Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Reggie Kelly. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Reggie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose in life once I enjoyed getting up everyday doing what I do and loving every minute of it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
KYVAN Foods is a line of specialty products created by Former NFL Player Reggie Kelly. We have products that can cater to your breakfast, lunch and dinner needs. Products such as Honey Apple Salsa, Honey Apple Butter, Various Wing Sauces, Salad Dressing, Jambalaya Sauce and Seasonings. Our products are unique, full of flavor and made with LOVE. “One taste and you will appreciate the Goodness!”
Reggie ‘took to heart’ his family’s advice, especially when He and his wife Sheila held football camps in their hometown of Aberdeen, MS. The football camps were designed to reward the kids who have excelled academically in the classroom. He also invited fellow NFL stars & coaches to volunteer and make the events special for the kids. True to form, after the camps, Reggie’s family cooked for the volunteers and they raved about the flavor and goodness of the meals. “Their responses were overwhelming and brought a smile to my face when they expressed their enjoyment of the meals and the difficulty of finding flavorful meals like these anywhere else,” said Reggie. Those compliments started the ‘wheels to churn’ in my mind and a light bulb flashed, prompting my wife and I to ‘come up’ with a great idea… a Soul Food Line!” KYVAN is a combination of my two kids’ names.
“It’s my goal to pass down to my kids (Kyla & Kavan) and to everyone the gift passed down to me. An Appreciation Of Good Food.”
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?
The most impactful quality I possess from being in my food business is handle every aspect of our business with integrity and hard work. I truly believe if you do the little things right, the big things will follow.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
It has been a smooth road because we centered ourselves our some great mentors to teach us the game. The biggest challenge, if we had to say so, would be brand awareness. Getting the consumer to know the brand, taste it and usually once they taste, they are sold and we have long-term fans.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kyvan82.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/kyvan82
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/KYVANFoods
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/kyvan82
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbuM44UmSQjcMLVrWHUs56Q
