211 Surviving Your Circumstances & Becoming a Successful Businesswoman | Nichole Nzegwu, Founder of Krave Granola
Say hello to this weeks guest, Nichole Nzegwu.
Nichole Nzegwu came to Canada as an immigrant. Despite not having any experience in business, she took a leap of faith and launched her own company, Krave Granola.
Tune into my episode with Nichole.
Today on the show I am sitting down with Nichole Nzegwu who founded a Canadian Granola Company called Krave Granola.
To give you some back story,
Nichole Nzegwu came to Canada as an immigrant.
Despite not having any experience in business, she took a leap of faith and launched her own company, Krave Granola.
Fast forward to today, and her company is thriving.
Thanks to her hard work and dedication, Nichole is living proof that anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to put in the effort. In addition to being a success story, Nichole is also an incredible role model for other women both in Canada and around the world.
She is a reminder that no matter where you come from or what your circumstances may be, anything is possible if you have the courage to pursue your dreams.
We discuss:
How she decided on Granola as a business
What she was doing before launching her company
Testing out multiple side hustles and deciding which one was for her!
Dealing with an abusive relationship, depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety
Finding a unique edge to granola that sets her product apart
Why she wanted to do a direct to consumer business
Where it’s going from here
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or YouTube
Let’s connect on Instagram or find out more about Private Business Coaching on my Website
Connect with Nichole & With Krave Granola.
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES
https://www.instagram.com/kravegranola/
https://kravegranola.com/tiktok.com/@kravegranola
WEBSITE
https://kravegranola.com/
Click the image below to tune in to this weeks episode 🎙️
You’re going to LOVE this episode with Nichole Nzegwu, Founder of Krave Granola.
Here’s a sneak peak at my prep notes for the show…
Rapid Fire:
Product or service that you’re currently obsessed with
Social media platform that you are enjoying most right now & why
How do you stay motivated?
Before Krave Granola:
Where did the idea for Krave Granola first begin?
Did you know there was a market for your products?
What were you up to that time and how did you balance your career with starting to bring this company to life?
Bringing Krave To Life:
What were some of the first few steps you took in order to bring the idea to life?
I’m sure the early months were messy - what type of mindset did you need to have to move through the highs and lows that are inevitable in the early stages
Did you have a “why” at the beginning? What kept you going?
Anything that almost derailed you?
How long did it take from idea until you made your first sale?
What were some of your early success
Did you have any idea where the business would go from there? Was there a master plan?
Did you have any prior knowledge of how to run a business? Where did you turn to when you had questions or needed mentorship
Krave Granola, Today:
What’s your role and what are your superpowers when it comes to daily operations?
Talk about your product line today and what type of distribution you currently have
Tell us what makes Krave Granola different?
Business Tips:
What is something you do everyday that continues to move your business forward?
For someone listening who is also looking to sell food and beverage at retail level, do you have any tips or key lessons learned that you would share?
You’re a passionate mental health advocate - what would you tell another entrepreneur listening who is feeling the weight of the world and slipping into a dark place?
Or watch us on YouTube! 👇
🎙️ Other ways to listen…
Episode Transcript:
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You're listening to the visionary life podcast. I'm your host, Kelsey. Rydall, we're hanging out here today because one day, while hiking in Peru, after just having been let go from my dream job, it hit me. There's so much more to life and there's no excuse for not embracing uncertain. And trying new things to really explore our full potential in this lifetime.
On this weekly podcast, you'll hear from successful entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and visionaries, just like you, so that you feel less alone as you pursue everything you want and deserve in this lifetime. This is a space where big sky thinking is welcomed and conversations about daily. Betterment are essential.
So if. Stop living an ordinary life and start living a visionary life than welcome home.
Hey visionaries. Welcome back. And thank you so much once again, for tuning in to season nine of the podcast. Yes. Nine seasons of visionary. I can barely wrap my head around that. That's crazy. And it's actually something that today's guest and I talk about a lot is this concept of consistency and how that leads to success.
And. Let me just humble brag for a second. Before we get into this week's guest, this season will not disappoint. I think I've curated the most epic array of Canadian entrepreneurs who are about to be featured every single week. So if you could do me a favor, subscribe to the show, maybe send this episode or any of our past episodes to a friend, because when you share the show, it reaches more ears and it gives me validation that you guys want.
More seasons of visionary life. So today I'm sitting down with Nicole on the show. Nicole came to Canada as an immigrant, and she faced a lot of challenges, including abuse and depression and anxiety and suicidal thoughts. And it was when her sister was visiting her. And her sister had flown in from London.
England was making granola at 3:00 AM in the morning, randomly that all of a sudden Nicole thought, maybe that's what I could do. So she got to work. She started testing concepts. And even though she didn't really know what the business would look like, or didn't have any experience, she just started putting one foot in front of the other and shows us what the power of consistency can do.
