Full Transcript

Sari
The bigger your dreams, the bigger your goals, the more support you need, not less. Every great entrepreneur knows they need experts, they need a community to help support them, and connect them to really get that momentum going. If you find yourself in that start, stop, start, stop struggle where you have an amazing idea something you make in your home kitchen, it can be a food item, beverages, pet treats, or even body care. And you just can't seem to get it off the ground or you haven't been able to make a profit yet. I want to offer you a free workshop. It's called Whip Up A Business You Love. And in it, you're going to learn the foundational pieces of having a business that works. An idea is not enough, a desire is not enough. We need to have a foundation and a plan for your next steps. And in that workshop, you're going to get my startup checklist. We're going to talk about your product, about pricing, what that investment looks like, how to really know if you have a solid idea, or a business plan that's going to work. And I make you an incredibly delicious offer to join me in Food Business Success at the end. Go to foodbizsuccess.com and in the right hand corner, you will see where to register to get that free workshop. And then I hope I will see you inside Food Business Success and on one of our Fuel calls very soon.

All right. Welcome back to the podcast. And I am so excited. This is our, I don't think you're the first repeat guest but you're one of the most special. So I am excited to welcome Chennelle back from Good Love Foods. So thank you for being here.

Chennelle
Thank you so much for having me back.

Sari
Oh my gosh, this is so fun. I was giddy as we were in Expo West recently. And I was like I can't wait to have you back on the podcast to talk about everything that's happened since our first podcast. So if people want to go back and hear the first part of the story, see it's Episode 72. And that was last January 2022. So I would love for you to just tell us a little bit about yourself for those of you who may not know and then let's get caught up on everything that's happened in little over a year, which is a lot.

Chennelle
Yeah. Oh my gosh. My brain is wriggling from like all the fun experiences and the growth. But really, to start off, we officially launched in July of 2021. I launched Good Love Foods because I was not seeing what I really wanted to see on the shelves when it came to convenient gluten free food. And especially baked goods. I have a baking background. And I spent the last 13 years really perfecting my gluten free baking at home. And I realize, it's you know, it's hard. And not a lot of people have the time or energy to put into baking gluten free. So I developed a whole bake straight from your freezer right into your oven type product line. And it's been going, it's been wonderful. We launched our biscuits first, then the cinnamon rolls and most recently, our puff pastry. And so we now have a full line available. And customers have been giving us wonderful feedback since then.

Sari
Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yes. So you joined Food Business Success. You had some of the marketing and branding done but then we work together to really get you launched and legal and pricing and labels and all that good stuff. So yeah, so the first podcast that we did kind of goes through your journey then. So that was last year 2022 and then catch us up so I'm sure as you reflected back you're like, oh my gosh, how much have I jam packed into a year?

Chennelle
Oh my gosh, really so much and getting ready for Expo, I think since I had to kind of go back and get some of those metrics and really try to distill very distinctly what has happened in a short amount of time was really hard because it's been so much. But and the more I thought about it though, I was thinking like, I really didn't officially launch, I think, until I completed base camp. So I was part of this really wonderful program at the University of Denver, I had finished up my MBA. So I guess to back talk slightly, I launched or started Good Love, the development, all of the planning, all of the backend stuff while I was finishing up my MBA at DU. And then this program came up where you could pitch as a student, and it's a accelerated course for entrepreneurs. And so I was part of this amazing six week on campus program after I had already done your program. And so that was just kind of like the icing on the cake to really help me get into market more from a retail perspective, but also just give me that confidence and the pitching background that was really important. So I actually think I really didn't launch officially until then because I wasn't putting 24/7 into my company. And I have since then. I absolutely love it but I've got into three retailers so far. I got into Expo West, I was a semi finalist at their pitch competition at Expo West that just happened in Anaheim two weeks ago, and got a couple more retailers on the line. Really, really ramping up our online distribution. I've got a great partner that does all of my fulfillment. So making those improvements and scaling up thoughtfully and sustainably, especially, you know, as a single producer, has been really important in the stage of growth. And the growth has been crazy. Really, year to year about over 600% in terms of growth and sales. But if I go back to maybe about Q3 of last year, it's like, I don't know, a 1,000%. And just it's been wild, it's been really amazing and I'm just trying to ride the growth wave, again, sustainably for me, so I can handle it all. But I really want to be thoughtful as we grow. So yeah, really, really exciting. Getting our brand out there has been the biggest awareness, it's huge. And we're really feeling it from our customers because they keep on sharing our story and our brand and our products with all of their friends and family.

Sari
Yeah, that was one of the things I think you got as a feedback, I think you've got them multiple times in different pitch competitions or from industry experts, is just how your brand just really stands out. And that you did, you made an investment on purpose in that to launch with a really built out brand. And to be fair, you do have a marketing background, and you really know your stuff in this area. But I think that was very purposeful to launch with a really strong brand.

Chennelle
Yes, I agree. But what can be scary there though when you have a product, it just has to be all cohesive. You know, you could really work on the branding and nail it. But then with your product or your target market in mind, and maybe something is missing there. So for me, it's been really wonderful to see the progression because my customers have grown and expanded as we've grown and really leaned into our voice and have got in a little bit more deliberate, I guess, and how we are creating those messaging moments, and reaching out to our customer base because that's what creates that strong community. So I think for me, having the GoodLove brand started is really what has created this amazing community of not just gluten free and celiac customers, but just folks that really love GoodFood and just love our branding. So it all kind of works together. But I would say that it's still one of my most favorite aspects of building this company is working on the branding.

Sari
Yeah, and it evolves, right, and you're changing and your voice is changing. I mean, the visuals themselves haven't probably changed too much. But like the colors and some of those pieces but I bet your voice has changed a little bit and you're kind of how you're relating to people and even the images that you share. And I look back at the, you know, you did your first round of like professional photos and I'm like, wow, she looks different now like there's, you know, not only your hair's longer but like just you have a different confidence about you even now and so it's so fun to see that growth and change over time.

