Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tom Neal, Founder of Wow! Protein Donuts, located in Park City, UT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Wow! Protein Donuts. We make low-calorie, high-protein donuts. The first of their kind: a shelf-stable, better-for-you donut. Our customer base has become wider as the benefits of high protein and calorie-controlled foods have become mainstream. Everyone from busy moms wanting something sweet but healthy for their kid's lunchbox to dedicated fitness enthusiasts looking for a less punishing diet. Everyone loves donuts! And with Wow, you can have your donut and eat it too. We sell the experience of a donut without the sugar, fat, and calories that go with it.
Tell us about yourself
After completing my degree in Egyptology, I went into personal training as I enjoyed the art of training and lifting so much. It was there I grew tired of the same old protein bars and cookies and set about creating a donut version in my kitchen (with about the same cooking ability as it takes to fry an egg). I made the beginnings of what our donuts are today, and when my friends at the gym tried them and liked them, I thought: screw it. I'm young, and if this is a crazy idea, I'll recover. So I spent all my savings (and rent money for that month) on a stand at the Bodypower Expo in the UK. It went very well, and I set about commercialising the product and working with my business partner, who was crucial in bringing the company to the USA.
Now, we have a truly delicious product in Walmart, GNC, Kum & Go, HyVee, Circle K, and more. And what motivates me is the speed at which people the company has grown and the rate that new customers adopt the product into their daily diet. It means a lot to me that the retention rate is so high, and yes, donuts are alluring, and many people want to try once- but the repeat orders and subscriptions are the numbers that show we're really fixing a problem for people here. They no longer have to choose between having a healthy diet day or a delicious donut day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The composition of my team. My business partner Mitch is an incredible businessman and mentor to me, and after a few years of working together and bringing absolute rockstars in their respective fields together, we have a lean, mean, protein donut machine of people we can all get on with and trust to do an incredible job.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
It would be easy if everything always went swimmingly. But it does not. Everything will break, and everything is always on fire. Your job as a business owner is to be a firefighter and remain unaffected by less-than-ideal scenarios.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Remain emotionally detached. You have poured time and energy into it, you believe in it, and it can seem like your child to you at times. But it isn't, and you must remain unaffected by horrendous catastrophes and tremendous wins, all the same, to ensure you're making logical decisions at all times.
- Take care of yourself. That is part of the job. You're the captain of the ship; you need to be mentally and physically sharp. This means training your body, eating right, sleeping as much as you can, supplementing to optimise the previous 3 points, and making sure you're not a slave to dopamine so you can think well and work in a flow state when required.
- You can always do more. If you are at the helm, there is always something else to do. Netflix will not help you. Sit there and cold email. Create social content. Reach out to past connections. If you genuinely believe you have nothing more to do to move the ball forward today: you're wrong.
Where can people find you and your business?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wowproteindonuts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowproteindonuts/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wowproteindonuts/
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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