Founder: Ashley Drummonds
Business: ABS Protein Pancakes
Revenue/Month: $25K
Founders: 1
Employees: 1
Website: absproteinpancakes.com
Location: Tampa, Florida, USA
Founded: July 2014
Entrepreneurs often find success by combining their passions and skills to create innovative products. One such entrepreneur is Ashley Drummonds, who founded ABS Protein Pancakes to offer a high-protein, low-carb meal replacement option for pancake and waffle lovers. In this article, we’ll explore Ashley’s journey, including her background, the development of her product, and her advice for aspiring business owners.
Origin Story: Revolutionizing the Pancake World
Ashley Drummonds is the founder of ABS Protein Pancakes, an all-natural, high-protein, low-carb meal replacement that allows consumers to enjoy delicious pancakes and waffles while adhering to a healthy eating plan. Each serving of ABS Protein Pancakes makes 3-4 pancakes with under 250 calories, less than 8g net carbs, and over 24g protein. The product is gluten-free, low in sugar, and can be prepared in under 5 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a quick, nutritious, and tasty meal.
ABS Protein Pancakes come in three flavors: Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Cake Batter, and Cinnamon Roll. The product caters to fitness enthusiasts, those following a low-carb eating plan, individuals on a weight loss journey, and anyone seeking a healthier pancake or waffle alternative. It’s also suitable for those on a low-sugar or gluten-free diet, or for people simply looking to increase their daily protein intake.
Prior to founding ABS, Ashley worked as a personal trainer for seven years, dedicated to helping clients achieve their fitness and weight loss goals. She always aspired to make a larger impact while maintaining her focus on helping others. Ashley’s love for breakfast food, especially pancakes, led her to develop a protein pancake recipe that she incorporated into her own daily routine.
In 2014, Ashley found herself at a crossroads in life, unsure of her future path. She spent two weeks meditating, journaling, and setting clear goals for her personal and professional development. She came to the realization that the answers she sought would reveal themselves organically through life experiences and divine guidance.
The idea for ABS Protein Pancakes struck Ashley one morning as she prepared her protein-packed breakfast. She began to wonder if others would be interested in her recipe as a way to maintain their nutritional goals. Intrigued by the idea, she shared her protein pancake recipe with her personal training clients, packaging single servings in small ziplock bags.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Her clients loved the pancakes and began sharing them with friends. It wasn’t long before Ashley received inquiries on social media from people interested in purchasing her product. This was the turning point when Ashley recognized the potential of her protein pancake recipe and seized the opportunity to turn it into a successful business venture.
Launch Process
ABS Protein Pancakes began with Ashley promoting the product on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. In the early days, she would ask followers to direct-message her if they wanted to place an order.
Initially, Ashley managed the entire process manually. After receiving an order, she would send an invoice via PayPal, buy ingredients in bulk from the grocery store, measure out ingredients for single servings, and package the mix in mylar bags bought from Amazon. Using a heat food sealer, she sealed each bag individually. Once customers completed their payments, Ashley would visit her local post office to collect priority mailers, print shipping labels using Microsoft Word, and mail out the orders. During busy periods, she would sometimes arrive at the post office with a moving box full of orders.
Ashley juggled her pancake business alongside her personal training sessions, often working late into the night and waking up early the next day to continue. Her “official” launch took place in Tampa, Florida, when she appeared on a 4th of July health segment on ABC Action News. At the time, she had no website or professional packaging but managed to make it work by “faking it ’til you make it.”
As her business expanded, Ashley realized she needed to move away from making the product in her apartment kitchen. One of the initial challenges was understanding the rules and regulations related to packaging, manufacturing, and fulfillment processes. She struggled to find a manufacturer who would take her seriously due to her small order volume.
After extensive research and networking, Ashley finally found a manufacturer in San Diego willing to produce a minimum run of 500 units for her first order. This required her to learn about packaging, labeling, branding, barcoding, nutrition labels, certifications, expiration dates, and more.
To develop the packaging design, Ashley hired a local creative service specializing in logos and branding. After weeks of back and forth discussions, they arrived at a design that resonated with her vision for the brand. To obtain a certified nutrition label, she sent the ingredients to a lab in California for testing. She also registered barcodes for each product on the GS1 website after realizing it was her responsibility.
Ashley’s story demonstrates the resilience, determination, and hard work required to launch a successful business. Her experience highlights the countless lessons and challenges one faces while navigating the complex world of product creation, packaging, and distribution.
Growth and Scaling
From the very beginning, the primary source of attracting customers and generating sales for ABS Protein Pancakes has been social media, particularly Instagram and Facebook. In 2016, the brand gained massive exposure when it was featured on the first episode of ABC’s Shark Tank for that season. The Shark Tank appearance proved to be a game-changer, with the website crashing twice due to the influx of traffic during the show. Sales skyrocketed in the weeks following the episode, surpassing the previous year’s total sales figures.