Chennelle
Yeah, personally yeah, it's been for me as an entrepreneur, and this is my very first venture had thought about it for years. And I think definitely starting off with your course and then getting some of that one on one coaching has created this confidence in me and taking myself out of that, like, oh, I'm just you know, I'm a maker, and I'm just doing this kind of on the side, too. I have an amazing product. I'm confident, I know the market, I've done my research. And this is where I'm going. So having, you know, those goals in place and seeing it within myself that I can grow something because I believe in it so much has been a really, really big change in shift in how I'm viewing this company, not just as like, oh, I started it while I was going to school now. It's like, no, this is my company. I'm taking in places. It's been a huge shift. And one that I haven't experienced before. And one that I've heard other people talk about, you know, it's kind of like, oh, you'll get there. Or you'll you'll understand when you get to that moment, and I'm feeling like I'm stepping into that moment finally, where I'm like, okay, no, I'm not feeling like I'm an outsider, or that I'm still testing the waters. It's like, no, I am fully like swimming in it.

Sari
Yes, I am fully committed. I am in, you're doing the work. And so last summer, I think May or June, we started, you came back and said, hey, I want to do one on one coaching with you. And so we got started, what was the kind of impetus for that? Why do you feel like that was important to do? Almost a year in to your business.

Chennelle
I think since I had just graduated, and I had some time off before Base Camp where I kind of felt like I was in limbo. I still had those amazing tools from the program. And I was still building GoodLove but I think I was at that next stage where I was like, alright, what do I need to do? You know, I can get some systems and stuff in place. But I think it was more for me personally that I needed someone to coach me from that perspective because, you know, to keep me on track, but also, you know, just to help me along the way and some, I didn't really have any, this is me personally, I didn't have any specific goals in mind necessarily. I kind of went into it, like, things are going to develop and things will happen. And, you know, there'll be those aha moments, but it was big for me personally to understand that I was on the right path, but also, you know, to have someone with such an amazing, you know, background both in CPG, but also just coaching other individuals who really wanted to step in that CEO role. I needed that help. Yeah, just to keep me going.

Sari
Yeah, I mean, yeah, you made the transition from being a student, a full time student and graduating, it's like, I think that's a part of the commitment, right? It's like, no, I'm taking this seriously. And I'm going to get the support and not just myself, but the Base Camp program, the additional advisors and mentors, and all of that. Like you were committed, you were going all in. Yeah, you were kind of like, no, this is happening. But we'll just see where it goes. Let me finish school. And then you're like, no, I'm ready. Let's do this. So one of the things and you may not even remember this, but I was thinking back to all the things because we did a lot in four months of coaching, 4 to 5 months. So one of the things we focused on was building up your direct to consumer, which you didn't even mentioned. So you did a huge jump as far as doing pop ups and some events. You did that Nourish Festival, like you really focused on how do I grow direct to consumer, because we didn't even launch wholesale until the fall.

Chennelle
Not even December was wholesale. I was prepping for it. But yeah, wholesale has been very recent. But you're right, when I launched it was, you know, still again, just making sure my target market was right and testing out my products. But that was mainly local. And then I'll say when I finally started shipping, it was a soft launch per se, just, again, just making sure I knew how to I was doing it all myself. But I wanted to make sure I was shipping this person food product right and I was pricing it correctly from a shipping perspective and like how do I entice people to spend, you know, money on a product but also spend money on shipping because it's pretty expensive, and figuring out those pieces first. So what really got me to a point where I could get into retail was having this fulfillment partner take over for me, and that also it was kind of all happened at once. I was like alright, I've got someone that can take us over for me so I don't have to spend four hours every night delivering product locally and then four hours every other day shipping across the US, I can have someone do it for me. So I can spend more time producing and doing the backend. But then I was able to increase my marketing and really get into engaging with my community online so that the sales were coming in more, I guess organically.

Sari
Yeah, more consistently, more organically. Think some great things you did was developed really great partnerships with a couple of places like a gluten free brewery in Denver, and then some more in Colorado Springs, and you were doing all of it yourself. So I think it's important to hear like, you did the model that I personally recommend where you kind of push to your limit as much as you can go, you know, and even just like a little bit more, and then you're like, and then we got to bring in a partner, right? And I think sometimes people make investments in those things way too early and then you run out of cash. I mean, unless you have endless amounts of money. But when you're an early stage bootstrapping entrepreneur, like the one thing you do have is time, and you have less money. And so you were using your time to make the deliveries, do all the production yourself, do all the shipping yourself, do all the marketing yourself. And that was the correct role at that time. And then we started looking at, okay, where does it make more sense for you to spend your time as you grow? Because you've proven the concept, right?Nice people don't want to prove the concept. There's like jump ball and then hire the marketing person and the social media and the fulfillment and do all the hiring first, and then you're like, but you haven't even proven the concept. That's saying it can't work that way but I liked the strategy that you did. So I think, what were some other things that contributed do you think to consistent DTC, just the partners and pop ups that you were doing? What else?

Chennelle
Yes, I'm just really, when I do the pop ups locally, I think that's a huge community because I think, especially when it comes to gluten free, people will share your product across, you know, the US if they have family members or friends or like what I would hear really consistently, the more that I did, in person markets or pop ups with Holidaily, with any other partner that was within the gluten free space, is that people might just find this event and they're in town from somewhere else. So they're like, oh, my gosh, I'm so excited, I can ship or, and I'm so happy I found your product, I have friends and you know, on the West Coast, I'm totally going to like, either ship them product, or I'm going to send them to your website. And so even though you're local, and you're thinking local, the reach, like don't like under think like, the reach and impact it can have, because I think that is really what was huge. And part of that the word of mouth marketing. You know, and you don't have to pay for that.

