Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Les Kollegian, Co-Founder and CEO of The Raw Botanics Co., located in Del Mar, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Raw Botanics is a health and wellness company focusing on helping people to live better lives with a combination of plant-based adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and custom terpenes.
Tell us about yourself
I am the CEO of two businesses. My first business, Jacob Tyler Brand + Digital Agency (www.jacobtyler.com), was founded in 2000, and I have been responsible for its growth and development ever since. As the CEO of Jacob Tyler, my goal is to create an internal experience that fosters award-winning campaigns and an external experience that leaves my clients wanting more.
I hold a Master's in Communications Design from the University of Baltimore and have more than 25 years of experience designing marketing campaigns with an eye for innovation, strategy, and out-of-the-box thinking that makes people nervous. Honest to a fault and sometimes undiplomatic, I build great relationships and ensure the delivery of Jacob Tyler's core values of honesty and integrity. If I don't feel Jacob Tyler will bring value to a client, I simply won't take the work.
I am a certified Google speaker and regularly speak at design conferences and universities on the topics of web design, omnichannel marketing, creative strategy, branding, and usability. My clients have ranged from start-up companies to Fortune 500 firms, including Four Seasons Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, Nuvasive, Sony, YMCA, Hensel Phelps, Novartis, and TED.
In 2020, I and my partner Brendan Smith founded The Raw Botanics Co. to help educate consumers on the value of natural products and overall health and wellness using CBD and other plant adaptogens. Currently, I am responsible for all of the brand development and marketing.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Having a business in California that has employed hundreds of people for over 23 years.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As business owners, we have to handle disappointment on a regular basis without giving up. Resilience is a key to survival and the stress associated with running a business every day.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Choose something you love.
- Get help. Find a mentor and try to learn something new each and every day.
- Stick with it and never give up.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://rawbotanics.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rawbotanics
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawbotanicsco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RawBotanicsCo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawbotanics/
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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