Green Wolf Foods out of the juniors on the way to the professionals.?

Many of our customers noticed we are no longer at Farmer's Markets. This step, as hard as it was, was necessary for us to achieve?our transition to another stage?of our company development. When we embarked on the mission to bring Vegami to the masses, I wanted to apply my lessons?from being a tech startup founder and chief product officer. I was a big proponent of lean startup?and wanted to test the market fit and demand before going all?out, and I wanted to do it quickly and inexpensively. After all, I had my own money on the line, and I wanted to make sure that we tested the idea quickly, and if it had to?fail, fail fast.?

We did not fail. And now we are looking to expand. However, in order for us to do that, our small team needed to focus. Delivering the product to market in just three months and selling over 5,000 units of it in the course of the next 12 months was not an easy task, and we often had to work with what we had. Our manufacturing was small batch and handmade. We did not want to cut corners, and the product needed to be smoked and aged for five days prior to being ready to sell. Keeping with the lean startup methodology, we had to forgo renting large spaces and buying large equipment, so I had to work sometimes 20 hours a day running between my house and the commercial kitchen just so that I could have enough products ready for the markets on the weekend.?

When I realized that we had collected enough data and that all of the efforts that got Vegami to this point started to drag the business down, I knew I had to act fast. We were running out of cash, the profitability was still something to work toward and the economy showed signs?of a major slowdown. I knew that to get us to the next level, I needed major capital investment and co-manufacturing partner(s), and I sure was not going to get there by running a small batch of handmade manufacturing and selling at the farmers' markets. I had my sight on the big league and playing with the professionals, and I knew I had to re-focus my attention.?

The abruptness of my decision was a?surprise even for me. Deep inside, I knew I would have to make this decision someday; however, I was too attached to the momentum I worked so hard on building. Delivering my decision to my partner and to my team felt awful and liberating at the same time as if a huge weight was moved off of my shoulders. I knew I was making the right choice, and with time, I understood how critical the timing was as well. Call it instinct, luck, or anything else, but after watching "King Richard" last night, a movie about the Williams sisters and their unorthodox dad, I relived the moment and everything leading up to it one more time. Just like in the movie, based on real life, Venus William's?dad took her out of playing juniors with a record of 63-0. For the next three years, Venus trained with some of the best tennis players in the world, studied, played, and enjoyed the life of a growing teenager. When she decided she was ready to compete again and was eager to do so, she played her first professional?match at the US Open.?

I do not have three years. I do not think I will ever be anymore ready to play in the big league than I am now. However, the decision I made to pull the company out of the "little league" and focus on what's the most important thing now could have actually saved me, my motivation, and the future of my dream.?

I know the?times are tough, and many plant-based businesses are struggling; some are even closing. However, I remain hopeful for things to come. When many were still focused on the next meatiest plant-based meat, we were already thinking about how to bring plants back into plan-based. I see a bright future for plant-based food and I sure hope that Green Wolf Foods will be at the front driving this revolution forward. I believe that humans, animals, and the planet need it.?