Meet a Maker: James Richard and Ethan Akdamar of Bizi Honey
These founders took thier interest in health, and winnigns from school pitch competitions, to start a brand that is redefining the supplement industry with unBEElievably delicious honeys.
An estimated 50 percent of the general population in America is vitamin deficient. James Richard and Ethan Akdamar, the founders behind vitamin-infused honey brand Bizi, want to change that. The duo created Bizi Vitamin Honey with the idea that taking your vitamins should not be a struggle, and after talking to regular supplement users they found that people are sick of taking an endless amount of pills and gummies every day. What better vehicle for nutrients than something a little sweet?
With Bizi, James and Ethan are giving everyone an alternative way to get their daily dose of vitamins, while providing a simple vitamin supplement with minimal and clean ingredients. Currently their are three honey stick varieties: Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin Bs. Each is made with a combination of raw honey and pure vitamins.
James spoke with Foodboro about his and Ethan's journey to entrepreneurship (any guesses on what they studied in college?), the challenges of navigating the CPG industry, advice for other startrup founders, and what’s next for the brand.
Before Bizi, Ethan (my co-founder) and I were at school at Belmont University! We were both studying entrepreneurship there. Through our senior year we were using Bizi (originally called Vitamin Honey) as our senior capstone project. We participated in pitch competitions and visited flea markets and farmers markets to prototype and do market research! We graduated right at the beginning of the pandemic and decided that we wanted to launch the company that we were working on for the past year!
How did you come up with the name Bizi/ mission?
Bizi is a play on words! We wanted to use the sound BUZZ but incorporate it with the active (busy) lifestyle that people have. Our goal at Bizi was to create a tasty and transparent way for people to get their nutrients. You can take these honey sticks anywhere and everywhere (yes even through TSA) and make any food or drink you have healthier! The honey sticks are super convenient and very tasty even by themselves.
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
The idea for the brand came about when my younger brother (my best friend) was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. He was struggling keeping his symptoms in check and visited the hospital multiple times initially. Instead of going on medication he decided that he wanted to try a diet to help his symptoms. After starting the diet he saw the benefit of using food as medication. While he was doing great he still lacked a lot of micronutrients.
When he went to go supplement, almost all the brands he took contained the same ingredients that he was trying to avoid on the diet. I noticed that the one sweetener he could have on the diet was honey. I saw him apply it to almost everyone of the foods he was eating. I decided that if he can use honey like this why can’t we use honey in the vitamins instead of the other ingredients! After about a year and a half of prototyping and research we finally launched Bizi and brought vitamin infused honey to the market! While there are lots of ups and downs in my brother's health journey he is mostly symptom free and enjoys life!
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We have gotten a lot of help and advice from brands like NoBaked Cookie Dough, Vitafive ( a low sugar vitamin company), Earthquake Eddie Bee Superfood, and Drink-a-dash! We also love to partner with local Nashville health companies. We get advice on strategy, what’s working and what’s not and also potential retail spaces that might be interested in bringing us in!
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
While being an entrepreneur always comes with challenges there are some that seem to stand out in the CPG space. One of the big challenges we had to overcome was learning about packaging. We thought originally that we could have a one package fits all, but that just isn’t always the case. Through trials we learned that different retail outlets do better with one package over the other. Your DTC packaging might be different from the wholesale packaging but that's okay. For example as a new brand we normally have packs of 10 but we just created single sticks for people to get one right as they check out so they can try the product for a cheaper price without having to get all 10 sticks immediately.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Besides shipping being super expensive we have seen in the year of business that the DTC model was once the way to make money but over time things have shifted more towards retail. We also realized that modern marketing (IG & Google & FB) has become increasingly expensive so you have to innovate and find new ways to reach your customers!
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Outside activity is a must for me. The entrepreneurial journey always has ups and downs. It's great to have other activities and ways to socialize to get more of a holistic approach to health. For me I love playing piano (mentally) and playing hockey (physically) plus making time for friends and meaningful relationships. These other activities help me feel connected to people outside of work. I know that everyone says grind, grind, grind, but the truth for me is you need to have a work life balance even as an entrepreneur so you don't burn out! Somedays you do need to grind but sometimes you need to unwind.
Community is key!
