We recently connected with Bryson Fields and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Bryson thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Hell Yeah Salsa was born by me taking a risk on myself. In fact, the only reason I didn’t start this business in 2007 is because I wasn’t ready and I was actually a bit fearful to take that risk for many years. Oh, I would talk about it to my friends! I would dream about it after getting compliments on my salsa at a summertime backyard barbeque. I would long for the day that I worked for myself after a long day of diligently making someone else’s dreams come true. Many times I would get lost in thought about how my life would be making salsa while I was driving. Walking through the grocery store looking at all the products that surely started from a dream. I even talked about it on my first date with my fiance’. Well then Covid hit, and I was let go from my job. As I was driving home from Estes Park I felt a sense of relief. I knew that if I didn’t bet on myself now that it may never happen. Once I made it to cell service again I called my future wife and gave her the news. She noticed that I sounded better than someone who just lost their job and she asked me why. I said honey, I’m doing it! I’m going to start my salsa business! She pointed out that we were in a pandemic, and that I should wait until we get through that. Well I knew that people were sitting at home looking for good things to eat. So naturally, I didn’t listen and I took the most calculated risk of my life. I took the risk of betting on myself.
Bryson, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I own a food company that prides itself on our ingredients. I believe in using fresh, all natural ingredients and staying away from preservatives, additives and fillers. Chips and salsa has always been one of my favorite snacks, so when I was introduced to a very similar recipe to what my current salsa is back in 2007, it completely changed my perspective on salsa. I started creating! I brought salsa to every barbeque or potluck that I went to. It wasn’t long before I was asked if I was bringing my salsa to any event I was invited to. For many years I just enjoyed sharing my salsa that my circle of friends liked so much. Finally, people started encouraging me to take the risk and start a business. Right now, I have 5 salsas including red and green, from mild to extra hot. I make a mild and spicy queso made with real cheese. No Velveeta here! Of course, you need a vehicle to bring these delicious masterpieces to you your mouth, so yes we have chips too! I source most of my ingredients from Colorado farms and we don’t use any ingredients you can’t pronounce or grow in your own garden. I intentionally make my products low sodium and don’t use citric acid or vinegar. All that said, the salsa that goes home with you is just as wholesome as if you made it yourself.
With the help of many people we bring salsa to five markets a week all summer as well as summer, fall and Holiday festivals. In addition, there are over 20 stores around Colorado that carry my products. If you’re not in Colorado or near a trusted retailer of Hell Yeah Salsa, we also sell online.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Once I decided to start a salsa business, I was met with quite a few challenges, each of them costing hundreds of dollars unbenounced to me, I joined a cottage foods group on Facebook and immediately they told me that it’s illegal to make salsa as a cottage food, (out of your house). From there, I signed a lease with a commissary kitchen where they told me I had to get an acidified food certification. This involved taking an online college course. Then you have to get your process approved and products tested by a laboratory and then submit to the local and State health departments as well as the FDA. No problem! Then I had to test the vacuum on my lids by measuring inches in mercury. That was a fun thing to figure out with no resources that I knew of. Sourcing ingredients and materials, designing labels, getting nutritional facts and UPC codes was last. Woohoo! Now I can legally sell a jar of salsa… I thought! No sir, you need a tax licence in every City/County you sell in. Looking back on that journey, I can tell you that I was 100% determined to give my salsa a bigger audience!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I believe that most snack foods are totally bad for you, Because of that I wanted to bring a healthy and delicious snack / condiment to market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hellyeahsalsa.com
- Instagram: @hellyeahsalsa
- Facebook: @hellyeaysalsa