1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's to show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: advice to many occasions. In the case you didn't notice, 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm not broke, you know. He'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. It's what he likes to do, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: it's what he likes to ship. Now it's time to 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: hear from my man, Rashan McDonald money making conversations. Here 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: we come. Welcome to money Making Conversation. I am your host, 10 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: Rashan McDonald. It's time to stop reading other people's success 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: stories and I always tell you every week to start 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: writing your own. I always leave with your gifts. That's 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: your passion, the desires to make you fulfill your dreams, 14 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: or reach your dreams, or try to exceed what everybody 15 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,639 Speaker 1: tells you you're incapable of doing. That's your dream. That's 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: your gift. And don't let your age, friends, family, or 17 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: coworkers stop you from planning or living your dream. My 18 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: interviews will include consumers, it will include celebrities, CEO those 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and people I like to call industry decision makers. 20 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: My next guest on Money Making Conversation is Denise Water. 21 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 1: She is the founder and CEO of Partake, a line 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: of nationally distributed allergy friendly snacks inspired by her daughter's 23 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: experience with food allergies. Launched in seventeen, Partake products, which 24 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: includes cookies and baking mix, can be found in more 25 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: than six thousand retailers nationwide, including Targets, Sprouts, Whole food markets. 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: We will be discussing her growing business and I also 27 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: ordered her Partake five and one baking mix by the way, 28 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, because I love her to cook. Y'all don't 29 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: know my history by cooking and desserts always on my Facebook. 30 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: You can get fat watching my timeline. Please work with 31 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: the money Making Conversation. I'm gonna calling my good friends. 32 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: She's out of New Jersey. Denise Water, how you doing great? 33 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: Good morning? How are you awesome? Seventeen? I was just 34 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: gonna be real about this. You launched the twenty seventeen. 35 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: Here we are. We had a pandemic year twenty we're 36 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: in one and you and more than six and retailers 37 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: come on that. That's Uh, that's a crazy number in 38 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: a good way. Talk to tell us about how how 39 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: can you launch in seventeen and then being six thouars 40 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: retailers but roughly lex in four years. Baby steps we 41 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: started in August of seen with three flavors of cookies. 42 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: Um Our business was self funded, so I was dipping 43 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: into my family's savings account and it was self distributed, 44 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: which meant I was selling cookies out of my car 45 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: to natural food stores in New York and New Jersey. 46 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: And I did that for nearly a year, and it 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: was the most valuable time UM I spent in the company, 48 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: I think, because it allowed me to meet our customers, 49 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 1: to understand who who are consumer was, who they weren't, 50 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: what they liked about the product, what they didn't, so 51 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: that we could listen and we could make changes. And 52 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: then in the summer of eighteen a year later, we 53 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: launched a region of Whole Foods and we launched Wegmans, 54 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: and that was our next baby step. You know, go 55 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: into these eight stores, prove ourselves, understand what's different about 56 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: this than in the independent New York market. And we 57 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: did that for nearly a year. And then in the 58 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: summer of twenty nineteen, we raised a million dollars seed 59 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: round of funding that was led by Marcy Venture Partners, 60 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: of which Jay z is a co founder. That really 61 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: gave us the capital we needed to begin to scale 62 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: the business a bit more, to begin to hire UM 63 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: and then we knew it was going to be a 64 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: big year. UM but in all the ways that it 65 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: surprised us, it also surprised our business. And we started 66 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: the year and about three hundred and fifty stores and 67 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: now you can find us in about six thousand stores 68 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: who closed to five million dollars Series A at the 69 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: end of have lots of new products coming out that 70 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: are not just cookies, and so really excited about what 71 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: we're building here. Wow, you you just said that's so smooth, 72 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: and you just smooth. You're just a smooth operator. You 73 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: just rad long that information. Not just hurt by the 74 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: success is the rapid rate of success. When you say, 75 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: because a lot of people, you know, they try to 76 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: get any store like Whole Foods and Targets and things 77 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: like that, there, it is met with some success. But 78 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: when you say you listened to the customer, was it 79 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: to the packaging or some of your cookies, you thought 80 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: were your favorites. They didn't like them because you was 81 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: on the ground, Like you said, you were hands on, 82 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: and talk to us about that process because you said 83 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: you had eight stores initially and then that was like 84 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: a test. They are either going to test you online 85 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: or they're gonna test you in the limited store distribution. 