The only time I’ve ever met anybody close to “celebrity” status was Jessie McCartney about 8 years ago. I briefly saw him at the Mall of America on the big stage signing books (or something like that).
I remember thinking about how cool I was by being in the same mall as him. And the funny part was, I didn’t even listen or cared too much about him or his singing career.
So now, imagine me meeting Angie Bastian. Fast forward to me as a 22-year-old food entrepreneur, the sheer thought of meeting her made me hysterically nervous. And let’s be real I was even trying to ignore the opportunity, because “what would I say?!” and “what would I do?!” (looking back now, I think of how silly that was, I just had to go for it). But the universe spoke and I met her.
This woman created the best (in my opinion) popcorn snacking company. Angie grew up with a humble beginning and a story that closely resembles the one Myles and I are currently on (but much cooler because she started with a kettle and we started with failed coconut flour recipes lol).
She is the ultimate girl boss. She exudes this feminine power that radiates throughout an entire room. She and her husband, who built the company with her from day one, are #GOALS.
In the wise words of the College of Business Dean, Brenda Flannery, “she’s a big deal”.
When Myles and I got introduced to her by Brenda, I was so nervous, I said something along the lines of “Hey Angie, love your presentation, love your story, love your blazer and LOVE what you’ve built. I’m a big fan, big fan. Uhhh, quick question! What are some qualities you see in successful food entrepreneurs.” I didn’t even give this lady time to breathe. But she was gracious enough to answer it with nothing but kindness and generosity.
Below is a summary of what I learned from that day:
- You don’t need an MBA to make it in business. She was a nurse and Dan wasn’t in the business sphere but through growing their business, they learned everything they needed through experience.
- Have a purpose bigger than making money.
- If Angie can build this $250 million company with humble Mankato roots, Coconut Whisk has a chance too.
- Make sure the relationship you have with your partner is solid because that spills out to your team and company.
- On that note, hire talent and employees who fills in the areas you lack in.
- “Millennials have a voice. And they’re gonna use it” UGh, this line from Angie gave me chills. After joking about how she’s a millennial at heart, she revealed how impressed she is with our generation because we are so brave and tenacious with what we want. I applaud her for making me feel all sorts of empowered.
- It’s important to be intentional with your relationships. It’s hard to balance a business and family life but it’s doable. Know your priorities and who matters at the end of the day.
- Minnesota is an amazing state to start a food business. We are top suppliers for a plethora of raw ingredients and produce. Plus, we simply have the best (and nicest) people supporting us.
- Ladies, own your power and encourage others to do the same. Her stand on women empowerment is so inspiring. Her #crushit movement is literally the best thing EVER.
- Last but not least, her answer to my question was that an entrepreneur needs to be committed and able to work with all sorts of problems. They need to be a jack of all trades. They need to be bold, brave and grounded in their values and mission.
live photo of me trying to keep my cool | pic by Brandon Poliszuk from Social Butterfly
So I woke up that Monday morning not even expecting to meet Angie (Myles was going instead since I was at my internship all day) but I got off of work early and something told me to go straight to campus to meet her. I wasn’t prepared. I changed out of my work clothes and freshened up in the bathroom and off I went. When opportunity comes like that, I wasn’t going to let it slip from me.
Meeting Angie was an event that I’ll never forget. I might be hyping her up to be a goddess of some sort today but hey, she pretty much is. Her story of how she built BOOMCHICKAPOP is so incredible. She gives me to inspiration because honestly, if she started in her Mankato garage, something tells me that with the help of this uplifting community, we can create something with just as much impact too 🙂
the #crushit movement and non-existent MBAs,
Bella
