From Wall Street Burnout to $750 Million Snack Empire: My Take on LesserEvil's Wild Ride

Trading Tokyo for Tofu... I Mean Popcorn

Charles Coristine huh? Sounds like a man who knows a thing or two about risk. Leaving Wall Street to sling snacks? That's like ditching Windows for... well I can't think of anything worse can I? But hey even I had to take a gamble on that graphical interface thing back in the day. They all laughed they called me crazy! And now? Well you're reading this on some device powered by tech I helped unleash. Coristine's story resonates though. That feeling of burnout? Been there. Though instead of meditating I usually just stared intensely at Excel spreadsheets until the problem solved itself. Works every time!

The $250,000 Snack Gamble: A Calculated Risk or a 'Blue Screen of Death' Moment?

A quarter of a million for a 'flatlining' snack company? My first thought was 'Did he at least get a good bulk discount on popcorn?' But seriously it's that kind of audacious move that sometimes pays off. It reminds me of when we bought DOS for like peanuts. Everyone thought we were nuts! Now I'm not saying DOS is equivalent to organic popcorn but the principle is the same: See potential where others don't and then as we say in the business world 'execute execute execute.' And yes I did say that. More than once I assure you.

From Scrap Metal to Snack Gold: LesserEvil's Reinvention Recipe

Used equipment welders down the street and a factory that people mistook for a strip club? This is scrappiness at its finest! It's a reminder that innovation doesn't always come from shiny new labs. Sometimes it's born in a slightly questionable factory with a can do attitude. It is like building a PC in your garage the origin story of many successful business. The best part? Building your own production line. I can’t remember the last time I welded anything together... I pay people to do that now.

Coconut Oil: The Unexpected Secret Weapon (Besides Killer PowerPoint Presentations)

Coconut oil popcorn? Who knew? I am more of a burger guy. But hey if it works it works. And shelf testing on top of a fridge? That's dedication. You need to be dedicated to build a successful company but not more than your work life balance and family the later being very important. Sounds like Coristine’s been reading my blogs and watching my TED Talks. I am glad the laughing Buddha logo brought in roughly $2 million.

From Lil' Puffs to Big Profits: Overcoming Obstacles with Agility

Lead in the Lil' Puffs? Okay nobody's perfect. Even Windows had its glitches. Remember the Blue Screen of Death? We learned from it. Coristine's response was spot on: Apologize fix the problem and relaunch. It is great that the company still brought in $62 million in net sales during the first half of 2024. Smart move switching to sorghum flour. Adaptability is key in this game whether you're battling bugs or consumer concerns. In the end what is most important is the safety of the final product.

The Hershey Kiss: A $750 Million Sweet Ending (or Just the Beginning?)

Hershey buying LesserEvil for $750 million? Not bad for a former Wall Street guy who took a chance on snacks. It proves that sometimes the best investments are the ones that come from left field. It is an interesting end and beginning to the company that Charles Coristine started from nothing. As Coristine continues as CEO I believe that the company will succeed even more than before. And hey maybe he'll send me a lifetime supply of that coconut oil popcorn. Just saying.