Sari
Obviously, a product like yours. Yeah.

Chennelle
And then from there, I started really leaning into my social media, and not just doing it on the aside, just being more intentional, had a strategy around it. Not from an influencer perspective but just like I want to reach the right community who does want to be engaged with me, and with our products. And so I think putting that sort of authenticity into your social media also helps with your brand image and people just following and wanting to try your product, even if they might not have tried it yet. You know, they they want to see you grow and be part of the community regardless.

Sari 18:49
And so a couple things just to note, if people are kind of like, okay, what else could I do? I mean, with the pop ups, I think you did a good job of having cards there, something that's like, hey, here's this first time discount if you order online, collecting emails, so those are always then you can turn that, you know, grow that just like sounds just like you're just doing a pop up and you're making sales, which is great, but also, how do you, you know, keep utilizing those audiences and and grow that. So I think that's a great tool. And we did talk about Facebook groups. I don't think you ever got into them because you were growing pretty well. But I think for products like yours, finding, you know, specific tribal diets or allergy specific Facebook groups could be another tool that people try to just contribute and give value. But then oh, by the way, looking for a great breakfast option for the family. Here's the cinnamon rolls.

Chennelle
Well, yeah, and actually, I'm still you know, social media, it can it can take so much of your time. So far, I've only been really focusing on Instagram by default, Facebook and a lot of my events are posted on Facebook and I have a great following there. And I think my next phase is to intentionally communicate based on the platform. So Facebook has a different kind of user group and different layouts and formats. But also the group's like you say, I would get some of these orders sometimes that would be like 6 or 10, in a span of a couple of hours. And I wouldn't know why that was, and come to find out it was because, you know, one of my customers had a rave review, and someone was like, where can I get some gluten free cinnamon rolls, and then they would respond, like you have to check out this company. And then all of a sudden, you know, I've had this, this whole host of new orders just because of that. So I think that'll be the next step. But those weren't asked for, you know, those weren't something that I paid for. And so that was even more exciting to understand that people were actually just recommending this product. And when you have those kinds of people, those kinds of customers that truly believe in your product and get other people to order, I think you're onto something really special. And being more engaged with that community is super important for that, because you're not again, you're not paying for it, you're not asking for it. They're doing it just because they really like your product and other people who then try your product. They do that only because they believe in their friend or this direct recommendation.

Sari
Absolutely. I mean, tapping into. I mean, it's not just that they like it, you solved a problem for them. And when people solve a problem, right, by problem can be a real problem, or it can be like, you just I get the best dining out experience ever right? It was such a great experience. So we love to tell people and be like, you got to try this when it's something we really believe in. So raving fans for your group, whether that's gluten free, or celiac, or FODMAP, or whole 30, or AIP, like if your product keto, right, can fit into some of those categories. Those are tight knit groups, and people love to tell others about solutions. And then I think it was cool, you did some stuff later on with email marketing where you were rewarding some of those people or like, you know, just thanking them, appreciating them, and you probably have some opportunity to even grow it with affiliates as well, I would say.

Chennelle
Yes, I'm looking into that next. But I think email marketing was something I'd already have always wanted to implement, but you know, getting some of those automations in place. Because again, just like social media, it can take a lot of time. And but if you do the right, if you do a lot of the things upfront, you can have all these automated emails, but again, still make sure it's authentic and intentional for especially for your customers. But since I'm still so small, I can segment out my customers and I'll email, you know, some of my hardcore loyalists first and really, truly thank them. And I think that's been helpful because I do 100% value like what they've done for GoodLove and being customers from the beginning. But then kind of reaching out to some of the other folks who may not have ordered as much or you know, what's causing them to maybe not order as often. And having those direct touch points, I think is really important. You can do that through email. And so my next step is getting all my automations in place to just to make sure that that's consistent. And fun. I don't want to have anything that's too marketing. I want to have really fun content so people actually enjoy getting our emails. So I think that's the next phase is just making sure that's really intentional and people were like oh my gosh, it's a GoodLove email like what's in like today's.

Sari
That's awesome. Okay, so we did that, we got DTC really on the upswing and growing and then you were struggling with the kitchen that you were in and it just you'd kind of outgrown it. It just wasn't the best fit anymore. It was a distance aways as well. And so that was a really big milestone to start looking for new space. So you want to tell us what happened with your hunt for a new kitchen?

Chennelle
Oh my gosh, I completely glazed over that. Yeah, that was one of the biggest decisions I think and biggest moves. One of the main points that had like really helped us grow but yeah, I just, I think it was an email you had forwarded me about someone looking for, you know, someone to take over their space that was already gluten free kitchen which was huge like since we do prioritize safety at GoodLove, that was the most important thing to factor. If it was already a kitchen it had to be either gluten free or you know, I had to ensure that it was safe enough for my customers. But yeah, this space came into to my inbox and basically fell into my lap. And I didn't know how I would get the funds to secure it but somehow it all worked out. And I was able to buy out the previous owner's equipment, the entire space, took over the lease. And I will say maybe that was like my first. It was like hiring like five employees, getting my own like a larger space so that was huge. It was so important though for our growth because really, I wasn't able to produce as much like you said, but I think for me personally, again, just knowing that like this was the right step and the right move to take. And we call it the GoodLove lab. It's what we've dubbed our production kitchen, and I absolutely love it. I actually say hello to it every morning. I just like to appreciate it. And you know, like I wouldn't be here without having a space like this. And at the end of the night after I cleaned up and closed up shop. I'm like, bye lab! See you tomorrow.

