Quevos began with Zack’s search for a low carb snack. As a Type 1 Diabetic, Zack had to account for every gram of carbohydrate that he ate, and so he couldn’t even enjoy a bag of chips without having to give himself an insulin shot. Inspired by the crispy leftovers of an egg white omelette, Zack knew that it was possible for pure protein to crunch like a chip. So he got to work developing a low-carb egg white chip alongside his sister Carly and lifelong friend Nick. Together they experimented tirelessly for two years before arriving at the product of their dreams — a crunchy and boldly flavorful chip that delivers the nutrition and purity of an egg white omelette.
What is Quevos? When was it founded and how did you end up on Shark Tank?
Quevos is an egg white-based chip brand with four delicious flavors. Quevos packs in protein, fiber and healthy fats in every bag and has only a couple net carbs.
Quevos was founded in January 2018 after my co-founder Zack was looking for a diabetic-friendly snack that didn’t require an insulin shot. Quevos was born as a low-carb, high-fiber snack that crunches!
We were able to get on Shark Tank after being contacted by a producer and going through the formal application process which included months of back and forth and submitting a video of our pitch for consideration. Then we were selected to come out and tape!
What’s one of the biggest problems in your business that you’ve overcome so far?
In the beginning, research and development was a massive hurdle for us. It took 10 months to get to a product that was even launchable, and even after that we had two more big updates to the product.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business and what did you learn from it?
When we were just getting started, I took about 1/3 of the funds we had available to us and ordered some custom equipment to help us get started. Well, within 30 seconds of the equipment arriving, I knew it wouldn’t work and the manufacturers told us we were stuck with it – no refunds or exceptions. Looking back I can laugh because that was just one of many examples of my young naivety starting a snack brand, but what I learned from this is to do your research. There are so many resources available today to help young entrepreneurs get started, no matter what industry they are in.
Another mistake that I made was hiring two friends from college to come work with us part-time. Because we were friends, I withheld a lot of the feedback that they needed to hear to improve in their roles. Instead of being transparent with them to give them a chance to succeed, I fired them. Ultimately, that decision ruined the friendships and I’ve since learned to become a better manager by providing constructive feedback on the way.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
Something I do every day is meditate. It’s been an extremely beneficial daily practice and I find that I am a better person, and entrepreneur, if I center myself through meditation before moving on to my responsibilities.
What’s something you experienced on the show that the viewers did not see when it aired?
A couple things come to mind. We were surprised at how long the filming process was. We were there for about three hours and in the Shark Tank for about 40ish minutes. Additionally, when you enter the room, it is extremely quiet and there is no music playing like we hear on TV. When you’re in there, it doesn’t really feel like you’re being watched or on TV. It’s nothing like what we see in the final product when the episode airs.
Also, I wasn’t sure what to expect after we made a deal with Daniel Lubetzky, founder and Executive Chairman of KIND Snacks and Guest Shark on Seasons 11 and 12 of “Shark Tank.” We’ve been so grateful with how involved Daniel has been in the business and the mentor he has become to me and my co-founder Zack.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting Quevos or getting into the food industry?
I wish I would have taken it less seriously. Of course you want – and need to work hard, but it’s not life or death. The pressure really gets to you sometimes and I wish I could have taken a step back to appreciate where we were at and enjoy the process a bit more.
In your opinion, what has been the most effective marketing strategy to Quevos?
Influencer marketing has been extremely beneficial to our brand. The Instagram platform works well with Quevos and it has been a great brand awareness drive for us.
If you only had $1,000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
If we had $1k to use at the beginning, I imagine we would have used it to create a basic sketch of our baseline product and take it to 50 target consumers to ask for their feedback so that we could improve.
What’s your best piece of advice for entrepreneurs who want to apply for Shark Tank?
My advice is to show your passion, have energy and keep applying every season. Once Shark Tank resumes its live pitch events (currently paused because of COVID-19), I recommend attending and make yourself known at the event. Stay in touch with anyone you can from the organization, send them product and stand out in any way you can.
What is your favorite quote?
“Don’t look away. Turn your gaze towards the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you.”
– Rumi
This reminds me that problems can be good, things that aren’t working in your business will help you improve over time. Turn your attention to the problem areas and learn how to fix them.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can find more information about Quevos at quevos.com
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