This week we’re talking with Alicia Sable-Hunt, RN, MBA, who is the Founder and President of Sable’s Foods (www.SablesFoods.com). She has created a unique niche business within the Nutritional Bars and Supplements space. Here’s her story:

1. Tell us about your business:

   Sable’s Foods is a line of Nutritional Empowerment Bars® designed for the cancer community by the cancer community.

   Developed with the input of nutritionists, cancer specialists, and most importantly, with patients themselves, I have created a line of bars that are baked like a brownie, bursting with flavor and offer a nutritional value enjoyed by the cancer community, athletes and everyone else in search of Nutritional Empowerment!

2. Why did you start this business?

   Sable’s Foods Nutritional Empowerment Bars were born from firsthand knowledge developed over many years caring for cancer patients. As a long-serving oncology nurse, I understood the immense struggle of those fighting cancer and what I term cancer’s “nutritional challenge”—the crucial need for proper nutrition during treatment coupled with the loss of appetite and digestive issues that often prevent patients from receiving the nourishment they need. Discontent with patients’ lack of flavorful yet nutritionally balanced options, I felt compelled to direct my experience and empathy toward a solution. I knew that cancer patients needed foods that would meet their specific nutritional requirements while offering flavors and textures that would taste great and be easy to eat. I also wanted to offer them something portable, as I strongly believe that patients should be able to thrive while continuing with their daily lives during treatment and recovery. Championing this cause, in 2006, I stepped into my kitchen and began baking up a solution.

3. What is your background?

   I am a Registered Nurse with a master’s degree in business administration. My commitment to the cancer community stems from over 15 years working as a bedside oncology nurse, clinical research nurse, manager of a leading orphan-cancer consortium, and consultant to disease-specific non-profit organizations.

4. What skills did you need to acquire for your new endeavor?

   My expertise lies with the cancer population not in food production. The first thing I needed to do, was to identify my strengths and weaknesses then hire consultants to fill the voids. That level of self-reflection is paramount. The second skill set necessary for success is the ability to identify, engage and manage vendors. Due to the nature of my target market, it was necessary to engage experts in the field of food products, nutrition, nutritional supplements, etc. It is time consuming yet critical to set forth clear deliverables, create budgets and manage every step of your vendor relationships. Without this level of oversight, you are at risk of spending too much money and not obtaining the results you need.

5. Biggest challenges?

   I think the biggest challenge I face as a start-up company is building brand awareness. The sheer amount of money and time required to build a brand in the food product industry is enormous. Especially, in my case as my product is designed for the cancer community. While my market is expanding to include athletes, busy moms and dads, teenagers and other medical conditions, my brand activities center around the cancer community.

   Due to the nature of cancer, we all know someone that has been touched by the disease. Therefore, everyone should know that my product exists; however, my consumer is a sub-sector of “everyone”. Building brand recognition within the food product industry and the cancer community has been a challenge as it is for any start-up company.

6. What have you learned and advice to others:

   I knew that starting my own company would difficult. I even knew it would be very difficult. I didn’t know it would be so lonely. I am a one woman show responsible for every aspect of the business even in my outsourced model. The all consuming responsibility of the day to day activities of the business as well as managing the expectations of customers, investors, vendors, and my own expectations is very difficult. Burnout is a very real part of an entrepreneur’s pathway. Simply finding time for you and allowing yourself to the take the time, is critical to remain motivated, creative and effective.

a friend

This Cottage Industries article features a company called “Mama’s Goodies, ”which produces Iranian-inspired artisan nut butter brittles in unique flavors including sesame, which is traditional in Iran, and almond, another Iranian flavor. They also produce the brittles in cashew, pecan and macadamia – coconut flavors. Their story is a good one to share around the holidays because they are Iranian immigrants who are living the American dream as entrepreneurs by starting their own family business.

Here is their story:

In 1979, Rohy Khorshidian, her husband and their four young daughters fled Iran for a better life in the United States. They left behind all of their personal belongings but retained the things deeply rooted in their heritage. One of those things was Rohy’s old-world family recipe for nut butter brittles.

In the early years as new immigrants, Rohy strived to help her family adjust to their new life. One thing she did to “make her feel at home” was to work in the kitchen making her nut brittles that she had become known for in Iran. She began with the traditional flavors of sesame and almond. Before long, Rohy was recognized throughout the community for her nut brittles, often taking them to family gatherings and giving them to neighbors as gifts. When she was invited to an event, the host would often call and say, “Don’t bring anything except your nut brittle”.

Her daughter Kathy saw her mother’s gift as an opportunity. As a former businesswoman turned stay-home-mom, Kathy decided to market her mother’s brittles, but also to teach her young children the importance of following their dreams. Kathy lost her husband to a sudden illness when her children were only 9 and 5 years old. Today, her son, Ryan, is 14 and her daughter Dana is 10 years old. She wanted to show her own children the importance of pursuing your passion, moving forward and feeding the entrepreneurial spirit. And thus, in 2008, Mama’s Goodies was born.

Today, Mama’s Goodies produces five unique flavors of nut butter brittles –and Rohy and Kathy are always there to taste and approve each batch to insure they have that old-world, homemade quality. Rohy still makes her own batches every week, which she continues to share with friends and family.

The skills that she needed to acquire to start the business were to learn the ins and outs of the food industry, learn how to market a food item, but most importantly, learn how to deal with many walks of people.

Their biggest challenge has been to Brand the company name in this economy when many retailers are not adding on new vendors AND downsizing their current inventory.

Kathy has learned that there is nothing that is easy in life, but if you love what you do and have a true passion for it you will succeed no matter what the economy is doing or the odds whether the odds are stacked against you in a food industry. She says that she loves to cite Confucius’ phrase “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”. She is living proof of that phrase!

To order from Kathy and Rohy, visit www.mamasgoodies.com.

a friend

Here is an excerpt from an interview we did with our friend Lori Krolik, who has a Northern California-based business called More Time For You. Rubbingnickels.com is looking for home-based business owners to share their business start-up experiences. Please contact us from our home page if you have a story you’d like to share. We hope you learn from and enjoy her story.

Tell us about your business:

I’m a professional organizer and time management consultant. I provide de-cluttering assistance to individuals and small businesses. I also help clients set up organization systems personalized to their needs including all rooms of the house (office, kitchen, garage, closets, kids’ rooms, etc.), office organization and paper management.

Why did you start this business?

I had a passion for organization and I liked having the ability to help others. I also wanted to do something that would allow me flexibility while raising my kids.

What is your background?

Before starting my own business I was a CPA having worked for a large public accounting firm and also in the real estate industry.

Read the rest of this entry »

a friend

As the job market takes a tumble, many people are not in the regular work force but are finding other ways to bring in money. One way, Cottage Industry, is the production of goods and services in our homes. In the past, this meant that workers would take home raw materials such as cloth or wood from their place of work, and turn them into garments or tools to be sold by their employer. With the arrival of eBay as a place to sell goods and Craig’s List as a place to sell local services, there are many people who are able to work out of their homes in this way. Read the rest of this entry »

a friend