Episode 8: Smart Growth - Dream Team for Growth with Tara Bosch and Caterina Rizzi

ABOUT THE EPISODE

“Growth is relative to the kind of business you're trying to build.” – Caterina Rizzi, Breather

Hockey stick growth is a term that is used a lot in the start-up space but what does international expansion and rapid growth truly entail for entrepreneurs and is it really for everyone? In this episode of the Go-To, we discover that the secret behind strategic growth is more than a popular product or service. Tara Bosch, Founder & CEO of SmartSweets shares how she went from dreaming about expansion to reaching over $50 million in revenue. Then, we discuss if growth is for everyone with Caterina Rizzi, Co-Founder and Creative Officer of Breather and until recently, was the most funded female founder in Canada.

In this episode:

Tara shares how she visualized growth from the beginning
Discover some of Tara’s key resources that she used during the early days of SmartSweets
Caterina explains that expansion is relative to the type of business your trying to build - it doesn’t look the same for everyone
Learn how the power of your network can impact your growth trajectory

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“Umm... I Missed That”

Entrepreneurship is a world of its own, which means the some of the lingo used might get lost in translation. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are a few of the key terms you’ll hear on this episode of The Go-To and what they actually mean.

Hockey stick growth: a revenue growth pattern that mimics the shape of a hockey stick. It typically outlines where the startup begins, their first couple of years hustling, and then a turning point towards exponential growth.

Imposter syndrome: the feeling that your success in not deserved and has not been legitimately achieved as a result of your hard work, skill, and effort.

Meet Our Guests

Tara Bosch, Founder & CEO of SmartSweets

Tara Bosch, the founder of SmartSweets is on a mission to kick sugar and keep candy. Committed to making healthier food choices, Tara was inspired to innovate delicious candy – without the sugar. Months of recipe-testing with a gummy bear mold from Amazon led to the launch of SmartSweets.

Today, SmartSweets can be found in 20,000 doors across the USA & Canada, with retail and corporate partners including Target, Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, Cineplex, Google & Facebook. Tara is passionate about spreading the kick sugar message while providing people with a candy they can feel good about eating.

Tara’s Go-To Resources:

Listen on social media - you can find out what customers need and want
Futurpreneur and Women’s Enterprise Centre - for financial and early stage support
The Next Big Thing - an accelerator program
FWE’s Pitch for the Purse program

Join SmartSweets on their mission to #KickSurgar on Instagram @smartsweets. Follow Tara at @smartsweetsfounder or send her an email at tara@smartsweets.com

Caterina Rizzi, Co-Founder & Creative Officer at Breather

Caterina is an award winning designer, investor, and serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience, she’s made a career turning lofty goals and left field ideas into game-changing brands and experiences across the globe. Also the co-founder of Breather, one of Canada’s biggest scaleups, and one of the top funded female founders in Canada, she works closely with people and companies to help build scalable businesses, and dynamic, inclusive workspaces.

Caterina’s Go-To Advice:

Treat your early adopters like gold and listen to them - Be open to feedback both good and bad
Immerse yourself in the start-up ecosystem
Build a network of diverse people that you connect with
Sleep as much as you can and exercise!
When raising money, always ask for more than you need

Learn more about Caterina and follow her on Linkedin and Twitter @caterina_rizzi. Sign up for early access to her newest venture Hotline at hotlinenow.co