Because today her company crave, granola makes the best, most unique granola you have ever tried in your. Coffee spike is one of the flavors, orange sun. You can also build your own, like literally DIY a granola, and she will make it for you. You cannot go wrong. And this granola is so giftable as well. I recently sent a package of granola, a few varieties to a client as a thank you gift because I like to send things that are consumable.
Like. Anyways, I'm excited for you to listen in to this episode. I know you're going to get a lot of value from it and definitely go connect with Nicole and crave granola at www dot crave, granola.com crave with a K or they're just on crave granola on Instagram. Tech-Talk Pinterest all of the places. So enjoy this episode and I will catch you guys later.
Welcome back to the visionary life podcast. So, so excited to be sitting down with someone who I've had a chance to get to know quite well over the past few months, Nicole and this is going to be such a cool conversation because you have a great story, the way you started your business and what you've grown it into is super inspiring.
And I cannot wait to introduce you to the visionary community. So welcome to the show now.
Thank you very much. It's an honor to be here. So excited to share my story
with you. Amazing. Well, why don't we kick off with that kind of background story? So I'm curious, uh, what were you up to in the years leading up to launching crave granola?
Cause I know you haven't always been an entrepreneur, so give us kind of the backstory of what you were doing. Um, as far back as you need to go to give us some context.
Oh, wow. Um, well, okay. You're right. I never really. At, instead of crepe and all that, as it, as, uh, it was never a dream that I had, I've always been in the corporate world.
So I've always walked up, say I wanted to be in the corporate ladder and just work my way up there. I never thought that running a business with. In my reader in the future. I just thought, even if I run a business, it's probably not going to be anything. So are we going to be like maybe writing a book or a story or something?
So prior to Craig granola, I was just where I went. I was working in, um, In the food industry, as well as the pharmaceutical industry. And so, um, yeah, so that's how we kind of, I was just working there. And then, uh, I think one of my friends had started a business and our group of circle, the first person that started business and we were just working together.
I was like, Hey, I want to be a part of your business. And so we started working together, but at the same time, Uh, I I've always loved cooking anyways, regardless. So I come from a big family and food is just a big part of, of where I have where I conference. So, um, I've always cooked, love cooking, and, uh, I kind of just, um, would cook a job posted, posted on Instagram and people would like it, or I'll cook and invite friends over and they would love the food.
And so I thought, okay, maybe this might be an idea to start a food business and, uh, I just want it to do more. And, uh, I just wanted to just do more than just food at the same time. I still couldn't figure out what area of the food business that I would put my, uh, you pour my heart into. So I tried many different food.
Uh, just, is it food catering? I do some food catering at it. Some food, or is of prepared food. I do like the meal prep, but none of them still fit in, fit it in. And so I didn't want. Just do something that I would leave for awhile. I tried my hands on several different businesses as well. Just little side hustles here and there, like braiding hair.
And, uh, yeah, I did a lot of other side houses, but, uh, they were not really my passion per se. And uh, at the same time I went through, uh, I came here as an immigrant in Canada. So I went through a lot of, uh, uh, a lot of struggles, a lot of, uh, I felt I faced many, uh, hardships, you know? And so I was faced with depression.
I was faced with lots of, I struggled with suicidal thoughts. Like daily was a constant struggle for me. And, uh, coming from a place where. I had friends and then I fell into the wrong hands and, uh, you know, that led to, uh, sexual abuse for, for, for, for several years, over 10 years. And so that also caused lots of, uh, that put me in a deeper depressive mode.
And I was just constantly thinking of suicide all the time. But at the same time, um, my, one of my happy places was just cooking. So cook make recipes. Cultivated for new recipes or they could make and share with friends and posted on Instagram. I just thought if I posted there, people are going to like my food that made me feel good.
And so that gave me the idea to see, I wanted to create something that would just bring to many people's faces, uh, food, bring people together and food, make everybody smile. You know, you're hungry. You laugh with your happy, what you love food. Right? So, so, uh, that's kind of. Where I started working towards Creek granola, and I kept thinking of the idea where, what can I do with my, with my, with my love, for food and my talent for food.
And then when my sister visited me one time from England, she made. Amazing granola at 3:00 AM in the morning she was jet lagged. And so she made his beautiful granola. I woke up in the morning. I was like, what is that bakery smell? So I went to the kitchen and I saw trees of granola everywhere, and I love granola.
And it's one of those things that I will buy in a grocery store. I could live on granola actually. So to see that you could do that on your own and make you from the scratch. I was like, oh, wow. I didn't know. I could make this from scratch. I didn't even know what it was really made of. I didn't pay too much attention to what I was eating then.
And so she showed me how it was done. And I started from there, started making my own granola. And then I started sharing it with friends within different recipes, in the different ingredients, in it, and shared it with friends. And it became a heat that people loved it. As I said, they create. And I said, and that's where the light bulb gave me to say, yes, this is what you should run with.
Take this and go. And I perfected it. And that is how creep and all I was born.
Wow, what a story. And I think what's really important to just hone in on, especially for the listener who is maybe wanting to start a business or branch out on their own, but feels like nothing is working. Is that not every time when you think you're starting a side hustle, that's going to work, does it grow into something more?
Like, I really do believe we have to try and experiment and maybe start a bunch of side projects. Like you were braiding hair, you were doing meal prepping. Thinking like, oh, maybe this will work, but when it didn't, you didn't just give up and say, okay, well, I guess I'm not meant to be like, obviously it's challenging, but I love that you share.
So honestly that you didn't just land on the idea for crave granola, right? From the day you were born, it took time. It probably took many, many years, right. To come to this place where you felt like this is what brings me joy. So just a good reminder to the listener. It takes time be patient and don't rush the process because sometimes it comes to you in unexpected times.
Like when your sister is visiting from England at three in the morning, like who would have thought
yeah, exactly. Who would have thought, like, I didn't even know that granola was in my radar, so you're right. Sometimes you just try various things, you know, you want to do something, but you don't know what it is.
Just keep trying something. And one day it's just going to click each other. You're going to say, yes, this is it. And you were like, Yeah.
So when you sampled that granola, obviously something kind of lit up in you and you were like, oh, this is really good. Like, I want to try this and experiment with it on my own, but I'm curious, like, did you know it was going to be a business and did you quit your job right away in the corporate world?
Or did you just kind of start testing recipes and putting kind of a business plan together? What happened. After you sampled your sister's granola for the first time, walk us through kind of the months after that.
Yeah. So after my sister made this granola, I think just jump on it and say, this is my business idea.
And it still didn't know at that point that this was a business idea. I just said, please show me the recipe. She made a whole bunch before she went back to England. So I had like. A month or a month, a month supply of granola at home. So I just would make them. And then when, when it was over, when it started finishing, I said, try.
So they try to make it. I started, I, I, she, she sends me the recipe that she used, just a simple, very simple, basic recipe that she did. And then. Doing some more research on recipes on how to make granola on YouTube and things like that. And, uh, I just didn't make any for myself really. I wasn't really thinking that this was going to be a business idea.
So I started making it for myself and then I started gifting it out before. Um, you know, my friends were there. They were like, I, they sorta telling that, did you know, you could make her another way to solve. Right. So, and they're like, oh really? Okay. So I started sharing that with them. I made soap, we just package it nicely, just little packaging.
Like I put them in bottles and I'll give it to them. And my friends are like, I mean, they already knew that I was already doing. These names on the site prepared meals. So it was okay for them to say, oh, can I order now? Can I order? So they started ordering at least a once in a while some friends would order or when people ordered food at the time, at the time, Pack, nicely packaged granola and just give it to them.
And so I was getting more compliments on that and like, oh, that granola is really good. It's so it is like starboard and some people are like, are you sure you made this? I'm like, yeah. And they're like, wow. It is like, you bought it from the store. I'm like, oh, okay. So I think the more people started talking about it, the more it started registering to me, like, okay, this could be a possible idea here.
So I reached out to my sister. I started making different recipes and I didn't want to, I realize that I'm making, creating recipes, but I didn't want to create the same ingredients or the same flavors that you see in stories. So I started mixing them off to see, okay, how will I make this? Different for what I see in the store, for example, um, I have one of my, uh, granola brand, Dane is called, uh, coffee spike.
And so I checked, uh, I would, the reason why he did coffee was because if you go to grocery stores, you see mostly chocolate chips, cocoa and things like that. So I'm like, I want to make mine different from that. So I figured I'm going to test it with the coffee and see what. What it tastes like. So I try the recipe.
I was like, oh wow, this is really good. And I w I did lots of experiments with my sister as well. She's in, Glenham here, but she's trying to eat there and I'm trying to get here. And so we exchanging recipe ideas and it really, so that's how I started making different ideas and, you know, to come up with another flavor, I will test it out together.
And so from every test that I made, I would give it to like friends just to try it out and see, okay. That's how, uh, obviously it was came in at the same time. We do have a granola called Abuja, Andre NOLA, um, a customizable granola. The reason for that was because lots of people have created. People people have created granola just because they go to grocery stores and they don't see what they're looking for are they're like, oh, this is perfect, but it's missing something.
This is perfect. But it's, gluten-free, it's not gluten-free, this is perfect that it's got nuts or seeds or something. They just don't like. And so people find it hard. You got to make it themselves at home or they start their own granola business. But I wanted to create something where people can just come together and say, Hey, okay.