Sari
Well, yeah, that was a really big decision. I mean, you were limited on where you could go like as a traditional Commissary Kitchen because of the gluten piece. And so we kind of started exploring like, could you get your own space, you looked at some other ones that were down south closer to where you lived at the time. And I just, you know, I just want to like give you props, and we did a lot of like, looking at pros and cons. But then ultimately, I think we even did the like, okay, what feels best, you know, because they were all good. And then they all had downsides. And one of the downsides was the space was, what an hour plus away from where you were living at the time. But ultimately, it's like that one felt the best and most in alignment had the things that you wanted. And so you made it work, right? And actually, you've ended up moving up that direction now. So now you're like, eight minutes away.

Chennelle
Yeah, we made it work one and then two, we're like, you know what, we're putting everything into this already. Like, why not move up here? And so now we live in Longmont. Yeah, like an eight minute walk from from our new apartment up here. So huge changes personally and professionally. But they're all feels right. Like you say, it was a really important decision to make. I think it just depends on how you frame it too. Because I could have passed this up, I could have pass up this opportunity. And like you said, I could have gone for something that was closer to where we were living before. But, you know, factoring all these other things and like having to put my own investment into a kitchen, like how long would that have been delaying us from really getting into the market and servicing our customers was the biggest thing like we didn't want to have any delays. And we wanted to reach our customers and so this was just the right decision.

Sari
Yeah. And it was a big risk. It was a leap of faith that this would work out. And yeah, all of a sudden, you went from like commissary rent to like, I own a production facility with large rent and triple nets and all the things, right? And I remember that being pretty scary for those first couple months. And it's funny how we adjust to that. It's kind of like, when I bought my condo, and I was like, this is like really big, you know, this feels like a really big risk. And then you kind of, once you're in it, you're like, yeah, now I'm going to just get to work to pay for it. Like it becomes yours. I think that is a way to step into a new identity of like, no, I'm really serious. I invested in coaching now I invested in a facility. There's no going back, like we're going all in on this.

Chennelle
You're so right though. I mean, a lot of the decisions we make, especially early on as these young entrepreneurs or you know, when you make some of these big decisions, you're like, how am I going to do this? You go through those, you inevitably will have those questions and those fears but I think also what helped when we were coaching was talking through those fears. But then you're like, it's not anything scary because it's strategic, like what do you have to do to meet your lease? What do you have to do each month to make sure you cover all of your expenses, so broke it down, it didn't feel as scary. It was more of that. Alright, this is what we need to do in terms of sales, we can totally handle this, especially with more space. So thinking of it as an opportunity helped ease the fears. And you know, I'll have to admit, like the first couple of months when I had just moved in, every single month, we didn't know when the rent check was due. I was like, oh my gosh, how am I going to do this? And inevitably, you know, you make things work. But now that I'm in the swing of things, and I've got a really amazing cadence with my production and my sales, it feels more natural, and it's not scary. And it's part of your business and it's fun. You're like, I'm just growing. And I can remember that one time when I was scared, I couldn't meet my rent, and I've got it.

Sari
And then I think, you know, if you don't mind me sharing just personally, I think you went through some transformations of like, how do I balance things? How do I, you know, because we go through these spurts and these sprints, but then how do you kind of recalibrate and balance out time with your your partner and your health and I mean, you were going through a lot, as far as picked up that program, Base Camp and going to school and, you know, are finishing up that program. So I think that was one of the things that we definitely coached on frequently as well as like you're doing a lot. But if you're not healthy and if you're, you know, if you're miserable at home, and you feeling bad when you're at work, and then at home, you're thinking about work. It can be really challenging. So finding some balance in your personal life as well.

Chennelle
Yeah, and that was always a question of like how am I going to do this, or, you know, I didn't want to face burnout. And I didn't want to ever think negative of this company that I was building because it has brought me so much joy and other people's joy. And so I think it's those moments, you have to make those big decisions. It's not just about like time blocking, or making sure that you are planning for your own work, recreation, and downtime. But what will help you get to that point, and so I think the biggest move for us to get time back was moving near our space. So that was huge. And then again, like partnering with this fulfillment company because not that I don't have to manage that, that gave me time back to put more energy into my company, but also just enjoying the process along the way. You know, if you get to that point where you feel like you're negative, like things are negative, or they're not turning out the way you want, like what are those pieces that you can change, and hand off to someone else, another partner or hire someone you know, those are those moments where you really have to think about like, it's not about you doing it, it's about what can you do? Who else can you hire, or bring onto your team, whether it's a partner or another company to take that off your plate?

Sari
And we've talked a lot in Master Your Business about outsourcing and how do we make the most of our time, so yeah, we talked about it earlier, where you you kind of max out and then you find some partner you can outsource to so we can do a shoutout to Rob and Caitlin over at Full Good Fulfillment, and they've been an awesome partner. They do shelf stable but they specialize as well in frozen and refrigerated fulfillment, and doing your local deliveries and just all your logistics, which is awesome. I highly recommend those guys. And then, so that was a big outsourcing move. And then you were able to focus back on production and growing it and so you came up and join the Winter Farmers Market up in Fort Collins, and then I think that was a really good catapult to like, focusing on Fort Collins, which is like it's about 45 minutes north of Longmont. But so those were some of your first wholesale accounts, right?

Chennelle
Yes. And I think the market was really helpful. I was always nervous about doing, I guess any sort of farmers market or market in general that wasn't a specific gluten free pop up. Or, you know, I wasn't sure, like what sort of sales I was going to get, what kind of customer base I was going to get. But it's really been such a wonderful way to communicate and engage with the community. And also seeing those faces of you know, my loyal customers come back every other weekend. It's been really, really fun. But then that also gave me, I guess the courage and that little bit of boost of energy and money, by the way, and to start looking into retail opportunities. And so I believe you recommended Lucky's a couple other customers that were up in Fort Collins, you check out Lucky. So just one night I just submitted something online, you know, through one of their portals through their website and I got an immediate response saying like, let's get you on our shelves and I was like, okay, well, great. Let's do this and started that process. And I was only looking for, you know, the Lucky's at Fort Collins but now I'm in both Lucky's in Boulder and Fort Collins. They'd been an amazing partner, retail partner. Consistent sales. Really, really amazing velocity. And then you know now I'm looking into other retailers so just being thoughtful about how I grow but it's also been really exciting to just have customers like I'm so excited to get to see you on the shelves.

