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After college, Jake Karls wanted to become an investment banker. But he never made it past the first interview. Due to learning difficulties and a lack of enthusiasm for working in a company, the Canadian was forced to move back into his parents' house.
“I couldn't find a job, so I literally had no choice but to become an entrepreneur,” he says. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Karls co-founded Mid-Day Squares with his sister Lezlie and her husband Nick Saltarelli. The healthy chocolate bar is non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and full of pea protein. But Karls says the one ingredient that really makes it stand out from the crowd is its emotional connection with the consumer.
In this week's episode of One Day with Jon Bier, Karls shares his personal journey from early failure to success, why he believes authenticity and good storytelling made the difference for Mid-Day Squares, and what he learned about himself and running a successful business along the way.
The secret ingredient
When Karls was designing a marketing plan for Mid-Day, he looked at brands like Sephora and admired how much their customers wanted to be a part of it. They posted photos of themselves in the store on social media and raved about how much they loved the brand.
“The world of food and drink didn't have the same level of connectivity as the world of beauty,” he says. He wanted customers to go to the supermarket and “not just buy a chocolate bar, but actually feel like they're shopping with a friend. Feel like they're part of the whole.”
So Karls focused on building a deep connection with consumers by being open and transparent, and telling an authentic story about the brand's origins and his own personal journey. This allowed the brand to build a passionate fan base that felt invested in the company's success.
Related: Don’t be a boring brand – How to create a brand that attracts everyone’s attention
Jake Karls
Playing to your strengths
Karls initially took on the role of CMO of the company because he thought that as a co-founder he needed to take a leadership position and manage people, but he quickly realized that this was taking advantage of his weaknesses.
“It was six to eight months of total destruction,” he recalls.
By taking a step back and focusing on what he did really well – community building and brand storytelling – the company began to flourish. Karls learned the importance of blocking out the noise and focusing on his unique strengths and superpowers.
Related: Building a community around your brand is critical to long-term success. Here's how Flex Watches creates an emotional connection with customers.
Overcoming burnout
But the breathtaking pace of growth took its toll, and Karls suffered severe burnout, which led to crippling anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“I thought you could drive at 200 km/h 24/7 and your body would be able to handle it, but at some point my body gave up.”
He decided to tackle this mental health crisis head-on, undergoing 37 days of therapy, eating healthier and undergoing hypnotherapy, which he says “really changed everything.”
“My anxiety has become minimal. And my OCD is at a level that I don't even think about or care about,” he explains.
Lessons learned
When Karls looks back on his early struggles, he realizes that he was so focused on pleasing everyone else – his parents, friends and family – that he lost sight of his own priorities.
“There's too much noise in this world telling you to be this, to try this, to work with this, to do this, to pursue this strategy,” he says, acknowledging that much of that advice comes from people who care about you and love you.
But ultimately, you have to trust your gut and be able to put blinders on.
“Once you identify your strengths, understand them, and start implementing them, you experience a sense of freedom that makes you feel unstoppable.”
With that in mind, he plans to turn Mid-Day Squares into a $100 million company within two and a half years.
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