We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carl Nyberg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Carl, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I believe one of my strongest traits when it comes to seeing optimism is being able to view different obstacles and topics through different lenses. This allows me to be able to pivot or adjust based on the circumstances to ultimate reach a goal, even though it may not be the exact same goal as originally intended.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
We currently run a hot sauce company based out of Atlanta called Sway Sauce. I originally started this endeavor with my wife, Mayra, and best friend, David Thrasher, to share our love of flavor and spicy food with those around us, which eventually led to starting and running an official business. The idea of creating our own hot sauce solidified after a trip to Panama and trying the “aji chombo” sauce from a local restaurant named El Trapiche.” We brought several bottles back to the states and after running out, we decided to try and recreate the same sauce while making it our own, and Sway Sauce was born. With Sway Sauce, you can see a lot of influence based on my Panamanian heritage not only in the sauce, but also in the Brand. the logo itself is based on a “Diablico Sucio,” a mask worn as a tradition in some parts of Panama for “Carnavales.” While keeping a lot of of the Panamanian influence, we have also been able to incorporate our passion for heavy music (metal, hardcore, punk, etc) within our brand and vision, this has given us the opportunity to work with some of our favorite bands over the years. We have found this mixture successful with catching people’s attention and even helping us win an award for Best Label at All things Chile Fest earlier this year. For the close of 2023 we are primarily focused on setting up new launches and products for 2024; however, are excited to announce we will be participating in Hot Sauce Fest ATL, December 3rd.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Our journey has unveiled several obstacles and lessons to overcome. I would say one of the first skills or traits is the ability to pivot. Although we started this as a hobby in 2016 our of our kitchen, we officially started in the business during the 2020 Pandemic and had to overcome several obstacles that were thrown at us, including going through multiple manufacturers due to the pandemic. Being able to network also releases a lot of potential when starting a business. During out time at our first hot sauce festival was extremely eye opening, being able to meet other businesses and owners doing something similar but with very different approaches to their scaling, goals, and even product, we were able not to only expand our knowledge but also met new friends and potential business partners down the road. My final piece would be working with local businesses that are relatable or compliment your product or vision. Here in Atlanta, we have had the pleasure of working with local pop ups providing sauce for their recipe’s and even getting our product in some restaurants. Our next step is being available in more stores.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I would say anything by Simon Sinek is extremely inspirational. One that comes to mind is “Start with WHY,” which was shown to me by a mentor of mine. This book encompasses on how great leaders are able to inspire those around them. -If you can get the interest or early adopters, a majority of the population will follow.
-Keep the passion because once that dies, the company potentially dies
-Pay it forward
Contact Info:
- Website: www.swaysauce.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sway.sauce
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sway.Sauce
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/sway-sauce
Image Credits
Josh Thompson Allan Sabado
