Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health supplements but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Abel James, Founder and CEO of Wild Superfoods, located in Austin, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Wild Superfoods, we're a husband and wife team who have been working for over a decade to help our community be as fit, healthy, and happy as they possibly can. We've run our podcast, Fat-Burning Man, for more than 10 years with over 50 million downloads and published more than 10 books and cookbooks. Our supplements are literally the products we've been taking ourselves daily to spackle the gaps in our nutrition and optimize our health... even when we're thousands of miles from home!
What does "Wild" mean? We work with the laws of nature, not against them. Our shelf-stable nutraceuticals are convenient and smart options for traveling, camping, emergency, and disaster preparedness, as well as daily supplementation for optimal health. Our products are lab-tested for purity and potency and formulated according to cutting-edge developments in research, science, and medicine.
Tell us about yourself
As a long-time creator of podcasts, videos, books, courses, challenges, and more in the world of health, my wife Alyson and I built our business to offer the highest-quality health supplements directly to our community. It's hard to know who to trust these days. Massive, faceless corporations seem to be running the show, often prioritizing profits above our collective health. With obesity and disease running rampant, it's more important than ever that we take care of ourselves. That's why we created Wild Superfoods. Whether you're looking to drop a few pounds, maximize performance for your next competition, or simply stay young and energetic, you deserve a name you can trust.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Over the years, we've written New York Times Bestselling books, #1 bestselling apps, created the Fat-Burning Man podcast, which hit #1 in Health 5 years in a row with many millions of downloads, starred on a primetime ABC TV Show, and much more. But ultimately, it's helping fellow health nuts and families reach their nutrition and body composition goals that is the most rewarding.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As the owner of a health-based business, the past few years have been especially challenging. We've scaled up and scaled down. Shipping costs have risen sharply, and margins have been squeezed, and sometimes it seems we need to reinvent our processes and strategy each year to stay in the game. As entrepreneurs, we make our own schedule for the most part, but that also means we need to be ready to jump in at any time to fix problems and issues that pop up. That can make work-life balance difficult at times, but it's worth it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Start with a strategy that you truly believe in, and try to imagine a business that you're still just as passionate and excited about 5-10 years later. With most projects and businesses fizzling out or failing before the 5-year mark, new entrepreneurs quickly learn that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Once you've built something that represents who you are and what you do, be willing to make adjustments as the world changes around you. Stay nimble and scrappy, and you'll have a better chance of making it through the hard times.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://wildsuperfoods.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatburningman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildsuperfood/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fatburnman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abeljamesbascom/
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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