I love hearing entrepreneurial backstories that are reminders that it is never too late in life to make a career change to pursue a dream and make a positive impact—especially when people are blazing new trails in unfamiliar territory and solving common problems along the way.
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Launching today is CAULIPOWER, a line of gluten-free, ready-to-use cauliflower-based products created to taste like conventional recipes yet offering healthy alternatives that are convenient, nutrient-rich, lower in calories, sugar, and fat. First up to bat for CAULIPOWER is the launch of their surprisingly delicious gluten-free pizzas in four different flavors (Margherita, Three-Cheese, Veggie, and Plain) available today on Amazon.com and in select Whole Foods Markets beginning February 1st and in Bristol Farms in March.
The brains behind this new cauliflower-based food category is Gail Becker, a seasoned executive who left her 16-year career as President of Strategic Partnerships and Global Integration at Edelman, a leading global communications and marketing firm this past spring to pursue her passion.
With past roles as the former press liaison to the Clinton/Gore campaign and being VP of Communications at Warner Bros, I had to know what made Becker leave the comforts of steady paycheck to jump into the risky world of entrepreneurialism with a start up in an unchartered category?
Gail Becker, courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Gail Becker, courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Becker jokingly tells me, “Wow, when you ask it like that it really does sound crazy. In all seriousness, I would say it was a combination of things. First, I realized that I wasn’t a 16-year kind of gal for anything. Almost simultaneously with this realization my father, who inspired everyone he ever met, passed away and soon after I had less patience for things that are meaningless to me. I was reminded that the journey never ends and it is never too late to pursue your passion”.
The wheels were set in motion when Becker’s two sons who are now 13 and 19 were diagnosed with Celiac disease at a very young age. Since there weren’t many gluten-free options to buy at the time Becker became accustomed to making meals from scratch or buying what few options were available. “What I realized was in all those years of buying premade gluten free food was how unhealthy it was. I decided right then and there that if I ever discovered an unmet need that was a viable option I would create a business that filled that need”, shares Becker.
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
In 2016, Becker caught onto the gluten-free cauliflower pizza craze that she discovered on Pinterest and made it for her sons one night who loved it. Becker continues, “They asked for it again the following week and I said no because it took too much time and mess to contend with after coming home from a long day of work. I said I would buy it. But I couldn’t find it anywhere. I did some research and realized that this was a viable business”.
Becker credits the internet for the inspiration behind CAULIPOWER. “If you Google cauliflower pizza crust you would get about 500K recipes that come up. I became really taken by the idea of taking something born on the internet because people wanted it and could not find it so they created it themselves. In my heart, I want to be one of those people who makes the crust from scratch, but I don’t have that kind of time. I thought—what if I could make it easier? It’s one of those products that tasting is believing, but the most important facet is that idea was born on the web”, states Becker.
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Becker knew nothing about the food industry before launching her start-up. But credits her career working as a journalist and in PR with putting her in a position to know a little information about a wide range of subjects. With her sons right by her side, Becker made her first sales call as CAULIPOWER wanting them to see that it is never too late in your life to make a change. Becker continues, “I wanted my kids to see that you can always make a change in your life. I am always telling them that if you don’t bet on yourself, who will”?
With a modest inheritance she received from her father when he passed away, Becker has financed CAULIPOWER on her own happily knowing that her father is looking down on her and smiling. But with more product development in the works and with Becker launching 2-3 more products in the upcoming months, she would be open to investors at this point. “You need to rely on a huge supply chain that takes a lot of time and dollars. I have learned patience”, shares Becker.
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Becker’s biggest challenge since her launch was realizing that no one cares as much as you do. “Learning the industry was really hard with a language that was entirely new to me. The industry has been a certain way for many years and it isn’t very easy to implement change. But once they get it, the light bulb goes off”, Becker tells me of forging a new food category.
On the flipside, Becker’s biggest pleasant surprise about venturing into entrepreneurialism has been the outpouring of support from fellow risk takers. Becker shares, “When I started I was painfully aware of how little I know about making a product and selling it on the food shelves. Yet, what I came to realize was how many people responded to my story and my journey becoming an entrepreneur. In this world of Goliaths in every industry people still root for the underdog!”
Becker tells me one of the driving forces for leaving the corporate world was also to give back in a meaningful way. As part of this mission, CAULIPOWER plans to give a portion of their sales to support OneSun, a non-profit created to help the fight against childhood obesity by contributing to the creation of vegetable gardens at underserved schools throughout the country to educate kids on where their food comes from and inspire a new generation to love and harvest vegetables.
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Courtesy of CAULIPOWER
Becker continues, “When I think about what I want CAULIPOWER to stand for and the vision—I want the company to be an advocate for accessible nutrition. I don’t think that nutritious food should only be available in certain stores and I don’t think that it needs to taste bad. It is important to teach our children about being healthy. Only when you are healthy can you contribute to society in a positive way”.
Since CAULIPOWER launches today Becker is unsure of what the future holds. “With the feedback and interest we have gotten so far we are very optimistic”, states Becker.
As a cheerleader for all entrepreneurs, but especially ones who are underdogs, I am excited to see where Becker’s journey takes her.
[Source:-Forbes]