Today’s Topic: Healthy Eating, Launching a Business, Being a Mom

As all my avid and plentiful fans know, I definitely like to follow food issues (and I love to eat). I can’t help but wonder if San Fran and NYC are making the right move by banning toys from kids Happy Meals at McDonald’s. I’ve learned the hard way that sugary foods seriously disrupt my younger one’s sleep patterns and also impact her behavior and moods (read: turn her into a crazed lunatic of a two-year-old). So imagine my delight when I learned that a healthy snack line that I regularly purchase for my own kids, Snikiddy, was actually founded by a local DC-area mom. What a great twist on the food trend in shopping local, right? Turns out you don’t need to just hit a local farmers market to get locally farmed raised produce, you can also hit an area grocery store and purchase healthy snacks for your kids founded by a local-area mom of two young girls. With that, I bring you today’s Wired Momma Expert Series featuring Mary Schulman, small business owner/entrepreneur/founder of Snikiddy. Mary is also a native Washingtonian (they do exist) and University of Maryland grad.

Mary, how did the idea for Snikiddy come about and do you have a background in the food industry?

I believe I’ve inherited a generational pursuit of eating healthy. When I was growing up, my mom really instilled the importance of healthy eating habits. In a way, she was ahead of the trend. So, she passed this along to me and when I was pregnant the first time, I started looking around and realized that snacks for kids just aren’t healthy. I didn’t want my kids to eat just any snacks. And as a person who loves to snack, I realized there was a real opportunity to develop something healthy in the snack line. I realized I could fill a void in the market and provide other moms an alternative to fattier snacks, something to feel good about feeding the kids. I have a background in the financial industry but have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, ever since I was young.

So how did you take this entrepreneurial spirit and turn it into a viable company? I would think it seems very intimidating to many people out there. And did you have a partner?

Yes, I actually partnered with my mother, continuing the generational pursuit of eating healthy. She is more of the creative type and I am more of the business type, so we make for a great team. I think finding a good partner, one that really balances you out, is one of the keys to success. In terms of getting an idea off the ground, the first thing I always tell people is to find a trade show applicable to what you do and attend it. You can meet manufacturing trade people at these shows, people who can help you. It took us about 18 months to 2 years from the research and prepping stage to actually launching our business, back in 2006.

Can you tell us about the actual Snikiddy snack lines because I’ve purchased it many times in Whole Foods and World Market, which tells me that you are hitting price points that can appeal to people who don’t necessarily shop at Whole Foods. Yes, all of our snacks are preservative free, they don’t have trans-fats or MSG. Initially we sold cookies and cheese puffs. What we learned is that the cookies just didn’t sell as well as the saltier snacks and obviously the frequency of purchase is what drives the volume. In other words, think about when you’re shopping, you might buy cookies one time but not the next several visits. Whereas many people pick up 2-3 bags of snacks each visit. So although our cookies were delicious, they didn’t last. Now we also sell the baked fries, which are like a potato chip, and retailers tell us that they are like eating a McDonald’s fry. And we are launching a third product later this year that I have to keep secret for now.  As to where you can find our snacks, most likely the majority of grocery stores moms are shopping in our area: Wegman’s, Giant (in the Nature’s Promise aisle), Safeway, Toys’r'Us, Babies’R'Us, Whole Foods, Costco (though the rotation might not be there for much longer). Our products are really fairly priced and we work very hard on that. It is important that we sell a product that all moms can afford to give their children.

That’s great. I know my girls love to snack on the cheese puffs. So what advice can you give any other moms out there who might have an idea but just aren’t sure how to get it off the ground, give us some parting words of wisdom.

First, do your research but not too much. If I knew then what I know now, I would have thought the odds were against me and I might not have done it. For example, if I had known how hard it is to keep a product on the shelves, I might not have done it, but just put your head down and work hard. Of course, it’s definitely important to have a business plan, know your financials and how to scale it, but  not knowing all the challenges isn’t the worst thing.

Second, as we touched on earlier, having a partner and one that compliments your strengths is key. You need someone with different skills and a different outlook than you have. For me, it was my mom, she’s more creative and is the balancing force while I have the financial and strategic side covered.

Excellent. So is your entire company based here in Bethesda and how many people do you employ? And one last question, do you do any work in philanthropy or in the community because I know that everyone today is talking about combating childhood obesity and it would seem a  natural fit given your line of work?

Sure. In terms of our company size, we have 13 employees and an office here in Bethesda and then one in Boulder. Boulder is a hot spot for natural food products. And in terms of giving back, we like to partner with organizations that fit naturally with us. One example is juvenile diabetes organizations, we’ve given away a million snack packs through events.

Great. Thank you to Mary for talking with me today and giving us all such great advice. If anyone wants a coupon for Snikiddy snacks, here’s a link to a $1 off – just print it and go shopping! And feel good about supporting a local mom and small business owner, right?