BobN’ Beeds
Owner Stacy McNeil is the inventor and manufacturer of a particularly fun food product: Bobn’Beeds, the Dancing Candy. Inspired by molecular gastronomy, these naturally-flavored gummy candy beads bob up and down when added to a carbonated drink, adding a fun twist for special occasions.
Stacy first came to SBDC to help launch her start-up in 2017. She took full advantage of the micro–enterprise Food Business Program, a three-month deep dive on planning, costing and pricing, seeking startup funding, food manufacturing regulations, marketing, and more.
While raising a family and holding down a job, she navigated the ups and downs of a fledgling innovative food manufacturing business, from patenting to early production and branding. In 2021, ready to scale up, Stacy joined the spring 2021 Digital Marketing Intensive to learn how to boost her e-commerce reach. With best practices from the Intensive and help from SBDC advisor Paul Bozzo, Stacy developed and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that fall, raising more than $16k from nearly 300 backers. This enabled her to overhaul her e-Commerce website and purchase the new equipment needed to increase production.
Now the business is well positioned to grow sales dramatically in the new year. Meanwhile, her hundreds of crowdfunding backers are enjoying their Bobn’Beeds contribution gifts and spreading the good word through their networks.
The candies that dance in your glass!™ Visit Bobn’Beeds.com to learn more about this new North Coast business with a mission to bring fun and happiness through candy creativity and to share that fun with as many people as possible.
The SBDC provides invaluable support to our community business owners. Not only are they there to answer technical questions about starting a business, they hold workshops related to different sectors of business. I attended the Food Flight a couple of years ago and found it very helpful. Not only do you learn everything you would need to know to start a food business, you meet other local makers in the community, form friendships and are able to watch each other grow. And, there is a whole team of advisors available to work with depending on your needs. It is truly a wonderful opportunity we have here! I have enjoyed working with everyone I have met and have appreciated the outside perspective and support I have received. Thank you SBDC!
Stacy McNeil
Inventor and Owner of Bobn’Beeds
