This side histories spotlight question and answer includes a business personality behind Nicky Semin, 29 -year -old, Atlanta, Georgia -based olive brand. Freestyle breakfast. Learn more about his business travel, here. Answers of length and explanation. Amendments have been made.
Image Credit: Courtesy Freestyle Breakfast. Nikki Seam.
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What was your day job or basic profession when you started your side histl?
I was out of my management consulting job, in which special projects were led by Wuspes Cheese Croup.
When did you start stirring your side, and where did you get inspired for it?
In 2021 the idea of a freestyle breakfast came. I got inspiration during pandemic diseases, as olive bars are closed in grocery stores, and I was forced to fix my olive from traditional olive corrosion. In a jar, “eye hair” was not cutting it for me in terms of quality and convenience. So I decided to create an easy, more enjoyable way of eating olive.
Related: They started stirring ‘clear’ food items aside. It accelerated 300,000 monthly revenue – on track of more than $ 20 million in 2025.
Did you take some first steps to get your team off the ground? How much money/investment did it get at its inception?
I started focusing on consumer data. I used to live in the reports, and if there was a real demand, I run a group of surveys for pressure test. I will stand in the olive corridor at the grocery store and interview olive lovers about their priorities. After calling more than 200 co -packs, I was able to find a partner to resurrect my vision for a freestyle breakfast. Our packaging design, material and the first production run, I spent about $ 50,000 saving about $ 50,000 to go to the market.
Are there any free or paid resources that have been particularly helpful for you to start and run this business?
It doesn’t matter that the search for communication with the industry, a community and other founders is invaluable. When I was first starting, I would stack my Friday with meetings with other CPG founders to see what I could learn from their victory and their mistakes. For my industry, the Startup CPG community is a great place to find other partners who are desperate to help and help. In running a business, a source that has recently been incredible to us is Ticotok – it is free organic access to millions of potential users, and we are spending a lot of time on this platform.
If you can go back to your business journey and change a process or approach, what will happen, and do you wish you to perform it differently?
I would have taken a long time to build a strong bench of part -time assistance. Initially, I was doing everything from shipping samples to arrange for Quick Box and respond to customer emails at midnight. This, of course. Scrup was, but it was also drain and unstable. Looking back, I could soon get helpful help to free my time for the most effective work. Some of my best fares are my virtual assistant. They really save me so much time, and the business could not run without them.
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When it comes to this particular business, what is the thing you are particularly challenging and/or surprising that those who come to this kind of work should be ready for, but are unlikely?
The retail distribution may seem interesting, but it is incredibly practically intense. From logistics coordination to distributor’s deductions, it is a constant challenge, from planning for promotion. It can be expensive to get your product on the shelf, and this is just the beginning. The real entertainment comes to ensure that the product is actually selling the shelf.
Can you miss a particular example when you go wrong? How did you do it right?
We had operational hiccups very soon. A nightmare came when we received our latest packaging order from our supplier, and again there were holes in the packaging near the zipper again. We did not realize it unless we manufacture thousands of products. Fortunately, we managed to accelerate a new order of packaging and fully tested it, and now we are hyper vigilant about all the suppliers with whom we work.
How long did you take you to see permanent monthly income? How much did the Side Histal earn?
Since I did not go to the farmers’ market, we tested the product market fit by putting the product online and seeing it. Within the first two days of launch, we sold more than $ 10,000 of olive olive. I started to see permanent income after the first year, once our products went down to the larger retailers and demands could be predicted.
Related: ‘You may go viral overnight’: This college student and his brother spent $ 5,000 to start side histories – now their brand is earning more than $ 175 million
How does the growth and tax now look?
Freestyle is now in about 5,000 5000 retail locations, including entire foods, targets, CVS, Harris Tetters and giant food, and we are just starting. We have seen strong retail speed and monthly sales of six figures, which increases at a high rate rate of purchases in increased retail distribution and our current retail footprint.
How much time do you spend working on your business on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? How do you create this time? What does a typical day or week of work take place for you?
It started as a side stir but quickly turned into a full -time job. Now I work at full -time work, often from my home office and sometimes out of our garage, which has become overflow storage. I work a lot of work seven days a week, lighter over the weekend. I like to use the weekend to catch the admin works or internal plans and visit the store. My days are different, but usually add a mixture of operations, sales out reaches and strategies, content creation and team management. I also try to make time for creative and strategic thinking so I don’t get stuck in the process of implementation.
What do you enjoy running this business?
I like to create nothing and see people really enjoying it. It never gets old when a freestyle detects breakfast and shares what it has become an essential breakfast for them, whether they are diabetic, find low calorie breakfast or just get a good olive. The best people are among the people we have turned into a deep green side, who hated olives until they try freestyle!
Related: ‘Stir’ he started from his station wagon a nationwide business that hit Million 300 million: ‘What we do is very easy’
What is the best piece of your specific, viable business advice?
For success, you need encouragement, passion and perseverance. You will have to face many rejection, navigating operational challenges and sometimes feeling as if the world is falling around you. Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster. I want to be grounded every day by focusing on getting better. This growing improvement in business really increases the incredible thing.
This article is part of our ongoing young business series that highlights stories, challenges and victories Young business owner.