In 2012, Calgary-based endurance athlete and expedition television host Simon Donato knew it was period to launch his aspiration oatmeal corporation. He had been recognized for years as “the health guy,” and he was ready to construct a customer packaged goods (CPG) brand around it. 

Simon and his cofounder Brad Slessor invested $30,000 to $40,000 each into launching Stoked Oats. It was a selection that would transform Simon’s oatmeal (a.k.a. morning fuel), into a multimillion-dollar brand carried across North America by Walmart, Costco, Loblaws, and Sobeys. 

Over the history decade, Simon has established himself as an specialist on the topic of oats. Beyond his science background, his encounter as an endurance athlete helped him establish a blueprint for a business that complements his lifestyle, rather than sacrificing his passions for entrepreneurship.

 

It didn’t hurt that his adore for health and fitness meant he already was part of a throng of like-minded folks who had these same interests and that they would naturally become his first customers.

How to construct a brand that fits your aspiration lifestyle

Simon’s reputation as an endurance athlete and his genuine thrill for nutrition gave him instant credibility with his initial target trade. “Having the front man, me, being that ‘health guy’ helps. … When somebody thinks of Stoked Oats, they ponder of Simon. … It’s maybe aspirational for them,” Simon explains. “It certainly helped, so we had a really powerful throng straight out of the gate of health-conscious, athletic individuals who are early adopters.” 

Check out the steps below to discover out how to turn your own thrill into a profitable business, while maintaining your ideal lifestyle. 

1. Locate, embrace, and obsess over your authentic niche

Working from his Calgary kitchen, Simon spent years developing his oatmeal blends while balancing his corporate career with ultra-running competitions. As someone who loves being energetic and making food that supports that level of activity, Simon was always sharing his recipe for oats with friends and colleagues. This, combined with his athletic achievement, created an authentic connection with health-conscious consumers. “[Everything] changes so rapidly. You absolutely have to comprehend your niche,” he says. Simon stays updated on recent research, and connects with other food or health experts to contrast notes. The more immersed you are in the industry, the better off you’ll be making challenging decisions when they arise.

2. Validate the concept before going all-In

To ensure the business would be worth the hazard, would resonate with others, and would add more joy to his life, Simon began sampling his recipe for oats across his network in Calgary. He brought his oatmeal blends to corporate workplaces, where his health-conscious colleagues provided initial feedback. Next, he organized formal taste tests with his running club, complete with clipboards and scoring systems to gather structured feedback.

Simon and Brad took refined recipes to Calgary farmers markets, where they gathered even more feedback, this period from strangers. “People would leave to the financial institution machine ahead of period, pull out their farmers trade spend. … They weren’t worth shopping, they were looking for chilly, distinctive, homegrown local items,” says Simon. leave where you ponder your target spectators is, and use your differentiation points to attract customers. Simon would cook large batches of Stoked Oats’ Buckingham blend, letting the apple-cinnamon aroma draw people to the booth. 

Instead of immediately going packed period with Stoked Oats, Simon structured the business around his existing commitments. From 2012 to 2020, he continued hosting the TV display Boundless (requiring 100 days of annual trip), running expedition Science (his nonprofit organization concentrated on remote scientific expeditions), and competing in endurance events. He allowed Stoked Oats to be an extension of his adore for health and wellness, and didn’t force himself to commit every waking hour to growing the business. 

This settlement was feasible through strategic partnerships with distributors who managed day-to-day operations. “I was able to run this part-period [about 20 hours weekly] because we had some excellent distributors working with us,” Simon explains. 

In 2020, Simon was able to commence running Stoked Oats packed period on his own timeline, when he was ready emotionally and mentally. Having product trade fit, backed by years of data and impressive sales made the shift an exciting selection for Simon. He waited eight years, ensuring the business truly supported his desired lifestyle and he didn’t have to sacrifice his other passions.

3. Master the art of pitching 

One of the reasons Simon was able to keep the lifestyle he loves was because of successful partnerships with distributors. His way to securing these retail partnerships evolved through challenging-won encounter, particularly after a memorable conference at Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. After flying across the continent with a throng of white, male elder sales representatives to pitch a youthful female buyer, he realized their traditional showcase way wasn’t working.

This encounter transformed his pitching way: “All my meetings now commence with, ‘Hi, my name is Simon. I’m the founder of Stoked Oats. Thanks so much for having us here. What can we do to assist you?’” This buyer-centric way goes a long way to secure partnerships with retailers of any size, including Costco. That connection began with a straightforward introductory email and grew through Costco’s roadshow program, which allows smaller brands to test products with limited inventory across select warehouses.

Entrepreneurs don’t always require to sacrifice lifestyle for business achievement. From his Calgary test kitchen to national retail presence, Simon built a corporation that enhances rather than constraints his adventurous way of life. He’s proof that with strategic patience and authentic messaging, it’s feasible to make a business that fits your life and can fulfill your dreams.

Be sure to tune in to Simon’s packed interview on Shopify Masters and listen his best confidence-building tips, along with more ways to develop a solid customer base.