Spread the Love. Sells homemade peanut butter & other clean-labeled food products. Based in LA.
The Journey
Share the story of how your business started. How did the idea come about? What goals did you set to accomplish?
Spread The Love started out as gifts that were given to family and friends at our wedding. It was a true labor of love to make 150 jars of homemade peanut butter that didn’t have junk in them. The idea was to give something from our hearts and share them with our loved ones. The peanut butter wedding favor was a hit that we turned making PB into our business. Our goals in the beginning were as simple as selling out and having fun with our side business. Then the goals eventually turned into making the business our main source of income.
What does success mean to you? Have you achieved the goals you envisioned?
Success means purposefully doing something you believe in while feeling rewarded and having some time and space to enjoy those rewards.
In 10 years of being in business, I have achieved many realistic goals and continue to achieve more. I remember at one point when we were making $5k/month in e-commerce sales, I set a goal to do $10k/month and was able to achieve that in about a year by trying different marketing and sales strategies and finally finding some things that worked.
The Business
What problem is your business trying to solve?
The problem is complicated nutritious convenient food options. We are bringing food back to basic and nutritious. Having 1-2 ingredients in our spreads seem innovative and foreign to many people who have gotten used to seeing a long list of ingredients in packaged foods. We offer simplicity and great taste in uniquely drizzleable nut butters and thick & fruity jams.
What are three key characteristics or habits that have led to the success of your business?
Staying focused on our vision
Recognizing our strengths and weaknesses
Making a profit is key to keep running a well-oiled self funded business
Oftentimes, a fear of failure can prevent us from taking risks to move forward. Can you recall a business challenge you were able to pivot into a growth opportunity and/or success?
Our long time co-manufacturing partner had to close down and we were able to pivot by putting fear aside and turning to our trusted network of industry friends to help us find a solution. In the end, we ended up finding not just one but a few partners and a diversified strategy for our manufacturing process.
Additional Insights and Advice
What advice would you give to other women of color who are thinking about starting a business?
Do it with a partner or have a confidant to prevent burn out.
Building the right team can be a challenge. What do you look for when hiring?
Hire someone who absolutely loves what you are doing. Your team should consist of people who look up to you and love to help build what you are building. Look for someone who has strengths you lack. The team is supposed to help complete the organization you’re creating.
What are some essential qualities of a good entrepreneur/business owner?
A good entrepreneur is self-aware, patient, and a doer.