“What’s the most unusual source of caffeine you’ve tried for enhancing mental clarity? How did it compare to your usual caffeine source, and what insight did you gain?”
Yerba mate
The most unusual caffeine source I’ve experimented with is yerba mate, which I discovered while working with a South American nonprofit focused on sustainable agriculture. Unlike my usual coffee routine, yerba mate provided sustained mental clarity without the crash that often derailed my afternoon grant writing sessions. What fascinated me was how the traditional gourd-sharing ritual taught me about community-centered approaches to productivity—something I now apply when facilitating collaborative grant planning sessions with multiple organizations.
The insight was profound: yerba mate’s balanced caffeine delivery mirrors how successful grant proposals should unfold—steady, sustained impact rather than dramatic peaks and valleys. I found that the 4-6 hour energy curve perfectly matched the concentration needed for complex federal applications, allowing me to maintain focus through lengthy budget narratives and evaluation frameworks. The communal aspect also reinforced how funding success often depends on building genuine relationships rather than transactional interactions. This experience taught me that the best productivity tools, like the best grant strategies, work with your natural rhythms rather than against them. That’s how impactful grants fuel mission success.
Wayne Lowry, CEO, Scale By SEO
Guayusa
The most unusual source of caffeine I’ve tried was guayusa, a leaf from the Amazon. I stumbled upon it during a trip to Ecuador, where it’s commonly used by local communities for energy and mental clarity. Unlike my usual go-to, coffee, guayusa offers a smoother, more sustained energy boost without the jitteriness or crash. I found that it helped me stay focused for longer periods, especially during long work sessions. The insight I gained was how different sources of caffeine can affect mental clarity in unique ways. Guayusa, with its balance of natural compounds, felt less intense but more consistent, which was a refreshing change from the spikes and dips I often get from coffee. It made me realize that the quality of the caffeine source matters as much as the quantity.
Nikita Sherbina, Co-Founder & CEO, AIScreen
Coca leaves
Coca leaves in the Andes gave me the clearest mind I’ve ever had on zero sleep — and reshaped how I manage 4 a.m. airport pickups in Mexico City.
While scouting potential driver partnerships and tourism experiences in South America, I once took a detour to La Paz and tried a hot infusion made from raw coca leaves — not the processed kind, but what locals sip for altitude and stamina. I was skeptical at first. I’m used to espresso shots before my 6 a.m. tours and long traffic battles through Periferico, but this hit differently.
What struck me wasn’t the jolt — it was the clarity. No jitters. No crash. I’d had three hours of sleep, but somehow I could think clearly, delegate better, and handle a full day of vendor meetings, driver onboarding calls, and CRM integration issues for Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com — all while coordinating a client’s multi-stop itinerary that involved picking up their dog at a hotel spa.
That trip made me rethink how much we rely on the wrong kind of stimulation to stay sharp. I brought that insight back with me and redesigned our internal driver scheduling system to be more human-centric: staggered shifts, nap windows for long days, and limiting night calls unless urgent. That one tea taught me that true clarity doesn’t come from more speed — it comes from balance.
Now, even back in Mexico City, I’ve cut back on espresso. I drink green tea on dispatch days, and when I need sharp focus for route planning or handling high-profile guests, I focus less on caffeine and more on rhythm. Ironically, the most unusual caffeine source ended up making my business run more smoothly than any energy drink ever could.
Martin Weidemann, Owner, Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com