Sari
I know it's so cool and that was such a great testament to the product itself but you know your partnership as well with those retail brands. And you knew it was so funny here like, you know, I dropped off the first cases of product and then they're like four days later, they're like, oh, we need more. And now they're like six cases. And they're like, we need more. You can't keep this stuff on the shelves.

Chennelle
I'm still blown away. And it's so much fun communicating with them directly. Because it's, you know, it's different when you work with these smaller markets like, they are your buyer, you're not a third party, you don't have a distributor that you're working for. And so it's fun for them to be like, oh, my gosh, guess what, we need six more cases. And you're like, this is great, and it's direct. Yeah, just that relationship that you have with them has been really, really helpful as we grow from the retail perspective because it's a whole different animal. And I think for me to starting small and figuring out what retailers are looking for, or even some of the metrics, that's been from a business perspective, really important, like not just like, oh, I'm just going to blast into all of these sprouts, or I'm just going to go directly to Whole Foods, like I'm not at that stage. So I think it's really important to start with a market who's willing to, like lead you along the way, or they want to give you the feedback that they get from their customers, too. So it's a really important relationship to establish.

Sari
It is and you're doing some demos I saw in one of your emails, and I think just especially your first couple, like how can you make really strong partnerships, and now you're going into Leevers. And same thing there. And what that does, and if you the podcasts with Rachel Walker is another good one to talk about it. But I think you're doing exactly right, where you're building strong partnerships, you're really making sure that product sells. You doing the farmers market up there helped you to gain customers early on, and then go tell them well, yay, you can go over here. And then they're telling all of their friends, right? So you did it right. In that you're creating a data story, right? And you're building real partnerships. And those are things that you can leverage when you're ready to apply for the Whole Foods or the Sprouts or Natural Grocers or any of those things. Because now you have a story, right? That growth, that exponential growth, you can show like, yeah, they ordered this. And then three weeks later, we were at this. And, you know, this is what customers are saying, and this is how I've supported, like they're not just having to hope that you're a good partner, you have proof that it works.

Chennelle
Yes, yeah. And I think that has been really, really imperative to like, even I just reached out to another potential retail space. But now in my emails, I can, you know, I've got some of this data, like you were saying to back, I've got my velocities, I've got the high sellers. And I've got, you know, just amazing feedback from the retailer's themselves. So that's been important. It's just great because it's your direct community, it's your community. And these are the people who are going to champion your product as you grow, you know, you don't want to skip them, I guess in any way. And if they're your early adaptors, like you want to do everything to keep them. So I think starting with the smaller markets has been huge from a customer perspective because they want to be along for the ride, and they want to be able to still see you grow, but still be accessible at the same time.

Sari
Yeah, you're developed. I mean, essentially, you're developing fans, these raving fans all along the way. And it's such a good business model, instead of the like, slash and burn, and like, let's just get into as many things and yeah, all over the place. You're actually, I love that model of nurturing the relationships. And I mean, people do it all different ways. But I think as a small brand, like you're doing exactly right. So now you have new challenges, and you're looking at new things that you need to get off of your plate, I think, namely production is one of those things that you're looking out sourcing next, right?

Chennelle
Yes, and one of the things that has been helpful to get to this point in the next phase of our working together with the Master Your Business is that it really is all about your systems and procedures and making sure you have those outline. Because if you don't set expectations for yourself or for anyone you bring into your company, then you have no idea like how to, I guess gauge how it's going or no direction to give someone you know, so I think as sexy as it sounds, systems are super important. And they are fun, they are fun to create, you don't have to be like they don't have to be an exhaustive list of tasks or you know, like 20 pages, super simple. But as long as you outline like what your expectations are and how to get from, you know, A to B, then you got your system, it can be really simple. And I think that's the next phase of growth is just making sure you're ready for bringing in people and because if you want to be the next big brand and some of these bigger companies or get into distribution, you can't get there if you just haphazardly you know like throw a team together, you should be retention as well. So the phase I'm in now is making sure I've got these systems in place. I can scale without, you know, having too many, you know, pitfalls, or moments where I'm just like, why isn't this working, right? You know, or how I planned. It's making sure that you're able to hit those. And so yeah, just getting the systems in place, and just making sure I have a team that when they come in, you know, it's less questions, it's just more of like, alright, let's do this. And you can focus on building a community within your company. And I think that's what everyone wants, you know, they want to have a really strong team, they want to have a great culture and, you know, fit all those things that you wish you had when you were at these other companies.

Sari
Right, which is so much of the reason why people go and start their own thing, right? Like, I don't want to be part of that culture, I want to create my own. But then we get so caught up in the making and doing and all the things that you have to do and it is a lot but that's exactly right. I was so excited you join Master Your Business, because I just can't I know, you're like, I got to hire somebody, I got to hire somebody to help me make this product. So to be clear, it's I don't know if it's called outsourcing. But in sourcing, or if you need, you need help in your own production facilities. So not necessarily hiring a co packer. But it's so easy to want to just be like, I just got to hire somebody to get something off my plate. But if you don't have systems and processes and expectations in place,then you end up, you're just hoping that that person can figure it out. And ultimately, you're not creating a really good work environment. Especially people who want to come in and do production, they just want a process to follow. They want to know exactly what to do and what the standard is. And so you have to solve that problem first, and be the manager in your business. And it does take a little bit extra time. But I think once you get into a rhythm of it, I noticed I've been doing that more in my own business. I'm trying to live what I preach in Master Your Business. So there's been a couple places, like my own Winter Market the last time I went up, and I was like, no, we don't actually have like a process or a checklist in place. So I should probably get that done. And so I'm not creating it but I'm having my employees, you know, create a checklist for opening during the market and closing, it's like, this is a no brainer, like why have I not done this? But these things just fall off our plates because we're so busy doing the thing. But if you can take that extra 10 minutes and do that meta skill of like, okay, what did I just do? What is that process? Then it can be replicated, you can give that to anybody, and they can follow that process.