86 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: Tell us about that process and how nerve racking that was. 87 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: So in talking to the customers on the ground, I thought, 88 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: because I started the company as a food allergy mom, 89 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: that that's who our primary consumer would be. And I 90 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: realized very quickly that was actually the customer who wouldn't 91 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: touch our product with a ten foot pole because they 92 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: didn't know us, they didn't trust us. We hadn't build 93 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: any credibility with them, and so they were like, oh, 94 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: we love the idea. However, my allergist hasn't told me 95 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: about this. I haven't seen it in my Facebook mom 96 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: group for people with food allergies, so UM, not going 97 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: to try it. But they were thankfully much broader consumer groups. 98 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: People who wanted to support our women or minority owned 99 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: business people who are exploring a plant based or gluten 100 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: rediet for other reasons, UM moms whose kids didn't have allergies, 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: but needed a school safe snack to take to school 102 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: to share with other kids. And so that's how we 103 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: got that information, and that's the type of information that 104 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: we learned. Got lots of feedback on the packaging. UM. 105 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,359 Speaker 1: You know, as a mom, I thought the idea of 106 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: trying to sneak fruits and vegetables and would be really interesting. 107 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: We realized people just want cookies. They don't they want 108 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: under ingredients they can understand, but they didn't like the 109 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: idea of me trying to sneak carrots and beats into 110 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: their cookies. And so we took all of that data, 111 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: updated our packaging, updated our formulas, and updated our marketing 112 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: strategy to reflect that. And then to go into Whole 113 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: Foods and Wagmans, we specifically picked retailers that would allow 114 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: us to do demos because we had done that in 115 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: the New York market and we knew that when people 116 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: tried the product, when they heard the story, they converted 117 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: to customers and they told their friends about it. And 118 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: to get into Whole Foods and Wagman's UM, it was 119 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: a lot of nose for our Whole Foods relationship. I 120 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: cold emailed our LinkedIn message. Every single person on LinkedIn 121 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: I could find that had Whole Foods category manager and 122 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: their job title. And thankfully, a gentleman out of Boulder, 123 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: Colorado took pity on me and pointed me in the 124 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: direction of the right person. And that's how our relationship 125 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: with Whole Foods started. Oh that's so I always tell 126 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: people by LinkedIn LinkedIn, I always tell people if you 127 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: don't have a website, have a LinkedIn account. It is 128 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: your version of a website. Plus you can create relationships 129 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: and plus you can message people. Depending on the premium 130 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: level of your account, you know, it can give you 131 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: a limited on the messaging and you can message people 132 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: who who will friend you. I want you to follow 133 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: you or follow you, then you can friend the message 134 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: them all the time. But you can go to a 135 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: certain level you can buy and it gives you a 136 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: limited premium requested you can direct message these individuals. So 137 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: with your success, you know you. I love when you 138 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,679 Speaker 1: said you try to sneak veggies into these uh these 139 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: into these cookies. You try to be slick, and I 140 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: see these commercial whether they try to. Kids are smart 141 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 1: and then parents also know that I have a daughter 142 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: she's grown now, but I can remember giving my daughter 143 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: that that the green the green baby food that they 144 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: always spit up. You know, I don't care. I don't 145 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: care if you put a little apple sauce on top 146 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: of it, they're gonna spit that right back out. So 147 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: what was your whole process? I know? And when can 148 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: I ask? What was the allergy that your daughter was tattooed? 