In this episode of BizNinja Entrepreneur Radio, creator of The Jelly Belly®, David Klein is on the show. David Klein loves candy. He loves to create new and fascinating candies and is best known for inventing the gourmet jelly bean we all know and love. Today he talks about being creative and making something unique.
David doesn't really consider himself to be an entrepreneur. If anything, he says he is a creator. He just loves to watch things grow from nothing. His success purely stems from his love for candy and his desire to build and help others do the same.
He started his business in 1976 with just eight hundred dollars. To make the most with little inventory, he made sure to keep the flavors separate to look like he had more than he did. In the early days, he focused on getting as much free publicity as possible. After a few years of great success, he sold his beloved company and looked into other endeavors.
David Klein spent the next couple of decades immersed in the candy industry and helping others build their businesses. His experiences offer great insight into finding new product ideas and developing the mindset of an innovator.
David's newest venture is in the CBD space. He combined his love for candy with CBD's healing properties and is having a great time on that path. Tune into this week's episode to help spark some ideas for your next great product!
Key Takeaways:
- The first time David realized he was an entrepreneur (2:41)
- How Jelly Belly got started (3:49)
- This is what he did to get the business growing (7:20)
- Other projects he's taken on while being in the candy business (11:20)
- One product that he thought was going to just change the world that never really got momentum (13:40)
- How he got into the CBD business (15:11)
- His treasure hunt (16:00)
- Advice for those looking to become creators (17:30)
- What's happening in the candy industry right now (19:33)
Additional Resources
Connect with David through LinkedIn
You can find the transcripts and more at http://bizninjaradio.com
Be sure to follow me on Instagram @bizninja
---
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, YouTube, or anywhere else you listen to your podcasts.
If you haven't already, please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!
