Mary Molina
President of LOLA SNACKS
What inspired you to start your business?
As a mom of five, I created Lola Snacks as a way to feed my family. We needed a healthy snack to get through a long day, but options for snacks were limited because of my daughter Lola's allergies to soy, sesame and some tree nuts.
What challenges have you faced as a woman entrepreneur and how did you overcome them?
Funding: because I had poor credit at the time, I reached out to friends and family to help fund my expansion. I also received a small loan from Community Capital to move into an automated facility to meet the demand of my product.
I knew I needed more financial education, so I applied to the Goldman Sachs 10ksb program, and when I did not meet the criteria to attend, I contacted the Tory Burch Foundation who made it the 10ksb program available to me. Through this education I was able to raise over 1.5 million dollars to expand my brand.
What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs?
Learn as much as you can about finance and how to raise money.
How has being a WBENC-Certified WBE helped your business?
I’m newly certified and have received help in accessing grants, education and opportunities to work with other WBEs.
As a business owner, what keeps you up at night?
Knowing the right path to take. Negotiating.
What are the biggest obstacles you see for young female entrepreneurs?
Access to capital.
What do you love about being a business owner?
I love being able to make my own hours and attend my children’s school programs and volunteering within my community to help those in need.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t let anyone tell you about your own business, you are the expert in your business. Don’t make rash decisions based on criticism.
What’s your favorite career moment?
Being in on FoodTV and sharing my story with Sunny Anderson.
If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
Build a craft closet.
What’s the best way to start your day?
Reading my bible.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A mom.
How do you unwind after a long workday?
Cooking with my kids.
What do you like about your workspace?
My organized desk drawer.
Fill in the blank:
When I face a challenge, I... pray.
If I could go back in time, I would tell myself… it’s okay to fail, but fail fast.
The one thing I couldn’t live without is… my washing machine.
By this time next year, I will be… in Starbucks.
The best thing that happened to me last week was… having my family together happy and healthy.
To get my creative juices flowing, I… go on Pinterest.
LOLA SNACKS
Lola Snacks are made with a handful of simple ingredients and harness the super powers of probiotics to help boost immunity, maximize protein absorption and increase energy to help you feel as good as our bars taste.