149 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: It really inspired this, uh, this this line of baking 150 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: and a cookie cookie cookie cookie samples. Sure, So it 151 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: was actually the combination of allergies that she has. So 152 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: she's allergic to eggs, tree nuts, corn, and bananas, and 153 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: so it made it really hard because often like if 154 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: you don't put egg in something, you mash up a 155 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: banana to be the substitute. Um, if you don't eat corn, 156 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: if we don't eat a lot of gluten in our house, 157 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: and oftentimes they use corn flour as the substitute. And 158 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: so it was a combination of allergies that she had 159 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: that made it so hard for me to find things 160 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: that tasted good that I felt good about nutritionally. Wow. 161 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: So with that being said, you you go through the 162 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: Union six thousand stores now and you said you have 163 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: more product coming out. We've talked about the funding rounds. Now, 164 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: let's go back that little bit because a lot of 165 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: people who ask me that question, because what exactly does 166 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: that presentation look like? Is it of the one seeter? 167 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: Is it ten pages? Is it did you hire somebody 168 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: to help you put it together or usually sat down 169 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: with your power point and did it on your own. 170 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: How did that work out? Well? I just sat down 171 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: with my power point and did it on my own. 172 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: It was important to me that we put every dollar 173 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: back into the business, and so the deck we have, 174 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: I still sat down up a computer and did my 175 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 1: power point because I figure any investor that wants to 176 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: partner with us wants us to be investing in the business, 177 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: not investing in pretty graphic designs to try to try 178 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: to get money. Um. And so that's how we did 179 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: the presentation. It was about ten pages, and it was 180 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: really just me and Google trying to figure out what 181 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: a traditional pitch deck looked like. You know, what's the 182 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: problem you're addressing, what's the market opportunity? Who are your competitors? 183 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: What makes you better than the competitors? But I think 184 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: the most important thing is trying to get either a 185 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: warm intro or get time with those investors, because it's 186 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: really when you sit down as the founder and share 187 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: why you're doing what you're doing, what inspires you, what 188 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: your mission is behind the company that I think really 189 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: gets investors to buy in at the earliest of state, 190 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: at the earliest stages of the business, not you know, 191 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: not information on a piece of paper, but you're in 192 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: the money making business. So now you know the great 193 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: thing about is your daughter inspired this, But you're in 194 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: the money making business. You're in a cookie making business, 195 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: so these cookies. Talk to tell us about the cookies. 196 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: And then we're going to talk about the five and 197 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: one mix that I ordered online, which by the way, 198 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: was a really good experience. And just tell everybody went 199 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: online and then they give you an option of a discount. 200 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: If you put in your your email and your telephone 201 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: no information, you can get discount on your purchase. I 202 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: opted not to do that, so I went on and 203 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: just bought one package. I think it was twenty three 204 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: dollars and something for I think you said three and 205 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: I experienced that and it was and then the receipt 206 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: came to me afterwards, and then another email came said hey, 207 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: you forgot to buy cookies, and so it was really 208 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: so it really was a fun experience and also more importantly, 209 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: a professional experience. And I think that's really important because 210 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: I was not you know, you could you go online. 211 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: And sometimes it can be frustrating, especially for new businesses. 212 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: They think they got the Shopify the shopping car set 213 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: up correctly and it's not. But your your shopping car 214 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 1: was fun. What what was the approach and what was 215 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: the mindset behind that shopping car design? Because again, if 216 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: I made my purchase, it came back and said, hey, 217 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: you forgot to buy cookies, And I thought that was cute, 218 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: and I said, well, I wasn't thinking about buying cookies, 219 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: but not that you think about it. I went back 220 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: and looked at your cookies. So it did drive me 221 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,599 Speaker 1: back to your website, even though all I wanted was 222 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: the five and one baking mix. Talked to us about that. Sure. 223 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: So when we first launched, we launched our website on 224 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 1: Squarespace and it was a much simpler website. But similarly, 225 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: I think it's really important to get feedback from people 226 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: who are your potential customers, from other brands that have 227 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: had success from other brands that might not have had 228 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: success and wish they would have done things differently. So 229 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan of kind of sharing where we 230 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: are and asking for feedback on what can make things better. 