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
You don’t know what you don't know, so community is key! There is always more to learn in your industry and the only way to learn is to ask questions from the people that have done it before. I used to think that competitors were your enemy but it turns out that you can really learn a lot from them and even find partnerships with them! Find the people in your space and work together to grow both of your businesses. We continue to look for people to help encourage us and give us advice on how they do things!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
BEEsides honey, I love blueberries. I always have a carton of blueberries in the fridge. I also love cheese and hot sauce. Hot sauce is applicable to any food (besides blueberries). If i'm feeling snacky (usually am) , Smart Sweets is another great snack I love to have.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
The rise of functional foods is here to stay for sure. People always want to elevate their health and diets, the best way to do that is to bring the nutrients that are good for you and infuse them into everyday foods that people already love. Through our short journey at Bizi we have already seen candy that is good for you, coffee infused with adaptogens, or healthier granola. These innovations will continue to advance our diets and help us stay healthy!
What’s next for the brand?!
We are super excited for our next product launch! We are creating a super honey blend infused with all the bee products ( besides bee venom) and blending them together with other nutrients! We are planning to launch this on Amazon as part of our new strategy to find the customers that are already searching for similar products! (Part of the reasoning for this is because we had an international conflict between India and the USA that cut off our supply of organic B vitamins. But this change has brought new opportunities for us so we are excited for the future). When we launch this new product we will be sure to share with the community so everyone can get a chance to try our super honey!
We also launched our single sticks and are hoping to ramp up the retail game so you can find us in more stores!
An estimated 50 percent of the general population in America is vitamin deficient. James Richard and Ethan Akdamar, the founders behind vitamin-infused honey brand Bizi, want to change that. The duo created Bizi Vitamin Honey with the idea that taking your vitamins should not be a struggle, and after talking to regular supplement users they found that people are sick of taking an endless amount of pills and gummies every day. What better vehicle for nutrients than something a little sweet?
With Bizi, James and Ethan are giving everyone an alternative way to get their daily dose of vitamins, while providing a simple vitamin supplement with minimal and clean ingredients. Currently their are three honey stick varieties: Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin Bs. Each is made with a combination of raw honey and pure vitamins.
James spoke with Foodboro about his and Ethan's journey to entrepreneurship (any guesses on what they studied in college?), the challenges of navigating the CPG industry, advice for other startrup founders, and what’s next for the brand.
Before Bizi, Ethan (my co-founder) and I were at school at Belmont University! We were both studying entrepreneurship there. Through our senior year we were using Bizi (originally called Vitamin Honey) as our senior capstone project. We participated in pitch competitions and visited flea markets and farmers markets to prototype and do market research! We graduated right at the beginning of the pandemic and decided that we wanted to launch the company that we were working on for the past year!
How did you come up with the name Bizi/ mission?
Bizi is a play on words! We wanted to use the sound BUZZ but incorporate it with the active (busy) lifestyle that people have. Our goal at Bizi was to create a tasty and transparent way for people to get their nutrients. You can take these honey sticks anywhere and everywhere (yes even through TSA) and make any food or drink you have healthier! The honey sticks are super convenient and very tasty even by themselves.
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
The idea for the brand came about when my younger brother (my best friend) was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. He was struggling keeping his symptoms in check and visited the hospital multiple times initially. Instead of going on medication he decided that he wanted to try a diet to help his symptoms. After starting the diet he saw the benefit of using food as medication. While he was doing great he still lacked a lot of micronutrients.
When he went to go supplement, almost all the brands he took contained the same ingredients that he was trying to avoid on the diet. I noticed that the one sweetener he could have on the diet was honey. I saw him apply it to almost everyone of the foods he was eating. I decided that if he can use honey like this why can’t we use honey in the vitamins instead of the other ingredients! After about a year and a half of prototyping and research we finally launched Bizi and brought vitamin infused honey to the market! While there are lots of ups and downs in my brother's health journey he is mostly symptom free and enjoys life!
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We have gotten a lot of help and advice from brands like NoBaked Cookie Dough, Vitafive ( a low sugar vitamin company), Earthquake Eddie Bee Superfood, and Drink-a-dash! We also love to partner with local Nashville health companies. We get advice on strategy, what’s working and what’s not and also potential retail spaces that might be interested in bringing us in!
