Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brook Eddy, founder of Bhakti, located in Boulder, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bhakti is a craft-brewed fresh ginger black tea made with only sustainably sourced (Fair Trade, Organic, Non-GMO) ingredients and 100% recyclable packaging. We offer our original fresh ginger and unsweetened fresh ginger in multi-serve packaging to create your own iced chai, hot chai, iced tea, Arnold Palmer - or to use as an ingredient in smoothies, matcha lattes, or Boba drinks. Bhakti is female-founded, a Certified B Corp, and practices our Bhakti, or devotion, through giving to organizations that empower and support women and girls through our gitagiving.org platform.
Tell us about yourself
I couldn’t find a masala tea I could drink after spending three months in India, so I created a fiery recipe on my stove for myself. I was there studying an organization based on Bhakti, or devotion through action, so with squealing twins in the background, I decided to launch a company with my brew and a mission of social justice and sustainability - that would be my Bhakti in the world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Still strong after 15 years in business and my innovation in launching 12 different products over the last ten years. From iced chai and sparkling tea bottled drinks to vegan chai egg nog, spicy drinking chocolate, and cardamom chocolate chip ice cream.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Raising growth capital and nonstop manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution issues.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Start with a small geography/demographic as a test market. Grow slowly. Build a team you want to have fun with 24/7 and enjoy the process of each growth step. Have money!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://drinkbhakti.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhaktifans
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkbhakti/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BhaktiFans
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brook-eddy-78615b11/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.