231 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: We moved our website over to Shopify when we start 232 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: to focus more heavily on e commerce in late twenty 233 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: nineteen UM and very similarly, feedback, feedback, feedback, But also 234 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: now we have the capital to be able to invest 235 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: in data to understand you know, what points up what 236 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 1: pages on our website, our customers spending more time on 237 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: what products are they often buying together? How can we 238 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: then tell them, you know, they forgot something or offer 239 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: or somebody who doesn't make a purchase, you know, offer 240 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: some incentive to come back and make a purchase. And 241 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: then how do we keep sharing content that's relevant, that's engaging, 242 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: so that the customers that do sign up with their 243 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: email or phone number are interested and want to hear 244 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: from us, and that it's not just sales tactics that 245 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: were actually providing a value to our customers. Well, you 246 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: I have fun with it, in fact, like I told 247 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: you are in my previous conversation. Though that we're discussing, 248 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: I went back and looked at the cookies, and I'm 249 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: a big girl Scout cookie so so I would like 250 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: the box is cute, And like I said, I was 251 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: just not interested in buying because I went on for 252 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: the five and one. Now the five and one I 253 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: found rather interesting. I've asked you are you are you? 254 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: Are you? Are you a chelf or your pastry shaff 255 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: or your chelf with the school? Are you a how do? 256 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: What did your skill level come from to get into 257 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: this business? Well, I will say that thirty nine dollars 258 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: a month for the LinkedIn premium subscription is the best 259 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: money I've spent because I failed horribly when I got 260 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: into the kitchen and tried to develop the cookies. But 261 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: thankfully I was able to find a product developer food 262 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: scientists who had experience in allergy friendly UM products who 263 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: was willing to take a leap and work with us, 264 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: and we still work with her to this day. UM. 265 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: I think on my background is more in the consumer 266 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: package good space. So I spent nearly a decade at 267 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: Coca Cola prior to starting Partake, and most recently in 268 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: my time there, I was able to lead sales for 269 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: a segment of their venture and venturing an emerging brands division, 270 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: so brands that Coke had identified to invest in require 271 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,079 Speaker 1: I was leading sales and helping integrate those brands into 272 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: the Coca Cola system. And so my background really leans 273 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: much more heavily on the sales and marketing side of 274 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: consumer package goods UM. And then I'm a food allergy mom. 275 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: So like our five and one baking mix came to 276 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 1: life because of a problem my family was facing during 277 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: UM quarantine. Are my daughter's favorite baking mix that we 278 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: used to make all of our pancakes and waffles got discontinued, 279 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: and I called our product developer frantically, and I was like, 280 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: what do I do? There's literally nothing she can safely eat. 281 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: And she whipped up something that we thought was just 282 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: so wonderful that we needed to share it with our 283 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: customers too. And that's how our baking like baking mixed 284 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: line came to be. Okay again, you're so smooth. You 285 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 1: just say all these things so quickly and so articulately. 286 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: Articularly is so fantastic. So five and one mix, okay 287 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: is cake, is muffins, waffles, and it was two other things. 288 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: What were the pancakes and banana back. Can't pancakes and 289 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: banana bread um round out the five. Okay cool, now 290 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: you said you're daughter is allergic to bananas, right, yes, 291 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: so she cannot do banana bread. So we've been experimenting 292 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: with different ways to just turn that into like a 293 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: more of a coffeecake option. It's finally here the season 294 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: of celebration, and no matter how you celebrate with family 295 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: and friends, whether you're preparing for reis magos or karamu 296 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: lighting the manura, are going to midnight mass, Coals has 297 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: just what you need to make those traditions special. Plus 298 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: you'll find gifts for all your loved ones. Send warm 299 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: wishes with cozy fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, blankets and throws. 