Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lewis Hornby, Founder and CEO of Jelly Drops, located in London, United Kingdom.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Jelly Drops are an innovative candy designed to support hydration in those who struggle to consume enough fluid. They’re made with 95% water, contain added electrolytes, and are sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan, allowing people to top up their water intake in a delicious and enjoyable way.
I originally designed them for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, who often struggle to realize they’re thirsty or otherwise would require assistance to drink. Jelly Drops have an eye-catching colorful design and a teardrop shape that makes them easy to handle, as well as a solid, yet smooth, texture that encourages independent hydration.
Since their launch, not only have they allowed countless people with dementia and their loved ones to worry about hydration less, but they have also become popular with many others who also struggle with fluid intake. We regularly hear stories from a wide range of people who love Jelly Drops - from those recovering from strokes or undergoing chemotherapy to pregnant women or fussy children.
Tell us about yourself
I first designed Jelly Drops when my Grandma Pat, who had dementia, was rushed to the hospital after becoming completely unresponsive. She was taken to intensive care, and my family was told to prepare for the worst, but it was discovered she was severely dehydrated, and after 24 hours of IV fluid, she made a full recovery.
I was completely shocked at how much of impact dehydration can have. After further research, I discovered how common of a problem it was for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s, with many either not feeling thirst, unable to recognize the sensation, or not being able to consume adequate amounts of water, often leading to severe consequences.
I first developed Jelly Drops with my grandma in her care home and quickly realized how she and all the other residents would light up when being offered candy. I knew then if I could help increase the water intake in their diets with the same ease and joy that they shared candy with each other, then it would be a game changer.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
After creating initial prototypes in my kitchen for my grandma, first launching in the UK with a real product felt like such an achievement. So many new start-ups are service-based, work as affiliates, or are re-inventing existing products. Creating, manufacturing, and selling a truly unique and new product was a huge challenge, requiring months of research and development while overcoming many obstacles along the way. When the first packs started going out to customers, I was so proud of everything the team had achieved. When we were greeted with such warm feedback and praise from our initial customers, along with a flood of interest from people hearing of them for the first time, it really was the icing on the cake.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
With a product like Jelly Drops, the biggest challenge is always trying to find enough time for everything you want to achieve as a company. Although our original Jelly Drops received huge support, we’ve continued to listen to our customers and iterate and improve both our recipe and our pack formats to make them more inclusive.
Along the way, we’ve also had to work out how we scale our production capabilities in the face of huge demand and have needed to rapidly build out a fantastic team and manufacturing capacity, all the while trying to make things more efficient and smoother. Combine this with reaching new customers, expanding into more countries, and developing new products, and we often need to step back and take stock of our priorities and work out the best way to be spending our time. It is always an exciting challenge to have, though, being faced with such an overwhelming amount of possibilities.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Surround yourself with a fantastic team who are as passionate about what the company is to achieve as you are. So many of the Jelly Drops team have had loved ones with dementia, and hearing the personal stories from our customers who are going through similar situations is such a motivation for when you’re faced with challenges. If you don’t believe what you're creating is having a positive impact on the world, then it is always going to be hard to stay motivated.
- Always listen to your customers and constantly question any assumptions you may have made about them. No matter how much we try to predict what people will want or need from Jelly Drops, it will never be 100%. And when they do, you need to be ready to pivot quickly. Staying agile is key to developing the best product.
- Don’t focus on perfection. Not only is the time and effort that goes into reaching it massively draining, but generally, your idea of what perfection is will keep evolving over time. It’s far more efficient to do more and learn quicker, and ultimately what you produce will be better.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.jellydrops.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JellyDropsWaterSweets/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jellydrops/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JellyDrops_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jelly-drops/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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