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
While being an entrepreneur always comes with challenges there are some that seem to stand out in the CPG space. One of the big challenges we had to overcome was learning about packaging. We thought originally that we could have a one package fits all, but that just isn’t always the case. Through trials we learned that different retail outlets do better with one package over the other. Your DTC packaging might be different from the wholesale packaging but that's okay. For example as a new brand we normally have packs of 10 but we just created single sticks for people to get one right as they check out so they can try the product for a cheaper price without having to get all 10 sticks immediately.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Besides shipping being super expensive we have seen in the year of business that the DTC model was once the way to make money but over time things have shifted more towards retail. We also realized that modern marketing (IG & Google & FB) has become increasingly expensive so you have to innovate and find new ways to reach your customers!
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Outside activity is a must for me. The entrepreneurial journey always has ups and downs. It's great to have other activities and ways to socialize to get more of a holistic approach to health. For me I love playing piano (mentally) and playing hockey (physically) plus making time for friends and meaningful relationships. These other activities help me feel connected to people outside of work. I know that everyone says grind, grind, grind, but the truth for me is you need to have a work life balance even as an entrepreneur so you don't burn out! Somedays you do need to grind but sometimes you need to unwind.
Community is key!
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
You don’t know what you don't know, so community is key! There is always more to learn in your industry and the only way to learn is to ask questions from the people that have done it before. I used to think that competitors were your enemy but it turns out that you can really learn a lot from them and even find partnerships with them! Find the people in your space and work together to grow both of your businesses. We continue to look for people to help encourage us and give us advice on how they do things!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
BEEsides honey, I love blueberries. I always have a carton of blueberries in the fridge. I also love cheese and hot sauce. Hot sauce is applicable to any food (besides blueberries). If i'm feeling snacky (usually am) , Smart Sweets is another great snack I love to have.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
The rise of functional foods is here to stay for sure. People always want to elevate their health and diets, the best way to do that is to bring the nutrients that are good for you and infuse them into everyday foods that people already love. Through our short journey at Bizi we have already seen candy that is good for you, coffee infused with adaptogens, or healthier granola. These innovations will continue to advance our diets and help us stay healthy!
What’s next for the brand?!
We are super excited for our next product launch! We are creating a super honey blend infused with all the bee products ( besides bee venom) and blending them together with other nutrients! We are planning to launch this on Amazon as part of our new strategy to find the customers that are already searching for similar products! (Part of the reasoning for this is because we had an international conflict between India and the USA that cut off our supply of organic B vitamins. But this change has brought new opportunities for us so we are excited for the future). When we launch this new product we will be sure to share with the community so everyone can get a chance to try our super honey!
We also launched our single sticks and are hoping to ramp up the retail game so you can find us in more stores!
An estimated 50 percent of the general population in America is vitamin deficient. James Richard and Ethan Akdamar, the founders behind vitamin-infused honey brand Bizi, want to change that. The duo created Bizi Vitamin Honey with the idea that taking your vitamins should not be a struggle, and after talking to regular supplement users they found that people are sick of taking an endless amount of pills and gummies every day. What better vehicle for nutrients than something a little sweet?
With Bizi, James and Ethan are giving everyone an alternative way to get their daily dose of vitamins, while providing a simple vitamin supplement with minimal and clean ingredients. Currently their are three honey stick varieties: Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin Bs. Each is made with a combination of raw honey and pure vitamins.
James spoke with Foodboro about his and Ethan's journey to entrepreneurship (any guesses on what they studied in college?), the challenges of navigating the CPG industry, advice for other startrup founders, and what’s next for the brand.
Before Bizi, Ethan (my co-founder) and I were at school at Belmont University! We were both studying entrepreneurship there. Through our senior year we were using Bizi (originally called Vitamin Honey) as our senior capstone project. We participated in pitch competitions and visited flea markets and farmers markets to prototype and do market research! We graduated right at the beginning of the pandemic and decided that we wanted to launch the company that we were working on for the past year!
How did you come up with the name Bizi/ mission?
