Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julia Clauser, co-founder, and CEO of gldn hour from Toronto, Canada.
Tell us all about your business...
My co-founder, Jessica Dumont Nadeau, and I developed gldn hour when we realized how fantastic collagen was for your skin, hair, and nails but taking it daily felt like a chore. Like any beauty routine, you need to commit to it daily to see results. We developed a beverage that not only makes taking collagen easy and convenient, but it’s also refreshing and delicious, all the while helping people nourish their beauty and wellness from the inside out. Our collagen-infused sparkling waters are made with marine (type I) collagen for many reasons. First and foremost, type I collagen is the best type for its anti-aging properties, and it is the most abundant collagen in the body with the highest bioavailability. From all types of collagen, science has shown type I is the best and most effective for skin health, minimizing wrinkles, and improving skin health and hydration. Our customer is either already trying to commit to a daily collagen regime but is tired of making their concoctions, or is someone looking towards wellness for ways to naturally boost beauty from within and give a little more love to their self-care routine.
What's your background and motivation to grow as an entrepreneur?
I am a wellness fanatic, a food lover, and am very committed to my beauty routines. I began my professional career in the grocery business and realized food is something I am passionate about. I worked in many capacities before launching gldn hour with my co-founder Jessica from private label product development to partner at a boutique brokerage working with start-up local food brands in the natural space. We loved what we were doing and had a dream of starting our brand. We fell in love with the benefits of collagen and were convinced the world would too. A shift was underway in the way we nourished beauty and focused on self-care. We knew this was it; we needed to make beauty drinkable. Being able to wake up every day and work on something you created is a feeling we don't take for granted and truly motivates us. We worked hard to bring gldn hour to live, and to see how much our consumers love our product and are using it exactly how we designed it is gratifying. If Jessica and I didn't have each other, it probably would be a different story, and we do feel lucky to have been able to start this brand together. We are business partners on paper but sisters in real life. We continue to be each other's biggest supporters and motivate each other every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We are entirely self-funded, female-founded, launched during a pandemic, and had many moments of doubt in our first year. Today, we are just over a year old and are finishing 2021 in 1000 stores when our goal was half this. Our biggest accomplishment is that we continue to be brave, believe in ourselves, and never give up regardless of the hardship. We were able to bring a sip of self-care to life and witness our dream come true.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an entrepreneur?
A business is competing in a real-life marketplace and with other people trying to do the same thing. Everyone is trying to win, no safety blankets, no one to protect you, and unfortunately, the more successful you become, the more people want to take what you have. You have to get used to this feeling.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Starting a business is like growing a plant:
- Sprout the seed. The pre-launch phase takes the longest and requires the most attention to detail. Make sure your idea is sound, and you are providing a solution to a real. This is when you need to commit even when you don’t know where to begin, and it may seem impossible to start. Believe in your idea.
- Water, light, daily care. The early phase will be where you will be financially committed, working hard to nurture it every day with little to show for it. Perseverance is essential, and accept that it will take time. Some of the slowest growers are the strongest.
- It blossoms: You are in business. The feeling like it would never come and see the fruits of your labor is when you realize it was all worth it for the first time. The quality of the fruit will be determined by #1 & #2. Don’t regret your commitment, and never forget, business plants are perennial – they flower intermittently, and in the downtime, they need the most attention.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
We launched gldn hour a year ago today. As young Canadian female entrepreneurs, entirely self-funded, we expected challenges, but nothing prepared us for the unprecedented variables of the pandemic. What we had on our side was passion, agility, and dedicating hours upon hours of hard work to our mission - to create a product that would nurture our bodies from the inside out. We genuinely believe self-care is not only essential for wellness but vital for beauty. And today, a sip of self-care is born. We are so excited to share the gldn hour with you! All of our collagen-infused sparkling waters are made with only the cleanest and purest ingredients. We are deeply in love with each flavor and hope you feel the same.
Where can people find you?
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.