July 8, 2016
FROST’D
Maker Spotlight
photo by Josh Vertucci
If it were socially acceptable to eat frosting out of the jar, I think many of us would be doing that right now. That’s where FROST’D comes in. Made from coconut oil and other natural ingredients, this frosting provides just the right amount of sweetness without any of the gross preservatives.
Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
We wanted to something fun, creative and spunky. Our logo, the F with the arrows, stands for ‘Follow your…’ and then you fill in the blank. For me, starting FROST’D was following my heart and passion. When you eat FROST’D you’re following your sweet tooth. We’re actually going to be releasing a cool project on our site telling the story of other females “following their passion.”
Have you always been passionate about design?
Yes. Design and quality. Walking through stores, I would admire brands that really took time to develop the design and quality of their products.
Why did you start working in this particular field?
FROST’D has been around for a year, but I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen ever since I was a little girl. When I was five I was making brownies for my older sister and her friends. My mom was in the kitchen, but not really paying attention. When I read ‘hand mix’ on the box, I did what any reasonable 5 year old would. Stuck my hands right in and started to mix. You can imagine the horror on my mother’s face when she turned around.
What do you think sets you apart from others?
FROST’D is the only coconut oil snack frosting out there. We keep a really simple ingredient list, don’t cheat the consumer with palm oil and don’t put ingredients in there they don’t understand (even if they are ‘natural.’) But, what’s coolest is the fact that, since we’ve paid attention to ingredients, FROST’D isn’t just for cupcakes. You can enjoy it on toast, pancakes, fruit.. the opportunities to sweeten up your snack-time are endless.
Have you had any major failures? If so, what were some important insights gained?
Ooph. Yes! Running your own business, and food business in particular is really difficult. You’re always going to be going through ups and downs. It’s tough to stay passionate all the time, but when a little boy comes up to you and says, ‘You realize you make frosting for a living,” it really puts things in perspective.
Have you sacrificed anything to create your business? If so, what was it, and do you have any regrets?
Does my sanity count? Ha. But, yes, owning a business is hard and it takes a lot of time. This means I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices with my time. It’s hard telling friends that you haven’t seen in ages that you still can’t hang out because you have to make frosting, label jars or get your booth ready. Also, I’m an ultra-runner, but I can’t go on as many adventures as I have been able to in the past. But I have no regrets. I know I have the opportunity to bring something awesome into the world and am thankful for all of the adventures I’ve had before starting FROST’D.
What has been your proudest moment since creating your business?
When a little girl tasted FROST’D at a market in Denver and proclaimed as loud as she could, “It’s so nummy, I want another one.”
How does the city you live in influence your work?
Boulder, CO is the mecca of ultra-running. Being an ultra-runner with an insatiable sweet tooth is what inspired FROST’D in the first place.
What valuable experience did you have before starting your business?
Working at a number of tech startups before FROST’D, I knew starting a business was a lot of work. It takes patience, because there’s no magic spell that will create success overnight.
What made you take this leap into being your own boss?
I was already my own boss in the first company I started: a small social media company. FROST’D was less about being my own boss and more about creating something tangible to bring into this world that really amazed people.
What are some inspirations for your work?
FROST’D is all about uniqueness. I’m constantly searching for new flavors people are putting together at restaurants, bakeries, on blogs or in coffee shops. In terms of the FROST’D brand, we look to other companies (not in the food space) that really portray fun energy to build our brand.
What are some tips or suggestions you’d like to offer to fellow makers?
Hustle. Seriously, hard work pays off. It’s not going to be easy, but when you create something and see the look on someone’s face when they enjoy it, the hard work pays off.
