How They Tell It:
Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free—every grocery store carries products that fit into these categories. But even with these products, living a “-free” lifestyle still isn’t easy. I’m Charissa Johnson, and my concept is simple: offer a place where people can come to acquire information, direction and the products necessary to live an allergen-free lifestyle with relative ease.
The occurrence of food allergies is on the rise. More than 12 million Americans have them—one in every 25 people. Even worse, eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S.
Sadly, there are currently no cures for food allergies. Early recognition, avoidance of allergens, and management of allergic reactions are the only measures available. Once diagnosed, individuals with food allergies are told what to stay away from allergens, but rarely is someone is available to offer assistance with this massive life transition. The allergen-free sections in most grocery stores do not feature enough products to build an allergen-free diet or lifestyle. The job of avoiding problem foods becomes so difficult that many people give up trying and deal with the health problems and risks.
Food allergies require constant vigilance—I know this first-hand because I was diagnosed with celiac disease four years ago and have been learning how to live well with it since. I want to offer a personal environment where people who suffer from food allergies aren’t just a dollar sign in a long checkout line. I plan to do so through several means: products offered in a store featuring sections “-free” sections accommodating five different allergens: wheat, casein, dairy, sugar and soy; readily-available information from a qualified, caring staff; and education through cooking classes and “-free” recipes that will facilitate an allergen-free lifestyle that is attainable and enjoyable.
______________________________________________________________________________
“Charissa does a great job in clarifying what the “problem” is in the market that her product or service exists to solve. Usually I see entrepreneurs barely communicate the market need or problem, then they jump to describing their business, product or service. I see almost the reverse of that here, however.
As mentioned, Charissa spends most of her pitch (too much, almost) describing the problem, but I’m not 100 percent clear on her solution. Is her business a store (and if so, what’s the name?) or products within exitsting stores (and if so, what’s the brand?) or both? What seems to be an intro to more details about how her briefly-mentioned solutions fill the market need end with that last sentence. I now know a lot about the problem, but the specifics of her business model are still sketchy.”
Tony Snipes
Director,
Redemption Marketplace Academy
______________________________________________________________________________
“This pitch includes the essential information that makes it both informational and interesting enough to be actionable from an investor’s perspective. Lifestyles dependent on dietary restrictions are indeed on the rise, and the small-but-growing population of those affected and living with food allergies would likely not only welcome but flock to a place like this. A haven for a niche population, Charissa’s business pitch is one that capitalizes on a timely problem with a variety of integrated solutions that have merit, at least from the front end. Her pitch is supported by research and statistics that educate, and she gives specific examples of how she hopes to execute to reach her customers. Most of all, she IS the customer she hopes to reach, which gives her a big leg up on the competition, all things being equal.”
Jamie Prince
Founder,
FLOURISH Communicationse
______________________________________________________________________________
We want to hear from you. Give us your thoughts, ideas, and feedback. Post your comments below.
That was intriguing . I admire your finesse that you put into your post . Please do continue with more similar to this.
That was a different thought track. I like your style that you put into your writing . Please do move forward with more like this.