Savannah Campbell shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Savannah, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are the most sacred and methodical to me. This block of time sets the tone for the rest of the day. First thing in the morning, I have to make a coffee. I usually go for a straightforward black cold brew just to get the day started. I usually save the fun coffee and matcha lattes for an afternoon pick me up. I never skip breakfast, so after I get ready for the day, I eat breakfast and pack a lunch if I’ll be out and about for the day. That’s pretty much my morning routine. After that comes checking emails, social media, and off to the warehouse for order fulfillment!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Savannah Campbell and I’m the owner and founder of Caribe & Co – a Caribbean-inspired flavored syrup brand. I started Caribe & Co. in 2022 after noticing a gap in the flavored syrup offerings at cafes. Menus often lacked variety, specifically the cultural flavors I craved, and were often filled with artificial additives. With a background in culinary arts and a Bachelor’s degree in Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship, I set out to bring the bold Caribbean flavors I grew up with to every sip – from morning coffee to late night cocktails.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I’ve always been a creative person. From the time I could write or draw, I was making storybooks and recipe cards and as I got older, homemade funny video, home concerts with my younger sister, and always making music! As I’ve gotten older, my focus has been on my career and some of my creative “just for fun” activities have fallen by the wayside. I think one of the most impactful things you can do as an adult is to tap into what made you genuinely happy before college, bills, and a career came into play. One thing I’ve been making a conscious effort of lately is taking time to unwind by playing the piano, reading, and tapping into those childhood interests.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of being perceived can be overwhelming. I was made fun of for very trivial things growing up and it’s always in the back of my mind that new people I meet are thinking the same mean thoughts that some of the kids I grew up around were. This trauma has always lingered in the back of my mind while posting on social media to grow my brand, but it has been healing to receive such a warm response to not only me as a person but also my brand. Now as a 28-year-old, I’ve come to love myself and accept what I cannot change or control.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe success was linear. I used to think success came when you were young and once successful, always successful. I was naive and young when I held those beliefs. As someone who started my career as a professional chef in savory kitchens who has pivoted to making flavored syrups, I now understand that success looks different at different stages of life and to different people. In college, I knew I wanted to open a restaurant, but life guided me in a different direction. From the outside looking in, I was successful. With the average age of an executive chef being 42 years old, I had hit that milestone and landed an Interim Executive Chef position at just 25. Internally, I was burnout and unhappy. I know that some of my peers in the restaurant world wouldn’t describe what I’m doing as success, because it doesn’t align with the traditional path of someone with a culinary arts degree. What I’ve learned is that you define success. As a business owner, I work just as much, if not more, than I was as a chef, but I have control over the work culture, who I partner with, where and how I spend my time. These freedoms define success in my eyes. I’m happy that I strayed from the path I thought I belonged on and I’m creating a future that I’m excited to live out.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
My integrity and passion would remain without my name, role, and possessions. Character is more important than any material possession or amount of money. How you treat people, how you navigate conflict, what you do when no one is watching – those are the things that truly matter, and I try my best to improve my character every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caribeandco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caribeandco/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@caribeandco
Image Credits
Photographer – Angel Tucker
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