Just like how you make your own pizza. Let's just. Let's make the kind of granola because P freights were like, oh, I don't want to see to mine. I don't want sugar in my, I don't. So I'm like, you know what, that gave me the idea. And there there's nothing like that in Canada or anywhere else that I have seen.
So I was like, okay, that's a great idea. So that's how, um, all of my flavors were developed and came to fruition. Yeah.
Many of you know, that I studied to become a holistic nutritionist many years ago. And even though I'm no longer practicing, I still take my health very seriously, especially in the winter.
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So not only does it taste amazing, the gummies are actually better than candy, but this stuff actually works. And I'm really excited to be using Sam called daily immune drink powder as well. So when I'm sick of drinking water throughout the day, Crack a pack of the immune powder and it tastes like Kool-Aid, but without the sugar and with way more benefit.
So if you want to save on your next order of Sam call, get 15% off of any order over 9 99 or more@sambuccolusa.com. So S a M B U C O L usa.com and be sure to use the code visionary. Teen at checkout. So again, save 15% by using code visionary 15 at Sam usa.com. So cool. And I love that you spent a lot of time, like in your own test kitchen, you didn't just assume you got it right, right from the beginning and then just start selling it.
You sampled your friends, you got a lot of feedback and it sounds like you listened to that feedback and actually iterated based on what people were telling you. And the other part that is so cool about what you did was you didn't think, oh, granola is such a saturated market. There's no room for crave.
You thought. Of course there's room. I just have to make it different, right? Like what do I not see on the shelf that I would want as a customer? And oftentimes that's where the best ideas come from is that that need, like, what would we need or what are we not seeing in the current marketplace that we could bring to life?
And your flavors are so unique, like you said, build your own granola. Never seen that before. Like that is such a cool offering. And it's something that sets your brand apart from every other granola brand where you can't make your own, there's no DIY option. So I'll definitely link that in the show notes so that people could try out the process and see how cool it is.
So I just wanted to share those couple of things. Now, did you know how you are going to start selling it? Like obviously to make the recipes and get it perfect is one thing. What about packaging? It branding it. How long does that take before you actually make your first sale and get everything together so that this is a real product?
Oh my
gosh. Yeah. That's a great question because I knew that I wanted to study these days. When the idea for Creek, when all I came up, I was like, okay, this is a grand old. I have no BS, no, uh, no, uh, background or any experience in running a business and starting a business. The business I was doing with food is just, you know, people that I know or people that are just word of mouth, friends of friends, it's nothing that we say go to the website and order anything like that.
And the idea for at around late 2019, and then when 2020 came with the pandemic, I was like, okay, how am I even going to do this? But I. The the business, uh, formula that I wanted to go with, the business idea that I wanted to go, it was just too was direct to customers. Just I wanting to create something that, uh, when they received the order, they would know that this was made, especially for them.
I wanted the package and I just wanted a customer experience in my granola to shine in my customers. Right. My products in it as well. So, and I forgot. Okay, I'm going to start something. I think just wanting to do something that will go, or I just told my son, I'm going to start small. It's a saturated, make it, let's see how it goes.
And so I did lots of research around, uh, how to start a business, Google, YouTube. Those were my best friends, every single day, how to study business. Like if I type how, you know the good suggestions to come at, how to start a business from scratch, how to start granola business, what to do, what to expect, how to start food businesses.
I had no idea. How to do that. I did not know where, how to even get packaging. Like I kept asking questions, how do people do this? How is it so easy? And I realized it wasn't that easy, putting the work together. I first of all, registered a business name, um, just to get the business name registered. And is that, uh, to show that I'm doing something, got it out of the way.
Um, In making lots of research. I started joining different associations and organizations that, uh, like peace messes like women on these nurses or women in food business, things like that. I started joining and I came across some, um, workshops, you know, while I was looking for ideas, I came up across some workshops on food incubator programs that I came across, and those were very helpful for me.
The step-by-steps information that I need, but by then, I'd already like figured out the packaging. I started with a packaging, like, I didn't know. I went online. I checked the typical brand owner packaging, but I wanted my package not to be exactly the same. I wanted to maintain because I knew what I want.
I wanted to create organic gluten free with great flavors that people would taste unlike and just not feel that okay. It's also planning. But it's the caters for anyone who's like healthy, who is health conscious? So, uh, I think my first package, I go from Amazon and also I was like, okay, this is I just to test it out.
And this was good. And then I started going, um, before people started suggesting Alibaba and things like that. So I started ordering, finding the right consumer, the right vendor that will supply. The package and all that. So it took a while. And then the design, I kind of made it like a very minimal design, simple design by myself on, um, using Canva.
