The co-founder couple behind Doctor D’s

The faces behind the Sparkling Drink with Benefits.

Doctor D’s Sparkling Probiotic Drink, with a mission to craft the most delicious drinks in the most conscious way they can to support a healthier planet and has a history of family and togetherness in their business. What began with an idea soon blossomed into a lifelong passion for the whole family.

Doctor D’s is made from Water Kefir with live probiotics to support your digestion, immune, and optimal health. At first, Doctor D's was just an at-home operation of making water kefir for their own digestive health, but quickly the wheels began to turn in this couple’s mind and the potential in the drink that they had created was apparent. When they realized just how beneficial and tasty the creation was, bringing this delicious gut tonic to others became a priority.

Read on to meet and get to know two of the Co-Founders, Stuart Dimson and Susan Maclachlan, as they answer a few questions that will help us get to know them better.

Q: Names?

A: Stuart Dimson aka Doctor D and Susan Maclachlan.

Q: What is your Astrological Sign? 

A: Stuart: Taurus, I was actually born on Earth day! ♉ 

Susan: Cancer. ♋

Q: Where did you grow up? 

A: Susan: Off the Hudson River in a small town in New York and then I moved out to Colorado in high school.

Stuart: Roselyn, New York. I moved to Colorado in 1990.

Q: How did you meet?

A: Stuart: We were in college at the time and Susan showed up to do an interview with the Ancient Forest Rescue crew which I was part of. I thought she was a reporter from the local newspaper in Durango. Little did I know she had planned it out so she could get to know me better and get extra credit for a class!

Susan: In the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado. We were both protesting cutting down the old-growth forest. It was a really special time and we still know people who are really good friends from that time. Plus I got a husband out of the deal!

Q: What inspired the creation of Doctor D’s? 

A: Stuart: I started making water kefir at home originally to help my digestion. We both instantly fell in love with how tasty it was and that it soothed my gut issues.  Susan began to talk about how people would find it easier to drink than other available probiotic drinks because it’s so delicious. 

Susan: I felt strongly that we had to share Doctor D’s with others! I would not stop talking about starting a probiotic drink company for over a year! Stuart, who I knew would have to figure out the engineering side of things, finally agreed.  Our vision began to come together over that year and we developed a plan to start Doctor D’s. 

Q: What is it like running a business with your partner? 

A: Susan: We strive to have healthy communication with each other to make it work. We also manage different areas so I think that helps.  Stuart oversees production and sales. I handle the marketing department. We have our challenges, but I think with owning your own business, that’s to be expected.  It feels great to have created a business together that is helping people.  

Q: What is something you love about the Doctor D’s journey so far? 

A: Stuart: We get emails weekly on how much Doctor D’s has changed their lives and relieved digestion issues. It means so much to us to hear that what we are doing is helping people.   We also spent a year living in our van and traveling to events on the road, we love meeting people from all over the country and plan to do more events as soon as we can.

Susan: I love having a family business together. It’s kind of interesting, I always said I wish I had come from a family that had a business together! I really believe what we say and think about has power. Our son Oak is head of production now and is an incredible guy, we are so lucky to have him.  He is an extremely smart guy and can fix anything! Plus he loves working with Stuart which is really nice. 

Q: What is your favorite flavor?

A: Stuart: I love them all, it’s like asking me what my favorite child is! I drink a lot of Concord Grape, Tart Cherry, and Crisp Apple. 

Susan: Ginger Brew, Hibiscus Cooler and we have a new line coming with Adaptogenic Herbs that I love, the Defense and Energy are my 2 new favorites.  

Q: What is something unique about you that most people don’t know? 

A: Stuart: We lived in a Tipi together when we were in college. We spent a lot of time outdoors and really enjoyed it. We hauled water and chopped wood! We had a little creek run through our Tipi the first year when the Spring snow melted! It was an adventure and a really amazing time of our lives. We call our Doctor D’s van our new “Tipi” because it helps us to see things from different perspectives and enjoy life in new ways.

Susan: We did African and Afro-Cuban music and dance performances together in college. We currently have a band and do small performances with different types of music. Stuart can play keyboards, and drums - we both sing.

Q: What is something you are looking forward to in the future of Doctor D’s?  

A: Stuart: We are looking forward to going national so we can help more people. Plus we are always ready to go out on the road to see more beautiful places and meet more wonderful people! It’s our favorite part of Doctor D’s!

Now, the next time you drink this great-tasting, "all-in-one" probiotic drink, you can rejoice in the fact that you will be supporting a family-owned business with a wholesome goal. This organic, plant-based, and antioxidant-rich beverage aims to provide gut and immune support to all of its customers and to create a better and healthier world.