“Together Talks” #90: Bucket of Bread with Founder, Chris Wysong
KLS - Klimson Logistics Solutions
www.klimsonls.com --- 708-980-0920 --- [email protected]
Some Background on Bucket of Bread
For today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the privilege to interview Bucket of Bread and Founder, Chris Wysong. Are you ready for delicious and healthy baking experiences? Look no further than Bucket of Bread!
Their baking kits are made with certified organic ingredients, preservative-free, vegan-friendly, and super easy to prepare. Simply add lukewarm water to the recyclable bucket, mix, and you'll end up with dough that can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. This gives you complete flexibility to make a variety of baked goods. Start making garlic knots, pizzas, cinnamon buns, breadsticks, pretzels, bagels, naan, doughnuts, or even more with recipes available on their website. Bucket of Bread is Veteran-owned and shares profits with charities fighting food insecurity and combating hunger in America.
Visit their website for more information and order a bucket today (PROMO CODE at the bottom)!
Credit to Mom
The idea of Chris's company was formed in August 2020. Before he implemented his idea and created his company he had some previous experience with bread, even earning a nickname. He credits and also blames his Mom for his passion with food that ultimately turned into bread. He told us that growing up she made sure he knew how to cook so he could always take care of himself. He was always with her in the kitchen learning and as he grew older he became the guy who always was making dinners for friends, family, or even a charity event. His cooking prowess expanded to baking where he eventually became known as "The Bread Guy".
At 3 AM, Chris woke up with an idea in his head, I need to take everything I'm doing and put it in one bucket. This needs to be a business. Put everything in a bucket to as a guide to help people was his quest. May 2021, Chris fully launched Bucket of Bread. Another phase of his transformation to "The Bread Man", was when Chris was serving in our military overseas. In the picture below, you can see where he partnered with Iraqi Army to make bread for their forces. After forming his company, Chris had a vision for what the company could become. He has set up where a part of the profits are shared with charities fighting hunger. Chris has partnered with a growing number of non-profit organizations located across the country.? Visitors to his website can send donation buckets directly into the hands of those that need food. Donated buckets are even tax deductible.
Quality
Bucket of Bread begins with a 100% recyclable package. Within those buckets are ingredients that are used to mix and bake. On the outside of the bucket is step by step instructions to make it not only and easy process, but a fun one at that! The package is also a double threat because you use it to help you not only make the product, but then store it as well. Using the bucket, the bread will last for up to two weeks within the fridge. On top of the creative delivery system and storage, the company excels in the product itself. The product is made without preservatives, no fats, no oils, no dairy, no eggs, and no added sugars.? These baking?kits are even completely vegan friendly! Bucket of Bread is the premier baking kit!
Partner with KLS
KLS offers LTL and FTL for both dry and reefer transportation.
Our nationwide coverage provides companies a reliable, consistent, and dependable logistics partner to handle your trucking needs.
For more information on how we can help call our office today 708-980-0920 or reach us via our email quote request here!
Just go for it
Waking up with the vision to start a business speaks volumes to Chris's mindset when it comes to business, "Just go for it". He told us that initially it seemed like every step needed took forever, but in reality everything moved so rapidly. Starting was half of the battle for him. The other is being organized and understanding the challenges to accomplish. Chris is a self-proclaimed "sticky note guy". He always has ideas written down of what he needs to do, would like to create, anything that can possibly help grow his business. For him
Can you reflect on a goal you set that you achieved and how it made you feel?
Just do it, start the company. Seemed like forever, but looking back it was so fast moving.
Sticky note guy with ideas, maintain with little tiny goals set as you go. That is how he settled on the name of the company. He had gone through 304 notebook pages of ideas and names until he settled on the one he liked the most, Bucket of Bread. And even cooler of a story, the cartoon mascot was actually an evolution of an old drawing he had did in middle school. He updated it to include the properties of his new business and then connected with a local college student who digitalized BOB!
Being an entrepreneur, the aspect Chris appreciates the most is the ability to talk to people he would have never met. He attributed this to when he first started out and was at local markets and sampling. But having the opportunity to make that connection and receive instant feedback is so important to him. He had an idea to create a product that brought enjoyment to others and enjoyment with the experience. Hearing positive feedback is such validation for him and his company.
Like any business starting, funding is always a huge challenge. Chris said sacrifices had to be made and a new understanding of how to operate, but he said that a huge pivotal moment was when he received grants. That extra funding helped give him some relaxation and laid the foundation to create even more. His suggestion to anyone with a business is stick your neck out, "Apply anywhere and everywhere. There are so many opportunities. Sometimes you have to be creative or resourceful to find them, but just give yourself a shot. Worst thing they can do is say no."
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Baby steps add up
As we head into the new year, Chris's goals for the upcoming year are continuing to expand the reach of his customer base. He hopes to get further into retail and understand distribution is the key to the next phase of his growth. But despite the new challenges, Chris wants to remain true to why he started this company, to create a thing that works. He believes that remaining aligned with his original mission will allow him to build his company in the right way. And within time, the money and growth will come. As he shared, "Embrace the fear of the unknown. You will learn it as you go."
Chris shared with us one of the most impactful decisions he made this year. He scaled back his live events, because he wanted to step back from his business and look at it from another perspective. He wanted to view it how customers were viewing it. This led him to make two huge changes. One, he added a second size, half a bucket. He said this was instrumental for people who live alone or those who can't consume the full bucket. Second he realized there was a better way to package the ingredients. He now has it separated which makes it even easier to assemble, and gives a longer shelf life. Chris also acknowledged how this will be even more crucial as he continues to scale.
Running his company, Chris attributes the growth to sticking to the plan of baby steps. In his mind, continuing to achieve the smallest wins and stacking those is how he builds this to what he wants it to be. "The bigger off a business this becomes, the bigger impact it can have on someone's life. That is my mission.", Chris explained. That is why he states the importance of celebrating the micro-wins. There is so much that Founders can get caught up in, so many distractions, but in his estimation by celebrating those little wins it is a form of self-validation. And it gives you the energy to continue moving forward to conquer the next obstacle.
Resources
During our conversation we started to discuss various resources he found helpful for anyone?thinking of starting their own business. Below are the numerous options he listed.?
Piece of Advice
Our conversation with Chris ended with him sharing his piece of advice.
"Don’t be scared, just go for it. Take your goals and come up with a plan to get there. Create a line chart to get there or put together a vision board to figure out how to fill pieces in to get there. Try to do whatever it is you want to do. You'll face challenges and roadblocks, but you will get through it."
Promo Code
And as thank you for reading the 'Together Talks' use coupon code: 'KLS10' to get 10% off your order for all of the upcoming 2024!
Interested in being featured with "Together Talks"?
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Contact us as we would love to learn your story and share it amongst our audience.
Weekly we provide 2 companies our platform to expand their reach courtesy of our campaign. Let's collaborate!!!
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Chris Wysong, Founder, of Bucket of Bread?for today's "Together Talks" feature. Keep up to date with Bucket of Bread by following their newsletter on their website, check it out here. Follow along for the Bucket of Bread journey with their social handles below!