Natasha Case is the CEO of Coolhaus, a Los Angeles based ice cream company specializing in unique, sweet-meet-savory flavors. The inspiration for Coolhaus started when Natasha was exploring the concept of "Farchitecture" – or, Food + Architecture – in her graduate architecture program. She began baking cookies, making ice cream, and combining them into "cool houses". In 2009 she met co-founder Freya Estreller, and together they staged Coolhaus' unforgettable launch in a refurbished postal van at the famous Coachella Valley Music Festival.

In less than ten years, Coolhaus has snowballed into a nationwide company. They now distribute to 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets with 30 SKU's including hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches, artisan pints, and chocolate-dipped bars.

Natasha has been named Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and beverage and Zagat's 30 Under 30 in New York City. She is also the co-host of the Start to Sale podcast, where she invites the brightest entrepreneurial minds to discuss all that it takes to build a company from launch to exit.

We covered a lot of ground in this interview. So much so, that we're going to break it up into two separate episodes. Episode 86 is Part 1.

On today's episode, Natasha tells us how studying architecture led her to discover her entrepreneurial spirit and how she turned her side-hustle hobby into a national business. She shares why product development and innovation is not just about market research and data but also about trusting your intuition and how Coolhaus launched with a minimum viable product.

ON TODAY'S EPISODE:

• Natasha's background in architecture and how it inspired her entrepreneurial spirit
• How working at Disney Imagineering helped her conceptualize brand storytelling
• The pros of combining strengths with a business partner
• How Coolhaus is reinventing classic flavors for a new generation
• Why trusting your intuition is just as important as market research
• The importance of launching with a minimum viable product
• How the Coolhaus food truck got 100 miles to Coachella Music Festival without an engine

KEY TAKE-AWAYS:

"There's always that element of surprise and just trying to be as educated and tactical and excited about really meeting that demand as you can be." - Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"We have so much in common with the people that we're really trying to target, and I think that creates a lot of authenticity in all aspects of the brand." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"No spreadsheet will ever tell you the thing that was the hugest risk with the biggest reward, and that's so much of what entrepreneurship is about." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"The entrepreneur will have a little bit of that crazy factor and think, "Well, I can do it and I want to create something from nothing." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"I always thought of myself as getting the skills of architecture in a way I would in my head say, or even out loud, that's beating the system from within. Taking these rules, learning them, mastering them the best I could, and breaking it apart." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"Even in the traditional sense of architecture there is entrepreneurship because I think you are... One, you're an artist, but within this building has to stand up." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

" I'm a big believer in when things are fun, actually, ironically, so much more can get done. So much more work can get done." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"You put food in front of people and it's exciting, it's memorable, it brings people together." - Natasha Case

"There was nothing on shelf that spoke to us as millennials, and definitely not as women. And so we saw this big opportunity." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"We were actually going to be the first food truck to sell at Coachella. And so, now you remember the truck has no engine. How are we going to get to Coachella?" -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

" It was just nonstop and then 5,000 Twitter followers in one afternoon. It was like, clearly there's demand for this." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

"There were no bells and whistles. I mean it was just putting this idea out there and showing that we had this vision." -Natasha Case, Coolhaus

CONNECT WITH COOLHAUS:

Website: https://cool.haus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coolhaus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolhaus/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coolhaus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/COOLHAUS

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/coolhausla

SPECIAL OFFER: 3 Free Months of Gusto!

Gusto makes payroll, taxes, and HR actually easy for small businesses. Fast, simple payroll processing, benefits, and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state, and local taxes so you don't have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy to add on health benefits and even 401(k)s for your team.

Those old-school, clunky payroll providers just weren't built for the way modern small businesses work. But Gusto is. Now is the best time to get set up for the new year. Don't wait.

Proof to Product listeners get 3 free months of Gusto when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for yourself at http://www.gusto.com/proof

What if you could sit in a room with 30 other product makers who are doing exactly what you're doing -- building a business they love! You could share resources, leverage each other's experiences and learn from those who are where you want to be. Imagine the growth potential!

Join us March 14-15th in Los Angeles for our Paper Camp Conference.

Over 800 brands have attended Paper Camp. Brands that sell to stores like Target, Paper Source, Container Store, Anthropologie and independent boutiques internationally.

This program is for you if you're a stationery or gift company interested in selling wholesale, exhibiting at trade shows or looking to expand your outreach to wholesale customers.

We believe in the power of community, collaboration and sharing everything we know. Get all the details and register at www.tradeshowcamp.com/papercamp

SUBSCRIBE

To subscribe on iOS, go to the iTunes page and subscribe to Proof to Product. On Android, you can listen using your favorite podcast app.

WRITE A REVIEW

Writing a review on iTunes will help other product based business owners find Proof to Product as they are working to up level, scale, and build profitable and sustainable companies.

FOLLOW PROOF TO PRODUCT

Follow Proof to Product on Instagram for the latest updates.

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

If you'd like to receive more information about our upcoming episodes of Proof to Product including show notes and information about our guests, head over to www.prooftoproduct.com and sign up for our email list.

SHARE

Be sure to share Proof to Product with all of the product based business owners that you know!

ABOUT PROOF TO PRODUCT:

Proof to Product is brought to you by Tradeshow Bootcamp and hosted by Katie Hunt. Since 2011, TSBC has worked with hundreds of product based businesses to help them up level, scale, and build profitable sustainable companies. You can find our show notes and additional resources at ProofToProduct.com. If you like what you heard today, please head over to Apple Podcast to leave a five star review and subscribe. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a new episode!