ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / September 2, 2025 / After a successful 20-year career in real estate, Jay Williams gave it all up to start a water company in a can. This is why he took the leap and what he's learned from it.

For over 20 years, Williams built a career in real estate.

He worked on over a billion dollars' worth of development projects, luxury apartments, student housing, you name it. He sat on boards, started companies, and introduced smart tech into student living before most people knew what that even meant.

It was a career Williams was proud of. It made sense. It was safe.

And then one day, he couldn't ignore the itch.

That's the thing about pivots, they rarely announce themselves. It doesn't always start with a breakdown or a dramatic moment. Sometimes it's just a quiet tug, a lingering thought:

What if there's something more?

Williams had always been drawn to the energy of consumer products. Something about the creative process, the way a product becomes a part of someone's day, the way a brand makes people feel. He didn't have a roadmap or even a clear reason. He just knew he wanted in.

So he left behind the thing he knew best to start a water company in a can, and the rest is history.

Why walk away from comfort?
Because sometimes growth demands discomfort. That sounds like a fortune cookie until he was actually standing at the edge of it.

Williams had spent his career in a space where he was known, respected, even expected to succeed.

But deep down, he realized he was playing it safe. He wasn't learning the way he used to. He wasn't being stretched. That bothered him more than he expected.

Starting over meant becoming a beginner again. It meant asking stupid questions in rooms full of people who didn't know his name. It meant going from "industry veteran" to "who's this guy?"

But here's what he learned: That's where the good stuff is.

What Free Bird taught him
The company he started, Free Bird Southern Spring Water, has become more than just a product.

It's proof that listening to that inner nudge, even when it doesn't make sense, can take you exactly where you're supposed to be.

Williams didn't launch it to compete with the fitness world or chase wellness trends. He launched it because he saw an opportunity to create something fun, bold, and unpretentious, something that felt more like him.

But the brand only exists because he was willing to let go of something familiar to chase something unknown. That's the part most people don't talk about.

If you're at a crossroads
Williams doesn't think everyone needs to start over. But he does think a lot of people stay put for the wrong reasons, because they're afraid of what people will think, or because they don't want to start at the bottom again. He's been there.

What helped him was realizing that comfort doesn't always mean alignment. And that success isn't just about being good at something, it's about being energized by it.

Before he made the leap, he didn't have a perfect plan, but he did start asking better questions. What excites me that I haven't explored? Am I willing to be a beginner again? Who can I learn from? He didn't try to figure it all out, he just stayed curious and gave himself permission to start.

So if someone's feeling that itch, that tug toward something different, Williams is not here to tell them to burn it all down. He's just here to say:

Listen to it.

Even if it leads to something unexpected.
Even if it makes no sense on paper.
Even if it means going from billion-dollar real estate deals… to spring water in a beer can.

You never know. It might be the best thing they've ever done.

About Free Bird

Free Bird is a premium non-alcoholic beverage brand redefining how we socialize and celebrate-without the hangover. Crafted for the bold and mindful, Free Bird offers an elevated drinking experience that blends clean ingredients, bold flavor, and functional benefits. Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or simply seeking balance, Free Bird is your go-to alternative for feeling good in the moment and the morning after.

For more information, visit drinkfreebird.com or follow along on Instagram at @drinkfreebird.

Media Contact:
Free Bird
mediainquiries@drinkfreebird.com
Atlanta, Georgia
https://drinkfreebird.com/

SOURCE: Free Bird