We all gathered virtually on a Wednesday morning for those in the states and evening for those in Europe and Africa to hear A tell us about how she and her mum have expanded their business into twenty-four locations across five cities in Washington state. 

A Kouture’s roots go back to a generation of caregivers from her great-grand parents to her grandparents who were caregivers to the sick to her mother who worked as a nurse and ran a side catering business for people with allergies. She grasped the skill of service from seeing people she loved serve others with care. Starting 18 years ago with her career in fashion, A worked as a product development consultant and project manager for various companies in the luxury, real estate, hospitality, food, and beverage sector. Her entrepreneurial career launched in 2005 when she launched her own luxury style magazine.

These experiences opened her up to serving customers and giving them the best value, so it wasn’t difficult for her to pour her into a great tasting recipe that was equally healthy. A described "most successful entrepreneurs as those who connect the dots from their personal experiences to customers", always thinking "What makes the product better?"

A offers advice: "Do not do what everyone else does ... but go where the need is." Indeed, Fully Charged Allergy Friendly Snacks has gone where the need is, going into local stores with less competition, the business has also been completely bootstrapped financing itself via sales and grant money, winning competitions such as the William Factory Idea Pitch Competition.

Bootstrapping Fully Charged Allergy Friendly snacks has meant with telling her brand story with confidence, having a clear plan, and matching personal values with underserved markets such as those catering to the needs of consumers with food allergies. Although A considers herself an introvert, her manner of storytelling and engagement tells us otherwise, which means anyone can do this with practice.