Chennelle
Yeah. And it's, it's just a really good skill, I guess, because it really is, it is a skill, you have to work on it. When I've had my husband come in, who's my free labor, I call him my free labor right now. But I will, I'll pay him eventually. But he's kind of like my tester in terms of like, alright, what are my expectations? But also, how do you communicate it? And I think that's been a big learning curve for me is like, I know what my expectations are. And I know it's supposed to be because I do it. But how can you communicate that to someone easily but also so that they can understand it? And anyone, not just him. But like how can you thoughtfully distill something down so someone else can be like, I get it. And I can see how I need to get to this point so I can totally do it. You know, you want to give them confidence, too. So it's been, for me a learning curve and being able to like, alright, I need to say that differently. Or maybe I'm not communicating it the way I thought, you know, for me, this is how I would understand it, but not someone else. So being able to articulate it in a way that someone else can either read or hear and be like, okay, I got this.

Sari
I love that. Yeah, it is. It's a refinement process, and being willing to like put something out there B minus work, test it out. And it's great, you're going to test it out on him, free labor. And he knows you already pretty well. And so you get to test it out, like does this make sense? And do you have enough information? And not bringing in your ego of like, why can't you just read my mind? And why doesn't everybody do it this way? You're like, no, that's how you do it. That's based on your values and how your mind works. And as the boss, as the manager and the CEO of your company, if you're going to grow, you have to be able to extricate yourself from that and trust that the processes work and people can follow them. And so you got to. It all falls on you. You have to take total ownership of whether these work or not. It's not about the person. I mean, you can have standards and expectations for their, you know, what time they show up and how we treat each other and things like that. But your processes should work on anybody.

Chennelle
Yeah, and I think that's another big point that you just brought up is like, it's on you to create those systems, but you can still get feedback. But if you want to truly be able to step away from your company at some point someday, I will be able to, and you need to have those in place. And not worry about something going wrong. You already have the system, if X doesn't happen, you can do Y, you know. So that's the next level of building a company that you can build and grow with and feel really proud about.

Sari
I'm excited for that day when you get to take maybe like this fall, you'll be like I'm taking a week long vacation and everything is handled, like my business doesn't have to shut down temporarily. It's like everything just runs.

Chennelle
Yeah, it's such a good goal.

Sari
Put that in your dream jar. For sure. So yeah, so I think production is the next thing, hiring. And we've talked about, you know, not hiring the super skilled labor but like creating the processes, the expectations, hiring at the lowest rate that you can to get what you need, and really managing the process, not the person. So that's a lot of the work we've done in Master Your Business, which we'll be opening again this spring. So if people want to get on the waitlist, I highly recommend the program. And I think, have you got in a lot of good things out of it?

Chennelle
Yes, I have. And I think just knowing my own I guess workflow, a lot of what I do is, I will absorb and I will learn along with everyone while we're you know, in each module, but I think for me, it's just the way that I teach myself when I learn is that all implement them, then like either post class or could be weeks from now, some of those things that we're still learning. But that's, I think, the beauty of a program like this, because you have the tools. When you're ready for the tools, you can use them. And then you can reflect back on that specific class. And you know, what we all talked about or what someone else shared. And so I think that's really helpful, because you don't have to do it all right away. And I think people, me especially as a lot of our entrepreneurship people are very perfectionist focused, like we don't want to do unless it's perfect, but you can't implement something every single time thinking it's going to be perfect. So and then I like to learn by trial and error. And so I'll start to do something, you know, I'll start to implement some of the stuff we've learned, probably a couple weeks from now. And then I'll be like, oh, yeah, this is what, you know, Sari said, or this is what someone else said in the class that worked for them, I'm going to give it a try this way.

Sari
It's a layering process, for sure. Everybody wants like the three month or like, give me the three month fix, and I'm going to walk away a whole new person, you're like, oh, well do it in three months. But it really it's a layering on process and a learning process for sure. The other thing we've really focused on is financials as well.

Chennelle
Starting off, I think with the financials was really important for sure. If you think it's scary, like you don't want it to be scary, I guess is the point is that you should know your financials. And you should know, you know, how your company is doing and have some sort of a dashboard in place where you can do that. And whether it's cash flow, or however you want to do it. But that is the most important because if you don't know how your business is doing financially, then like, you have a great product but the reason why you're in business is you know, you need to make revenue to be able to defend everything. And so that is one of the most important things. But also, I guess from a student's perspective, like not feeling pressured to implement some of these things immediately, or not feeling pressure to like, have it down perfectly. And just and we all have different business models or different products. So I think that's another important thing for people thinking about joining the program is that you like you're not scary.

Sari
This isn't for grade, this is just for you to become a better boss.

Chennelle
But you want us to succeed, I think is the biggest thing and you're like these are the tools and use them at your discretion. But like here's the best practices and like we're all here also creating a really positive environment for each other because we're all trying to do something together, which is, you know, have a really fun product, a really amazing product that we want our customers to keep buying and for a sustained business. So we're all in it together.

Sari
Yeah, I love the cohort model. You guys have all been very supportive with each other and so fun to see the wins and the progression and the support you guys give each other so it's super fun. And that was something as you were going into Expo West, which I love. Parts of your business model have been an F it model where you're like, all right, because you applied like the day it close, you're like F it, I'm just doing this, we'll try it, what's the worst that can happen? They say no. And then you were accepted, you went through a full, you know, a big judging round to be accepted into that pitching competition. So that had to be I know, I just felt when you texted me, it was like, I'm in! And then you asked me to join you as part of your team. And I just felt so honored, it was so fun to just be a part of this process with you.

