In this post I have updates about SBA loan, our architectural drawings, new product lines, and more.

While there might be a day when we can no longer be this hands-on, it feels crucial for us in this early—but quickly growing—stage of our business. How we work now, and the employee experience we are building, will be the foundation for what we build in the future.

We were 41 for 41 when it came to 5-star reviews—which of course felt awesome—but we also knew that day would come when we got a bummer of a review. This was the day. 3 stars.

Today involved licensing, hiring, animal sanctuary tours, sustainable packaging, and more.

Among this month’s learnings…most candies that have a shine aren’t vegan! Shellac and alcohol combine to make confectioners glaze. Shellac is, well, beetle juice.

We’ve really found our sweet spot when it comes to food festivals. But, we had to learn what wasn’t quite right for us first. Namely: big vegan events in NYC. 

We’re working on an aggressive plan to open our own space this year, as we’ve outgrown the incubator kitchen in Poughkeepsie and need to move to keep up with demand. This process is a murky one. We have a direction, but wow is it not a linear path to get there.

During our session today, my therapist reminded me about how, when we first started working together in 2018, I would often say “what I really want to do is open a cafe that serves as a community hub, where people feel connected and like they belong.” And now, six years later, I’m doing just that.