Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with William Kwak, founder of Keto Krack'd, located in Irvine, CA, USA.

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

It’s 1 pm, your sweet-tooth kicks in, and you instinctually reach for your favorite candy bar, but you hesitate because you promised yourself you’d start eating healthier… You’re now 10 seconds into arguing with yourself that this sugar-filled one tastes so much better, and the healthier one just isn’t as satisfying… Does this sound familiar?

Well, we’re here, so you don’t have to compromise anymore! We make the best zero-sugar candies that are keto-friendly and better for you, and it’s our mission to share them with as many people as possible! People who love us are conscious about their health and are trying to live a healthier lifestyle by reducing sugar and artificial ingredients from their diets. Some of our biggest advocates are people on a ketogenic, vegan, or even diabetic-friendly diet.

Tell us about yourself

I’ve been on keto since 2013, and over the years, I’ve tried all types of keto-friendly and sugar-free bars and candies, but none really satisfied my cravings, so I would always end up making them myself. Years later, I went into a health food store and tried what was supposed to be the next best healthy candy and was so disappointed by the taste and texture that I gave the entire bag away. That’s when I had enough. I was tired of wasting my money on treats that didn’t taste good and were filled with junk ingredients, so I decided to do something about it.

That weekend, I bought textbooks on how to make confections and registered for chocolate-making courses so I could learn how to make candy properly. Combining my knowledge of keto-friendly ingredients with my newly gained knowledge of candy, and hundreds of batches later, I came up with sugar-free, vegan, and keto-friendly candies that I was proud to share with the world!

My motivations and goals with the company changed after reading our product reviews and meeting people who we’ve brought smiles to through our treats. After realizing the positive impact we had on people, no matter how small, who aren’t able to eat sugar or carbs either by choice or due to health conditions, I knew we had something worth putting time and effort into. What gives me energy and motivates me today is the joy we bring to people, and it may sound super cheesy but when I’m feeling tired or down, thinking about how I can give someone a little bit of happiness is what makes me push a harder.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is that I can have a direct positive impact on people's lives by bringing people happiness and also helping them become healthier in the process.

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

There's no off switch. Whether I'm working on my business or not, maintaining and growing the business is never not on my mind. I have a hard time putting work down and making time for other aspects of my life that make me happy. I'm working towards setting and sticking to stronger work/life boundaries as I believe that will keep me happy and prevent burnout. On days I feel that I can't have a day off, I work on aspects of the business that are fun and gives me energy as opposed to draining them.

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

  1. STOP reading this and get your product or service out there! If there's one thing I could redo, it would be to focus on getting that first sale. You’ll gain valuable insight from that first sale, and it will teach you what works and what doesn't work, and you can make adjustments along the way.
  2. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. I thought once I released something out into the world, I couldn't change it, so I thought everything had to be perfect. Don't get me wrong, it’s important to plan and research, but only to an extent. I would be much farther along my business journey had I let "good" be good enough to move on to the next task and iterate from there.
  3. Make connections. We all have our tendencies to go into our cave, put our heads down, and work alone, but what helped me take significant steps forward in my business was when I connected with people in the industry that were much farther along their business journey than me. By putting myself out there and meeting others in the industry by attending trade shows and in-store demos, I not only gained invaluable insights that saved me time and money, but those connections made additional connections to people with the skills and resources I was looking for.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

You can’t reach your goals without effort, so work hard, but life is all about balance, so don’t forget to take care of your body by working out and making time to do the things that make you happy!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://ketokrackd.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ketokrackd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-kwak/

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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