And then I kind of thought I met a friend who was also starting a business in design. I'm like, you know what, I'm going to be a first line. Why didn't you design my package for me and my labels? And so they did a great job. I was like, amazing. And when I show that. So the world on these things, when people are like, wow, lovely package.
And so I was like, okay, this is it. This is how I'm going to work on it. And so just by that step by step, gradually build a website. It seems like when you want something, the universe brings everything together for you. So at the same time, I think in a way to start building a website. And so I had this.
Someone told me about this digital main streets program that was offered in Ontario, where if you're, if you are registered these nights, that will help you build your business for your website, for you with Shopify. And so I got someone who built a website for me completely, and we worked together on what you, how we want the website to be.
And I knew that I wanted to sell on. Direct to customers. And so that's where we are now, but the more we've come such a long way. This was all of this happened last year, 20, 20, sorry, two years ago now. Oh my God. Tiny. Yeah. All of this started in 2020 and then the business was officially launched in 2021, uh, July of 2021.
And it's crazy that we've come this far. And now we're in the process of trying to go into small grocery health hostile, helpful.
Mm. Wow. What a journey. And so it was about a year from the time your sister was visiting you to the point where you feel like you got your first like package product together.
Is that right? Yeah. Yeah. It was about,
it took about a year for it. I think just, yeah, I think they'll say, oh, this is the best I took about maybe about a couple more months, maybe six months or so a few more months for me to finally say this is big business idea.
I think that's such a vital reminder for anyone who is in that messy, early stage right now.
Like you can't always rush the process. It's not just going to be snap your fingers and you have a product ready to sell. There's so much that goes into it. And just a lot of time and energy involved. That usually takes a year or two. So it's really cool to see the fact that you stuck with it that long.
It means that you were obviously quite passionate about the idea and just the vision for what you were creating.
Yeah, absolutely. It's not, definitely not easy to, to run with an idea like that. Again, it just, it six months since the business launch. So background walk was about a year. And even within where after the business was launched, it was still like, uh, you you're, you go to the highs and lows, like, am I going to make this?
I might not be able to make it. It's just going to be great. It's just not going to be great. And that's how I find you. Uh, Kelsey, that's how I find it because, uh, I think July had launched the business Tony of 20, 21 by August, September, you know, you have this idea you're so hopeful or you feel like, oh, I'm going to launch it.
I'm going to do great. I'm going to quit my job. And then. Two months later, nothing not even sale. So I was like, what is happening when I was not, when I didn't launch the business, I was getting sales more than after I had launched the business of going on. I wasn't making any sows for a few months. And I was like, no, this is not, this is depressing.
And I felt that made me so sad. And I was like, oh gosh, I'm here. I am thinking I'm going to quit my job. And that is amazing. But it didn't happen. And so I was fitting, I went through that whole valley of despair phase for a long time. And I started looking, who's going to help me grow my business. Who's going to help me.
I need, I need big business coach. And I kept searching. And I said, at least in two POS podcasts, I mean, I've always listened to podcasts, but what I came across yours, I'm like, that's who I need to, that's who I need to connect with. That is who I need to connect with.
And now you're on the podcast. Like my gosh.
You'll be listening to your own episode in a matter of weeks, inspiring others to start a business. That's so amazing. So crazy. Now I'm curious, you said you've gone through the valley of despair. You've obviously been through challenges. Uh, was there anything that. A big mistake or something that was a total mishap that almost derailed the business.
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Um, I wouldn't say, I think the biggest mistake I made was I think before you, um, I was, uh, while I was looking for business coaches, I found, I thought I found a business coach and then I paid like $2,000 and for them to hop in my business and it was just nothing, like I got nothing.
And they made all these promises that they were going to do. And I got nothing out of it. So I was like, oh, that's a such a bad investment. And they made, and so I was like, I'll never do that again. I'll find someone that I could work with Hannah. You know, work with them. One-on-one and so, uh, I was like, no, I, I think I almost lost hope whether that made it worse for me.
Like, you know, I w I, it made it worse for me to feel like, oh my gosh, there's no hope for me out there anymore. Uh, how am I going to do this? I don't, I need help. Like I thought I could, with my city, can't run a business yourself. You need support around you. So, um, when you came along, I was like, okay, know what, that's why I want to talk to, I've listened to your podcast.
Uh, everything you read about you was just awesome. And I thought, okay, I'm going to get Kelsey. I try. Hopefully this was good. You helped me so many ways. I mean, again, here we are. And, um, the business has gone so well so far the past, since we met. And, um, I was making about what, uh, less than $300 a month when I started a business and it wasn't working for me.
I was like, no, this is so bad. And now I'm getting, I'm getting lots of partnerships, lots of, uh, people reaching out to say, we want to sell your product and all that. So with. Level where we are to making over a thousand dollars a month now.
