Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Vanessa Diab, founder, and president of Freedom Jars, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Have you ever indulged in a delicious meal, but in the end, felt so full and tired that you immediately regretted it? Of course, you have. We all have! It's so much fun to eat delicious foods because food is a source of enjoyment. It also brings communities together in a way that nothing else truly can. But when we eat unhealthy foods too often, it can be to our detriment.

Freedom Jars was created to help solve this problem. We make food that positively impacts your health and your happiness. Our goal is to design food that's exciting, delicious, and craveable but also leaves you feeling energized and nourished like food intended to.

We create meals and grocery products that are all-natural, vegan, and gluten-free. Our recipes contain some of the world's greatest superfoods and are handmade fresh in Toronto. I created Freedom Jars for people who want to eat healthily but don't want a healthy food to feel like a chore. And for our busy customers on the go, they can trust that Freedom Jars' meals and products are made with honest and simple ingredients. Our goal is to provide customers with craveable options that make them feel light and elevated, allowing them to feel like their best selves.

Tell us about yourself

The seeds of inspiration were planted 11 years ago. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and was suffering from debilitating symptoms like numbness, extreme fatigue, pins and needles, and some vision loss. I thought that I was going to end up in a wheelchair at the age of 25. I had lost my quality of life. I’ve always been a social butterfly and an adventurous person, so when this all happened, at some point, I decided that I had enough. Soon after, I took a stance that would change my life forever. It was as simple as saying to myself, “I am done. From this point on, I am taking charge of this disease. I will not let this disease take charge of my life.” Soon after, I found an anti-inflammatory diet, specifically for patients with MS who were interested in natural healing. The diet eliminated foods like dairy, most meats, gluten, fried foods, and junk food. The diet focused on whole foods and plant-based items like nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits.

Within days I could see my energy levels rising back to normal, and a glimpse of my old life came back. Long story short, after many years of healing naturally, I became inspired to start a food company. One that sold the foods that saved my quality of life. One that celebrated the ingredients that I had learned to love and enjoy. I hope that by building this company, I can keep teaching people the value of nutrition. It has been a pleasure to hear from our customers and to learn that we have been positively impacting our community. I couldn’t be more grateful!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment was simply had the guts to start this company. It takes a lot of courage (and maybe even a little naivety) to build a business from the ground up. I am so proud of my grit and effort, unwavering vision, and self-trust. Being an entrepreneur is all about consistency. So it’s the little accomplishments every day that allow you to build something great. But the most important part is starting.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed. It’s also easy to forget about taking breaks or vacations. So my biggest piece of advice for a thriving entrepreneur is: taking a break is productive! Don’t be afraid to recharge your batteries. Otherwise, your company will suffer, as it is an extension of you.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Don’t be afraid to charge the prices that you are worth, even if you think it’s a lot. The right people will buy your product or your service. Don’t undercut yourself. Owning a business is a lot of work. Set your prices correctly at the beginning to ensure that it’s worth the hard work. It’s interesting how income is directly correlated to our self-value and self-worth. I’ve made the mistake of cutting a deal just for the thrill of making the deal, only to learn later that it wasn’t even worth it (in some cases, potentially losing money).
  2. Stop overthinking. I’m going to say it again: stop overthinking, stop overanalyzing. Follow your intuition and trust your gut. You can always fix your mistakes. But the biggest mistake is not starting because you lack trust in yourself.
  3. Follow your joy. This goes for everybody, but especially business owners. When you follow your joy, you are creating so much more prosperity for yourself. People are attracted to you because you’re literally glowing! Follow your joy and watch everything fall into place with minimal effort.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://freedomjars.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-diab/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomjars/

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.