“From Avocation To Vocation: How We Turned Our Hobby Into A Career,” With Ben Frohlichstein and Stacey Marcellus of Cappello’s
By: Carly Martinetti
Tags: Startup, Business, Entrepreneurship, Leadership

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?

Both: As friends and Co-Founders, we have always shared a love for cooking and feeding people. After we had parallel experiences working on small organic farms, we both developed a passion for cooking with real, unmodified food ingredients and being able to feed ourselves and our families with nutrient-dense, delicious foods.

Stacey: My mom was a voracious chef. She’d take us to restaurants and if she loved a dish she would recreate it and make it a staple in our home. She’d make minor tweaks each time until it was perfected. She also was into natural health long before it was mainstream. She used food as a tool for better health and continues to do so. She found out she was gluten intolerant over a decade ago which was the impetuous for my brother and I to get tested. There is no doubt that my mom’s love for cooking and better health influenced me and lead me in the direction of creating food for others.

What was the catalyst from transforming your hobby or something you love into a business? Can you share the story of your “ah ha” moment with us?

Both : When we both returned to Colorado, we caught up and discovered that we had both had the realization that there were amazing benefits of following a grain-free diet, but there weren’t any nutritionally relevant options for those who wanted to enjoy pasta regardless of dietary restrictions. We reconnected at a pivotal point in our lives when we were both on a mission to do something new and something that could be really meaningful for ourselves and others. It was then, we started formulating the first almond-flour pasta on the market, from there our product line grew as did our business.

There are no shortage of good ideas out there, but people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. How did you overcome this challenge?

Both: Our team are big believers in accountability. We are committed to being responsible and setting clear expectations for ourselves and the Cappello’s Crew. Ensuring that we are both accountable to each other and our team members has been a big driver in making our business a success. We knew that there was a need in the market for grain-free options that were delicious and our consumers really inspired us to stay on track and keep creating.

What advice would you give someone who has a hobby or pastime that they absolutely love but is reluctant to do it for a living?

Both: Sometimes you need to give up your conventional job to pursue your passion. If that means moving across the world to live and work on an organic farm in Argentina for a while then you can’t be scared of the adversity that the situation may present.

“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell

We think this Joseph Campbell quote really shows just how powerful following your passion can be and what can await if you do. Things always take longer than you think. Staying with it and staying positive is the key to success.

When a door closes, a window opens. Be open to things not going your way and looking for the silver lining. You’d be surprised how many things don’t work out the way you anticipated but ultimately lead you to a better outcome.

It’s said that the quickest way to take the fun out of doing something is to do it for a living. How do you keep from changing something you love into something you dread? How do you keep it fresh and enjoyable?

Both: We have an extremely supportive and inclusive environment that we have built that incorporates all of the things that we love in life, surrounded by people who inspire us everyday. We think that choosing to interact with people that are equally as passionate as we are and hold our list of CREW values, which are Collaboration, Responsibility, Excellence, Well-being and Mutuality, are integral to avoiding burnout.

Ben: At Cappello’s we’re big believers in personal well-being and development. Yoga which we offer weekly at our office, is just one of the many tools our CREW uses to help reduce stress and bring more mindfulness into our work.

What is it that you enjoy most about running your own business? What are the downsides of running your own business? Can you share what you did to overcome these drawbacks?

Both: We are so inspired by our customers. Seeing the difference that having grain-free options can make in people’s lives is an absolute joy that we can’t get enough of. We’ve seen the health benefits of taking grains out of your diet first-hand and through our customer’s testimonials, we are blown away by how cutting out grains truly can have a healing effect on some people’s bodies. One of our Cappello’s community members, Diane “V” Capaldi aka Paleo Boss Lady, suffered from the effects of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which left her legally disabled for a time, until she began fueling her body at a cellular level, cutting out all grains. Through her newfound diet, she has been able to manage the symptoms of MS 100% without the help of western medicine.

Ben: It takes a lot of persistence and dedication to grow a business. Things always take longer than you want and just like any skill, repetition and practice come into play. It can be very challenging to “turn off” the work mode, especially if you’re passionate about what you’re working on. You really have to be ready for the business to consume you. It’s important to know this so that you can go in eyes wide open and be aware that it’s going to take all your energy to grow and push the business forward. A tip to overcoming the all-consuming nature of running your own business is remembering to keep stoking your creative mind and be sure to keep having fun outside of work too.

Can you share what was the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

Both: When we started the business we had a passion for food, cooking and eating, but we had no clue on how to translate that to a branded food product. Since neither of us came from the food industry, we didn’t have a sense of what to expect… In many ways I believe that was a gift because perhaps we wouldn’t have made the leap if we knew how all encompassing this journey would be. At the beginning, we were very naive about how long it would take to be able to start paying ourselves, which is an important factor in starting any business.

Has there ever been a moment when you thought to yourself “I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to get a “real” job? If so how did you overcome it?

