Poppin’ into 2024 with #realness! 🍿🍾 Honouring the good and the bad behind EATABLE INC.’s 2023 highlights reel… ☀️TOP 3 HIGHLIGHTS: 1. Hiring some key team members I knew early on I wanted to invest in surrounding ourselves with the right expertise to fill our gaps. It paid off exponentially by allowing us to pursue big opportunities confidently, and expanded our networks through our team and mentors. 2. Securing over $350k in non-dilutive funding Through e-commerce funding, strategic debt and grants, we secured capital for hiring, facility improvements and to roll out improved packaging and products to set us up for retail success. Our team has demonstrated our “scrappiness” by getting lots done with relatively little while making micro pivots along the way. 3. Landing some AMAZING collaborations We’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with household names that transcend the snacking space. This year, we’ve innovated popcorn for Bacardi, Barefoot Wine and the OSCARS 🤩 with some exciting partnerships in the pipeline for next year. ⛈️TOP 3 LOWLIGHTS: 1. Walking away from a listing opportunity with a huge national retailer The path to profitability is filled with tough decisions and our choice was heartbreaking 💔 because we couldn’t make their desired pricing work with our margin goals. It ended up being a huge wake-up call that gave us valuable insights on how we should create future product lines for mass retail success! The silver lining? We dodged a bullet that could have killed our company if our only motivation was to get a big logo on an investor deck. 2. Having some team members move on (for various reasons both personally and professionally). I take every single one of these tough conversations to heart. I consider my team an extension of my family, but I also understand that #startuplife is not for everyone. I’m grateful to everyone who has been part of Team EATABLE’s journey and wholeheartedly support their next phase! 3. Feeling the impacts of the #hustle on my mental health and well-being Our digital and social circles are usually full of inspiration and motivation, but we all have those days where we fall into comparison, shiny object syndrome, and feel like inadequate versions of ourselves. There have been times I’ve let those bad days manifest themselves in unhealthy ways, impacting my ability to show up at work and at home for my family and 2 little ones. We’re proud to offer a Health Spending Account as one of EATABLE’s employee benefits to ensure we are able to help support our team’s wellness goals even as a small biz. One of my resolutions is to prioritize self care, get better at drawing boundaries, and move at a pace that feels SUSTAINABLE. After all, it’s about the journey and there’s no such thing as overnight success. Wishing you a healthy and happy 2024! Thanks for being on this wild ride with me. ❤️🍿🍾
Today, we’re celebrating all the moments that made 2023 a wild ride: Next-level collabs, retail launches and moments of joy! JAN 🍗 Our exclusive Cuban BBQ popcorn collab with Bacardi lands in BC FEB 🤩 We get to collab with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to launch Pop the Champagne for the 95th Oscar’s! MAR 🍷 We launch Poppin’ Pear-Garita popcorn with Barefoot Wine on shelves of wine stores across Canada! APR 🌵Recharging with The Mama Ladder® on #mamaspringbreak in Arizona MAY 🎥 Sponsoring Canadian Film Centre Homecoming Gala and hanging out with Humberly Gonzalez and Andrew Phung for an evening celebrating great Canadian film talent JUN 🛍️ Returning to Indigo shelves across Canada JUL & AUG 🍿 Giving our packaging an extreme makeover, designed for retail success! SEPT 🎤 Attending our first grocery tradeshow at Canadian Health Food Association CHFA NOW and pitching at a buyers breakfast alongside some amazing CPG brands OCT 🎃 Launched Pumpkin Pop Toddy for the fall season NOV 🙌 Exhibiting at Google Canada’s Holiday Pop Up Market DEC 🎄 Seeing our Indigo Gift Trio collab land in stores, and rolling out 3 flavors at 160+ locations of Total Wine & More in USA in time for the holidays! Cheers to you and yours and wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2024! 🥂 #eatable #smallbusiness #madeincanada #cpgbrands #yearinreview
Congratulations Charlene Li, CPA, CA on the highlights & accomplishments , collaborations and the 350k funding Thanks you for being real , sharing all sides, learnings, your journey and team EATABLE INC. Mental health I can totally relate Thanks for the 2024 wishes. Same to you , and EATABLE INC. successes 2024 & beyond 🚀🚀🚀
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7moI like how you not only listed the highlights Charlene Li, CPA, CA but also shared the lowlights and what you learned from them. That is so important. Heres to an even better 2024!