Overcoming Challenges: The Lentil House Journey with Sharlay Smith

Sharlay Smith, founder of The Lentil House, shares her journey of turning her passion for making lentils into a successful business. She learned the recipe from her mother and decided to start her own business after a major life change. She started selling her lentils at local markets and received positive feedback. She won awards and eventually got her product into major supermarkets like Whole Foods. Sharlay shares her journey of starting her own food business and getting her products into Whole Foods. She talks about receiving an unexpected email from Whole Foods requesting samples of her products, which led to her pitching and eventually getting her products on the shelves of Whole Foods. She also discusses the challenges she faced as a business owner and the support she received from the local food community. Sharlay's story is inspiring and encourages others to pursue their dreams. "If you have an idea and you're passionate about it, don't think twice about it. Just do it." - Sharlay Smith Takeaways Passion projects can turn into successful businesses. Positive feedback and awards can validate the quality of a product. Major life changes can lead to new career paths. Starting small and participating in local markets can help build a customer base. Networking and participating in online events can lead to opportunities with major retailers. Don't let fear get in the way of pursuing your dreams Passion and talent can be turned into a successful business Support from the local food community can make a difference Challenges are a part of the journey, but they can be overcome Inspire others by sharing your story and encouraging them to follow their dreams “Thank you for joining me on The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast. Don't miss out on future episodes! Make sure to subscribe to The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast on Spotify for Podcasters and our YouTube channel. or wherever you stream!”- Tracy Rigdon Our tagline, 'Random. Relevant. Real.,' is more than just words to us—it's a promise. We're here to surprise you with unexpected insights, tackle the most pressing issues of our time, and do it all with an authentic, down-to-earth and sometimes tongue-in-cheek vibe. No fluff, just genuine conversations that will make you think, laugh, and maybe even challenge your own perspectives. ** Music Tracks by Alex Grohl on Pixabay (Where applicable) ** Feel free to LIKE, SHARE AND COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE. Follow The Contrast Project online: ** https://www.thecontrastproject.tv/ ** ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheContrastProjectJax ** ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_contrast_project/ ** https://www.instagram.com/contrast_podcast_backup/ ** https://www.threads.net/@contrast_podcast_backup ** ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ContrastProjTV⁠⁠  ** https://www.youtube.com/@thecontrastproject7242 ** https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-contrast-project ** The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast is proudly created in part using the Riverside.fm platform. By using this link you are helping to support this show. Thank you so much: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3BH3q2t ** You can help support The Contrast Project Lounge Podcast by visiting:  https://ko-fi.com/contrastprojectloungepodcast