To continue expanding the brand and customer base, ABS Protein Pancakes employs various social media strategies, including Facebook ads, Instagram hashtags, cross-promotions, contests, and collaborations with influencers. Collaborations with like-minded brands on Instagram have been particularly successful. By partnering with businesses whose missions align with ABS, they conduct joint promotions and giveaways, which generate significant engagement and cost-effective growth.
Rather than focusing on competition, the ABS brand emphasizes its unique connection, story, and product quality. Recognizing that other brands may appeal to different customer segments, ABS aims to run its business and brand as effectively as possible to maintain customer loyalty.
Presently, ABS enjoys the fruits of three years of hard work, having established a mostly automated online business that allows for flexibility and freedom. In addition to ABS Protein Pancakes, Ashley has launched ABSFitLifeTV.com, an online membership video library offering at-home workouts, nutrition tools, and mindset tools. Dubbed the “Netflix of fitness,” this project is her most recent focus. Ashley has also become a Certified Sommelier, expressing her passion for wine and looking forward to the opportunities it may bring. Her ultimate goal is to continue growing and exploring her passions.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For entrepreneurs who are just starting out or considering taking the plunge, Ashley’s advice is that it’s essential to trust your instincts and follow your intuition when making decisions for your business. While it’s helpful to consider advice from successful entrepreneurs, remember that you ultimately know what’s best for your brand.
She adds that you should approach your entrepreneurial journey as a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on the consistent daily actions that will propel you forward. Attempting to do too much at once can lead to burnout, frustration, and potentially giving up on your dream. Aim to take small steps each day, or even every other day, that bring you closer to your goal, whether it’s researching a new platform or making a single phone call.
During challenging times when you may feel like giving up, she encourages taking a step back and regrouping. Take a short break to recharge and refocus, reminding yourself of the bigger picture and the ultimate goal you are striving to achieve. Don’t allow the daily grind to overshadow your long-term vision.
Starterdom Insights
Success Factors: Why did ABS Protein Pancakes Succeed?
The success of ABS Protein Pancakes can be attributed to several factors:
Identifying a niche market: Ashley combined her love for breakfast food with her knowledge of fitness and nutrition to create a high-protein, low-carb pancake mix. This targeted a specific market of fitness enthusiasts, individuals on low-carb diets, and people looking for healthier alternatives to traditional pancakes.
Product quality and versatility: ABS Protein Pancakes are gluten-free, low in sugar, and can be prepared in under 5 minutes. This appeals to a wide range of customers, including those on gluten-free or low-sugar diets, and busy individuals seeking a quick, nutritious meal.
Authenticity and personal connection: Ashley’s journey from personal trainer to entrepreneur, as well as her genuine passion for her product, has resonated with customers. This personal touch has helped build trust and loyalty to the ABS brand.
Effective marketing and promotion: ABS Protein Pancakes has leveraged social media platforms, particularly Instagram and Facebook, to create awareness and generate sales. Collaborations with like-minded brands and influencers have further enhanced the brand’s reach and credibility.
Resilience and adaptability: Ashley’s determination and hard work have enabled her to overcome challenges related to packaging, manufacturing, and fulfillment processes. She has successfully navigated the complex world of product creation, distribution, and scaling.
Media exposure: The brand gained massive exposure after being featured on ABC’s Shark Tank. This exposure boosted sales and helped establish ABS Protein Pancakes as a household name.
Long-term vision and consistent daily actions: Ashley has focused on taking small steps each day to grow her business, rather than attempting to do everything at once. This approach has allowed her to build a sustainable and successful company.
Key Lessons to Learn
Identify a market need: Ashley Drummonds discovered an opportunity to create a healthier and high-protein pancake mix that met specific dietary requirements. Look for gaps in the market where your product or service can address a need.
Test your idea with a target audience: Before scaling up, Ashley shared her protein pancake mix with her personal training clients, who loved it and shared it with their friends. This helped validate her idea and gauge initial interest.
Start small and scale up: Ashley began by fulfilling orders manually from her apartment kitchen. As her business grew, she gradually moved to a more professional setup. Don’t be afraid to start small and scale your business as it gains traction.
Leverage social media for marketing: ABS Protein Pancakes primarily grew through social media marketing, particularly Instagram and Facebook. Use these platforms to connect with your target audience and build brand awareness.
Collaborate with like-minded brands: Ashley found success in partnering with complementary businesses to increase exposure and reach new customers. Seek out potential collaborations that can benefit both parties.
Embrace learning and adapt: Starting a business requires learning about various aspects such as packaging, manufacturing, and regulations. Be prepared to research and adapt as you encounter new challenges.
View your journey as a marathon, not a sprint: Building a successful business takes time, dedication, and patience. Focus on making consistent progress rather than expecting overnight success.
Don’t fear competition: Rather than seeing other brands as threats, recognize that different businesses will attract different customers. Focus on your unique selling points and continue to improve your brand.
Automate and streamline processes: As your business grows, find ways to automate operations and create efficient systems to free up your time for other pursuits.
Trust your instincts: When making decisions for your business, rely on your intuition and follow your gut. You know your brand better than anyone else.