Last month I learned of, was inspired by and approached a little candy company in NYC for an interview: sweetriot. The founder had a classic .com background, came to a fork in the road, tapped into a passion and followed it. Talk about walking alongside Robert Frost for a while…
sweetriot: overview
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sweetriot is a small mission-based company in NYC, which provides quality cacao products “in a different way for a different generation.” They’ve even created their own noun: A sweetriot is a “joyful celebration of culture, diversity, and understanding — it is the opposite of a civil riot, which is dangerous, violent, and oppressing.” |
The company is creating a sweet movement to fix the world through chocolate – that’s not a bad platform. Is it too late to submit a late presidential candidate? They’ve started by sourcing their cacao directly in Latin America, using recyclable, reusable packaging which features emerging artists, and only using all-natural, healthy ingredients for their dark chocolate ‘peaces.’ Inspired by companies like The Body Shop and Ben & Jerry’s, Sarah chose this path because she dreamed of having her own triple bottom line business.
About the founder
Sarah Endline has an interesting bio, having launched products, created brands, founded and run organizations, and worked many places like Yahoo!, Microsoft, the World Bank, AIESEC, and The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE); Sarah loves the work at sweetriot best. She has been an active member of many non-profit boards including those for NFTE, Harvard, UMichigan, and AIESEC. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BBA from The University of Michigan. (Go Blue!)
| The size and focus of the business helps her to feed her creative side, something hard to tap into when working in the technology sector. All skills are transferable if utilized properly and as with every life journey, the positions she held in the past brought her to this point. Her additional training wasn’t necessary to start the business but it gave her additional perspective. She insists that being around chocolate and the story of chocolate minimizes whatever downside there would be. |  |
Sarah derives much satisfaction from her work and is in good company – many entrepreneurs find starting and managing their own venture to be one of the more rewarding activities they undertook in their life.
How They Give Back
sweetrito supports non-profits who share similar values and ideals. They focus on organizations that celebrate culture and diversity and young people. Thier partnerships usually involve giving organizations cacao for their special events and donating time by sending speakers and/or people to help them at events.
Espresso Shot Insights what’s this?
- Establish a deadline to earn your salary from the business
- Think Outside-In
- Get out and meet with people
- Focus On People
Establish a deadline to earn your salary from the business
Many people try to keep one foot on the dock and one on the boat, but Sarah went in full force – from the beginning the business comprised 100% of her income. Starting in 2005, she began modestly and now makes a comfortable living – like most small business owners, she works 7 days a week. “There is no balance in entrepreneurship :) and I’m probably not fairly compensated, but that’s bootstrapping.” Like many people starting a business, Sarah established a deadline for making a living off of the business as a forcing function for initial growth.
Think Outside-In
Outside-In thinking is critical to the company’s success. Sarah solicits input from outside advisors to grow and develop her business which helps her stay on course and consider alternatives.
Get Out And Meet People
Presence at events, speaking gigs, and constant networking are a huge factor in the business’s growth and overall success.
Focus On People
Another cornerstone of her business is people: “hiring great people focusing on everyone’s core strengths” enables her to spend 50% of her time following up on outside partnering or production opportunities.
Rachel (from Burt’s Bees) also mentioned “Everybody has to win. I believe that. You will never make progress unless you fully take into consideration [everyone's] point of view and make sure their needs are met.”
Whether staff or outside partnerships, relationships are an important currency and the energy on which a business sustains itself.
A few words from Sarah:
What are the misconceptions about being in small business or social enterprise? That it’s easy
What about your business are you grateful for? Growth
Any comments or words of advice for someone thinking about starting up their own social enterprise or small business? lots of work – choose something you’re passionate about
My most rewarding business moment? creating a great team
My scariest business moment? losing a great team member
Every entrepreneur should: spend time with other entrepreneurs
Success to me means: creating a piece of history
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Christine Haskell
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