I had a one on one with Adam Sal, co-founder of a very fascinating new company, Smoothie N Go.
Once again, thanks a lot for taking your time to sit down with me to tell me all about Smoothie N Go and what you are working on currently?.
Absolutely! Pretty much, our brand is a food tech startup that strives to provide people with better options to eat healthy, no matter where they are in the world. They can be in the car, on the plane, on the beach and enjoy a smoothie made from real fruit in 30 seconds.
Or if I want to be less vague, it’s a smoothie powder made with the same technology as astronaut food that has a shelf life of 2 years, doesn’t require a blender and most importantly is free from any kind of preservatives.
This sounds really intriguing! So how would one go about drinking this or preparing your smoothies at all?
Basically, you’d open the pack that they come in and mix it up with water or milk. (I prefer almond milk.) Then you shake or stir and voile, your smoothie is ready.
You mentioned before the interview that your team and you’ve been working on the launch of this company for almost a year now. What gives you purpose?
Simply the fact that I can build something remarkable from the ground up with my team that’s so simple yet solves so many everyday problems for others. Seeing our project slowly come to life and people responding to it and loving it is a feeling I can’t explain.
I’m a people person and love making them happy, in this case by making their lives easier and healthier.
If you feel like you haven’t found your purpose, keep looking, it’s there somewhere. Try everything and don’t stop until you know for sure that it’s something you want to do consistently.
That’s powerful. So what is something that is essential for people’s happiness?
I’d say progress. If you are stalling and not progressing or just going backwards it’s really demotivating and therefore won’t yield happiness no matter how much money you are making. Humans have to progress in order to feel a sense of accomplishment that translates to fulfilment and ultimately happiness.
You’re obviously a very driven person. What are the 3 most common traits of a successful individual in your opinion?
I have to go with resiliency, perseverance and faith. You can survive anything if you are in the possession of these 3 things I think.
Do you have a secret life hack?
Well, I’m not sure about a life hack, but I can keep my cool in pretty much any situation, which I think is crucial to making wise decisions and getting your emotions under control. Properly managing your emotions will get you out of tough situations easier and let you avoid unnecessary arguments as well as unintentionally hurting others verbally. I also have a really friendly and sincere approach when it comes to dealing with people. This helps me get rid of all enemies as I can just always find the common ground with everyone.
I feel like people don’t like to talk about this, so I’m especially happy that you said yes when I asked you this question prior to the interview. When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
No problem! I don’t believe entrepreneurs should cover up that burnout is just as much as part of the journey as success. So I’m happy to share it from my point of view. I think every time I’m not progressing and there is stalling I will inevitably feel burnt out after a couple of weeks. Also, when I have to do a tedious work for longer that doesn’t require creativity. Then I feel burnt out because I guess I don’t feel that I’m being useful.
What does burnout feel like and when do you experience it?
Instead of being excited when the day starts, I sleep in and don’t want to do anything. It’s rare, but it happens and it’s not something you can really avoid as an entrepreneur so its okay occasionally. It’s always great if you have business partners that you can lean on during hard times, because you’ll know that you are in this together. My partners are my friends and we help each other out on a daily basis just with a quick phone call or text. It really gives you a big push to continue forward.
Where do you see yourself and Smoothie N Go in 5 years’ time?
Great question. I see our company as a well-known name at households where busy, health conscious people live. Or simply people who got tired of all the hassle that comes with traditional smoothie making. Or maybe both. Either way, I see us at big supermarkets nationwide with a strong online presence and killer brand awareness.
Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
“And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln
Where you can be followed?