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Local tonic water hits the road

Most people who call for an Uber driver are merely looking for a ride from one place to the next.

Whoever the consumer may be, these rides often have the same results: a simple transaction of money and nothing further. Wherever the ride may go, there is usually no hint of conversation between the driver and the consumer.

For me, however, this is not how I encounter Uber. Dennis Wiggins, a born-and-bred Winston-Salem local, seems to be a well-known Uber driver within the Wake Forest University community. Over the span of only a few years, Wiggins has met and driven upwards of 400 Wake Forest students, including myself.

Through many of these encounters, Wiggins has sparked the youthful wonder of many students as he shared his life story. From being trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, to managing some of the top restaurants in the greater Triad area of North Carolina, Wiggins is never reluctant to share his experiences with customers.

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But Wiggins did not join Uber simply for the art of light-hearted conversation and for the love of driving, but for the flexibility of working on his next calling, the business that could ease and remedy all aches and pains: Papa Doc’s tonic water.

Papa Doc’s tonic water, a combination of flavors brewed into a fizzy delight, could serve as the next naturally-grown remedy to many of our bodily aches and pains. Simply popping open a chilled bottle of this intriguing potion can lead you down a much healthier and more beneficial path.

Although Papa Doc’s still has a significant amount of hoops to jump through before being sold in stores, Wiggins continues to master the art of marketing and advertising his product by just being himself. 

With an insatiable desire to know something about everything and an authentic personality, Wiggins is able to gauge interest and make a sale without much effort. To put it flatly, people unequivocally want to talk to Wiggins.

While Winston-Salem remains a small-interconnected community, Wiggins has successfully gained interest through more outlets than just Uber. Krankies, the local coffee shop in downtown Winston-Salem, has already shown an interest in Papa Doc’s after only a short pitch by Wiggins.

“It is surprising how many are interested in supporting our crowdfunder,” Wiggins said, reflecting on the number of people supporting through donation and participation. “It’s been an amazing journey so far.”

Even though the idea and mission behind Papa Doc’s is complete, the product is still in the beginning stages for commercial sale. As he aspires for a nation-wide appreciation of proactive health and the development of fuller and longer lives, Wiggins will continue to push forward Papa Doc’s towards success through the art of conversation.

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