Wow. So when you reflect on all the different things, like you have tried so many different marketing outlets and you've done promotions and emails and social media and partnerships and connections, what do you think has been one of the most impactful things that you've done to grow awareness of crave and to get sales?
Like if you were to boil it down to one thing that you think has been very powerful, what would you tell the list? Y, you
know, it's, it's kind of sometimes when you're starting a business and everything is like up in the air and you know, you have this confusion around you, like what is going on? It, everything came together.
All of a sudden that I didn't even know at what point that are coming together. But I think the fact that you are once you're consistent at doing what you're doing, it all makes sense now to me, because people before people are like, oh, keep doing it. You see results to me, it just didn't, it didn't register as much as it does now.
Yeah, right. So, uh, I didn't know at what point things are falling into place, but I do know that I was consistent. I was just posting on Instagram. I mean, I w in the beginning, I wasn't as consistent as that, because I didn't know what it was. I didn't even know how to drive, who my audience seen. I didn't know who, who, who was my audience.
I knew who I wanted to sell to, but I didn't know who they would be exactly, or how to narrow them down. You could have a wide range of a broad range of, uh, Customers that you want to reach out to. And it's granola, lots of people love granola, but to be, to bring it down to a niche was kind of hard for me.
But I think the more I posted I used, I used to Graham was my leverage. Right. So I posted a lot on Instagram. I think the moment I rebranded my business, I started posting a lot on Instagram and the more I posted, the more I got, um, people were asking questions like, okay, I will receive emails or I receive emails or DNC to ask more questions about business.
And then I did some Instagram. I did some marketing as well. Um, online, just, um, all my marketing. I did some promotions. I did some giveaways just to create more awareness. And then, um, I participated in some other group events, right? So. Uh, every little win was a win and I will post that just to create, give people that credibility, that, of who we are.
And also, I think the more I consistent I was on all social media platform because I felt this is going, this is an online basement's granola business, so I need needed to have a good online presence. Right. So, um, having all of that, um, Continuing continuing to pro post products and just create lots of newsletters and information providing out there on Pinterest and all of the above.
Right. And so that started increasing for me. I think one of the big ones. When RBC reached out and they were like, we love your products. How about you, that you saw some of your products who are employees? We have about 6,000 employees in Canada and we sell to packer police and pickup police has about 1.1 million for.
Subscribers. And I was like, wow, this is rich. This is huge. Right. This was huge for me. And I was like, really? And this was, they can really reach that last year. And it was so surreal. I was like, wow. But obviously it's reaching out to me. This is great. And so I registered with them. I set up my account with them.
I became a partner with them and they made this announcement. They will send out the newsletters and orders. Poof, the sales just went to. Beyond me until today we are still receiving cells. And just because of the announcement that they made and not just them, and there are other, um, projects coming up or the partnerships coming up.
Right, right. As he has reached out, uh, if an, uh, I think one of my first collaboration was with them, uh, not the general hospital in Toronto. And they reached out just for one of their, um, appreciation week event. It was within by much, but then I just give them some free product and that alone as well, brought some awareness.
So all this little partnerships and collaborations with organizations was agreed. Health.
Yeah, so awesome. And I think one thing that's so important to recognize is that it's consistency in all of these efforts to see what is going to work, right? Like you had to kind of show up for the social show up for the email show up and look for partnerships.
Because you didn't know which one of these is going to take off. Maybe all of them will bring in sales, maybe none of them. But the only way to know is to do it repeatedly to actually have enough data to say, oh my God. Yeah, we did land a partnership with RBC. That was very beneficial. And I think. That's maybe the thing that a lot of people don't want to hear is like, you have to be consistent for quite a while before you see that lift happen.
Right. But it's so, so important. It's those baby steps. Every single time. Yeah, absolutely.
You have to definitely be consistent. Otherwise it's just, you're just going to be slapped on one level or go lower, but the consistency is really important and you don't know who's going to reach out. I've had several restaurants reaching out and I didn't even think of restaurants as part of my partnership.
Yes. I've had restaurants reach out of hot, uh, other grocery stores reaching out and said, we want to sell your product and things like that. So we are now in the process of just expanding. So grocery stores, so, which is great. And we want to keep up with that. And while we're selling online, we still want to maintain our customer experience, making sure our customers get the best of, of their products and get many things.
So again, consistency, uh, again, You would think that you launch a business, you have this idea. So hopeful that in two weeks it will grow in maybe in some cases. Yeah, but for me it didn't just happen like that. I just thought I had, I was so ambitious that it was going to poof in like a month or so, because I hear other, you go online here, people, I launched my business, I'm making a hundred K in a month.
I'm making 200 Kane and I'm like, how are they doing chat? But it's all different processes that you have to do.
