Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Drew Lederman, founder, and CEO of Resist Nutrition, located in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

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

We make plant-based functional protein bars filled with science-backed ingredients designed to support hormone and blood sugar health. We created Resist after struggling to find a bar that didn't mess with our hormones or cause a huge sugar spike. Most bars are either low in carbs & sugar but full of artificial, hormone-disrupting ingredients, or they are "natural" but filled with fruit sugars that spike blood sugar like crazy. We are on a mission to shake up the "bro-tein" bar aisle with filling snacks that fuel people and the planet. Our wrappers are 100% compostable & free of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

Tell us about yourself

At 18, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My doctor recommended exercise and a low-carb/sugar diet. I was always on the go and relied heavily on "healthy" protein bars with 0g of sugar and hardly any carbs. I ate them every day, sometimes twice a day if I was working out! But I started to feel terrible. Soon my symptoms were out of control.

I did some research and decided to see a hormone health doctor, as well as a dietician. I found the culprit: artificial, gut & hormone-disrupting, inflammatory ingredients – even food wrappers are often coated in hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA and phthalates! I was able to cut these out of my daily diet but still relied on protein bars that I knew would make me feel worse.

I tried to find a better bar, but the only options were either filled with artificial, hormone-disrupting ingredients or natural/fruit sugars that would give me a huge blood sugar spike. I thought to myself: why isn't there a bar designed for hormone health when so many people struggle with it?

When the pandemic hit, I moved in with my parents as I finished my college education. And I did what many people did: baked and exercised – a lot. The combination of these two things led me back to my earlier question. So I went to the kitchen and started making my own protein bars. The first few turned out disgusting, but I refused to give up. I took masterclasses, read nutrition books, scoured medical journals, learned from hormone experts, and finally made something I could be proud of. A bar that didn't just leave my symptoms alone – but had ingredients that would actively help.

Now it brings me so much joy to see people like me, who struggle with chronic illness, hormone imbalances, and blood sugar issues, enjoying my product!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Not giving up! I didn't know anything when I got into this industry. That made the path forward incredibly difficult. There were times when I cried and considered giving up completely. But if there is one skill that I believe all founders have, its resilience.

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

I have struggled immensely with imposter syndrome. As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I have had manufacturers take advantage of my lack of experience, speak down to me, and overcharge me. Any mistake I made, I blamed myself. I am lucky to have an amazing support system and my co-founder Emily who continues to help me grow as a founder.

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

  1. Don't quit your day job just yet! It might take longer than you think to get your product and business up and running. You're going to want to use that income to fund it.
  2. Don't give up. You might make some huge mistakes -- money costing mistakes. It hurts, and you may feel like a failure for a bit. But, you can learn from it and use it to grow.
  3. Talk to everyone: your customers, other business owners, your peers, and anyone else you can. I pitch to everyone I meet. I carry around a sample of my product and my card. You never know what you can learn!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Use your resources, and don't be afraid to ask for help :)

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://resistnutrition.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resistnutrition
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resistnutrition/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resist-nutrition/

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.