| June 24, 2009 Entrepreneur runs "energetic business" while at college
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(NECN: Anya Huneke, Richmond, VT) - Many college students think about what they'd like to do for work after graduation. But one young Vermont man has already launched a successful career that is keeping him and his parents, quite busy.
Michael Adams\Eddie's Energy Bars "I started the business because I hate being bored. I need to do something every minute of every day."
In that respect, Michael Adams has certainly achieved his goal.
The 21-year-old from Richmond, Vermont, is more than busy these days. He just finished his junior year at Bryant College in Rhode Island, has a summer internship at Magic Hat Brewery in Vermont, oh, and he runs a food business he founded- on the side.
Adams launched 'Eddie's Energy Bars' three years ago, inspired by an entrepreneurship class he took in high school. He liked baking, and business and wanted to make a little extra cash.
Michael: "I initially started it to get a little summer money to go to the movies with friends."
So in his parents' kitchen he began making fresh, all natural energy bars.
“We put a base of apricots in. It makes it nice and chewy and moist. Apple sauce, honey."
Something he says you can't find on most store shelves.
Michael: "Multiple bars have shelf-lives of 6 months to a year. That's not real food- why would you want to eat something that's a year old?"
With the help of his parents, Adams baked and sold the energy bars locally. When he was
away at college, he worked on marketing, while Jeanne and 'Ed' - the company's namesake - took over many of the cooking duties.
Ed Adams\Michael's Father "During the first year or so, we could keep up with demand by baking one night per week."
But then Adams took the company online, and word started to get out. 'Eddie's' is named - in this month's issue of Entrepreneur Magazine - one of the year's 100 brilliant companies.
Jeanne Adams\Michael's Mother "It was kind of - we're into here, we're shipping here, and all of a sudden there we are in 31 states."
Yet here the Adams still are in their Richmond home and makeshift bakery.
Ed "We have a hard time finding a place to sit and eat now." At a point now where they have to turn down some customers.
Michael "They can't quite grasp that we make our bars in a 200 square foot kitchen- with one oven and one mixer. I don't think any of us thought it'd get this big."
Despite the company's success so far, Adams says one of his biggest challenges - outside of juggling college and his company - is selling consumers on his product. These bars are fresh-- which is normally a selling point, but not necessarily when it comes to energy bars.
Michael "People are used to taking an energy bar and throwing it in the glove compartment, and when they run off the road in a blizzard they can eat it. That's not true with our bars- unless the blizzard is in the next 2 weeks."
No blizzards in the immediate forecast, but the Adams have had to weather a flood of orders recently. And somehow Michael still managed to pull in a 4.0 G.P.A. last semester- while managing the business from afar.
Michael: "It's hard for me to not be there and meet someone, because they'll say- 'can we schedule something for next week?''Actually, no- I'm calling you from my dorm room."
After next year, that will no longer be an issue. Though Michael hasn't decided if he'll continue to grow the company after graduation. He'll have to see if he has the energy.
For more information visit www.EddiesEnergy.com
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