Sari 0:04
I'm Sari Kimbell and I've done just about everything in the food industry. I have helped hundreds of packaged food business entrepreneurs. And now I want to help you make your delicious dream a reality. Whether you want to be successful at farmer's markets, online, or wholesale on the store shelves, Food Business Success is your secret ingredient. I will show you how to avoid an expensive hobby, and instead run a profitable food business. Now let's jump.

Hey there, welcome to this bonus episode. It is early. I actually just finished writing down my goals as I do every morning. And you guys know, I am a big advocate of that. If you go back and listen to Episode Two about "You Can Do Hard Things". That's one of the tools that I offer to you to write down your goals every single day. Anyway, I finished that and haven't even had my coffee. So hopefully my voice isn't too morning froggy or anything. But I kind of was writing and I just had this, these thoughts, these memories come up for me. About two years ago, I had my one on one consulting. And it was actually called something else. I had a different business name. And in October, early October, I received a trademark, very formal legal letter FedEx from a lawyer saying that my business was infringing on trademark name, and I had to cease and desist. And you can imagine that sent me into a ton of drama. And also that year I, I had lost two really big clients. They were, one was a nonprofit one was actually a pharmaceutical company so not in food. But those were the two clients that were really allowing me to consult with the small food brand owners, the small entrepreneurs, just like yourself, I was doing a lot of consulting through the Small Business Development Center, which I will give a shout out to every SBDC go and check out their resources for sure. But I was really building up my knowledge and my resource bank and figuring out all the ways that you guys got stuck and how I could help. And what were your big questions? And yeah, just where did you guys keep getting stuck? And where were the places that I could really be of service? So I was able to do this, you know, this, this smaller consulting work because I had these other big clients that were supporting me, and they both cool, they both like imploded. Very unexpectedly. And I found myself that summer, at a very, very end of my runway financially. I had started looking for "real jobs", I'll put that in quotes, right, but I was looking for a real job. And got that cease and desist. And I was at the lowest point I have ever been as an entrepreneur for sure in my business. I was having panic attacks. I was questioning everything. It was it was rough, very, very rough. And you know, I think that that's something I hate to have it just sounds so cliche like, you know, the the storm before the calm or anything like that. But what it did, I'm so grateful, so grateful that I did have that experience, because what it did was really test my hard why? And you guys can go back and listen to that podcast episode on having a hard why. But when I was tested, and when everything seemed like it was not going my way, things were not working out for me, I was really forced to say am I going to pivot? Am I going to reinvent myself? Is my why strong enough to continue on this way? And no judgment, right? Like I just had to make a decision. And you know there's nothing wrong with going and getting a real job right?

And I could have made that decision and certainly found something that I that I would have excelled in and been successful in but I really did a lot of close personal reflection. And I really felt strongly I was led to ended up kind of finding a course a program, much like Food Business Success in some ways that was about creating online signature programs. And so I had watched some of these intro videos and was getting to know who this person was who, who offered this course. And I just remember this feeling of not late October, because I had to find a new business name if I was going to continue. And just being like, you know what? I am doubling down, I am investing. I mean, I was running out of money. And I decided to invest $2,000 into this program. And for all of you who I talk with, and money is an issue, it's an objection. Which money is an issue for all of us, right? We have limited resources, often with money. But I heard a great quote, I think it's really true here, urgency and constraint, do lead to creativity and do lead to figuring out a way right? Digging in. And if you're really going to go for it, you will find a way you will get creative. And that's definitely what I had to do for my own business. And I just I see it in so many of you guys. So I wanted to just hit that point home. I was going to figure out a way to make this work, how to make my business my dream of helping food business entrepreneurs create their dreams, that was my dream. And it certainly wasn't working the way that I had been doing it. I had a couple of one on one clients. But mostly it was through the Small Business Development Center. And so I really made a commitment to myself. Right about right about this time, right at the end of October, early November, to go all in. And that is when I created while I changed my business name to Sari Kimbell Consulting, which it still is today. And I created Food Business Success. So I really wanted to find a way to serve you guys the sort of bootstrapping, early stage, just an idea, let me grow this small idea. Those kind of bootstrapping entrepreneurs, you guys are my people. I love you guys. And yet, right? Many of you don't have the finances to pay a one on one consultant. So that is how Food Business Success was created. And I say all this, because two years are now in two years that I've created this, I officially launched it in January of 2019. But it was way harder. You know, I tell you guys, sometimes when we are talking on the phone, that having a healthy