Both: Nope. Can’t imagine doing anything else. That said, of course there are times where you’re wondering why am I doing all this, it’s so stressful and hard. But then you get these little wins and moments to celebrate. Sometimes it’s a consumer reaching out via email and telling you how you’ve created a product that has had a big positive impact on their lives, and it gives you the motivation to keep pushing and moving forward.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Both: I don’t know if there is just one story. However, we’ve really been so fortunate to meet so many amazing people along this journey, from former CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, to consumers who are living better lives by having access to tasty, grain-free products. For us it’s all about the people. Sharing an energetic exchange through the products we’re making, the CREW we’re working with and ultimately consumers being excited about the convergence of all our work.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Ben: When we first started out I had no clue how to say Gnocchi (pronounced Know-Key). I would literally be popping into the back of restaurants trying to sell Chefs our Fettuccine and Gnocchi, saying things like you should really try our (Ga-No-Chee) and they would just look at me like I was a crazy person, which, at the time I was.

Who has inspired or continues to inspire you to be a great leader? Why?

Both: All the people that work at Cappello’s and all the people who chose to support this brand by buying our products. It pushes us each day to show up and be our best selves and continue to foster an environment where people can create and share their passions with the world, which ultimately leads to the best consumer experience and a memorable brand impression.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Both: We absolutely think that creating dishes that can be enjoyed by all, is an extremely important way that we are making the world a better place. Having options can be life-changing for those who suffer from auto-immune diseases such as Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Diabetes and gluten-sensitivities. Knowing that we are providing some sense of normalcy for these folks is amazing, from being able to sit down and eat a pizza with their family members to giving them quick and easy foods that aren’t a hassle to prepare. We believe that the work we’re doing is fulfilling a responsibility to the human race to provide foods that are nutrient rich, which means absolutely no modified starches, wheat, corn, rice, legumes or soy.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Everything takes longer than you think.

Even in the beginning, we started during the summer. All farmer’s markets were already booked with Vendors. We just assumed you showed up and that was that. Well, it wasn’t! We had to do drop in and fill last minute cancelations which meant lumpy sales during the first season. The next Summer, we followed the application process and did it right, but that meant we were not setup properly to be in the Farmer’s Markets fulltime until the following year from when we launched.

Stay focused. It’s easy to chase the shiny new thing.

There will always be opportunities to divert focus, these can be exciting and fun, but ultimately the business and your team needs to focus.

Get mentorship. Find folks who have been there done it before. This will save you lot’s headaches.

No one does it alone. Get involved in industry events, network and find a mentor or mentors. One of our mentors helped us establish a Value Driver System which gives the business and those within the organization focused and clear objectives. This system is limited to just a few key business objectives that are designed to move the needle significantly, cutting out pet projects and distractions. Our mentor used this system to re-jigger a multi-billion dollar P&L for his company’s Latin American operation, rallying thousands of employees around just 7 key business initiatives.

Stay positive. You’ll likely face more no’s than yes’s, especially in the beginning.

When you’re selling a new idea or product there can be a lot of resistance to it, even if you know it’s the greatest thing EVER! Stay the course, and know that businesses are built on incremental wins over the course of many years. Cappello’s was rejected from a lot of grocery stores before we finally broke through. Then, once we got one store and some sales, we were able to share that win with other potential retailers which helped to show a proof of concept and ultimately helped us achieve further growth in additional retailers.

Be real with how long it will take to build your business. Have some basic projections built around sales, Cost of Goods Sold and time.

It’s easy to think you’ll make a million dollars the first day you launch your website, or get your finished product ready for sale. In all reality it won’t be this way. Having a realistic idea of what sales might be, coupled by the Cost Of Goods Sold to produce the product can help you better understand what you’ll need in terms of time and resources to grow your business. You might want to wait to quit your day job when you finally realize you’ll have to sell a heck of a lot of whatever it is you’re selling in order to even pay yourself a living wage.

What person wouldn’t want to work doing something they absolutely love. You are an incredible inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Both: Our team of creators and foodies want to inspire a food revolution for the grain-free industry. We want to be able to show every consumer that having a grain-free diet doesn’t have to mean that they are ever compromising on texture or taste and that there are truly delicious offerings for all.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Stacey: My favorite life lesson quote is a saying Permaculturalists use: The problem is the solution.

“You don’t have a snail problem, you have a duck deficiency!” Bill Mollison

If you see yourself confronted with a perceived problem, why not try and look at the situation from a different angle? Is there any way to use it to your advantage?

This is relevant to me because I believe deeply that we can change our experience in the world through our minds and the way in which we look at things. Challenges are gifts as they are the teachers in our lives. If we can shift the way we look and interact with problems then we can do incredible things. Knowing there is a problem gives us the keys to the solution. The absence of awareness is what’s most damaging.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Paul Stamets. Paul is a mycologist and a true visionary. Paul’s extensive research on fungi and fungi’s diverse uses, from its ability to be used as a medicine to combat cancer, to providing pollinating bees defense against mites that are arratidacting the species. His research extends well beyond just these topics and he is a true champion of holistic health care practices and environmental stewardship. https://www.instagram.com/fungiperfecti/