We recently connected with Janelle Doyle and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Janelle, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am very happy being a business owner and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to go back to a 9 – 5 as there are certain things I do miss. I never worked on weekends in my 9-5 but as a business owner I can never not work on weekends. My job was over at 5pm everyday but as a business owner my job is 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Even though its stressful, tiring and sometimes you feel like you’re ready to give up. I don’t and I never will as I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Janelle Doyle and I founded It’s Poppin! Gourmet Kettle Korn in 2017. I had never worked in the food industry before but became inspired by my partner who is a chef and wanted to start a food truck. We thought about that long and hard and decided that instead of a food truck let’s try popcorn as it’s my favorite snack. What sets us apart from other popcorn companies is our flavors and the excellent customer service we give to each and every person who comes through our doors.
You’re not going to get Fried Chicken popcorn from anyone else but It’s Poppin and you’re also not going to get to try each and every flavor you see and have delightful service with a smile each and every time. I’m extremely proud of the fact that we’ve been in business for the past 9 years and have seen many other businesses around us rise and fall. I attribute our longevity to having a great product, an ideal location in Uptown Charlotte and outstanding customer service.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my business partner who also happens to be my husband 19 years ago. We have a 14 year old son together and he is learning exactly how to run the business to pass it on to him and to his future children. Running a business with my husband makes this journey all the more special. We love and support each other which helps us both to push through the tough times.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

Pulling together the funding to start our business was tough. We pulled from family who believed in us to help us purchase our equipment initially. Once we started making money we paid them back with interest, but it wasn’t through bank loans or lines of credit that helped us in the beginning. It was purely having people in our corner who believed in us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://itspoppinkettlekorn.com
• Instagram: @itspoppinkettlekorn
• Facebook: @itspoppingourmetkettlekorn

Image Credits

Janelle Doyle