sense of idealism, and a little naivete is probably a good thing when you're starting a business, otherwise, you never ever would start. And that was certainly the case, right? I was like, Oh, I'm just gonna create this online program. And everybody will come and it will be amazing, it will be so great. This is gonna be easy, easy. And I have never worked so hard. I've never put so many hours into something. And it has certainly gone through a lot of iterations in two years. But I am so proud of what Food Business Success is today. And you know, I really I hired a business coach this last spring. And he has definitely helped me up level the program, make it much more simple, be able to communicate with you guys easier on what the heck this is and how it really helps you. And with the launch of the podcast, and of course the YouTube channel has been going for over a year or a year and a half now. And great subscriptions over there. Anyway, lots of people are finally they are you guys are here, right? You're becoming aware of me and the work that I do and how I can help you and it is a really unusual niche I'm finding right? There's not very many of us that really helped serve, not that many who help CPG packaged food products anyway, but then certainly not that many who really want to help you guys who are in those very early stages of your business. So that's that's what I love. That's where I'm at. And I say all this because things have been going amazing inside my program and with my one on one consulting. It has just been incredible to see want to be entrepreneurs coming out of the woodwork during this time of COVID. And people just saying, you know, that steady paycheck myth is that is just that it is a myth. And I want to be in charge of my own destiny. I have been wanting to do this business forever. I mean, I'm talking to people who have thought about doing this business idea for 10 years, right? Or you found yourself with extra time on your hands and a love for creating food and sharing that with people. And so you've been experimenting. So so many of you are just like, I have to do this. And what am I waiting for, right? A pandemic? Like, life is too short, let's start this business. Let's go. So it's been so fun to see entrepreneurs just coming out in droves. And I'm so glad that I am positioned in a place where I can be a great service and be so helpful to so many of you.

So I really wanted to just keep the doors open for Food Business Success, keep those applications open. So that as many people who wanted to start their businesses who were hungry for this, no pun intended, and really wanted, you know, really saw that there was a lot of value in having an expert guide, and made that that decision to get some help. I just wanted Food Business Success to be open and ready and available for as many people who wanted to take me up on that offer. And because of the overwhelming response, I have found myself in a place where I do need to go to a waitlist system with Food Business Success that I can't just keep it open all the time, which is a good problem to have. But I wanted to be sharing come on to the podcast and let you guys know that this is happening. And that the last day to apply for Food Business Success to get in for 2020 is going to be November 9. So if you apply by November 9, then if you're a good fit, I will let you know and we will get on a call. And you will still be able to get in even if you apply on November 9, but the program will be closed after November 9 and go to a waitlist system. So I just wanna be sure you guys knew that. And then I wanted to just tell you a little bit more about what Food Business Success is. If you're like interested in you're like, oh, heck, what do I got to get in on this? I don't want to miss my opportunity. I'm ready to start my business in 2020. I just want to tell you a little bit more about what you get, especially if you are a 2020 founding member. So what I found was that, you know, there are courses out there that

