Founder Spotlight: Nancy Kalish (Rule Breaker Snacks)
Meet Nancy Kalish:
Rule Breaker Snacks are innovative better-for-you snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, top 11 allergen-free, and deliciously soft-baked. Our snacks start with chickpeas (they are the first ingredient!) but you’d never know it from the luscious texture and delicious flavor. They’re packed with protein and fiber, have less sugar, and are made with wholesome, real-food ingredients.
Startup Stage:
Seed
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
When did you launch the business?
2015
What led you to where you are today?
As a former health journalist and certified health coach, I knew exactly what to eat to be healthy. Trouble is, I’ve always had a very unhealthy sweet tooth and could never find any treats that satisfied it AND weren’t full of sugar, preservatives, and other bad ingredients. I started looking for better-tasting, better-for-you sweet treats and started experimenting with bean-based brownies, and after many, many iterations I found a recipe that was delicious and I thought “how hard could it be to start a food business?” The rest is history!
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
I guess I’d say I wish I’d known what I didn’t know! Before starting Rule Breaker Snacks, I had no experience in the food business—or any business at all and I actually thought to myself, how hard could it be to run a food company?! Well, I’ve found out exactly how hard but I’ve also come to know that I don’t/can’t know everything, so I’ve surrounded myself with people who do and take advantage of every opportunity to learn.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
That would definitely be changing the original name of my company after more than a year in business. I had applied for a trademark for the original name, Pure Genius, which can take up to a year. I didn’t get the trademark and had to think up a whole new name and get through the change with our distribution and retail partners. I actually like Rule Breaker Snacks a lot better, but it was tough making the transition.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
I’m always happy to help fellow entrepreneurs in areas I have experience, such as crowdfunding or finding a copacker.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
We’re thrilled to see the love for our vegan snacks and are thrilled to be connected with the VEGPRENEUR community. Thanks for learning more about us and making our snacks part of your eating routine! We’d also love your help spreading the word about our Equity Crowdfunding Campaign on Republic.co. We’re growing like crazy, but like all companies in a growth phase, we need money to fund that growth so we can continue getting our delicious vegan, allergen-free, gluten-free snacks into the hands of people who want them. Whether you choose to invest in our campaign, share it with someone you know who might want to invest, or just keep eating our yummy snacks, we thank you for your support.
Fun fact about you:
My eyes pop open every morning around 5 am—I never need an alarm.
Anything else you would like to share?
It’s so important to support fellow vegan brands and help them get established in the mainstream. That way, you can help ensure that the next time you—or any other vegan—goes into a store, you’ll find something delicious to eat!
Read More On Our Blog
