Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kyle LaFond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kyle, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

I think that corporate America is falling behind in understanding the wants and needs of today’s consumer. Huge corporations don’t have the structure or ability to be agile and innovative. The same old corporations keep providing the same old products to everyone everywhere. Consumers want to have their voices heard and know that the companies they support financially operate honestly and ethically.

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

I’m a former middle school science teacher. While I was in the classroom, I realized that middle school kids STINK! I mean, they smell BAD. Whether it’s body odor, shoes, sporting equipment, lunch, or just farts, they are the WORST. Unfortunately, most parents that realize this try to cover it up with chemical-laden body sprays (we all know what I’m referring to). Young people shouldn’t be exposed to that many chemicals at such a high volume during such a transformational time of life. I designed a project in class where I taught my students how to make their own personal care and wellness products from primarily household ingredients. Over the course of several years, I had made a bunch of products while modeling the assignment for my classes. I took my bin of samples to a Holiday party and gave them to my friends. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and prompted me to start my own business. We launched American Provenance from a renovated machine shed on my family farm. I actually built our first production and warehouse facility with my own two hands. We started off selling our products locally, but quickly grew regionally, nationally, and now internationally.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think that the biggest attribute that an entrepreneur needs to have is the ability to persevere. So many times things were challenging, but we always found a way to just keep going. Early days are hard. Money is tight and patience is short. Business owners need to understand that everything is temporary. Bad times don’t last and good times will always come again.

When we first started, I heard the word “no” every day. It came from consumers, retailers, investors, family, friends, just about everyone. It’s important not to be discouraged. New business owners need to stay positive and have the fortitude to rally for another day.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the importance of listening to a lot of people. I now know that I should only ever listen to people that have been there before and have accomplished their goals. Everyone has an opinion on just about everything, but those opinions are entirely worthless unless they are supported by knowledge and experience. I’ve found that very successful people are always willing to help and will very rarely criticize people who are trying to do something similar. Criticism only comes from small people who are either jealous or envious.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.americanprovenance.com
• Instagram: americanprovenance
• Facebook: American Provenance