2022 with just two products: a polished and a hammered copper bottle. That laser focus has paid off.

“Even now, we only sell seven products. If it’s not flying off the shelves, we don’t stock it,” says Shawn.

His secret weapon? Customer obsession.

“In the beginning, I’d call or email every single customer to get feedback. I wasn’t just trying to sell something. I wanted to build a brand people trusted.”

That early hands-on approach led to a flood of five-star reviews and word-of-mouth growth. Shawn then backed it up with solid digital strategy. Paid ads on Facebook and Google helped build momentum, and influencer marketing sealed the deal.

“Picking the right influencer is huge,” he says. “But you’ve also got to walk the talk. Every comment reply, every customer interaction, that’s your brand. Don’t cut corners.”

What makes Copper Culture bottles different from other copper water bottles?

At the heart of Copper Culture’s products is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. In places like India, Afghanistan and Turkey, copper vessels have long been used for their natural antibacterial properties. Leave water in a copper bottle overnight, and by morning, it’s not just clean, it could aid digestion and overall health.
But while the benefits are ancient, the design is anything but.

“Our bottles are made to fit in car cupholders. They’ve got waterproof lids. We honour the Vedic tradition, but we’ve modernised the experience,” Shawn says.

Each bottle is handcrafted in India from 99 per cent pure copper sourced from Chile, and the packaging is 100 per cent recycled paper. Designed to last up to 50 years, these bottles are a far cry from the disposable plastic junk we’re used to.

“Sustainability is baked into everything we do. If we want people to shift their habits, the product’s got to last, and feel good to use,” Shawn says.

Scaling up: from Australia to the world

Copper Culture may have started in Australia, but it’s already catching global attention. The brand recently shipped 10,000 bottles to the US and Shawn says that’s just the beginning.

“The US is a beast of a market. Customer expectations are sky high: next-day delivery, no-hassle returns, top-notch service. But if we can thrive there, we can thrive anywhere,” Shawn says.

From the US, Shawn has his sights set on the UK, Canada, and Dubai, all within the next two years.

“Our vision is to be the number one copper drinkware brand outside of India. We’re already number one in Australia—now we’re scaling up.”

Lessons learned, and advice for aspiring founders

Looking back, Shawn admits he underestimated just how much resilience it would take to get Copper Culture off the ground.

“When it’s your money on the line, everything changes. I wish I’d done more testing before our first major supplier order. That mistake slowed us down by months.”

Shawn credits his support system, especially his wife Nikhita for having his back when things were tough.

“She backed me every step of the way—even when things looked grim. You need someone like that in your corner.”

His advice for budding founders stuck in the corporate grind?

“Make your business the 5–9 after your 9–5. Grind it out. You’ll miss a few parties and hobbies, but it’s worth it. If you’re serious, that’s the best way to start.”

And what keeps him energised now?

“My copper water bottle, and consistency. You’ve got to be your own boss and your own motivator. Be consistent with what works, ditch what doesn’t, and keep going.”

Find out more about Copper Culture here

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