Meet Karen Akouri

We were lucky to catch up with Karen Akouri recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

It all began when I thought I was making a healthy salad for my family and ran out of the Ken’s dressing I was using and thought I could save myself a trip to the store by adding some ingredients that I already have. When I looked at the ingredient list, I realized I did not have di-sodium inossinate! I did not have poly sorbate 60! and I did not have titanium dioxide, which when I googled it, I learned was a whitening agent used in industrial paint! That’s when I decided I will never buy conventional dressings again and I will make my own! At that point, I realized, that the world needs better, healthier options.

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

I launched drench, clean dressings and marinades in 2019 with hopes to revolutionized the industry. Many of the products on the market were laden with artificial colors, preservatives and emulsifiers with chemicals that are difficult to pronounce. I set out to create delicious dressings and marinades with simple ingredients that you can find at home. Our dressings are free of many common allergens. Thye’re dairy free, nut free, fish free & non GMO certified, but they are not free from flavor! Our dressings are good enough to drink! We are so grateful for all of our fans & supporters who have helped grow our business as we are now in over 3000 stores in 47 states including Whole Foods Midwest, Sprouts, The Fresh Market, Wegmans, Meijer and Central Market to name a few.

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?

A strong work ethic, which was instilled at a young age by both my mother and father is one of the most impactful qualities I have. I worked at our family grocery store since I was 12 years old, helping out with small jobs and learning the business. I saw first hand how my parents hard work and sacrifice led to their success and now I attribute the success of drench to my hard work. I pretty much work long hours, 7 days a week, always trying to find work life balance as an entrepreneur which is always challenging!

A “never give up” attitude has been an another impactful quality that has contributed to my success. Because I believe in my brand, I never took no for an answer. I believe in polite persistence, which can border being annoying so you need to be aware to not cross that fine line!

I also have a strong willingness to learn. I was actually a CPA previously so I really didn’t know much about the CPG world. I was self taught from day one researching much of what I know on the internet. I was never afraid to ask a question because there’s no such thing as a dumb question. I had a talent of creating dressings but I didn’t know how to produce on a large scale and go to market. After launching drench, I was honored to be chosen as a participant in the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business program which was a great tool that helped me to learn so many aspects of business. I’m still learning today!

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The book that has played an important role in my development is Traction from Gino Wickman. It has taught me to work on my business instead of in it. One of the focuses is on hiring the right people for the right positions and having systems in place. It’s a book I highly recommend for entrepreneurs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://idrench.com
• Instagram: @drenchdressing
• Linkedin: Karen Akouri drench

Image Credits

Lexi Harrison @crowdedkitchen
Megan Gregory @theculinarynest