We recently connected with Sarah Lange and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, 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 have always loved baking. I started baking as a young girl with my sisters, and I started my first business during the summers as a teenager. I thought at the time that I would continue on the path to becoming a pastry chef. However, I majored in English and Spanish in college and started writing for a magazine after I graduated. I felt like I should be doing something in an office. I went on to try several different jobs, from communications director to talent assistant, but the draw to baking was always there. I wanted to create something beautiful and share it with people to bring them joy. After working in production at a bakery and as a pastry chef at a restaurant, I started my granola business. It has turned out to be a perfect fit. I can create a beautiful, high quality product that people can enjoy on a daily basis. It makes you feel good. I think that you really need to listen to your gut when you’re looking for your purpose and follow the thing that excites you. As my children grow up, I’m watching to see what they are naturally drawn to and I hope I can encourage them on a path to success doing something they love.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I own an LA-based granola and snack company called Bearclaw Kitchen. We use homespun recipes and high quality ingredients to create nutrient-rich foods to fuel your active lifestyle. I’m a former pastry chef, so flavor and freshness are paramount. We bake all of our products in-house. We also use thoughtfully-sourced ingredients, like organic oats, wildflower honey from Altadena, organic maple syrup from a small farm in Pennsylvania, organic heirloom pumpkin seeds from Oregon. These products make a huge difference. People think they know granola, but it is a thrill to see their faces light up when they taste our granola for the first time at farmers’ markets. They are on a different level than anything you can buy at the grocery store. We are excited to announce that our Coconut Grove Grain-Free Granola is a finalist for the Good Food Foundation Awards in Portland at the end of April. We hope that helps more people discover our products, which you can find at a few farmers’ markets and specialty shops around LA, as well as through our website and now on Amazon!
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 want to work in a certain field, reach out to the companies you’d like to work at or learn more about. It can be scary, but it’s worth it because people want to work with proactive people. Staying positive is also very important. People want to work with and support positive people. Customers like to buy products from people and businesses who make them feel good. Lastly, always be learning and looking for ways to improve your product, your outreach, your business practices, etc. I often feel overwhelmed by what I don’t know about Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), but I recently heard a good bit of advice that I’m trying to live by–when you don’t know something, you simply need to tell yourself “I know how to figure this out.” Do the research, find the people who would guide you, and figure it out! You can do it!
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?
One thing I have learned about running a small business (or any business), is that it takes money to grow. If you look at any popular brand out there, they all have investors. I’m pretty intimidated to ask people for money, but I believe it is a necessary next step. I’m currently looking into investment opportunities. I would also love to have a business partner who understands Bearclaw and cares about quality. I started as a baker and even though “I know how to figure this out,” I would be very grateful to have someone by my side who wants to see this thing grow. If you’re out there, call me!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bearclawkitchen.com
- Instagram: @bearclawkitchen
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bearclawkitchen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bearclaw-kitchen
- Twitter: @bearclawkitchen
Image Credits
Cathy Chaplin, Rachael Narins