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Okay, cool, 326 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: So I when I get when I get the five 327 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: and one Micks okay off air, you said, Roshan, you 328 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: gotta make this. What are your favorites to make out 329 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: of the five and one mis muffins? I woke up 330 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: this morning at five thirty because my daughter let me 331 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: know that she would love to. She wanted to have 332 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: fresh faked muffins for breakfast this morning. So easy. The 333 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: pancakes and waffles we do a lot because those are 334 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: just add water, and even with the complicated recipes of muffins, 335 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: it's just pantry staples or kitchen staples like butter um, 336 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: sugar and water that you're adding to it. So they're 337 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: all you know. You can whip them up in five 338 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: minutes or less, which is really nice, and they all 339 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: have ingredients that you can feel really good about and 340 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: they can be shared really easily no matter who's coming 341 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: over for breakfast or brunch, because they're free of the 342 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: top eight allergens, they're gluten free, they're vegan, their non gmo, 343 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: there kosher, and so they meet most people's kind of 344 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: dietary restrictions. Now, I love I always see recipes just 345 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: say add ward. I always want to add my two 346 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: percent milk would that change the recipe if I added 347 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: two percent milk instead of water. We have one of 348 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: our investors at oat milk and he had very good results, 349 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: So I think that you're safe. I will say I 350 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 1: haven't tried it. I'm gonna put that disclaimer out there. 351 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: I just add water, but I know that oat milk works. 352 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that two trying. You know, we we're for 353 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 1: friends now, so I'll let you know how it goes, 354 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: because I love adding that extra little flavor because water 355 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: is just water, you know, milk give you a little texture, 356 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: a little flavor and stuffing that. And I'm not allergic 357 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: to milk, so I enjoy milk on everything that I 358 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: cook with. So I'm gonna add a little milk to 359 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: mine and muffins. So so now that now, now you 360 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: just listen to me. So I'm not allergic to anything 361 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: right now, so that I know of. So I'm running 362 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: across something. This just sent me sent me south yet, 363 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: but I will tell you so if I take your 364 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: muffins and I can add some the cons in it, 365 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: right can id? I can add blueberries? We do. I 366 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: typically do blueberries, or add chocolate chips. You can add 367 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: whatever your heart desires. Oh my god, I'm tasting blue 368 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,479 Speaker 1: beery muffins or the bomb. Okay, so so okay, So 369 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna do is, I'm goa this this week. 370 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take some pictures. I'm gonna do your mix. 371 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 1: Whenever I get it. It should be if it comes 372 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 1: this week, because I ordered it yesterday, it should come 373 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: this week. Okay, So when it comes, I'm gonna immediately 374 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do some blueberries. I'm gonna do the milk things. 375 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: Just show you have fun with I'm not trying. I'm 376 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 1: not no, I'm not no food doctor. You know where 377 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: I just disseminate things to go well, it just just 378 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: not work that. I'm just gonna do it. I like 379 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: to have fun. And so I have a TV show 380 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: that I'm launching, and uh, the Atlanta market isn't gonna 381 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: be in two million homes. I love to be able 382 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: to introduce your product on that because I love doing 383 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: simple things that can. My whole thing is about I'm 384 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: not a guy who sits around. I'm like you, my 385 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: degrees in mathematics, I have not. I'm not a trained 386 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,479 Speaker 1: pastry chef and mother train cook or chef I just 387 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: have natural gifts and so so what I do is 388 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: I like to do things were fast. So I would 389 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: like instead of going to the apple pie, I gonna 390 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: get the cans on the shelf and put that in 391 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: my apple pie. You know, some people their mind over 392 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 1: the dnies. Oh my god, they using kid apples. Hey hey, hey, 393 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: calm down. People out there there own this shift obviously 394 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: for a reason because somebody out there by Okay, So 395 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: with your product, I feel that your products to say way, 396 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: some people are looking at the go well five and one. 397 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: You know it's not you know, it's not breaking it down. 398 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,959 Speaker 1: But there's a customer out there that wants to use 399 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: your product because they don't have time or they may 400 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 1: have never experienced that level of shop or baking ability. 401 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 1: And so that's why I'm really excited about your product. 