Chennelle
It's still so fresh. It was only two weeks ago, really, that Expo West was live and we were pitching and so that is part of my strategy, like I think I can call it a strategy is like what the hell like, I'm just going to do it. I think that goes along with, you know, as a CEO, as someone who has a company that they want to grow, like the biggest thing that you're going to do, the most consistent thing you're going to do is you're going to make decisions. And sometimes they're going to be really, really thought out when you've got all the months of preparation and planning before you make the decision. And sometimes it's just going to be like, what the hell, I'm just going to do it. And so applying for that was that moment, and I was truly surprised when they called and said that I was in the top 10 finalists, which was amazing. I honestly, I was so surprised. But it also felt good for me as again, someone who just kind of is a perfectionist and not thinking they're ready for those things like, maybe you weren't ready. But also, who knows? Like, maybe this is the catalyst that can get you ready to or to get you in the mind frame that's like, no, I belong here. I am ready. So I'm trying to get actually more consistent at the what the hell thinking because I'm like, what's the worst that can happen? And for something like that specifically like there was no. And sometimes I had to fill out some paperwork. And look what happened, you know, it wasn't like I had to invest any money or anything like that. It was like, you know, this is great. This is huge for brand awareness, and huge for me learning from other people who have been in the industry, who are starting out just like me. And so I think that was a pivotal moment, and also reframing how I thought of myself as a CEO, or someone running the company, and really stepping into that role of like, I'm taking this company places, but also, you know, I can't do that, unless I'm the face. And I'm putting myself out there. It's not going to get out there unless you do it.

Sari
Kind of did that with the kitchen, you did that with a fulfillment partner. And it's not that we don't do that without looking at, you know, we don't look at the numbers and the pros and cons and get the information we need. But then there is a little bit of that just like I'm just going to go for it. Because that's what I'm here to do. I got to push it a little bit and probably jump before I'm ready. And then I'll get ready, right? You got into it. And now you're like, now I got to be ready. And fortunately, you had done a couple of smaller pitch competitions, you did Trout Tank, you did the Base Camp. So you were pretty ready. And then you're doing the financial work and everything that we're doing in Master Your Business. So that had to be a lot easier to pull all of that together once you like, especially if you keep up on it, right? Like it becomes a lot easier.

Chennelle
It was it was so much easier once you have that data. Or even if it's been a couple of months or a couple quarters like you can, you know how to update it. It's really easy. And the more you do it, like it is really fun. I really, really enjoyed the whole process. And I was 100% freaking out behind the stage like right before I went up on stage, but I had practiced it so much that I got great feedback from you, from other mentors, from my husband. And when I got up there, I felt really comfortable.

Sari
Yeah, you did amazing job. You were calm and steady and confident. And it was just an amazing moment as your coach and advisor and friend, and all the thing so it was really an honor to be there with you and celebrate afterwards and just you know, again, you won just because you got up on stage. That's really what it comes down to. So who knows where you know, you met some awesome people. I introduced you some folks, you met people on your own like we can't, I just heard this great quote by Steve Jobs actually that's like you can't connect the dots in the future. You can only connect the dots in the past. And by you putting yourself in the room and putting yourself out there, like who knows what dots will end up being part of your success? But we don't know that until afterwards, right?

Chennelle
If I didn't have that experience, and some of them might maybe not manifest immediately. You're like you say you're creating the dots, and they're there. So sometimes they'll connect. And it might be that moment that you need it to connect. And so it was just the whole experience and still trying to process like it happens. I was planning for like three or four weeks, and then all of a sudden that happened. And I'm like, oh, my gosh, like, okay, we're here. And I've made some really amazing connections already. And also just being in talking with the other entrepreneurs that were part of the pitch competition, it truly has been a great experience.

Sari
Yeah, that's true. All the people in that group and all the things you've done, yeah. I just can't emphasize enough for people listening how important it is to get yourself out there to meet people in, we are a really great community in CPG, I find most people are very helpful, they want you to succeed. And so connect with people like myself, who are awesome connectors, do things like pitch competitions, or presentations, anything you can do to get in the room, and to start meeting fellow brands, and also people in the industry, because I think we all want to help each other along, you can't do this on your own, you know, I mean, you can do a certain point, but you're going to hit a wall where you're like, This is as far as I can go.

Chennelle
Just people to kind of lift you up. And even if it's not like business advice you need, you can just lean on someone and just feel like they validate how you're feeling. But then maybe that's all you need to move on to the next step, you know, so I have a completely different, I guess, feeling post Expo in that. I just, I do I want to put myself out there even more, even more than I did before. And I'm ready for that stage of growth to like, I came to that realization that the only way I'm going to get better about speaking to you know, how GoodLove is changing lives or like really what separates GoodLove from the competition is just building that community and that we just we do have such unique product, but it just gets you in that mind frame. And you just get better at just talking about your product. Not necessarily from like a salesy standpoint. But really, how can you speak to the different people in your industry about like, what are the benefits that you offer? And like, why your company is here? You know, I think that's it kind of brings it back to what your why is. Your big why which you've asked from the beginning. That's something that you say even in like all of your modules, I believe is just like, bring it back to the why. Why are you here?

Sari
Yeah, because it's freaking hard. This is not anything in history you have, like, let's just be honest. Like, it's not like every moment is like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. Like, most of it is hard, most of it is uncomfortable or doing the monotonous things or the things you don't want to and getting better at, you know, at things. You just have never done this before. So it's all a learning curve. And there's some hard moments so you got to have a deep strong why, I know you do. What are you kind of looking ahead, we talked about production, but what do you think's your next challenge?

