We recently connected with Seril James and have shared our conversation below.
Seril, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I think diving into unknown spaces can be a difficult thing for many people. This absolutely held true for me when I had the idea of launching my own jackfruit chip brand. Imposter syndrome hit me at day one…
Starting a company, creating a product and bringing that product to market has been an incredibly fulfilling journey but also a very challenging one. I had worked in sales at many different levels with a variety of products. It was always easy to sell other company’s products, since all you had to do was absorb the product knowledge of each and share that with your customers, but I had no idea how to begin a company from the ground up to sell my “idea.”
It sounds silly now that I write about it again, but I remember searching online: “How to start a company?” I didn’t have a clue. Over that period, I consumed huge amounts of information and research which helped me become more informed about the business world I was entering. Eventually I took all that information and applied it along my journey. Anytime I didn’t know an industry term or process of the business I made sure I learned about it or asked someone doing what I wanted to do. Ultimately the way to oversome imposter syndrome is to keep moving forward and not allowing the obstacles to stop your journey. I never thought in a million years that I would see my product on the shelves for customers to buy but here I am and its a wonderful feeling.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My brand, Seril’s Chakka Chips is a crunchy superfood jackfruit snack, inspired by my sweet grandmother from beautiful Kerala, India. Made with just 2 ingredients, fresh organic jackfruit & organic coconut oil, these naturally sweet chips burst with tropical flavors with every bite! Jackfruit is full of vitamins and minerals and is a good source of potassium and fiber. Our chips are Vegan, Gluten-Free and proudly Non-GMO Project Certified. We are based in SoCal and our chips are sold in a number of marekts and health food stores: Erewhon Market & Mother’s Markets just to name a few. We are also sold online via our website: chakkachips.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Tenacity, authenticity and kindness are the qualities that have led me to where I am today. The best advice I received and happy to pass to others on their journey is to never let anyone dim you light. Anyone willing to put that much effort to knock you off your course is not someone you want in your life. Surround yourself with people who love and support you and your endeavors.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
At this moment, I’m working towards scaling my brand and growing the overall business. This comes with creating new products and flavors to new investment opportunities to take your business to the next level.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chakkachips.com
- Instagram: @chakkachips
