Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex West and Becca Hayden.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alex and Becca. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It was 2014 – I had just had my second child, and Becca was pregnant with her first. We were sitting in my parent’s living room talking about how tired we were when Becca realized there were so many energy drinks on the market but not one was made for pregnancy. Then and there the idea of Knit was born. My husband was able to connect us with some beverage industry veterans through a small coffee roastery we ran at the time. They thought it was a good idea too, and they helped us get started. We had our first production run in November 2018 and officially launched the product in February 2019.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth!? No way! It took over four years to get from an idea to an actual product. Part of that was out of our control. For example, our co-packer changed ownership causing a significant delay in production. But we are also moms, and that comes first for us. Starting a company requires sacrifice, but we aren’t willing to compromise our families, which makes a lot of parts about owning a business challenging. Learning to find a balance is an ongoing process. We are also brand new to the beverage industry, and it is a huge learning curve. We had to learn how to write a business plan, what a gross margin is, andhow to ship 13,000 lbs of product across the country. It is hard work. We make mistakes. But I will say, despite how difficult some things have been, it has been incredibly rewarding and I love how I have grown and been stretched through this process.
Please tell us about Knit.
Knit is an energy-giving beverage designed specifically for pregnant and breastfeeding moms. No artificial anything. Low sugar. And it contains a vitamin blend that helps your body create energy naturally. I love that we can offer a tangible pick-me-up to all of those hard working moms out there. Motherhood is awesome, but it has its fair share of ups and downs. We love being able to cheer moms on through Knit and remind them that they can do this!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I think I would have asked more questions. Like I said, we are completely new to the beverage industry, so I think if I would have done more research and talked to more people, I would have had more realistic expectations of what this process would be like. All of that to say, I also wish I would have trusted my gut more. A lot of times I would default to the “expert” for an important decision because I doubted myself and my abilities. I think we could have avoided some mistakes had I believed in myself more.
Pricing:
- Blackberry Hibisucs (12 pack)- $39.99
- Pink Grapefruit (12 pack)- $39.99
- Mint Lime Green Tea (12 pack)- $39.99
- Mixed Case (12 pack)- $39.99
Contact Info:
- Website: drinkknit.com
- Email: alex@drinkknit.com
- Instagram: drinkknit
- Facebook: facebook.com/drinkknit
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