Absolutely. And so what does a typical work week look like for you these days? I know now you have some team members and some people who are supporting the brand. What do you do in a typical work week?
How often are you working on crave? Like I'd love to know just a snapshot of your typical workweek and what that looks like.
Yeah, it does not. And I think for seven. Yeah, I worked 24 7. It doesn't end, but I'm glad that, um, last year I was doing everything myself from scratch, right from emails to, uh, packaging, the product, making the product myself.
But now this year we are growing. So, so far half with, I have a team. We are now a team of three at this point, and we are still, um, looking to hire more people, uh, at least to help with production because everything is handling. Um, so, uh, with the granola, everything is handmade and I want to keep it that way, that in that sense, at least to, uh, to, to, to draw that connection between me and my customers.
Right. So I want to keep it that way, but, um, of course we have some equipment that we use to hop it, making the immigrant lights handmade. So on a typical week, I get, I get about, I would say. Maybe a few audits, like about maybe in a week, I get about say 10 or 10 to 20 orders, depending on who the thing is that no one orders, just one granola.
So one order could be hand granola, which is crazy. That's amazing. It could be 10 grand Milla, two cakes because we also make almond cakes. So it could be one order could be maybe 200. Right. So imagine all of that. So it all differs, no bond, no one really artists, one granola, and just see that uncle walks away with it.
So it gets really easy. Um, we take the orders, but the good thing is we disgruntled is already made in time. Um, I'm package and thought in a, in a, in our facility where, when people order, if we just pack it and send it to them, so we don't make it right away, but we still, still, we make fresh, fresh products every, every week you got less.
So, uh, the workweek and then the emails are like crazy. Oh gosh, I see him or something. I'm like, I need some help right here. It was a struggle trying to find a virtual assistant or someone that yeah. So then if you navigate the emails, cause it's not, when I started, I didn't have any emails. I'm like, okay, we'll just see how it goes.
Now I'm flooded with emails that I need help with. But great that, uh, I have people that are joining the team to help now. So it's been crazy and I want to start going into stores again. Um, um, soon, um, that's also going to be a part of my work week where I would have to make schedule time to visit grocery stores or contact them and just say, Hey, this is who we are.
I started making all the pitch decks.
Oh yeah. That's the good part too, that we've lost over the last two years is being able to. Meet the retailers face to face and maybe sample your granola while you're at the store. It's just that magic moment. When you're walking through a grocery store and you see the founder actually giving out samples and sharing their stories.
Um, it's that incredible connection that can be fostered. So I'm excited for what's to come. And you say that you want to get into retail, like, is there a dream retailer you would love to have crave granola sitting on the shelves of,
yeah. Um, when I talk about re when I think about retail, I never really thought that I would go to.
To go to bigger chain stores like Loblaws and, uh, and the metros. But, um, I have always thought about starting small on small retailers, especially the health foods, local stores, but now that I'm getting much more attention and people are reaching out my dream retail store, right. This point would be if I can land the whole foods, that would be like a big one for me.
That's a big one for me. So my goal is to really get to them. And I do know that. Product do a lot of the packaging, the alarm, everything. And especially the, the cake it's really packaged so nicely that you can just pass on, you look at it. And I'm like, what's that? I want to order that. So, um, so my store on Etsy, I keep getting lots of people fibrillating every single day to favorite the products and all that.
So, but yeah. Hopefully it will be my train retail store to, to, to be a part of. And yeah.
Yeah. So cool. And I know they love featuring like local food and beverage brands. So I feel like now that you've said it out there, it's going to come true and I'm excited to see it happen. It's a big dream. It's not far off.
Um, so as we kind of start to wrap up here, one thing that I would love to know from you is do you ever have days when you're unmotivated or just feel kind of like burnt out and if so, what do you do to get out of that rut or to kind of shake it off?
Yeah, that happens more than, you know, the days when I feel like, especially, I feel like I feel those days when I just sit at my desk and I see all these emails, just jumping in, just dropping and coming and I'm like, okay, what do I do?
And I'm just staring at them. And I'm like, uh, this is just too much. And I have a lot of. But at the same time, I don't feel like I want to do anything. I just have those moments where I'm like, no, I don't want to do anything. Um, if when, if I force myself to, it's kind of hard to even want to do it. And those days I just sit down, I'm like, you know what?
I, there's nothing I can really do at this point. This is my mind. This is my body and soul telling. Take a break naturally without, you know, uh, although I have things to do in the back of my head, I'm guilty. I'm like, gosh, I need to do this. I need needed to die. I need to respond to that email. I need to follow up on this.
But at the same time, I just had my second, you know, what, what will be will be just take the time and rest because we need to be healthy in order to help other people right. To do what we need to do. So I think that mental break that you need to, if you need it, they also just the way, I think two weeks ago, I just.
