Nancey Legg of Better Kombucha joins Carrie on this episode of The Localist! Nancey starts us off with the basics: What is kombucha?! (Think good ol’ southern sweet tea, but with a little bubbly goodness.) Nancey then gives us a brief history lesson, tells us about fermentation and ABV, and shares what inspired and motivated her to get started in the first place.
Nancey started small, selling kombucha to her friends and family at first, and then graduated to a booth at a local farmer’s market. She formed relationships with local farmers and shares how that was critical in sourcing organic ingredients. Talking with other local small businesses was critical, too — sharing how they got started, their struggles, and their best advice was priceless. Nancey tells us where her best advice really came from, and she and Carrie weigh in on how to deal with unsolicited advice (hint: lots of nodding!).
Nancey rounds out the conversation with her revelation about managing people; finding a kitchen space and the dreaded health inspectors; tells us what has been the hardest part of starting and running a business; and gives us her best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Mentioned in this episode:
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese