Margaret Wishingrad is the founder and CEO of Three Wishes, a company that produces a line of healthy breakfast cereals made from high-quality ingredients. Before starting Three Wishes, Margaret was working in advertising and noticed a gap in the market for breakfast cereals that were both healthy and delicious when she was looking for some options for her son as a first-time mom. Fueled by her passion for healthy eating and entrepreneurship, she set out to create a cereal that would meet this need. Margaret spent two years developing Three Wishes, working with a range of taste testers to ensure that it met her criteria for being high in protein, low in sugar, and gluten and grain-free.In this interview, Margaret talks about the challenges and setbacks they faced when launching Three Wishes, from validating the idea to getting co-packers to produce the first batch of cereal. She also shares how to get retailers invested in your product, run a successful omnichannel business, and create awareness with the brand while being super scrappy. Despite the challenges, Margaret achieved significant growth even during the pandemic, growing it to be a multi-million dollar brand while also being a mom to two young kids. Margaret also shares what some of her proudest moments have been as a mother and business owner, and so much more.In this episode, we’ll talk to Margaret about:* Margaret tells us what she thinks the key attributes are for someone wanting to start a successful brand. [02:25]* Why a positive and calm attitude is imperative to business building. [04:26]* How meeting her husband made Margaret realize that she wants to be an entrepreneur. [06:56]* How Margaret built her confidence; the importance of positioning yourself correctly. [08:20]* The biggest learnings Margaret and her husband had from working in advertising. [10:54]* Why starting your own brand is so much better than working for an agency. [12:48]* Where the idea for Three Wishes Cereal came from and how Margaret started her brand. [14:06]* Margaret walks us through her research and development process for Three Wishes Cereal. [20:58]* The importance of focusing on your product launch, creating a good plan of attack, and how they got an audience with retailers. [24:12]* Why you have to include your retailers in the creation process so they invest in your success. [27:37]* How Margaret and her husband handled growing their audience during COVID and what their supply chain looked like. [29:15]* Margaret shares some interesting things her company has done to promote their brand. [35:18]* Margaret defines her and her husband's roles in their business for us. [38:41]* Why Margaret doesn’t like fundraising and has stopped seeking capital. [40:34]* Margaret shares some words of wisdom about how she juggles being a CEO and mother: ask for help! [45:18]* Our guest tells us about the proudest moments in her life. [49:58]This episode is brought to you by Beeya:* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle. * Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.Follow Mia:* Website: https://threewishescereal.com/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbwish/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.