How Word-of-Mouth Marketing and Partnerships Built this $140+ MM Brand, on Dear FoundHer…
Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO of Lifeway Foods was interviewed by Lindsay Pinchuk on Dear FoundHer…How Word-of-Mouth Marketing and Partnerships Built this $140+ MM Brand.
At just 27, following the tragic loss of her father, Julie Smolyansky took the reins of the family business, Lifeway Foods. Under Julie's leadership for the past 20 years, Lifeway's annual revenues have grown from $12 million to more than $140 million in 2022. She created these results slowly and steadily by following her gut instincts, relying heavily on organic, strategic marketing tactics and with the support of an amazing team that has grown right along with the company's success.
Julie shares her insights on the genuine power of word-of-mouth marketing and how she leveraged strategic partnerships. By authentically connecting with communities, from expectant moms to athletes, she has amplified the awareness of kefir as a wellness product and Lifeway Foods brand. Lifeway was early in organic social media marketing, and it still heavily leverages social media influencers and organic brand advocacy to be in front of the health and wellness aware community. Another element to Lifeway's tremendous growth is the culture of the business which Julie describes as "love, of family, of community." Her team is entrepreneurial and committed to the success of the business. In addition to having a mission that employees are passionate about, Julie shares how important it is to take care of the team so the team can take care of the business.
There is so much to learn from this episode, highlighting the importance of following your passion, making intuitive decisions, and building strong relationships within your industry. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the power of slow and steady growth, the benefits of organic marketing, and the significance of creating a supportive and passionate team.
Key Takeaways:
Building partnerships and leveraging organic marketing strategies can be effective in growing a brand. Word of mouth marketing can build your brand. Lifeway Foods utilized partnerships, sampling, and grassroots marketing to build awareness and reach their target audience.
Slow and steady growth can lead to long-term success. Lifeway Foods experienced steady growth over the years, gradually increasing their revenue and expanding their distribution.
Passionate employees are key to a successful team. Lifeway Foods values passion over education or experience when hiring, and their team members feel a sense of ownership and connection to the company.
Authenticity and empathy in leadership can foster loyalty and dedication among employees. Julie Smolyansky's authentic leadership style, vulnerability, and empathy contribute to a positive company culture and strong employee retention.
Delegate as much as you can to others so that you can do what you are uniquely qualified to do.
Know there will be hard days and use those challenges to fuel you. Use the haters. Use the naysayers as fuel for your fire and just don't stop. Keep going.
Quotes:
"My goal is really to make Lifeway to kefir or what Tropicana is to orange juice or Hershey's is to chocolate - really build a global iconic brand that really heals people's bodies from the inside out." (27:08 | Julie Smolyansky)
“Passion trumps education, experience, everything. When I see somebody who's passionate, I want them on my team." Julie Smolyansky
"Well, I keep everyone who's super passionate. I think passion trumps everything else. Passion trumps education, experience, everything. When I see somebody who's passionate, I want them on my team." (39:27 | Julie Smolyansky)
"Make a list of everything that you do in your day. And your goal is to cross as many of those things off of your list and delegate it to somebody else. And find what you uniquely are qualified to do, what only you and your organization can do. And do that, do that as much as possible." (50:57 | Julie Smolyansky)
Don't give up. I mean, number one, don't give up. There are going to be challenging days, but that just comes with the territory. You know, use those challenges, use the haters, use the naysayers as fuel for your fire. And just don't stop. Keep going. And when there are bumps in the road, use those as learning lessons. Do not think of it as failure. Failure does not exist. Everything is just a learning opportunity to take you to the next level. (51:51 | Julie Smolyansky)
About the Podcast Guest:
Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over Lifeway Foods at the age of 27 in 2002. Since then, Julie has continued the company’s growth trajectory with creative product development and marketing to bring kefir, and now the company’s flagship product, and now farmer cheese which is like blended cottage cheese into the U.S. mainstream. Under Julie’s leadership, Lifeway’s annual revenues have grown from $12 million to more than $140 million in 2022, and distribution has expanded beyond the United States to Mexico, Ireland, France, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
To learn more about Julie Smolyansky visit her website (Julie Smolyansky) and follow her on Instagram.
About the Podcast Host:
To learn more about Lindsay Pinchuk visit her website (Lindsay Pinchuk).
About Dear FoundHer…:
Dear FoundHer... is a weekly letter to female entrepreneurs to inspire, motivate and provide actionable tips for success through thought-provoking conversations with some of the most successful founders and entrepreneurs who have paved the way. Hosted by award-winning entrepreneur, Lindsay Pinchuk, each week she picks the brains of some of her closest contacts, offering them the chance to share their teachable moments as well as business, marketing, content, social media tips and more! Your journey as a founder is the ride of a lifetime, some come on in and join us!
Listen to, or watch, the full podcast interview by Lindsay Pinchuk with Kar Brulhart on your preferred podcast channel.