Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with David Villa, owner of D Snackss, located in Downey, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
For kids, teens, and adults! Dirty Wormss is a diversity of unique flavored gummy worms that delivers a satisfying feeling to flavors like no other. They can happily enjoy a bag of Dirty Wormss because of the brand's main focus on quality and customer satisfaction.
Tell us about yourself
Growing up, I always wanted to create or build something. From a very young age, I've seen my dad in sales and working towards building his own business. That inspired me to invent something I'd be able to offer to the public. I didn't know what I was going to sell or what service I would provide, but I wasn't one to just sit around. What got me started with the business that I'm currently running goes way back to one of my first ventures back in elementary, which was a lemonade stand. An experience where I was able to be hands-on and practice a few of the many factors that go into building a business which was communication skills, being resourceful, and having a team behind the operation.
Courage is something I had, but commitment is where I was lacking. In 6th grade year with the help of my dad, we put together a flyer for a dog walking service that I was going to provide to the local neighborhood. Once they were printed, off to races we were. My younger sister and tia were the same age as I was walking door to door, knocking, and presenting the dog walking service we were providing. Approaching the first few doors filled my body with fear and shyness, but the adrenaline I had allowed me to overcome that quickly.
After a successful day of passing out all the flyers, it was time to wait and see who'd be interested in our service. About a week later, I received a call. Not being as fluent in Spanish, I'm listening to this lady talk about her interest in our service, asking about a leash being provided. At that moment, I was a bit lost, and after about a minute of trying to figure out what to say, this potential client was let go. I didn't speak up and committed to doing what I set out to do. As the days go by and I go through these middle school days, I'm still letting my creativity flow by constantly drawing out custom t-shirt designs. This leads to me making my own and custom-made t-shirts for other students.
Over some time, as I start to go out more and find interest in skateboarding, I found myself unable to make my own purchases. I didn't come from a family with a lot of money, so there were times when I wanted to buy little things here and there but didn't have the money to do so. We lived in a nice area with food on the table and clothes on my back, but I didn't really like asking for money. Skateboarding had really caught my attention, and when it did, I was determined to get my hands on my first skateboard. I started thinking of different ways to make money, so I took the job offer they had in the cafeteria.
Sure enough, I started buying my parts, paycheck after paycheck. As I was exchanging my time of hanging out during snack and lunch for a check, I lost interest in working during those times, so I started thinking of an alternative way to make money. That is the moment when selling candy was brought up. Starting with Mexican candy being bought in bulk from LA, I'd try to make some sales throughout the day. Though the beginning was pretty rough, hearing "no" almost every attempt, I managed to make a few bucks throughout the days.
As time went by, I purchased my first skateboard and started skating at the skate park, where they introduced me to these mixed gummies. An older friend in high school would talk about the crowds he'd have during school selling these worms from his duffel bag. So I figured I'd try to make some myself and sell them at my middle school, where nobody had anything like this. Sure enough, I started playing with different ingredients, and over many tastings, the Tropical Punch was created. They were bagged and sold in plastic sandwich bags, and within the first two weeks, word got out that "Dirty Wormss" were being sold. Sales started booming.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner would be moving our operation into a facility.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is keeping a positive attitude, not only when times are good but when things aren't going your way. An example would be when you had a day opening five new accounts, and you're ready to go celebrate opposed to a day when you're on your way to your last potential client after all the ones prior have rejected.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- From the very beginning, keep track of every dollar that's going in and out of business.
- Figure out the areas you're strong and weak on. Know your numbers to determine when you can afford to hire someone in the position you're weak on.
- Get clarity on where you want to take your business. You'llYou'll be able to create and drive systems within the business based on where you want to go.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
In the beginning, you'll have all caps on. Meaning you're taking care of the books, sales, marketing, maintenance, hiring, training, customer service, etc. Activities that you may not want to do. Depending on the scale you want to grow your business to, you must understand that it's a process you have to do. The more knowledge and experience you have in the business you're in, you'll be able to determine who and how you should place people within your company.
Create the habit of checking your calendar for the day to come the night before. Once you have that on lock, repeat that for the week, the month, and then the year to come.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://dirtywormss.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyWormss/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtywormss/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dirtywormss
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.