A snack-related enterprise that reliant on subscriptions soon became a cult achievement

The idea of quitting work in order to create our own venture is something that many think about. Yet, only a few people have the confidence, let alone the willpower and determination to achieve it.

Read on to find out how a couple transformed the cost of a modest investment into a truly exclusive monthly payment. What makes them believe that the tiny details distinguish them from other food subscriptions along with their advice on how to create your ideal business.

An ordinary snack that has a an innovative twist

Universal Yums bills itself as an organisation that offers "snacks of a different nation that are sent out each month." The boxes that are delivered monthly with snack items may not seem different, but the main differentiator is that, each month the boxes are designed to include food items from various countries..

For example, some of the older boxes were filled to overflowing with carefully selected cookies, chips and chocolates sourced of Italy, Thailand, Germany, Japan, and France. According to Monique More than twenty containers were delivered up to now. On the subject of returning to other countries Monique states:

There is a good chance that we'll need to duplicate some countries. If we have to repeat the same country, we'll look for new goods, so even though the country is the same, the products differs.

To find snacks for the boxes they subscribe to, Monique and Eli go through trusted sources that they've found over their time. After they've gathered samples, they along with their staff test each item to determine which one is an appropriate fit for a themed box. It's not possible to guarantee that it will please all people's preferences However, they'll be able to make a decision between themselves on whether the product is an accurate representation of the country's flavor and style.

The most delicious and tried-and-tested snacks of the group are gathered in an annual subscription box which comes with two different sizes (minimum of 6 or 12 snacks) accompanied by an informative booklet Monique develops. Then, the box is handed over to subscribers for food enjoyment.

How a $1,000 purchase turned into a thriving company (and the reason why it was best for them)

We asked the owners the reasons they came up with the concept for Universal Yums, and it was Monique who came up with the original concept. In June 2014, she created a list with 10 business concepts she had gathered during her lunch break working. She and Eli discovered one idea which was a worldwide snack box subscription so much that they decided to start working with it the next evening following dinner.

Everyone of them contributed $1,000 from savings accounts at the very beginning of their venture which went towards their web site, hosting, their initial inventory and also an individual stamp used to identify the boxes for shipping. The group "basically had no costs to start up," claims Monique.

A post shared via Universal Yums (@universalyums) on December 8 Dec 8 at 2:02 pm PST.

In researching various platforms to host the site Eli said he spent quite hours searching for a platform that offered the recurring billing features and front-end control that was what he wanted. He eventually found it  and the rest was history.

Eli's biggest challenge was customizing the website to suit his preferences and preferences. He "spent long hours working on pieces of PHP and Javascript and many pages of HTML and CSS" However, in the month of the month of October, 2014 Universal Yums launched for pre-orders, and the very first batch of food was delivered on December 2, 2014.

In the past, Monique and Eli both have left their positions to pursue their dream fully. Universal Yums eventually grew too large for Eli's home in Cincinnati and that's why they left Cincinnati to oversee the business in a new location located in New Jersey. The company now has many employees and Universal Yums has hit seven figures in its revenue as of the end of the year.

What they've learned after a million sales figure, as well as the reddit death hug

The journey to a million dollars of revenue wasn't easy, it required some time and a lot of effort. But the business did have little assistance through a source that was not expected: Reddit.

Eli posted the site to r/shutupandtakemymoney in 2014, resulting in roughly 200 orders almost immediately -- what Monique later called her first "this is going to work out" moment.

In the latter part of 2016, Monique conducted the AMA ("ask me anything") concerning the company. The influx of visitors and new users totaled the website in just 30 minutes (jokingly that it was"the "reddit embrace that is death"):

It's hilarious, as I was so focused on solving the first question that I was unaware of the magnitude of the problem. [...] I checked Google Analytics and saw that there were a lot of concurrent users.

The site was (and it remains) hosted by WP Engine; even with just a few days notice, they were able to finish an emergency transfer to bring the website back online. Congratulations!

Alongside being ready for the crushing flooding of people who post on popular subreddits Eli claims it is because Universal Yums has learned that it's these little details that set them apart from competitors. Although there are competitions, Universal Yums follows its own distinct mission to inform their customers about the world's cultures, countries as well as the world in a refreshing and interesting way.

One method by which the company achieves this is through giving helpful booklets that are included in each box. Monique is the person who create and design the booklets, which provide facts and historical information on the country as well as details about the products that are included in the food. Says Eli:

"Monique" was looking to improve her writing skills And, at first, the booklets offered a great opportunity for her to do the goal. Today, they're an enormous asset to our business because they offer us a plethora of intriguing and informative information about our country every month.

Monique also notes she also notes that many of the items included in their box have never been shipped in North America. The box's subscribers are exposed to foods they may be in a position to try without the expense of huge quantities or wait long periods of time for an import.

Little bits and pieces are all a part of an experience that can't be seen anywhere else that is delicious and entertaining as it is educational.

Eli advises anyone on the same track that you pay attention to your personal data.

Add your own "unique" touch to whatever you're selling. Anybody can place something in a container and attempt to market it. What are you able to do that can make your company more successful?

Have you written a thank-you note to accompany each purchase? Cover your purchases in white tissue paper? Put a stick of gum in every package? It's the smallest of details that matter way more than you imagine!

The experts offer top tips to entrepreneurs looking to start their own ventures.

We have reached out to Monique and Eli for some more of their top tips for those considering starting a company that is their own, be it subscription-based or not. One of the best tips was an AMA on reddit AMA which Monique as well as Eli were part of, in which Monique spoke about the savings that can be made by taking DIY methods in the beginning of their venture:

Find out how you can accomplish it on your own, except when you can't. We outsourced almost nothing, as well as saving the company money, it enabled us to make better decision about whether to outsource this in the near future.

Today, it is possible to create amazing websites without touching a line of code. Check out WordPress and find a web hosting company that will install it for you. There are many packages that come with it. The next thing to do is pick a design for your website - put some dollars there.

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Both of them shared their mistakes early on including not communicating with suppliers, to not having experience with eCommerce. The biggest error Monique made and discovered was not waiting enough to have someone hired to assist in the running of the business:

It took us a lengthy time for our first hire. The result was that we felt like were behind all the time because we did not take anything off our plates.

There's a delicate equilibrium between the task at hand as well as having a person assist you. Monique's best advice? Try it out yourself so you can be certain that you comprehend the process involved, and then you'll be more comfortable of passing it on.

The subscription-based snack industry is an example to every one of us.

We're truly amazed by the extent to which Monique and Eli created a successful lunchtime business idea all the way to the point of a subscription-based company that's made seven figures. If you've thought about taking on something similar to this, then consider letting the successes in the case of Universal Yums be the inspiration for you to take the plunge!

What do you think about what you think of the Universal Yums story? Are you operating a subscription company or a subscription service of your own that which you'd like to discuss? We're open to comments and we'd like to connect with you.

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