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After college, Jake Karls thought he wanted to be an investment banker. But he never made it past the first job interview. Burdened by learning disabilities and a lack of enthusiasm for corporate work, the Canadian was forced to return to his parents' home.
“I couldn't find a job, so I literally had no choice but to become an entrepreneur,” he says. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Karls co-founded Midday Squares with his sister Lezlie and her husband, Nick Saltarelli. Good-for-you chocolate is non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and packed with pea protein. But Karls says the one ingredient that really makes it stand out from the pack is its emotional connection with the consumer.
In this week's episode A day with Jon BierKarls shares his personal journey from early failure to success, why he believes authenticity and good storytelling have made the difference for noon squares, and what he's learned about himself and running a successful business along the way.
The secret ingredient
When designing a marketing plan for Mid-Day, Karls looked at brands like Sephora and admired how their customers wanted to be a part of it. They posted pictures of themselves on social media in the store and were amazed at how much they loved the brand.
“The food and beverage world didn't have the connection that the beauty world did,” he says. He wanted customers to go to the grocery store and “not just buy a chocolate, but actually feel like they're buying from a friend. Feel a part of it.”
So Karls focused on building a deep connection with consumers by being vulnerable and transparent and telling an authentic story about the brand's origins and his personal journey. This allowed the brand to develop a passionate fan base that felt invested in the company's success.
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Jake Karls
Playing to his strengths
Initially, Karls took on the role of CMO of the company because he felt that he needed to take a leadership position and manage people as a co-founder. However, he soon realized that he was playing to his weaknesses.
“It was 6 to 8 months of complete ruins,” he recalls.
By stepping away and focusing on what he was really good at—building community and telling brands—the company began to thrive. Karls learned the importance of blocking out the noise and focusing on his unique strengths and superpowers.
Overcoming burnout
But the prodigious growth spurt took a toll, and Karls experienced serious burnout that left him with crippling anxiety and OCD.
“I thought you could keep going 200km/h 24/7, and your body could handle it, but eventually, my body shut down on me.”
He decided to deal with this mental health crisis by going through 37 days of therapy, eating healthier foods and undergoing hypnotherapy, which he says “really changed everything.”
“My anxiety has become minimal. And my OCD is at the level where I don't even think about it or care,” he explains.
Lessons learned
Looking back on his early struggles, Karls realizes that he was so focused on pleasing everyone else—his parents, friends, and family—that he lost track of his own priorities.
“There's a lot of noise in this world, telling you to be this way, try this, work with this, do this, have this strategy,” he says, acknowledging that much of that advice comes from people who care about you and love you. . .
But at the end of the day, you have to trust your gut and be able to put blinders on the horses.
“Once you play and understand your strengths and start executing on that, you feel a sense of freedom that makes you feel unstoppable.”
In that spirit, he plans to make Mid-Day Squares a $100 million company in two and a half years.