402 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: Was that the thought process. I know you were saying, hey, 403 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: your daughter, the battery they was using for your daughter 404 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: was not available. What is really driving you as a 405 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: business owner? Are you trying to other than the allergy free? 406 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: You know, because you're black Sea or your female, your entrepreneur, 407 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: it's a certain degree of passion is driving you behind 408 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: all this this whole food industry that you're right now 409 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: doing very well because you're in six thousand stores nationwide. 410 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 1: I will say that when I started the company, the 411 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: name Partake came from the idea of people with food 412 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: allergies like my daughter, being able to partake, but as 413 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: a woman, as a person of color, as a first 414 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: time founder of first time my parents didn't go to 415 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,479 Speaker 1: graduate from high school like first time college generation first 416 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: do you know what I mean? First generation college graduate? 417 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: Excuse me? UM, I realized that there were a lot 418 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: more people who needed an opportunity to partake UM pun intended. 419 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: And so what our business is really all about is 420 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 1: inclusivity and lifting as we climb. And the way that 421 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,880 Speaker 1: we bring that to life is you know, as we've 422 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: grown the business, the thing that's made me the most 423 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: excited is the impact that we're able to have on 424 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: underfunded and underestimated and underrepresented groups of people. UM. And 425 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: so those partnerships have been We partner with a group 426 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 1: called the Food and Food Equality Initiative UM. It was 427 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: a it was it's a nonprofit that was started by 428 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: um Emily Brown, a black woman that's based in Kansas 429 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 1: City and her family was experiencing food and security, and 430 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: they had the double way. Amy of her children also 431 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: have food allergies, and they went to their local food 432 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: pantry and there was literally only two things her kids 433 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: can safely eat, tomatoes and potatoes. UM and food allergies 434 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: have a much higher incidents in the Black and Latino communities. 435 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: And so how do we get foods like hours that 436 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: everyone deserves to eat. How do we get education and 437 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: advocacy for these communities? And so we've been able to 438 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: partner with Emily's group and feed thousands of family through 439 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: monetary donations, through product donations, UM and the other UH 440 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: cause that we're really really working. The champion is diversity 441 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: in the food space. I think that far, far too long, 442 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: there have been folks who don't look like us who 443 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: are making decisions about what we put into our bodies. 444 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: And so, how do we create a more diverse food industry? UM. 445 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: You know companies that startups it seems like we all 446 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: started New York and San Francisco are Austin and giving 447 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,479 Speaker 1: access to founders from all over, giving access to college 448 00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: students to get the entry level positions, whether it be 449 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: at startups, are big CpG companies to help make the 450 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 1: decisions and grow into the leadership roles that are going 451 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: to change and shape our food economy moving forward. And 452 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: so we launched a fellowship program called the Black Futures 453 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: and Food and Beverage Fellowship. We partnered with five HBCUs, 454 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: We selected eight fellows, and we provided an eight week 455 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: curriculum of the nuts and bolts of the CpG industry 456 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: and then it culminated with an opportunity to either get 457 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: a full time interns of summer internship or full time 458 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: entry level job. And I'm really excited for that program 459 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: to be even bigger this they we're partnering with several 460 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: most more schools hoping to be able to impact more fellows. 461 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: And so, you know, how do we provide access? How 462 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: do we leave the door a little bit wider open 463 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,919 Speaker 1: than it was when we started Partake? But Partake has 464 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: the Black Futures and Food and Beverage Fellowship Program for 465 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: the active HBCU students. HBCUs became the forefront of a 466 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: lot of news. A lot of high profile corporated executives 467 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: and firms decided to hpc used or what is when 468 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: you say the Black Futures and Food and Beverage Fellowship program, 469 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: what exactly is that? So we were fortunate enough to 470 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 1: be a part of a Tabanis incubator program back in 471 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: and the founder of Tavani, Hamdi Ulakaya wanted to make 472 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: it easier for food startups to bring better food to 473 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: more people. And he had been on this journey you 474 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaker 1: know that took ten years to build a billion dollar brand, 475 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: and he was like, what can I do to make 476 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 1: y'all's journey a little bit shorter? And so similarly, I'm 477 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: coming from big CpG and now I'm out a food startup. 