Key Takeaways After college, Jake Karls thought he wanted to be an investment banker. But he never got past the first job interview. Saddled by learning disabilities and a lack of enthusiasm for corporate work, the Canadian was forced to move back into his parents' house.
"I could not find a job, so I literally had no choice but to become an entrepreneur," he says. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me." Karls co-founded Mid-Day Squares with his sister Lezlie and her husband, Nick Saltarelli.
The good-for-you chocolate bar is non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and packed with pea protein. But Karls says the one ingredient that really makes it stand out from the pack is its emotional connection with the consumer. On this week's episode of One Day with Jon Bier , Karls shares his personal journey from early failure to success, why he believes that authenticity and good storytelling have made the difference for Mid-Day Squares, and what he's learned about himself and running a successful business along the way.
The secret ingredient When devising a marketing plan for Mid-Day, Karls looked at brands like Sephora and admired how their customers wanted to be a part of it. They posted photos of themselves on social at the store and raved about how much they loved the brand. "The food and beverage world didn't have that connectivity that the beauty world had," he says.
He wanted customers to go to the grocery store and "not just buy a chocolate bar, but actually feel that they're.
