Latest / Glovisor Podcast / The Family Sauce That Became a Business—The Hurdles Nobody Warns You About | TiMoli Foods (Ep 64)
Transcript
- Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Meet the secret family sauce that turns any meal into a gourmet fusion dinner in just minutes. Welcome to the Glovisor Podcast, where we explore business growth, communication, and personal development through real conversations with people that make an impact. Our guest is a sought-after strategist and mentor to entrepreneurs ready to think bigger. His expertise spans sustainable business growth, executive leadership, and his specialty helping founders build premium value companies, plan successful exits, and create lasting legacies. Today, he's expanding that impact even further as the founder of Timoli Foods, bringing innovation and fresh vision to the food industry. Glovisor welcomes Samir Mokashi. Samir Mokashi: Thank you very much for having me here. I'm looking forward to this discussion. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: All right, so Samir, let's begin. Please share with us a little bit more about what you do. Samir Mokashi: I am I'm just starting the Timoli food business and and my background is business and entrepreneurship. So my I've started businesses, I've run businesses, I've mentored people, and now I'm getting into Timoli foods, which is a new venture for me, which draws back onto our family recipe. The recipe started long time ago, and and it wasn't even a recipe when we started. I I I'm a I'm a very kind of intuitional cook. I just add a pinch of this and a dash of that and make something out of it. And I started using it because our kids were young. We did not want to spend a lot of time cooking food. We wanted something that is healthy and and tasty and something they can eat very quickly. And and the the food here that we get versus the food we get in India is slightly different. So I needed a little bit different adjustment to my cooking technique. And that's how this all evolved. This is Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Yeah. Samir Mokashi: How it started and we are here now. So I'll tell you the more about the stories as we go along, but go ahead. That's kind of the Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Excellent. Samir Mokashi: gist of it. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: how did you come up with this name? Samir Mokashi: Well, the name is an interesting one. So we were trying to the sauce came first, obviously. The taste came, and then we're trying to find a nice name that will go with it. And one of the things about this, I've started many businesses, but I don't come from a business family. So I was one of the first ones in our family to run a business. Right. So I wanted to have the next generation a better understanding of the business. So I've got my daughter, my my nieces and nephews, and my rest of my family involved in it. So I was kind of tinkering along, telling, Here, here's what I'm doing. They were saying, sure, some your uncle is talking to us, so we'll stay there, kind of thing, right? And then out of the blue, the name came in. The Timoli stands for Tipanis, Mokashi and Lee. These are our last names. Mokashi is my last name. Tipanis is one of my niece and Lee is my daughter in law, my my extended daughter in law with my sister's son. And so that name was catchy. It it sounded something very useful and something exciting, but really doesn't have a meaning until I started to to to trademark it and found that it's actually Italian last name. So it is a name, but when we created it, it was more just getting an identity to the sauce. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: And and now is becoming a brand. Samir Mokashi: Yes. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Now, what inspired you to pursue this path? Samir Mokashi: Well, I'm I'm just naturally an entrepreneur and and I've involved in many entrepreneurships, many businesses over time, in successful businesses, bought and sold my businesses. And I loved cooking as well. So these two passions came together. Even as a young boy, I would try to cook something. And so when I came here for my masters and and started living alone, cooking was important. And and with all the stress of the grad studies, when I came home and started cooking. I had to let go of everything, otherwise I don't have dinner tonight, right? So that passion led me to find out a way to de-stress as well. Fast forward with our kids, we were we were trying to make some food quick and trying to juggle in different things. And it just kind of evolved out of that as a as a as a fusion brand. And then some of our friends were here and said, What what spices did you use for it? I said, it's just my blend. I said, We would like it. So I started bottling it. And and at that time now I sat down and wrote a recipe because I don't do recipes. Even if I have a recipe, I don't follow the recipe. So that was one of the hardest things for me to actually write recipe for something that had comes naturally for me. So once that was done, then we said, that's a nice little business. People like it because putting on my entrepreneur hat. But my other business, Code Unlimited that time, I thought was going gangbusters. I had no time to do this. But I didn't want to let it go. I said, okay, let me give this recipe to somebody. Someone will bring it to life. So we went to Kikoman and Kikoman, because the soy sauce is a base for the sauce. And and asked Kikoman. And they said, no, we don't get somebody else's recipe. We make our own recipes. I said, okay, fine. So it's kind of stayed on the shelves for a long time. And finally, when I sold my businesses and I technically retired, I said, now is the time. Let's bring it to market. If it's going to happen, it's going happen now or never. And it just took off. It's just doing really well. So that's how it came to market. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: that's great. Now, here you are, you're finally putting it all down to a piece of paper. It's still sort of in the inception phase because you haven't really brought it to an actual manufacturing process and bottled it or anything like that. How long was that process from the moment that you sat down that day to write all that down to the moment that you had that one bottle sitting on your countertop? Samir Mokashi: So it took us a couple of years to get there from start to finish. The first couple of years just figuring out what this industry is like. What do I need to do? Right. So that took a while. Then as I came to it, I said, okay, I need to find a manufacturing process. I need to find, make sure that it is approved by the regulatory agencies. And those basic things happened from that point to actually getting it produced was about a year and a half, two-year journey. Okay. So First, when I figured out, okay, this is what I need, then I realized that I can't make it in my kitchen and have a commercial product, right? So if I have to make it in my kitchen, it has to meet all the standards and and and work that way, which was impossible to do for me for this particular sauce. So then I started asking people, hey, how do you make a sauce? And everybody said, since my my brother, my brother-in-law, my friend has a sauce. And I all were dead ends. Nobody told me anything. Right. And and then I kind of I'm very good at researching. I'm very good at finding answers that nobody finds. Right. And I just by by just happenstance, I went to University of Oregon, which is my albumator, and tried to find some information. And then I realized over time that Oregon State University has a food innovation program. So I reached out to them to ask them what to do. And they actually had a program that takes small businesses and helps them with the regulatory process. So that was my first breakthrough. That actually helped me get a third party, somebody who's in the industry, get a perspective. this is a good sauce. There's nothing in the industry like this. So that was kind of first ray of hope, right? You come to the market and say, everybody has a sauce like you, and like that's another dead end, right? It did happen for us. So it was new and different and exciting. So we went through that process. And then we said, okay, now do you make it for us? They they they made batches in their test kitchen. Said, well, we have a test kitchen, but we don't have a manufacturing capability. So again, a dead end, right? So and I I now I then knew that universities do this. I started figuring out if universities can help me. And I found out the University of Arkansas has a manufacturing boutique manufacturing facility. Because Walmart is there, Walmart has funded the building and Walmart has funded all the equipment. To help small businesses grow. And that's the connection. So I went all the way to Arkansas to get it made. And I started with somebody and then he left. And somebody else came in and said, We don't know what the heck you're doing. That one person was doing it. So we started all over again. Unfortunately, I got some people who got excited about it. So we figured out how to it's mean, it's it's you you you do it at your home and I gave them a list of manufacturers. Well, these manufacturers don't sell bulk products. The ones I bought were all retail products, but they don't sell bulk. So I had to find manufacturers to sell bulk products. And I needed to be consistent for the sauce. So I couldn't just take any manufacturer anytime. It had to be the same one over and over again. So all these little details that you never think about takes time. And and as we grew this and do it, then I actually had a test of the bottle and there was a made in Oregon show and tell coming. So I went and showed the bottle. And the label was just printed on a printer and stuck on the bottle and the sauce filled in. And this is sauce does not have a chemical emulsifier. We wanted to keep it all natural. So that's so the ingredients kind of separate. You have to shake it to use it well. So when I brought the bottle, they said, if I sit on my my my stand like this, nobody will buy it because they think it's gone bad. Like, okay, so what do I do? There's there's an advantage because it's all natural. But there was also a disadvantage that it did not look pretty. So we had to figure out some of the things, tweak some of the things, and added a color on top. So you don't see the top differently. We actually had an oil base in it that we took the oil out because the oil didn't work with it, it was creating the problems. So we tweaked it a little bit. And and voila, we have the final version. And it it is it is not so much the time, it's the hurdles that you have to overcome in between. That was even more challenging. If it was a straight line, just a matter of time, easy. I'm I'm used to working hard and getting things done. But it's not about working hard. It was about working smart and figuring out things that nobody tells you. But but that makes it more interesting and exciting for me as well. It gives you a sense of achievement. Even beyond that, we we created the sauce. we created a commercial version of the sauce. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: So out of all of those hurdles that you have to go through, which I I imagine is countless because I I know how difficult it is to bring a product to market, which one would you say in hindsight was probably your biggest one? Samir Mokashi: I think I think the biggest hurdle is finding the manufacturer. And after I found the manufacturer, one of the biggest surveys I haven't told you yet is about shipping. As an individual, the shipping costs are very, very high. My product gets very expensive to sell to people. So I'm working hard to bring the cost down. But it's a chicken and the egg. Until you have a brand, you can make mass and you can so so I have to hustle and get people to taste it. And even that was a challenge. How do I because How do they know the toss sauce is good? And and without all I knew up till now was to cook food and have people taste it. But that's a very elaborate process. So luckily by chance, and you're kind of just thinking it aloud, what I came to is you get veggie fries in in in the stores, which is like look like regular fries, but they are baked chip-like fries. And you dip that fry in the sauce and give it to people to taste. And that's a perfect way to do it. Now I can do it on a small table and have people taste it. That's that's how I can get in front of people, right? So making the sauce, selling the sauce and selling lots of sauce are whole different ballgames and many pitfalls along the way. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Now is it extremely difficult to getting into supermarkets in your area? Samir Mokashi: Yes, yes. Because one, there's they take a the piece of the pie, right? They they they charge a lot of money to get put in the supermarkets. And there's already shelves shelves items on the shelf. So to get your item you have to bring something unique. And if you don't sell it, you have to take it back. Right? So there's a lot of risk in getting there. The fortunately there is a avenue, and I'm just getting started on that. I haven't done it. The avenue is A lot of stores want local products because people care about what's in their community. And so going to those markets and specialty markets and getting to local products and the quality product and the versatile product that this is this you can use a dip with chips. This you can use in your sandwich, this you can use on pizza, and this you can use to cook your stir fry, your your meat, your burgers, all of the above, right? It's a very versatile sauce. The first ever to get it in front of people. And and and the hurdle of cutting it in stores is nobody gets to taste it. So I need to do tastings. So people really, once I give it a taste, if looking, mmm, the eyes get big. this is nice. This is not too hot. This is just right hot. You know? So those kind of reactions is where it it starts selling. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Yeah, a what's great I would imagine is to have that reaction to something that is your family recipe. How awesome is that? Yeah, yeah. It's like a win. Samir Mokashi: Yes. It is. It is. It is. We worked very hard for it. And and before we worked hard, it was just something that was very warm for us. When that dish was prepared with that sauce was prepared, everybody knew what they were getting. And that was kind of the the b love is in bottle, right? For us. So so so to seeing other people like that is very, very kind of and of makes me feel good as well inside. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Absolutely. Now you have all of this history of being a consultant and helping businesses. Now you have this whole other venture and a whole other market that you're getting into, which I I would assume that all of that is what gives you a lot of your your hoorah ready to go and and to go forward because you've done this for so many other people. So now you get the opportunity to do that. So are you also able to help others who are trying to bring a product to market? Samir Mokashi: Absolutely. So this is my first passion, right? Entrepreneurship. And in as I built my business, initially it was Core Unlimited, it's Business Millionaire Club. All those businesses, it I was passionate about it, but I was seeing the challenges coming in, right? Nobody teaches you how to be a business entrepreneur or businessman or businesswoman, right? So you go to school for other technical skills. And the business teaches you very different things. So w as I was growing, I I wish there was a good book that would help people understand how to build. Most books were written for a college-educated crowd who gone to an MBA and want to understand how to build big businesses. So I eventually wrote a book, The Millionaire Exit. That book is available on Amazon and tells people how to do. But but that is just one aspect of it. I mentored people along the way and still mentored. I I, as a business, I advise businesses, as you explained in the intro, that I help founders scale their businesses, I help them get premium value, I help them prepare emotionally for the exit because that's a different life after you exit. All of that is there. But along the way, there's there's startups that just starting up and I say, Hey, come on over. I will talk to you for an hour, I'll give you insights. And I've helped plenty of them by just helping them understand. What is the different that they are they are doing, right? Everybody's saying, I'm an architect. I I do everything. No, not everything. What is it that you bring that is different? So that's where I kind of peel away all the pretenses and get down to the core of what makes them different than everybody else. Nobody wants something that is like everybody else. So that's Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: This is true. Samir Mokashi: one of the things that help people, no matter what stage you are in. And and and other thing I do is is help them understand if they have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a hard route. It's a lonely route, you know, and and you know it, I know it, your many of your audience have tried it and know it, right? So the key thing when many people come, and I I know a lot of people with the IT industry say, I have this brilliant solution. This software does this, right? And I asked them the one question, I get it that you love it. How many other people love it? If there's thousands of people loving it, you have a business. If there's ten people who love it, you have a hobby. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: This is true. Very true. Samir Mokashi: Right. So and then after you have it, do you have what it takes to do it? And that's something that they have to discover. Sometimes they think no at the beginning and yes at the end. It's a journey. But you have to not give up, you know. And then I was on a podcast, on a business podcast about how I grew my business. And one of the questions they they asked me, what would you tell? others coming behind you. And the one thing that always stood out for me, I was not afraid to fail. There was no ego. When I was in the University of Oregon, I cleaned toilets to get a tuition waiver and money. Okay. I have no no false impression about who I am. I am completely self-made. Okay. And I what I bring to the table, if you don't like you think I'm an idiot, that's perfectly fine. I know I'm not an idiot. Right. So that essence of knowing who you are And and believing that what you do is important. But at the same time, I don't keep hitting my head against the wall. I go around the wall. Right? So so one is is knowing that failure is not bad. And a lot of people tell me that that, well, I I don't know enough. Do you think the next person knows enough? You are not enough, might be more than somebody else's enough. How do you know? So why not give it a shot? Right? So that's the thing that is different in entrepreneurs. They believe that, hey, I'm not perfect, but I have something here different than somebody else, and I need to give it to the others. You have that sense, you don't need perfect business plans. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: that's a great point. And you have to believe in yourself to really get out there. Yeah, so that makes a great, great point. I I want to go back to something as as you were sharing of being a consultant. And then now here you are bringing your brand out. And you know, I was thinking about this. It's it's you've been a great coach, you know, all these teams, but then sort of you wanted to get back on the field and play the game yourself. and I really, really appreciate that. Now, going back to your Timoli brand, where you are today, who should be contacting you? Samir Mokashi: So right now I'm looking for building my brand. So anybody who can give a bigger exposure for my brand, I would love to partner with them, whether they are a restaurant, whether they are a store online, or a podcaster like you. I need to get the word out that we have this great product that is available. Second, I need a little bit more help in manufacturing. How to bring the cost down. So that's what I did. And in return, what I can offer to anybody who's starting out is I can explain to them my journey. I can explain to them how to start a business, how to grow a business. I will trade what I know for what they can tell me. I don't at even at this stage, I don't know everything. I need to learn. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Absolutely. But it it's great that you're willing to barter some of those services and sometimes you're offering a lot more value to others. Samir Mokashi: Yes. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: I love that. if listeners remember only one thing from today's conversation, what do you hope that message is? Samir Mokashi: Actually, the one thing I want to take them is different than what we have talked thus far. I'm 62 today. At 62, I'm starting a new business. I'm used to walking into conference rooms and everybody's saying, Samir is here. Let's start now. I go into rooms and call and say, who are you? and hang up on me. It's a very different field than what I did. I don't have name recognition in the food industry, right? But I'm doing this and I will get there and I will be successful. Right? That that that ability, no matter what your age, to know I have something to contribute. I may not run as fast as I did before, but I can think a lot faster because of the experience I have. Okay. I have I know a lot more people today who I can reach out and ask for help. So every stage of your life, you have something else. So don't hold back because you don't have something. That's that's the one thing. That that no matter who you are, what you are, you have something to offer. And and and look inside, you'll find it, help some have somebody else. Come talk to me. I will help you find what you're really good at. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: That's great advice. And regardless of age, it doesn't matter what age you are, Samir Mokashi: Yes, yes. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: there's still music in you. You need to get out there. Samir Mokashi: Yes, yes. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: So, Samir, finally, where can our audience connect with you? Find out more about your work and continue this conversation. Samir Mokashi: So I am on LinkedIn, very active on LinkedIn. So Samir Mokashi on LinkedIn, you will get me. So Timoli Foods at Timolifoods.com is is where you can get information about it. And the Business Millionaire Club. That's my website for my business mentoring. So these are the three reach out to me directly on LinkedIn. I'm there all the time. we'll respond very immediately. businessmillionaire club.com and Timolifoods.com. three places you can find it. And I can have them have that information to you so the links available to your audience as well. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Well Samir, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate your time and the value you shared. Samir Mokashi: Thank you for having me here. So this is really good. I your audience is great. You're doing a great service with this podcast. I'm happy to be a part of it. Joe Abreu - GLOVISOR: Thank you. Thanks everyone for listening. If this episode inspired you, make sure you share it with someone. And don't forget to follow the Glovisor Podcast for more conversations that make an impact. Till the next time.