Chennelle
It's scaling and adding onto my business not just in production, I think there's certain areas where I now just brand awareness is huge. And so I guess one of the things I did learn from Expo really is just getting that brand awareness out there and there's all different kinds you can do that in terms of marketing, but I think bringing on people to your team that are able to do that or thinking you know a little bit more creatively of how you can do that, whether that's affiliate programs or brand ambassadors, but you want those people to really shoutout from any platform that they use like you have to try this product or you have to try you know just follow GoodLove like here's why. So production and brand awareness is huge and then really with the brand awareness comes, you know, I believe with the organic sales when it comes to our direct to consumer but building retail. I'm confident now going into, you know, Q2 of this year that I'll be adding on at least three or four other retailers and I feel really really good about that and ready. Being able to start small has made me feel like I'm ready to dive into more retailers. So those are the next big things and that's a lot and I think growing awareness doesn't happen overnight. So I think staying focused on a strategy for that is very important.

Sari
Who do you think you will have to become to do that? To create a strategy, stick to it?

Chennelle
Another, it's that role. It's like what's the next version of myself or what's another, what is the the other mask and putting on not masking that, you know, I'm faking it by any means. But like, who, who's who's the next person that I'm going to develop this personality? And so I think that really is who that person was that on Expo, like the person on stage that can be like, this is why I'm here, this is why we're doing amazing things and like, why we're going to be growing and continue to grow. So having whoever that person is, maybe I'll give that person a name. That'll be that'll be one of my personas.

Sari
Next level, CEO version of you.

Chennelle
Yeah. So I would say whoever that person is, I'll give her a name, eventually, that's the persona that I'm, that person I'm stepping into next, and being able to hand off the production is huge. But yeah, developing into that next role.

Sari
And I would say, you know, not that you're not doing these things already. But making them deeper, you know, as a coach, and who studies this stuff, it's about increasing your self discipline, and self trust, making decisions quickly, which you are getting really good at. I can't tell you how many I mean, I coach people that have been in business a long time and much bigger brands, and they get stuck on a decision that holds them back for months and months. So being able to make decisions quickly, have your own back when you do that, and then be willing to outsource and to create the processes and systems, but also let it go a little bit, and put the trust that you don't have to be in there, all the time. That you can rely on the systems and and create a culture that will support that so that you can grow and be more in your CEO role. And that's also going to mean looking at the finances and really looking at the money pieces and creating strategies, which then creates more, you know, you need more self discipline to actually execute the strategy. So it's kind of a spiral up, right? Where you're going keep evolving and layering on but you have definitely stepped into that CEO role. That baby, we won't call it baby business, but you are a real business. But you are stepping into that early stage of being that CEO, so I'm so proud of you Chennelle.

Chennelle
Spreading my wings, I'm feeling it.

Sari
Keep doing it, and you're doing it at the right pace and trying to make the best decisions you can and you know, they're not all going to be perfect, but you will look back on this and be just no matter what, right? What happens. I know you'll look back on this experience and be really proud of yourself.

Chennelle
Definitely. I didn't even know the last three months. I'm already like, who is that person? I'm already like, so different and in a positive way. And so what is the summer going to bring? What's this whole year going to bring? I'm really excited. That's, I guess how I can. All I can really express right now is that I'm just so excited for the future.

Sari
Amazing. Well, I'm so excited for you. And I will just keep cheering you on and anything I can do to support you, so amazing. Well, thank you for catching us up and letting us be a part of your journey. And we will all be cheering you on. If people want to check you out and maybe order some of your amazing gluten free products. Tell us if you have anything special for our listeners?

Chennelle
Yeah, well, actually, we did just launch a new, I guess, new customer program. So if you go to our website, and you sign up for our emails, it gives you a discount for 10% off your very first order with us. And then we are implementing more discounts especially for repeat orders. And for our amazing customers that keep on coming back for more of GoodLove. So go to our website, sign up for an email, you get a discount code. And we ship weekly and everything arrives within two days. So you can get your GoodLove literally, you know, by Friday, if you order today.

Sari
Amazing. And where can people find you.

Chennelle
So just go to https://goodlovefoods.com/. You can also order through our social channels. It's all set up through Instagram or Facebook. And if you're local, you can happen, you can find us at Lucky's markets in Boulder and Fort Collins. Coming very soon at this weekend, we'll be Leevers Locavore in Denver and just keep on checking back for more retailers as we really start to branch out.

Sari
Amazing. And yeah, if you're listening and you know a great place she should be in, feel free to reach out to her as well. I love it. All right, Chennelle, it's been a pleasure and thank you, just keep doing what you're doing. It's amazing.

Chennelle
Thank you. Thank you so much for everything, I always appreciate it.

Sari
Seriously, it just doesn't get better than that for me as a coach, your success is my success. It's called Food Business Success for a reason. And I think Chennelle is just such a good example. If she can do it, you can do it. And I do want to invite you, I will be opening up Master Your Business again, we'll probably start mid May is my guess, early or mid May. And so I do want to invite you to get on the waitlist because if you are on the waitlist, you will get a special bonus, I'll be doing something special just for you folks. So you can go to masteryourbiz.CO to learn more about the program. And this is really about stepping into becoming the CEO that your business needs. Your business in order for it to function to make money and to give you the freedom and fun that you probably started this business in mind with. It needs you to become the systems person to know your money, to operate in a way that is creating stability, and what we call a turnkey business, something that just works, whether you're there or not. And so do take advantage of this opportunity if this spoke to you and you're like yeah, that's for me. I really need to do that for my business. If you find yourself kind of always in the center of the drama and the business doesn't operate unless you're in it and doing all the things and if you're feeling overwhelmed and you're not even sure if you're making a profit. I promise you, I can help you. We will support you and you will become a different version of yourself. You will become the CEO your business needs. Alright, until next time, have an amazing week.