Monday, July 8, 2019

Believe in your product.






When I started Mola Foods 3 years ago, it was difficult to get retailers to take a chance on us, and that was a hard pill to swallow; because I believe everyone should be given a chance to shine before doors are closed. Don't just underestimate someone's product without ever trying it. I, however, believe being unique is what makes our strength.

 We created a culture in a bottle with a twist. I can understand the hesitation, but I hoped to spur curiosity by bringing a product people would be proud to have in their kitchen pantry.

 I used to be so surprised to receive dismissive comments about our products because we are so different. These people refused to take the time to learn about our product and that certainly did hurt me a lot. I thought about ways to let people get to know about our products and to get the word out to others.

 So I started going to the Farmers Markets and I was elated to find that people believe in giving local vendors a chance and, that's when I started to see results. More and more people were drawn to our products and wanted to try.

While everyone else was still skeptical, I persisted.  Ultimately, I'm getting traction with a few retailers and, soon I believe more will welcome our products in their stores with open arms.

In memory of my Grandmother


Today I was reminded my grandma Constant wisdom. As an entrepreneur, I have to give myself pep talks to get me going. But one person influenced my life growing up and she will forever be missed. She used to say to me often to never give up and never look at the task at hand with my eyes. Because I’m measuring what’s left to do instead of appreciating what I have so far accomplished.
Today, as I navigate the business world. I can appreciate her views in life and now understand what she wanted me to retain from her teachings.
We are creatures of habits and we are so quick to give up that we never give ourselves a chance to succeed at what we set out to accomplish. When life gets tough we fold. When money gets tough we fold. Those are the moments we have to renew our faith and strategize and buckle up Because we are just starting. "Note to self".

Having excellent culinary skills is powerful, so is creating the right flavor profile for Mola Foods. I remember seating at my grand mother's feet, watching her create magic in the kitchen. 
I was 10 years old and amazed at how she was able to make food taste so good every time. She never measured her ingredients to create the yummy meals she served us. She was my hero, my reference for cooking perfect meals. Even today, after her passing, I still remember her teachings as if it was yesterday.  I never understood the importance of measuring ingredients until I started to run Mola Foods.  As the head of Mola Foods, I realize, I needed to learn to measure, calculate, and implement recipes. I must say it wasn't easy. I'm still learning that aspect of my craft.  I'm the first to admit that seeing my grandmother replicate the same dish over and over again without ever scaling her recipe is something to celebrate. She was skilled,  knowledgeable, and resourceful. I hope to be that skilled someday.











“The reason why people give up so quickly is that they tend to see the length of the path they have left, rather than see the distance they have already traveled.” ~in memory of my Grandma( Sophie Nkingwe)