they're they're just like you buy the program, and you just get the program. And that's it right and good luck to you. Here it is. And then you you know, maybe you're a really great self paced learner, an individual learner, and you can get through it fine. But I have found that, especially with food businesses, there is just no way to provide like customized consulting and customized QA, getting your questions answered quickly for all types of food businesses. You know, I say on my webpage that you guys are unicorns, that every type of business is so different from another one. And I've worked with a ton of different kinds of products. And I'm still surprised at how different products can be from each other, and how sometimes it can be way easier. And sometimes you have a much more challenging product that is going to make your road a little bit harder, not that we can figure it out, because we can definitely figure out anything. So I really felt like yes, I am taking all the things that I say over and over and over again, right? Think back to when I was at the Small Business Development Center and I sat across from a client. And you know, we would talk about the same things over and over again, right, like setting up an LLC, getting your licenses how to scale up a recipe, go over my pricing for profit tool and getting all of your cost of goods sold, and your food safety and how to source ingredients and what needs to be on a label. So I could go on and on. But that that is that's all the stuff that's in the program. Right. Those are the modules. That's the like nitty gritty, the like how how you're going to get it done. And I try to really give you tons of guidance, I give you all of my tools. I give use checklists and read clickable resources. I mean, it's really meant to like be a one and done inside of Food Business Success. So no matter whether you're just have an idea, and you want to start from scratch, whether you wanna do cottage food, or you want to do your own manufacturing in a commercial kitchen, or you want to go into a co packer. And then same with, if you're a small brand, you already have a small product, like you're doing farmer's markets, you're doing some some small wholesale, but you ready to take it to the next level, you want to move into larger scale grocery store shelves, you want to go on Amazon, you want to get on bigger marketplaces, that is who Food Business Success is for. And that's what the program is all about. But like I said, I just don't think that you will be successful if you only just have this online self paced course. So I built into the program, right now you get 12, one on one sessions with me throughout for the next six months. So when you join, you get six months of this these times with me. And these are 45 minute zoom calls where we get on on the computer, on the on the zoom, and we go through, we set up your your, your project, we set up your idea as a project. And then I show you how to project manage it. We set all of the different milestones and all of the different modules up inside your project management tool that you invite me to. And so you can ask me questions inside of there. And you can get your questions answered quickly when we're not having conversations on zoom. But then we have those one on one calls where you really get that undivided, personalized attention from me to get your questions answered. So I just think that that is such a crucial piece. And I knew when I put this out this last spring that 12 Sessions is a lot, especially for the price tag. Everybody who in the industry who knows how much those costs, is like are you serious? Like they get 12 sessions with you

and it only costs how much? So I know that I wanted to over deliver, I wanted to serve at a high level, I wanted to be sure I was giving these, you know, these founding members, just amazing, amazing service and value. And so what I know now is that I can do it in less time. And it's it's going to be required to do it in less time. So anybody who joins Food Business Success in 2020, that you apply by November 9, you still get those 12 sessions, I will be backing it down the number of sessions in 2021 when it reopens in January. So I also know that the price will increase in 2021. So between those two things, I think it really if you are thinking at all about seeing what I have to offer, getting on a 30 minute phone call with me it's free of charge that we are just going to talk about your business and I will offer you a ton of free value up front on that call. But you can learn more about Food Business Success, and we can see if it's a good fit. Or you know, some sometimes we get on those calls and people are like I want to hire you one on one. And so that's always an option too. But this is definitely your time to seize this opportunity. The number of sessions so the time with me will go down and the price will go up in 2021. So I don't want you to miss out on that. I wanted to be sure you knew. So that's what this bonus episode is about. And, you know, I would just love, love love to work with you inside Food Business Success. It is the highlight of my days to get on these zoom calls with you guys. I have some people are doing this individually. And then solopreneurs and I have a couple people who are partners, and we all get on the call together. And I just I can tell you guys have experienced such relief and a sense of confidence. And you know, we address things, all of the things, the legal things and the questions and the formalities and the logistics. But we can also we also talk about about like entrepreneurship and doing these hard things and I can usually pick up on when you're feeling some all the big feelings that come with being an entrepreneur. And so I really tried to, to have it be a little bit of like life coaching and also business coaching and just helping you to keep making forward progress so that you get it done, you get a product launched, you grow your business, like amazing things are happening and you feel really, really supported. Alright, that's what I have for you today. I appreciate you listening. If you are interested at all in working with me in 2020, please go to FoodBizSuccess.com. That homepage, you'll see a link right below the image on the homepage to apply and I would love to get on a phone call with you and let's see if we can't do this in 2020 and get get your product launched for 2021. All right, you guys have a fantastic week.

Are you ready to start that delicious idea that you make in your home kitchen, or grow your existing packaged food business and take it to the next level? The most successful food business entrepreneurs have support, guidance, focus and accountability to help them make it happen quickly without wasting time or money. Plus, I think starting your packaged food business should actually be fun. Food Business Success is your secret ingredient to creating your food business dream. Please don't go this alone. Check out the private free Food Business Success Facebook group to connect with other foodprenuers, get your questions answered quickly, share your wins and receive special training and tools I only share inside the private community. Just search for Food Business Success on Facebook, or get the link in the show notes. Curious about how Food Business Success can help you? Head over to FoodBizSuccess.com and fill out the application to see if you're a great fit for the program. Together let's make your food business dream a reality.

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