478 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: And the thing that has remained true across both is, 479 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: unfortunately there aren't that many black or brown folks in 480 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: leadership roles. So how can I provide access, whether it's 481 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: through education or through social capital, through introductions, through access 482 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: to executives in the CpG space to help these students 483 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: get the opportunities and the education that they need to 484 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 1: thrive in the food industry. And so for us, that 485 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: was we opened up an application process. We ran an 486 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: eight week curriculum where we taught, you know, all the 487 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: different facets of the food industry in a condensed period 488 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: of time. Supply chain food Safety, UM E Commerce because 489 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: I know that when I was in college, I assumed 490 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: that if you worked for a big food company, you 491 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 1: could do marketing. I didn't think about all the other 492 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 1: aspects that it takes to run a food business. And 493 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,639 Speaker 1: so we want to give those students that education and 494 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: then it culminates with a virtual Career Day, which we 495 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: hope to be in person this year UM and we 496 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: had attendees from companies like Ubani, from Beyond Meat, from 497 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: Once Upon a Farm that we're there to give the 498 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: students internships or job offers and to learn more about 499 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: the students, and so it was really exciting to see 500 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 1: how that turned into something actionable. I think often women 501 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: and people of color are over mentored and not there's 502 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: not enough action. Like I always go to the simple 503 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: phrase of send the wire or make the hire, and 504 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: so that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to 505 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: be action oriented to health the students get jobs. Well, 506 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: you're fantastic, and uh, I know I've talked up a 507 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: little bit about five five and one baking mix, but 508 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: we didn't talk about the cookies. So I want to 509 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: talk about the different cookies, and they also want to 510 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,479 Speaker 1: talk about the future products that you have coming out. 511 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the cookies that I have not ordered 512 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 1: yet that I will be ordered because I've been reminded 513 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: politely I forgot to buy the cookies. So tell us 514 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 1: about the cookie lat Well, you might get another email. 515 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: You're gonna come back to me the way that our 516 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: system is. But the cookies, we have eight flavors UM, 517 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: five crunchy flavors, three soft baked flavors. Everything's free of 518 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: the top eight allergens. Everything's gluten free and vegan and 519 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: made with less sugar than our competitors. And the gluten 520 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: free and vegan space made with really simple ingredients that 521 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: you can understand. And then we have two seasonal We're 522 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: actually going to come up with three seasonal varieties this year, 523 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: so we have a pumpkin spice and then two seasonal 524 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: varieties that come closer to the Christmas holidays. UM And 525 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: that was our first flagship products, So we had three 526 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: flavors when we launched, so it's been exciting to see 527 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,679 Speaker 1: that grow to ten flavors of cookies. Well, you know, 528 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: I am a dessert nut. You know everybody knows I 529 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: eat my dessert for eat my meal from in a restaurant, 530 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: you sit down with the nies before when you order 531 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: your meal. Homost excuse me, I need to dessert me. 532 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: That's how much of a dessert person. I am. So 533 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,239 Speaker 1: so when I'm so, I'm excited about these cookies now 534 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: because you know, I like to crumble up my cookies 535 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: and I'd like to put some nice ice cream on top. 536 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: And I put a little whooped cream and put a 537 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 1: little I put a lot of extra that comes on 538 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: top of it. So, so what do you because are 539 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 1: you are you? Are you are a fan of your 540 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: cookies from the standpoint do you what do you do 541 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: with your cookies? You do it with? What do you 542 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 1: eat your cookies? You just eat them individually. I eat 543 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 1: them individually in the afternoon for like a pick me 544 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: up with like a coffee or tea. I do crumble 545 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: them on top of ice cream at some times. Sometimes 546 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: I make ice cream sandwiches with them. Um. I used 547 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,239 Speaker 1: them for a cookie for a pie crust before, like 548 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: our carrot cake arch and just st there. So I 549 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: do lots of stuff with So you say you you 550 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: crumbling them up for as a crust. That sounds which 551 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: which brand do you use? What brand of cookie do 552 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: you use as your crust? So we have a ginger 553 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,360 Speaker 1: snap and we have a carrot cake, and so they 554 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: make a really nice substitute for like a Graham cracker crust. 