Early values set up business success
My first business was selling bird callers at the Nelson Saturday Market in the summer of 1994. I was five years old and my sister, Chloe, was 10. It was her second business, so she was on finances.
Chloe’s first business was selling dried cabbage tree leaves, 20 to a bundle, to neighbours as fire-starters.
The general principles of entrepreneurship were ingrained in these early experiences: too many cabbage tree leaves on the ground; neighbours wanting easy tinder for their evening fire; add the feel-good of supporting a kid with a dream; be honest, authentic and true to your values (which means just be you)... join the dots.
Fast forward 15 years and my Dad and I were looking for a healthy alternative to energy drinks. Dad is a world champion swimmer and I was competing nationally in triathlon. We were both training in circles that were looking for more nutritious foods to train harder and recover faster.
Classic energy drinks filled with sugar, caffeine, and artificial colours were not doing the trick. We felt ‘‘energy’’ should be about fuelling your body with nutrients needed to perform at your best.
My sister Chloe had the foresight of hydrating chia seeds as a more nutritious energy option. As a neuroscientist, and with a diploma in herbal medicine, she was perfectly placed to understand the health benefits of seeds packed with protein, iron, electrolytes, antioxidants, omega 3 and fibre.
Chia seeds need to be hydrated for the body to access these nutrients. Chloe saw a gap in the market for a sports recovery drink, without sugar, and with the added nutrition found in hydrated chia seeds.
Chloe brought the concept to life in 2012. The first batch was made by blending the hydrated chia seeds with local blackcurrants in Dad’s garage. We shared the nutritious drink with our triathlon and swimming buddies and treated their thumbs-up as market validation for our first production run.
Sales were slow to start. While working full time, Chloe knocked on the door of local cafes and supermarkets. Those that said yes in the first year are the reason our business exists. For every tick of approval there were two rejections. Throw in a bunch of production issues (including a two-metre fountain caused by chia seeds clogging the filler of a local brewery) and it is easy to see why most Kiwi businesses do not survive the first year.
As sales grew, I watched my sister in awe from the 18th storey of a corporate law firm on Shortland St in Auckland. I was feeling a lack of connection with my work. When I dug deeper I realised that happiness, for me, means doing work that reflects my values. Entrepreneurship was calling, and when Chloe offered an invitation to become a full-time Chia Sister, I packed my bags, returned to Nelson and ditched the heels for a hairnet. Starting a small business was much harder than I thought it would be. There have been many defeats along the way. We have learnt that we do not need to hide our failures. Every business has ups and downs and by revealing our challenges to our community we become more human, and in return, receive a more human and understanding response back.
An example of this happened last month when, through an ordering slip up, we used steel-cut oats rather than rolled oats in a batch of Chia Sisters Muesli. The texture was completely different to our usual variety. We did not want to dispose of the muesli because it tasted great and we work hard to minimize waste. We sent an email to our followers titled ‘‘We Messed Up’’ offering a discount and free home delivery. The muesli sold out in 90 minutes, less than 24 hours after coming out of the oven. We broke even, and the importance of being honest and transparent was reaffirmed.
We do not have any formal training in business. Instead we run Chia Sisters by the same principles we first learnt at the Nelson Market in 1994. We are honest, open, provide a higher quality product, innovate when there are no solutions and look after people and the environment along the way. It is these values that have enabled Chia Sisters to succeed as a profitable, sustainable business and it is these values that will enable us to overcome the hurdles of the future.
When I dug deeper I realised that happiness, for me, means doing work that reflects my values.