Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robert Petrarca, CEO of  Maxine's Heavenly, located in Los Angeles, California, USA.

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

Maxine’s Heavenly makes delicious, homemade-style cookies that are sweetened by nature.

We have a big mission, and it’s all about making better-for-you products taste better. Our cookies were inspired by our Mom’s (very unhealthy) recipe. Her cookies were so fresh and delicious and were part of every celebration for generations. We wanted to preserve that experience but with ingredients that represented today’s values in foods. We think we are the tastiest cookie out there, hands down, and our unique “homemade style” experience is something you can’t find anywhere on the shelf, especially not with ingredients as clean and healthy as the ones we use.

Because we have a lot of attributes that we believe are important for today — vegan, gluten-free, Kosher, non-GMO, sweetened with natural sugars, made with wholesome ingredients — we have a lot of customers who would be ideal customers. But really, our brand is much bigger than any food trend. We’re for anyone looking for delicious treats but who would also like to make better choices about the foods they eat.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that any cookie fan would love Maxine’s Heavenly because we now have soft-baked and crispy cookies to meet your snacking needs.

Tell us about yourself

Well, I never thought I’d start a cookie company. I’ve always liked the challenges that running a business presents. I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I worked in the entertainment industry and nonprofits before this.

Maxine’s Heavenly came about from kitchen experiments with my family that was too good not to share with the world. At the end of the day, that’s what motivates me: making a profound impact on the future of food.

The natural foods industry is tremendously inspiring. We forget this, but it was started by hippies and game-changers who saw a broken system and really moved mountains to make things different. Despite how mainstream healthy eating is becoming, we forget that it was not so big not that long ago. We are standing on the shoulders of some of the original disrupters, and that’s exciting.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I'd like to say that it's the working environment we have created at Maxine's. We have the small company vibes that inspire people, but we've been able to attract talent from some of the biggest companies in the industry. We have all different voices with different experiences, but I think what keeps everyone inspired is the big and bold vision we have for the brand's future.

Aside from that, it's a humbling accomplishment just to walk into a store near me and be able to find our products on the shelf among some industry giants. To see the product, know all it took to get it there, and have pride in the quality experience our consumers get when they pull it off the shelf…I don't think I'll ever get tired of that. Imagine, somewhere right now, someone has our products in their pantry, and there is more joy in their life because of it!

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

There are so many hard things, but the joys and rewards always outweigh those challenges. In the beginning, it was an endless challenge to do anything, especially with limited resources. Scale production, find distributors and sell the product. You are literally the beginning and ending point of every major function in the organization.

But you have to find a way to stay undistracted through it and build an army of people. And doing that usually begins with inspiring them and making them see a vision for something that doesn’t yet exist. I think that’s hard to stay connected to, but it is truly the most unforgivably important thing you must do.

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

First, make sure your product is actually good! You need to offer the world something of value that is unique and wanted.

Second, surround yourself with good people.

Third, don’t just sell a product. Tell a story. Give people a reason to buy from you and give those good people you have surrounded yourself with a reason to be excited about sharing your brand.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We’re hiring! If you’re someone who is interested in joining a high-growth business and eating a lot of cookies, we’d love to hear from you. You can visit: maxinesheavenly.com/pages/careers to see our open positions, but we’re always looking for talented people, so reach out even if you don’t see something you’re a fit for.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://maxinesheavenly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxinesHeavenly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxinesheavenly/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaxinesHeavenly
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maxinesheavenly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maxines-heavenly/

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.

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