Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Cmiel.
Hi Jeremy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always had an interest in spicy things. My mother would claim my love for hot sauce started when she would use it as a punishment for using curse words at a young age. I’d tend to think she may be right.
Hot sauce always seemed like a rebel to the food world and so perhaps, that’s why I gravitated to always perusing the grocery store aisles for something new and exciting. Looking at all the labels/brands and trying to find something different than the common Tabasco or Cholula.
My pursuit of making hot sauce started sometime in 2019 and really took off during 2020 when everyone was looking for a little spice in their life.
After creating “The OG” (Pineapple Habanero) hot sauce early in my first set of test recipes, a lot of close friends and family really enjoyed it. My partner loved it so much she’d eat it like Salsa (which means sauce in Spanish) with tortilla chips. This was the sauce that “set it off!”
Naturally, people started telling me I should sell it. So I started to bottle it in my small apartment kitchen with bottles purchased from Amazon, and heat shrink wraps to seal the bottles using a hot pink blow dryer (mind you, I’m bald so that was its only purpose when I purchased it – I still have it and plan on mounting it as a reminder of where I started).
It took a good year or two before I finally moved the gears and started to legitimize the business. I formed Stockton Sauces LLC first, with the intention of filing a DBA for a brand yet undeveloped, I began the process of acquiring the necessary licenses and paperwork to sell locally.
I struggled with a great name and had a few names along the way I felt were perfect until they weren’t… Some of them were too serious or intense and I didn’t want the hot sauce to be that for people. I wanted something playful, fun, not too serious but relatable to food as an experience.
Thus, Mr.Mustachios was born. I have a mustache which likely informed the name subconsciously but thought, “Hey, Mr. Mustachios is fun to say, it sounds like a household brand, and it’s fun and grown up at the same time.”
I’m proud to announce we’ll finally be selling in-person this spring/summer/fall season. I’ve established a website, social media accounts, and a lot of ways to interact with the brand. Next, we’ll work on some fun apparel to support the brand and tap into a deeper lifestyle concept as well as future collaborations.
We’re hoping this next year will be all the evidence we need to go commercial and start making bigger investments in the business.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth road? Ha.
One of the things I think many people struggle with is turning their passion or hobby into work.
Sometimes it’s a struggle to work on creating a business after your normal 9-5 or on weekends when you’d rather be doing something fun with friends or recreationally.
I had a lot of presumptions about what it may cost, or what time it may take, to get something done and as I’ve learned about health regulations, laws, policies, etc… I’ve learned that the path to self-sustained production, quality control, packaging, shipping, selling… etc… to be a long one.
Luckily, I’ve had a lot of strong supporters like my partner (Renee) or my friends and family. They’ve always been in my corner when I get discouraged or fearful of success.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I like to think of myself as a mediocre creative who somehow ended up in high-value sales. I’m sure others would contest that – but I’ve spent my professional career in a few roles leading me to my current.
From starting as a customer support rep for salespeople in medicare/retirement insurance to an account manager at a creative agency to a cold calling machine at a B2B enterprise SaaS company… Other jobs I’ve had: Pizza maker, Car Wash attendant, Clothing sales rep, Costco Cart Pusher, Cashier, Barback, Bartender, Server, and so forth. I’m proud of the hustle mentality I’ve had since I was of legal working age. I’ve certainly had my fair share of experiences and skill-building opportunities.
I currently work as an Account Executive at Anaplan (which is an Enterprise Planning Software company). I love my job because I spend all day talking to talented business leaders about the challenges they’re facing within their industry and organization. We then get to problem solve applying our solution to solve their challenges and ultimately, drive impacts and value back to their business. It’s complex problem-solving and managing people’s expectations, and emotions and turning them into champions within their business I love most.
If I were to proclaim something that sets me apart from others… I would say it’s my ability to lean into discomfort and suffering to emerge stronger and more evolved than before. Resilience is something I’ve learned over and over since a young age.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up I was a rambunctious child. My parents called me “Herr Schwer” which translates from German into, “Mr. Difficult”. I had a sensational love for life, for staying up late and always feeling like I may be missing out on life.
As a child, I really enjoyed soccer, baseball, and football as sports. But I LOVED video games even more, specifically on the PC. Connecting with people in the early years of online games was a quick way to grow up socially. I think it also drove me to read a lot on the internet by way of the news and pop culture.
I’ve always gravitated toward being around people or social settings. Real center-of-the-room type stuff, which I’ve thankfully grown out of and seem to be more in touch with solitude and self-thought these days.
Pricing:
- All sauces are currently an even $8
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mrmustachios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr.mustachiosmpls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mr.mustachiosmpls
