Meet Louise Butera

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Louise Butera a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Louise, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found purpose in:
• Hustling: I’ve often held multiple jobs at the same time throughout my life. I wanted to explore what I enjoyed, what I was good at, and what I wanted to continue doing and learning from. (I also needed the money to eat, put clothes on my back, and of course, have fun!)
• Community: Learning from others—whether through industry events, webinars, or conversations with people in and around the CPG industry—has always been important to me.
• Support: Helping others through my past experiences or simply offering a hand. It doesn’t take much to make a difference.
• Teamwork: There’s no “I” in “team.” Working together toward a common goal, even if we don’t always agree, is essential.
• Mentoring: Sharing what I’ve learned and being open to supporting others in any way I can.
• Learning: By learning from others, I’m always discovering something new and growing.
• Laughter: While work can be serious, I find joy in moments where we can lighten up. Work hard, laugh harder—I love bringing joy to others. It’s all about balance.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I come from a line of service providers and hustlers. My father, born in Aragona, Sicily, came to the U.S. after his father passed away. He arrived with his mother, sister, and some extended family, all in search of a better life. He made ends meet by installing plastic slipcovers. After marrying my mother, he worked at an early-stage pizzeria called Sbarro’s, where he learned the trade. Later, with my uncles, he opened their own pizzeria.
My mother, with a background in fashion, took jobs in the retail space as a seamstress. She later started her own business from our home, supporting the community by hemming clothes and designing gorgeous wedding gowns.
My siblings and I grew up learning this way of working, and now we all have multiple jobs to cover expenses and pursue our passions.
As I explored my interests at an early age, I always gravitated toward the creative side. Drawing, painting, and creating always brought me joy. Later, I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I majored in Advertising and Packaging Design.
My first job out of college was as a package designer at Colgate-Palmolive Company. Soon after, I transitioned to promotion design, working on sales kits, twin-pack packaging, and retail displays. After 8 ½ years there, my position was dissolved, and I felt completely lost. I had worked at Colgate for so long that my design skills felt suited only to their aesthetic.
What I thought would be the end of my creative career turned into a new beginning. Thanks to past colleagues and friends who provided me with job opportunities, I embarked on an employment journey that I am forever grateful for.
Building Join The Tryb
When I started a new job in September 2023, I began meeting and befriending founders of innovative brands. When asked what they wanted most, many said they were aiming for brick-and-mortar retail. I started buying their products to support them and to try what they had worked so hard to produce. However, I noticed that many were only sold in multipacks. I ended up spending around $30 just to try a product and see if I liked it.
In this economy, I realized that they might be losing sales because people may not want to spend that much just to sample a product. And that’s how Join The Tryb was born. Join The Tryb (www.jointhetryb.com), an online retail store where you can try products before committing to the full-sized versions. We offer single-serve and sample-sized portions of cutting-edge products. Whether these items are just launching or have recently hit the shelves, you now have the chance to sample them before making a bigger purchase.
If you love what you try, we provide a direct link to the brand’s website so you can purchase more. If it’s not for you, no worries—you can return to Join The Tryb and explore other options. We carry a wide variety of products, including shelf-stable beverages, snacks, pantry items, condiments, and personal care products. For added convenience, we even offer non-emerging brand essentials like hand towels and dish brushes.
And if that’s not enough, we provide a free sample with every purchase. That’s right—you get a free cutting-edge product with every order. The website features stories about the brands so you can learn more about them, and of course, we provide links to their full-sized products.
The best part about Join The Tryb is that there’s no subscription required. You won’t receive a box full of things you don’t need. You only pay for what you want to try. There’s no membership fee either—you’re free to come and go as you please. If you do sign up for our mailing list, you’ll receive exclusive specials and coupons.
On the other side of the business, I collaborate with founders to source their innovative products for sale. It makes sense for brands to Join The Tryb—not only do we provide another outlet for sales, but we also help increase their reach as they work toward expanding into brick-and-mortar stores.
I love helping people—it comes naturally to me. If I can do that as a job, my purpose is fulfilled. I am fulfilled.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

If you do not understand something, ask questions. Early on in my career, there were many times when I did not understand my task fully but because I didn’t want to seem unsure, I would do the task as I thought it should be completed finding out after that I did it incorrectly and had to do it all over again.

Listen to the experts. Removing your chip off your shoulder allows you to learn and grow.

Think outside the box & sometimes, a step ahead. As I gained more experience, I learned to complete tasks as required, but if I saw a better or more efficient way, I would present it as an option to my peers. I also try to anticipate the next steps, considering how the current task might impact future ones and identifying any potential challenges.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

If you are an emerging brand in the shelf stable food, beverage or personal care segments and want your product to be part of the Join The Tryb website, please reach out to me at [email protected] or on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/louise-butera-1780001/

Contact Info:

Image Credits

I took all the pictures

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