Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karly Jacobsen, co-founder and VP for Client Experience of Rviita Energy Tea, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Our business is Rviita Energy Tea. Rviita is a clean, delicious energy tea beverage that will leave you feeling revitalized without the crash, so you have the energy to focus on what matters most to you. It’s a refreshing blend of tea, golden organic honey, mouthwatering fruit juices, and vitamins. Our teas come in 5 delicious flavours, and are packaged in a low carbon footprint recyclable beverage pouch. Our demographic ranges from the hiker in their mid-20s to active seniors in their 60s! We get rave reviews from a lot of busy professionals who are looking for a healthy afternoon pick-me-up, we have a lot of coffee lovers who want a more refreshing alternative, and a lot of athletes looking for a healthy boost before or after a workout. Our customers are any health-conscious consumer that enjoys a little caffeine!

Tell us about yourself

After driving a good friend to the hospital in his early twenties for a heart attack that was attributed to energy drinks, we decided someone had to solve this problem. There needed to be a healthier alternative to these products on the market with clean ingredients that you can actually pronounce. We could not find one we loved, so we decided to create it!
Mitch and Rob were working downtown in oil and gas, and Karly was working as a nurse at the time. We put our heads together and spent the better part of two years doing research and development, failing over and over again until we finally perfected the formula. Shortly after, we all quit our jobs, and today we are carried in over 750 stores nationwide!

Our mission with Rviita is to inspire the world to be a healthier place. Our journey is only made possible by the incredible support and encouragement we receive from our friends, family, and community. Each and every day, we are motivated by a desire to give back and truly help as many people as possible with our products. The most rewarding part of Rviita has been the relationships we have created with our customers, our vendors, and now the amazing staff we have brought onto our team.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Our biggest accomplishment by far has been the amazing team we have built out of our headquarters in Calgary, Alberta. This year, we have created five full-time careers and given opportunities to 2 new university graduates. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch our team grow and develop into new roles with a common mission to truly give back and help as many people as possible.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

As a business owner, you will wear many hats each and every day. One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the business has been building a team and learning to delegate. If you want to grow your business, you won't be able to do it alone. Learning when to take that next step and hire a team was one of the biggest leaps we have had to make, but now we realize that getting to create jobs and opportunities in our community is one of the most fulfilling experiences.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. We believe in the power of action and in small daily disciplines that compound over time. All successful businesses had to start somewhere, and Rviita started with a simple google search. Make a list of small things you can do right now to move towards starting your business and begin with accomplishing just one critical task per day!
  2. We have had the most success when our sole focus is not just on making a sale but on providing value and solving problems first. At Rviita, we always strive to create the best possible experience for everyone involved in our business, and we pride ourselves on going above and beyond for every single customer. When you do good, good things will happen to you.
  3. It's okay to fail! Some of the biggest mistakes we have made in business have turned out to be the biggest learning lessons. What matters the most is that you just keep trying!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We want to share some positive energy! You can use promo code GOSOLO for 15% off your first order at www.rviita.com!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://rviitalize.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rviitalize
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rviitalize
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rviita-inc/

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.