Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Marshall Rader, co-founder, and CEO of The GFB, located in Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are The GFB: The Gluten-Free Brothers, and we're here to serve our team and customers by making the best tasting, protein-packed, and plant-based snacks. We do things a bit different than most, and we like to say, "We make good for you foods in good for you ways" because of our B-corp philosophy and dedication to sustainability. The first thing we do differently is that we make everything in our own dedicated gluten-free facility - and our facility is a zero-waste facility, which means that over 90% of what usually would go to the landfill, we work to upcycle, recycle or reuse. In addition, we have an inclusive hiring program focusing on providing opportunities to many who have challenges gaining employment. And lastly, we're proud to share that as of May this year; we operate solely on energy from solar and wind!
We make a variety of great foods, from snacks to meals (depending on your appetite!). We started with our high protein bars, soon launched our market-leading Bites, and most recently, our high protein oatmeal in the most innovative packaging you'll find anywhere. All of our products are Non-GMO verified, Plant-Based / Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Dairy-Free.
Tell us about yourself
It's hard to believe that only ten years ago, no one really knew what gluten was or had even heard the term gluten-free. As a newly diagnosed celiac back then, I could not find a bar that I enjoyed eating, used recognizable ingredients, and had a good amount of protein. Since going gluten-free, while not without challenges, was a really positive life-changing event for me, I figured there were more people like me out there, and The GFB was born.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'm still working on it! While that might be true, the support and engagement of working with 50+ team members that are advancing The GFB each and every day and the opportunity to share our success with everyone at The GFB are what drive me forward.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
At least in my experience, it is balance. As a business owner, this is what you do every day, and there is a lot of yourself wrapped up in the business. It is quite difficult to turn things off and not have thoughts from work jump in your head, so anything where your mind is totally focused somewhere else, like sports or playing with your kids, is a good break for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Quality - this will vary depending on the business; the point is always to keep in mind what impacts your customer and maintain focus on it.
- Listen to others, and get input, but ultimately no one has been exactly where you are, so trust your gut.
- Focus on serving others - your team, your customers - and good things will happen.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
We love feedback - so any thoughts anyone has on our evolved branding and new product ideas, we would love to hear them!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://theglutenfreebar.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theglutenfreebrothers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegfb/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gfb-the-gluten-free-brothers/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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