555 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,959 Speaker 1: So if you just, like um, crumble the cookies up 556 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: and mix it with like a melted butter melted and 557 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: you kind of pack it in, you cann't create a 558 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: pot crust. Wow, you really? So you're really excited me 559 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: about because because I I do a cheesecake, I think 560 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: that'd be cool to use as my cheesecakes. I have 561 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: a lot of like I got about eighty different recipes 562 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: app in my recipe app and I think they're using 563 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 1: it is because I just put that in the mixing 564 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: and just ground it up and it becomes very fine. 565 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: And now can I put sugar with that? And do 566 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 1: you put sugar with the crust with the butter or 567 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: do you just loose just the butter and the crust 568 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 1: when you grind it up. I'm talking about the ginger snaps. 569 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: I use just the butter and the crust. I'll send 570 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 1: you since we're friendly now, I'll send you a recipe. 571 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 1: And we actually did one with the cheesecake. So I'll 572 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: send you the recipe that we use, but I don't 573 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: typically add extra sugar. Um, but you totally could. Yeah, 574 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: send me that recipe and I do it on my show. Okay, 575 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: because the sound the man is because are your person? 576 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 1: Does your recipe include sour cream? Is no sour cream? 577 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 1: It doesn't have sour cream, just because we try to 578 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: avoid dairy where we can see me and you, Saint Paige, 579 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: I do not put sour cream in my cheese, in 580 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: my and my and my cheesecakes at all. I don't 581 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: know why you're gonna add all. You gotta add extra 582 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 1: sugar to offset the sour. So we're on the same 583 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 1: page right there. I'm gonna stuff here with some apples. 584 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do you up right and make you proud 585 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 1: of me when I do my cheesecake your way. So 586 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: sending the recipe to me it would be great. And 587 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: in closing, what's what's the future? You have six thousand 588 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 1: stores and we're talking about worldwide. You're you're you're fantastic 589 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: post person. Uh, your incredible mom, incredible young business person. 590 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: I love the mentorship campaigns that you have out there, 591 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: especially involved in HBCUs. What is the future Partake? My 592 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: goal is that will continue to grow across multiple product 593 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: lines that one day you'll see Partake in every aisle 594 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,719 Speaker 1: of your grocery store, UM and in stores around the country. 595 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: While six thousand is a big jump from where we were, 596 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: I think is a ton of opportunity ahead of us UM. 597 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: So we're excited to grow the business and along the way, 598 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: continue to grow the impact that we're having on our community. Okay, cool, 599 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: here's our relationship your Mia cheesecake recipe. Okay cool, I've 600 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: ordered my five and one mix, so I owe you 601 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: some some pictures at least of me making the product. 602 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do bluebliry muffriends. I gotta do. I've yet 603 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: to do blueberry muffriends. So I'm I'm gonna take your 604 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: mix and do a blueberry mums. I've done the bandana nuts, 605 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: I've done all the crumbles and all that, the apple crumbles. 606 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: Now blueberries. I'm excited about that, because are you warm? 607 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: Bluebery and muffin for breakfast is like ostanding someonea do 608 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: that and so and from there we're gonna go first 609 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: and we just see where our relationship goes from there 610 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: is that cool that sounds like a plan. I appreciate 611 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: you having me. It was wonderful chatting with you. Okay, 612 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: thank you, and thank you Dennis Warder for coming on 613 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: Money Making Conversations. If you want to hear any of 614 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: my interviews or see any of my interviews, please go 615 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: to Money Making Conversation dot com or subscribe to my 616 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: YouTube chapel. I ra Sean mcdown, I am your in 617 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 1: this season of giving, Coals has gifts for all your 618 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: loved ones. 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Visit help Jews now dot org. 628 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: That's help jews now dot org on April four, Dr 629 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 1: Martin Luther King was shot and killed in myth. A 630 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: petty criminal named James Earl Ray was arrested. Case closed 631 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: right James Sylvay was a pawn for the official story. 632 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 1: Some of the evidence, as far as I was concerned, 633 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: did not match the circumstances. This is the MLK Tapes. 634 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: The first episodes are available now. Listen on the I 635 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.