Saskia Sorrosa applied for a food processing license while working as a VP of Marketing at the NBA because that’s what a normal day can look like for an entrepreneur. Now, almost 2 years after leaving the NBA to lead her own baby food company, Fresh Bellies, the workload hasn’t gotten any lighter and Sorrosa loves it.
“Building a business takes time, the stakes are high and there are many setbacks along the way,” explains Sorrosa. “Reminding myself to get up, keep at it and never lose sight of my mission – and why it’s important – has been my driving force.”
For Sorrosa that mission is anchored in the kind of food she wants to be able to feed her children.
“I’m originally from Ecuador and the food I grew up with was highly seasoned – everything was made with fragrant herbs and spices – and the big focus in our culture was around savory flavors,” says Sorrosa. “Thanks to my early exposure to flavor, I became an adult with an adventurous palate and a deep appreciation for all types of foods.”
Fresh Bellies is Sorrosa’s attempt to give her own daughters – and other children – the opportunity to develop the same adventurous palate from a young age. Fresh Bellies product line includes flavorful twists to classics, like “Apple of my eye”, which is an apple and blueberry puree that’s mixed with mint.
“My upbringing coupled with the needs of the U.S. market evolved into our vision; to help reverse the rise in unhealthy eating habits by changing the way kids eat from the onset,” shares Sorrosa. “Our mission is to create a new generation of healthful, adventurous eaters starting with a baby’s very first bite.”
Below she shares more behind the scene details of juggling a corporate job and startup, what children’s book helped inspire her entrepreneurial journey and what advice you should take to heart.
Vivian Nunez: How did you take the idea of wanting healthier, more flavorful children’s food to actual mass production?
Saskia Sorrosa: In the early days, we spent 12-15 hour stints in a commercial kitchen making the food ourselves and hand filling each and every jar. We sold at Farmers’ Markets first, then moved into stores. Once we were ready to expand nationally, we began to grow our team and build strategic partnerships.
When I first made the transition, I went from sitting behind a desk to standing under a tent at Farmers’ Markets, getting to know artisanal food makers and the farming community. It brought me closer to our food source and gave me a deep appreciation for our food system. It also gave me an opportunity to build relationships with our customers and understand their needs first-hand. Those very early days were critical in helping us grow from a deeply-rooted local business to a disruptive national movement.
Continue onto Forbes to read the complete article.
