The First Customer - Shark Tank Series: Bean-to-Bar Brilliance with Co-Founder Ryan Bouton

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ryan Bouton, co-founder of Gatsby Chocolate.  Ryan grew up in rural Virginia, and initially worked at Halo Top as the first employee and later leveraged that experience to co-found Gatsby Chocolate, the first-ever low-calorie chocolate on the market. Ryan emphasized the challenges and lessons learned from the Halo Top journey, which included extensive R&D to perfect the product before launching it to consumers. Ryan discussed the evolution of Gatsby Chocolate, from its initial launch to the strategic shifts that helped the brand gain traction. He spoke about the initial struggles of brand awareness and the importance of packaging and product tweaks to better appeal to their target audience. By going back to the basics and personally handling customer service and outreach, Ryan and his small team managed to establish a stronger connection with consumers and drive product success. The Shark Tank experience was a significant milestone for Gatsby Chocolate, providing a platform to showcase their innovative product and receive invaluable feedback from the Sharks. Delight in the flavors of success as Ryan Bouton reveals the secrets behind crafting extraordinary chocolates on The First Customer! Guest Info: Gatsby Chocolate http://gatsbychocolate.com Ryan Bouton"s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-bouton-09093141/ Connect with Jay on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayaigner/ The First Customer Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@thefirstcustomerpodcast The First Customer podcast website https://www.firstcustomerpodcast.com Follow The First Customer on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-customer-podcast/