Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Richard Pauwels, founder, and CEO of Rich Nuts, located in Pacific Palisades, CA, USA.

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

We make gourmet Sprouted nuts. Everyone wants to know what is a sprouted nut? Simply stated, a sprouted nut has been activated by water to initiate the germination process, the natural process by which nuts and seeds grow. Essentially, sprouting makes them more digestible and more nutritious because it puts the nut or seed into a growth phase. We then season them to perfection and dehydrate them.

Our customers are people that want high-impact nutrition combined with gourmet flavor. We are positioned at the intersection of healthy food that tastes great. These were developed by me for me to meet the needs of some of the toughest work conditions on the planet: Wildland Firefighting. They are good for anyone that likes delicious snacks that are good for you. If you have an active on-the-go lifestyle, these are the perfect snack for you!

Tell us about yourself

I created Rich Nuts while working as a Firefighter and Paramedic for LA County FD. During my 20 year career, I spent the last 12 years in Malibu. As you can imagine, I fought a lot of brush fires in during that time. One thing I quickly realized is that there's no healthy food on a brush fire due to the remote and unpredictable terrain. Often time, the only "food" available to us was MRE's, prison sack lunches, or fast food, none of which worked for me. I would eat snack bars, trail mixes, and raw nuts, but mostly I loved raw organic cashews. Instead of getting the energy I expected from the protein & fat in nuts; I got digestive issues (gas, bloating, and brain fog). I would sometimes eat nothing other than about 1 lb of raw cashews during the 6-10 hour shift on the side of the hill. I realized quickly that something with the nuts was the source of my digestive woes. I started researching and found out that nuts & seeds have a protective shield that allows for them to pass through us undigested so they can grow into a new plant. This chemical shield, mostly phytic acid and lectins, is often referred to as "anti-nutrients" because it can block, inhibit, & disrupt digestion. My research also indicated that the effects of these "anti-nutrients" could be mitigated by a process known as sprouting, soaking, or activating the nuts or seeds. Essentially these all refer to the simple and natural process of germination.

I had my first "Ahh-Haa!" moment when I tried soaking and eating cashews. It was a miracle; my digestive issues went away. Next, I discovered that by dehydrating them, I could preserve them naturally; this was "Ahhh-Haa" moment number 2. Now I could save them in a bag for the next brush fire. The final discovery was all about flavor, and this was an iterative process, but I initially started with the Sage & Rosemary that was growing in my garden in Topanga.

I started to share these nuts with all of my friends, family, and fellow firefighters. I quickly realized I had a runaway hit on my hands. Every time I walked into a room, everyone in the know would stick out their hands and say, "You got any of those nuts?" One day I did an audit on my finances, and I realized that I was spending more than $700 a month on organic cashews and giving them away. I told everyone that this was not sustainable and that they would have to start paying me for them. The response I got was, "OK, How much do you want?" That's exactly how Rich Nuts started.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

This is a great question because I believe we still have so far to go. I realize that it's quite valuable to celebrate your wins, so I'll say that getting selected by UNFI's up next program has been our biggest accomplishment. It is an honor to be selected by those in the know as a brand with huge potential.

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

The non-stop problem-solving aspect of being an innovator can sometimes be overwhelming. Don't get me wrong; I love a challenge. I'm an excellent problem solver. I have the determination and grit to keep failing forward and learning from every mistake. This takes dedication, out-of-the-box thinking, and a never give up mindset. Several years ago, I started iterating to develop our process and the flavors that are now our product line. Since I wasn't a chef or food scientist, I did not have any prior training or restraints that would shape the way I approached flavors. I think it was challenging, but this is why we have such a unique product line. It was also important for me to take detailed notes of my years of experiments in my "secret recipe" book, only changing one variable at a time, then taste testing everything.

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

  1. I'm a product guy, so for me, it's all about the product and the customer experience. For me, that meant experimentation and iteration. Once I had something that I thought was really good, I would test it with my close friend and family to get their feedback and see where I could improve. Trial and error and iteration were my process. I often find products or services that make me scratch my head and say, "Did anyone (in the company) try this before they put it out into the market?"
  2. Don't give up! Your big breakthrough could be right after your next failure. That means you have to be open to what I call "Failing Forward." Failing forward is learning from every "failure." Actually, I see these as opportunities to learn something. If I can keep my mind open and ask a lot of questions and review my thorough notes, I know there will be something to learn from almost every mistake.
  3. Build a team that complements your skillset and nourishes them. Love them up and get them to love you, then they will go out of their way to do whatever is necessary to make your business a success. Build a supportive culture where mistakes are learning opportunities. You will get a team that supports you and your vision. They will go above and beyond to make your project a success. It also allows you to operate more and more in your zone of genius.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Everyone laughs when I tell them that starting a brand from scratch is the hardest thing I've ever done. I had this naïve idea that if I developed an amazing product, all the rest would work itself out easily. What I didn't realize is that building a brand is about so much more. There's logistics, supply chain, marketing, certifications, and on and on. As a firefighter & paramedic, I had years of training, excellent equipment, and a great team already in place on day one. This made it much easier to show up and do your job; it was already defined. As an entrepreneur & innovator, I've been blazing a trail with sparse guidance; that's why I covet my team and the cadre of advisors we've developed over the years. I think that my level of authenticity does wonders for magnetizing great people to our project.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://richnuts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richnutsdotcom/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich.nuts/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-pauwels-287988140/

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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