Katlin Smith, the visionary behind Simple Mills, embarked on her entrepreneurial journey from her Atlanta kitchen in 2012. Determined to create a natural foods brand, Smith faced numerous challenges and made significant sacrifices to bring her vision to life. With the odds stacked against her, she sold her car and relied on her parents' help to gather seed money. These early efforts laid the groundwork for what would become one of the leading natural snack brands in the United States.
Despite pouring $70,000 of her life savings into Simple Mills, Smith struggled for nearly two years to bootstrap her fledgling business. Her parents even went so far as to reverse mortgage their house to keep the business afloat. In 2014, after relentless networking and pitching to potential investors, Smith secured over $2 million in seed funding from institutional investors. Her lack of experience initially led her to underestimate the financial demands of running a business.
"I definitely had to do some very creative things on my own side to fund the business, [like] selling my car and maxing out credit cards and crazy things like that." – Katlin Smith
Smith's journey underscores the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship. Despite the financial struggles and uncertainty, she never doubted that her company would succeed. Her persistent attitude and willingness to "talk to anyone and everyone" were crucial in drumming up interest from investors. Smith credits her success to a mix of hard work and a bit of luck.
"Your mentality is to keep going no matter what." – Katlin Smith
"Having resilience is absolutely essential [for] the emotional makeup of a person in terms of becoming an entrepreneur." – James Sherman
"I think resilience is probably one of the largest things you've got to have to get funded." – Katlin Smith
Simple Mills quickly grew into a major player in the natural snacks market. The brand specializes in crackers, cookies, and baking mixes made from seed and nut flours, which are now available in over 30,000 locations across the United States. This rapid expansion was fueled by Smith's unwavering commitment to quality and innovation.
Smith’s journey began humbly, as she started baking muffins in her own kitchen before expanding into a commercial kitchen. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the willingness to take calculated risks. It's a narrative that resonates with many aspiring entrepreneurs who must navigate similar challenges.
"It seems the harder I work, the luckier I get." – Katlin Smith
In January, packaged foods giant Flower Foods recognized the value of Simple Mills by acquiring it for a staggering $795 million. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Smith's career, as well as in the natural foods industry.