"Have someone in your life that will hold you accountable to you work goals and your vision" with Reina O'Meara
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Reina O'Meara is an award-winning UX/Graphic Designer who has helped define brands for both Fortune 500 companies and small startups. She has worked for companies such as Weta Workshop, Redbox, and Steelseries.
Mentoring is Reina’s passion, and she has been able to mentor people of any skill level, from interns to senior-level designers, to stay-at-home moms looking to have a small side business. Now she is co-founder and Brand Director of a company called Comfort Eats, an online store that ships American snacks worldwide. It sounds simple, but the company is about way more than that because it provides Americans abroad access to custom care packages of American comfort food with affordable international shipping and a personal “from home” experience. www.comforteatsdelivery.com
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I was the first woman in my family to get a college education. I’m also the first in my family to live abroad to pursue her dream career. I’ve always had a passion for art, music, and food. I just loved how those things brought people together. As I grew up, I pursued a career in graphic design, specifically in the field of movies and video games. While doing that, I continued with my passion for music by playing piano for restaurants, weddings, corporate functions, and hospitals on the side. Fast forward a few more years and I met my husband, who was just as passionate about working in the entertainment field. When we got the opportunity to work for the film company that worked on Lord of the Rings, we couldn’t resist the offer and packed our bags to move all the way to New Zealand! We’re now Expats, having strong bouts of homesickness. And now my best friend and I are co-founders of a business that sells American snacks to people around the world!
What inspired you to start your business?
I moved from Chicago to New Zealand so that my husband and I could pursue our dreams of working in film for a company called Weta. While in New Zealand, my best friend tried to send me care packages of the snacks I loved, but the selection was very limited. She often flew down to visit me, packing very little clothes so that she could fill an entire suitcase with the snacks that I missed from home. Eventually, she approached me about starting a business to help people like myself get that comfort from home. She was an expert in business, I was an expert in graphic design and we both love snacks so much that it was a no-brainer to work together to make this dream happen and a company was born, and now we’ve shipped to over 28 countries around the world and every continent except for Antarctica!
Where is your business based?
We’re a remote company. Brittany is based in Chicago, IL. I’m based in Wellington, New Zealand.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
First of all, Brittany and I wanted to make sure that working together wouldn’t hurt our friendship. We created a friendship prenup that outlined how we’d like to work together, the responsibilities, and who owned how much of the company. Then we sent out surveys to relevant groups to gather information on our potential customers. Brittany also chatted with someone from the Women's Business Development Center. Next, we did research and decided on the company name. We then registered the name and I created a logo and brand identity. It took a while to convince Brittany that we needed to invest an entire month in the brand development, but once complete, the style guide became a strong design foundation for all of our touch-points, both physical and digital that we still use on a daily basis today.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Social media and word of mouth have worked the best for us. We find that once someone uses our service, they quickly become brand ambassadors. The other part is constantly educating ourselves on social media strategies and adjusting our approach as we go. We are currently in the process of revamping our social strategy again based on Instagram’s new features and creating a company Pinterest with freebies of relevant, valuable content.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Figuring out how to fund the business is a constant struggle for us. We’re trying to get an investor, but we don’t want to give up all of the equity to do it. So Brittany and I have worked together to get creative on how to utilize the funds we have to make the maximum impact. We do everything that we can do or learn ourselves so that when a situation comes up where we need an expert, we can afford to hire them. With Brittany being a black woman and me being a Latina, there are many opportunities for grants out there. Brittany is very judicious in applying for these, and we’ve been honored to be awarded a few of them which has kept the company afloat. Currently, Brittany is just about to complete a very intense business course that helps refine the company’s pitch to attract investors.
How do you stay focused?
We do weekly check-ins with each other. Since we’re best friends, we can be brutally honest with each other perhaps in ways that other business owners can’t. We also use online task managers and project timers so that we can be efficient with our time and have quantifiable forward motion.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
The customer experience. We always make sure the snacks aren’t expired or near expired. We’ve often done custom orders for customers. Usually, big box stores pack the box with those air bubble things, which feels very cold and corporate. To that end, we’ve taken great care in crafting the unboxing experience, so that it feels like a care package a friend or relative might hand pack and send to you. I’d say the other way that we differentiate ourselves is by the selection in our store. It’s a carefully thought out, curated list with the American living abroad in mind. Often the items are added because I miss the product myself and can’t find them in New Zealand (like honey barbeque sauce).
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
We’ve found it to be effective when we really tap into the things that Americans abroad miss most at certain key times of the year. Like s’mores in the summer, stuffing around Thanksgiving, and hot chocolate and marshmallows in the winter.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Have someone in your life that will hold you accountable to your work goals, your vision, and also remind you to have a healthy work/life balance on occasion. When you own your own business, it’s very easy to get lost in it because it takes so much time and because you care so much about it.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
Canva is a lifesaver. You don’t need to be a graphic designer to use it, so Brittany can jump in when I’m overrun. I also use it when it comes to social media because the templates make it super quick and easy.
My favorite blog is Divas Can Cook. I love how funny and accessible she is. Her recipes are delicious and they aren’t intimidating for a budding cook like myself.
My favorite book is my Creative Journaling Bible. It has extra-wide margins so that an artist like myself can draw, scrapbook, and take notes. I find it’s important to force yourself to slow down and self reflect regularly.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Believe it or not, Tiktok! I really like that the tips are from real people and that the information is delivered in small, digestible chunks. The tutorials aren’t over-saturated with jargon and the time limit of the video ensures that the information is distilled into the purest form.
Who is your business role model? Why?
Joanna Gaines. I love how she’s able to have personal passion projects at home, while having her TV show, raising her family, and writing books. I also admire how she doesn’t compromise her morals. She’s strong but compassionate. As a designer, I love the Magnolia brand and I like how she keeps it consistent. She only seems to take on projects that she’s truly passionate about and it shows.
How do you balance work and life?
I work part-time from home so that I can raise my daughter and have a career. My husband will often help with the baby after work so that I can get a few hours of work before bed. I often set timers for myself so that time doesn’t get away from me.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Drinking Chai lattes and doing calligraphy at the only Starbucks in Wellington is my ultimate zen time. I also love getting massages, which Brittany usually gets me for my birthday. A treat I look forward to every year for sure!
What do you have planned for the next six months?
We plan to do more with corporate gift boxes and corporate partnerships. With so many people working remotely, we believe that companies can use our service to keep that connection going with their employees. We’ve all had a challenging year, and we believe our snacks are love in a box. We also plan to go all in with our social media presence, and we're going old school with some flyers and physical ads in places where we know Americans living abroad usually congregate.
How can our readers connect with you?
I love mentoring and being mentored! I’d love to connect if anyone has any ideas on how to help more Americans abroad, or has any questions in general. I can be reached on any of our company socials