Time and the whole week that I did not really nothing. I mean, not absolutely nothing, but I responded to emails, but I didn't really put anything into my agenda. I just told myself, that's it. I'm just going to rest for this week. And then next week it picks up because as a solo entrepreneur, it doesn't end it's on and on and on.
So we have to make the time to create for yourself. Yeah.
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It's about creating something meaningful that changes lives and makes the world a better place. Join us today by heading to Kelsey reidel.com for details. Or click the link in the show notes and learn more about the visionary myths. So important. And I feel those weeks too, when it's just like, you're staring at your screen and eventually you realize, like I'm not going to output anything good in this state that I am in.
And it's probably because I'm exhausted or I'm approaching burnout. And my body is telling me you need to slow down. And I think then our entrepreneurial brain kicks in and it's like, no, push through, have another coffee, get those emails done. But. It's a learning curve to realize sometimes it's better to step back, take the day or two off, and then you come back and you're just completely fresh and re-invigorated, and you can actually have some good output.
Uh, after that break.
Yeah, that's so true. And for me, I feel like, okay, if I'm working, then maybe if I read a book, I'll still feel like mentally productive in that sense. I'm like, no. Okay. I'm going to read a, like, it's a good smart book. So, but at the same time, If you need to just sit down and chill and watch Netflix, it's fine.
If you want to read a book, read a non educational would just be something fictional. That is funny. That's interesting. So that way that takes your mind out of the whole work process or the whole workload that you're feeling or the pressure. Right? So. Yes. I tend to do them like, okay, I'm not going to work, but I'm just going to read something just to make me feel like I did
something.
Yeah, absolutely. And it's true. Like, don't go straight for like the business tips book. It's like, no, no, no. I need to shift gears and like go into fantasy land or something. Exactly. So, awesome. So last question. Do you have a vision for where crave is going? You have this like 10 year, 20 year grand plan or are you more the type that's like.
I'm happy where I am now. Just trying to figure this out this stage and we'll figure out the rest as it comes. Yeah. I do
have lots of plans for crave granola. It's a growing business. It's getting lots of attention. So you will start seeing us in stores shortly. Hopefully sometime this year we'll start getting there, but the future plan for the, one of the reasons why I created the business, it's just that I didn't want to just.
Any business. I don't just want to create a business that would just bring income just because I feel like it. Um, I used to hear people say, I want to start a business. It's it's so it's, so it's just for fun to me. Then I would hear it. I'm like, eh, it's not for me. I just want to work my way up. But when I got into this.
With my experiences, what I went through in my life, challenges, I want to help other women. I want to help young girls who in, who are in vulnerable positions, who are, who were in positions that I was in, who were helpless. So I wanted to create an impact, not just create granola. I just want to great granola.
We turn impact that we, something that is just more than just granola. That is one of our slogans, more than just granola, because we are creating a community of wellness. We are creating an impact of, uh, sharing, helping young girls, helping women, helping people who are in vulnerable positions. And through that, with that, we have, um, our choice.
We have, we started, I, we, I have a chart, a charity, um, projects that are be part of a leader in it's called a sheep. Project. So it's a project that helps young women in developing countries or immigrants, women who have come through going through the various life situations. I vulnerable state and don't know where to start.
And, um, so we're helping them through that through the business. Uh, want to show them that you can do. You can do it. And I want to be able to encourage them and inspire them in that sense. So I see granola crepe and all last, not just the business, but we're doing more to help other people as well. And to build a community of other entrepreneurs of other empowered women, empower people.
And as we're doing that, we're sharing that through our, our flavored criminal law, uh, flavor food, and creating a good wellbeing for, for our community.
So neat that granola is just the vehicle right now to get you to that bigger vision. I think that's extremely, extremely powerful and inspiring. So thank you for sharing that.
Thank you. So if somebody wants to try your granola because their mouth is currently watering, I know mine. Um, where are the best places for them to shop crave granola and to connect with.
Right now, uh, we are selling online at w dot crepe, granola.com. So it's crave with a K. So the miss that. And so I can go online, just ordered from there are, we all were also an Etsy and we are, uh, creating other like online platforms where people can place their orders from.
Um, and then we're in the process of going into grocery stores this year. So we'll start small and we'll start announcing where we are. As we, as we launch into grocery stores as well. We also, I mean, we are also on Instagram or on Facebook. Well, we are on all social media platforms, so you can find us anywhere, just crepe, granola with a K and a, there we are.
Thank you so much, Nicole, this has been a true, uh, just inspiring and amazing conversation and a pleasure to sit down with you on the show. So thank you for being here and all the best as you continue to grow crave. Thank you very
much. Appreciate it with conversations.
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