[Sweet and Snack Show Series] Why We Need More Gluten-Free Candy with Mike & Jackie Nakamura Founders of Lovely Candy Company

Mike and Jackie Nakamura are the founders of the Lovely Candy Company. Their journey started when Jackie asked her husband, Mike, to go on a quest for her favorite candy, but it was a special request – it needed to be consciously crafted with select ingredients, as well as gluten-free. What began then evolved into a plethora of delicious family favorite candies.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [0:40] Mike and Jackie Nakamura join the podcast to talk about Lovely Candy.
• [3:15] How did Mike and Jackie come up with their flavors?
• [5:45] Mike talks about the challenges they’ve encountered.
• [7:00] Jackie and Mike talk about the proud moments.
• [8:30] Future plans for the Lovely Candy Company.

In this episode…

Do you know someone in your social circle who struggles with dietary restrictions? With all the advancement we’ve made with sugar-free and dairy free products, there are still many challenges for people who need gluten-free options - especially sweets! On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneurs and innovators, Mike and Jackie Nakamura. In their conversation with Jeremy, the Nakamuras open up about why they started the Lovely Candy Company, how they decide which flavors to bring to the marketplace, challenges they’ve faced along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Mike and Jackie’s story!

What would you do if someone you love had a special affinity for a candy they no longer can eat due to health challenges? Would you do your best to find new candies for them? Or would you do something crazy like Mike Nakamura did and try to create gluten-free candy from scratch? Mike’s efforts might sound crazy but as he tells it - the journey was a blast! What started as an effort to create gluten-free candy at home quickly evolved into a business marketing the gluten-free candy to a larger audience. You can find the link to the Lovely Candy Company in the resources section at the end of this post.

As a business leader, you are likely familiar with the struggle of competing against more established elements in your industry. What do you do in your organization to make your product or service stand out from all the others - especially the big guys? Mike and Jackie worked hard to get retailers and distributors to take a chance on their fledgling business, the Lovely Candy Company. Their primary obstacle was getting these gatekeepers to take a chance on a startup - but perseverance won the day, and they were able to get their product in front of customers. What can you learn from Mike and Jackie’s story?

Resources Mentioned on this episode

• Lovely Candy Company
• Intro Music by Kidd Russell

Sponsor for this episode

Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers.

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