Bizi is a play on words! We wanted to use the sound BUZZ but incorporate it with the active (busy) lifestyle that people have. Our goal at Bizi was to create a tasty and transparent way for people to get their nutrients. You can take these honey sticks anywhere and everywhere (yes even through TSA) and make any food or drink you have healthier! The honey sticks are super convenient and very tasty even by themselves.
Where did the inspiration for the brand come from?
The idea for the brand came about when my younger brother (my best friend) was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. He was struggling keeping his symptoms in check and visited the hospital multiple times initially. Instead of going on medication he decided that he wanted to try a diet to help his symptoms. After starting the diet he saw the benefit of using food as medication. While he was doing great he still lacked a lot of micronutrients.
When he went to go supplement, almost all the brands he took contained the same ingredients that he was trying to avoid on the diet. I noticed that the one sweetener he could have on the diet was honey. I saw him apply it to almost everyone of the foods he was eating. I decided that if he can use honey like this why can’t we use honey in the vitamins instead of the other ingredients! After about a year and a half of prototyping and research we finally launched Bizi and brought vitamin infused honey to the market! While there are lots of ups and downs in my brother's health journey he is mostly symptom free and enjoys life!
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
We have gotten a lot of help and advice from brands like NoBaked Cookie Dough, Vitafive ( a low sugar vitamin company), Earthquake Eddie Bee Superfood, and Drink-a-dash! We also love to partner with local Nashville health companies. We get advice on strategy, what’s working and what’s not and also potential retail spaces that might be interested in bringing us in!
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
While being an entrepreneur always comes with challenges there are some that seem to stand out in the CPG space. One of the big challenges we had to overcome was learning about packaging. We thought originally that we could have a one package fits all, but that just isn’t always the case. Through trials we learned that different retail outlets do better with one package over the other. Your DTC packaging might be different from the wholesale packaging but that's okay. For example as a new brand we normally have packs of 10 but we just created single sticks for people to get one right as they check out so they can try the product for a cheaper price without having to get all 10 sticks immediately.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Besides shipping being super expensive we have seen in the year of business that the DTC model was once the way to make money but over time things have shifted more towards retail. We also realized that modern marketing (IG & Google & FB) has become increasingly expensive so you have to innovate and find new ways to reach your customers!
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
Outside activity is a must for me. The entrepreneurial journey always has ups and downs. It's great to have other activities and ways to socialize to get more of a holistic approach to health. For me I love playing piano (mentally) and playing hockey (physically) plus making time for friends and meaningful relationships. These other activities help me feel connected to people outside of work. I know that everyone says grind, grind, grind, but the truth for me is you need to have a work life balance even as an entrepreneur so you don't burn out! Somedays you do need to grind but sometimes you need to unwind.
Community is key!
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
You don’t know what you don't know, so community is key! There is always more to learn in your industry and the only way to learn is to ask questions from the people that have done it before. I used to think that competitors were your enemy but it turns out that you can really learn a lot from them and even find partnerships with them! Find the people in your space and work together to grow both of your businesses. We continue to look for people to help encourage us and give us advice on how they do things!
What foods do you always have in your cupboards/fridge?
BEEsides honey, I love blueberries. I always have a carton of blueberries in the fridge. I also love cheese and hot sauce. Hot sauce is applicable to any food (besides blueberries). If i'm feeling snacky (usually am) , Smart Sweets is another great snack I love to have.
What trends do you think are here to stay?
The rise of functional foods is here to stay for sure. People always want to elevate their health and diets, the best way to do that is to bring the nutrients that are good for you and infuse them into everyday foods that people already love. Through our short journey at Bizi we have already seen candy that is good for you, coffee infused with adaptogens, or healthier granola. These innovations will continue to advance our diets and help us stay healthy!
What’s next for the brand?!
We are super excited for our next product launch! We are creating a super honey blend infused with all the bee products ( besides bee venom) and blending them together with other nutrients! We are planning to launch this on Amazon as part of our new strategy to find the customers that are already searching for similar products! (Part of the reasoning for this is because we had an international conflict between India and the USA that cut off our supply of organic B vitamins. But this change has brought new opportunities for us so we are excited for the future). When we launch this new product we will be sure to share with the community so everyone can get a chance to try our super honey!
We also launched our single sticks and are hoping to ramp up the retail game so you can find us in more stores!
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