Meet the Producer: Laura Keenan

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As a former co-owner of a CrossFit Gym, Laura Keenan, founder of Paleo People, was inspired to create a granola that would cater to her gym clientele, who follow the rules of the “Paleo Diet”—a way of eating that emphasizes simple foods such as vegetables, fruits and proteins that could be found in cave-dwelling days.

“I noticed that there were no Paleo products in any stores and only a couple of Paleo snack companies online,” Keenan recalls. “I have a degree in professional cooking, so basically, I was brought back to my cooking roots. I jumped on this idea of joining the Paleo snack business and being the trailblazer by getting the products into stores and create a large online presence.”

Channeling her culinary background, she developed a variety of delicious granola clusters comprising assorted nuts, seeds, flax and fruit or spices, with no fillers like oats or grain, making them wheat- and gluten-free. By the launch in March 2010, Keenan had created a product line that has mass appeal as a healthful, delicious all-natural granola. —Denise Shoukas

Keenan shared more of her story with us:

What makes your products so appealing to consumers?

There are no other products like these. They are clusters of nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, spices and natural sweetener in four varieties with no oats or fillers like you will see in other products on the market. They are certified gluten-free, grain-free, wheat-free, no added salt and all natural. There are no other Paleo-branded products in stores, so those seeking Paleo-style snacks will only find mine—for now.

What are the most satisfying and challenging parts of your job?

The most satisfying part of my job is what I have learned in the process of building a food business. I absolutely love learning the food business. It's challenging in that I learned it all from scratch so there was a lot of guesswork and risk. But I learned by doing, as well as from advice from my [business] advisors. I have had the time of my life building this business and have been excited every day to learn the next step and deal with the challenges of putting each phase into real life. The challenges are the satisfying part—they keep me alive and excited. Selecting the right team players is definitely a challenge, but I have come up on top with my Paleo People Team.

If someone could shadow you for one day at your job, what would surprise that person most?

The vast amount of experience I have gained in every aspect of my business. I can jump from social-media marketing to pricing, to dealing with all the brokers and getting set up in distribution, to lawyers, to formulating the next line, and on and on.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Being an entrepreneur has always been in my blood. I knew I was a leader and great organizer and loved designating tasks to people. I also really liked playing teacher so I guess that's where my love for mentoring comes in.

Aside from your products, what three items can you always find in your kitchen?

Tons of vegetables, great-quality lean chicken and fish and—I have a sweet tooth, so always something sweet, like my favorite chocolate protein bars. I'm addicted!

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