Behind the Brand: Quarantine Project Hot Sauce

1. What is the name of your company?

Quarantine Project Hot Sauce

2. What is your title?

Founder

3. Where is your company located?

Denver, Colorado

4. How did you hear about Naturally Colorado? What made you become a member? Has Naturally Colorado helped you in any way?

I heard about Naturally Boulder (Colorado) when I joined the Colorado Food Works board. After attending a couple Networking Collision events, I joined as a member and eventually came over as a board member when the two organizations were merged. The networking alone is worth the price of admission, but the education and special events have helped me develop and promote my brand!

5. What size is your company?

1 full time employee, 4+ part time employees

6. What inspired you to start your company?

I’ve long worked in corporate, profit-first environments, and have always wanted to run my own business. When I learned that I could make great hot sauce and that it could be done at scale with room for profit, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Connecting with people is my motivation and inspiration. I think creating bonds with people is our highest calling, and doing it for its own sake, not as a means to any other end.

7. Why did you choose to focus on the natural and organic industry?

I chose hot sauce specifically because there is already a culture and a community built around it! It’s so rewarding to think that every bottle helps improve 10 or more meals for our customers. Eating is such an intimate yet social thing, and it’s an honor to be a part of people’s meals!

8. Can you describe the biggest challenge you faced during the early stages of your company, and how you overcame it?

We’re still at the early stage! Haha. Our biggest challenge is managing growth in a responsible, stable way. There are hundreds of ways to fail in this industry, but they all come down to spending more than you’re making. Finding retail partners that help us grow profitably has been the biggest challenge, by far.

9. What keeps you up at night regarding your business?

Worrying that the huge amount of work I put in won’t be enough. That despite my best efforts, the company will lose traction and fail.

10. What strategies can you share that have been effective?

11. How important is networking, and what strategies do you use to build and maintain professional relationships?

Networking is crucial. Not just collecting business cards and building lists of people to target. But actually connecting on a human level with people that are going through the same struggles. Either to find and offer solutions or just to empathize and not feel alone. Entrepreneurship is by its nature a lonely thing, but you can build a community around it and that’s such a rewarding feeling!

12. What is one piece of advice or knowledge that has changed your life and why?

To acknowledge your feelings but do the work in spite of them. Sweating and completing tasks are powerful antidotes to depression and anxiety.

Connect with Rick.

Learn more about Quarantine Project Hot Sauce.

More about Behind the Brand:

Everyone has a unique founding journey and we want to hear yours and share it with the community! Whether it’s how you started, your mission or the challenges you’ve overcome, we want to spotlight you and celebrate your success and journey. 

We will feature one brand a month on our website, on social media, and in our newsletter. In addition to connecting with the Naturally Colorado community, this is an opportunity to provide support and guidance to others! 

We’re excited to hear your story, for a chance to be featured fill out this survey or submit a video!

The Naturally Colorado team will follow up with more information if your submission is chosen to be featured in the Behind the Brand series.