Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sebastian Schmidt, Co-Founder of Optimal Nutrition, located in Oxnard, CA, USA.

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

Optimal Nutrition is a company that delivers superior supplement blends to individuals who wish to exceed their limits and attain their objectives. The company's initial product, a focus coffee, has been carefully designed for over a year to give the ideal combination of nootropics and adaptogens to improve mental focus and performance.

Customers of Optimal Nutrition are anyone wishing to improve their physical and mental performance, including athletes, students, and professionals, as well as anyone seeking to attain their full potential. We believe that there are no boundaries to human ability and that by supplying high-quality supplements, we can assist individuals in reaching their maximum potential.

Tell us about yourself

I'm 24 years old. I'm from Chile, and I used to have trouble focusing in school. Despite my best attempts, I struggled to concentrate in class, which resulted in numerous destitute academic years. As a result, I was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed the standard concentration drugs to help me concentrate. Unfortunately, I hated having to take those medicines. They made my emotions feel like a rollercoaster, and it was difficult for me to engage with others when under their effect. Worse, I didn't like the thought of popping a pill to keep focused. So I stopped taking them and forced myself to concentrate instead.

Fortunately, my effort paid off, and I received excellent grades in my final year of high school. I was eventually accepted to study business at one of Chile's top colleges. I understood there that if you want something hard enough, you'll find a way to get it.

But, I recognized that concentration is a huge challenge for many persons with ADHD. Some folks have considerably more ADHD than me and need those medicines to concentrate. I discovered nootropics and adaptogens during a talk with Vicente Mantero, now co-founder of Optimal Nutrition. These are compounds that boost the body's performance and stress capacity in a healthy way.

This discussion inspired me to develop Optimal Focus Coffee and Optimal Nutrition. I realized we wanted to create something to assist individuals' focus without the use of pills or medication. Both goods are currently on the market after months of hard labor.

Do you have daily rituals for work / wellness / fitness / mindfulness?

While I don't adhere strictly to a set of activities or rituals, I do believe in the fundamental principles of maintaining a balanced lifestyle. For me, this includes ensuring I eat healthily, dedicating at least one hour a day to physical exercise, aiming for about 8 hours of sleep each night, and managing stress levels effectively. Whenever I find myself overwhelmed or too stressed, I find it helpful to jot down my thoughts and concerns on paper. This simple practice helps me to declutter my mind and approach challenges with a clearer perspective.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My greatest achievement as a business owner right now is that I was able to effectively establish a company in the United States while working remotely from Chile. It took a lot of time and attention, but with Vicente Mantero's aid, I am more than delighted to have built a supplement business focused on helping individuals reach their goals and improve their performance. And we've had a fantastic launch, with over 55,000 followers on TikTok just two weeks after launching.

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

The most difficult aspects of being an entrepreneur are remaining constant and never losing faith in my vision. It can be difficult to keep moving forward when things take longer than expected, and the money is limited. Watching my peers making more money in corporate positions makes me wonder whether I should quit and work for someone else. But, I am aware that being an entrepreneur requires a great deal of courage and tenacity. That is why, even when things get difficult, I remain committed to my dream.

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

  1. Believe in yourself and your project with all of your heart. Never lose faith, even if the journey is longer and more difficult than you expected. To thrive as an entrepreneur, you must put in a lot of effort and endurance, and your everlasting faith in yourself and your vision will help you get through difficult times.
  2. Begin now, not tomorrow or next week. Don't be afraid to fail 10000 times if necessary. Failure is an important part of the learning process, and our mistakes often teach us the most. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can begin learning and expanding your company.
  3. Concentrate on personal development and improvement. Entrepreneurship is a journey that demands you to transform yourself in order to achieve your objectives. It is critical to maintain your mental, physical, and emotional health, as well as to seek out new knowledge and abilities through meditation, reading, and other forms of personal growth. The more you spend on yourself, the better prepared you will be as an entrepreneur.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://optimalnutrition.us/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimalnutritionus/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-schmidt-puga/

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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