This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Scott Hattis, 41, of Brooklyn, New York. Hattis is the CEO and entrepreneur behind Loisa, the Latin food and kitchen brand co-founded in 2018 with his friend Kenneth Luna.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa. Scott Hattis, left, and Kenneth Luna, right.
Hattis and Luna built Loisa as a side hustle before and after work and on weekends during the brand’s early days. The brand went from a two-product line that shipped roughly five orders per day to one with $70,000 in annual sales — then saw sales surpass $130,000 in just three days in 2020 when Goya’s CEO publicly expressed support for Donald Trump and Latine consumers across generations called for a boycott. Now, the side hustle turned full-time business has seen $15 million in lifetime sales and is selling about 75,000 units a month. It’s also doubled its growth on Amazon in the past six months.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
When we started Loisa, I was working in brand and product marketing on the agency side. I’d spent over a decade in the space, helping to build brands in CPG, technology, apparel and more, and knew I wanted to use that experience to build something of my own — something that felt personal and purposeful.
When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started Loisa with my co-founder, Kenneth Luna, in 2018. The inspiration came from a motivation we felt in our own homes and believed millions of others shared — that Latin foods, especially seasonings, were being sold with artificial dyes and ingredients, and there had to be more natural options available to home cooks. This idea wasn’t about making a better-for-you version of what was already on shelves. These iconic blends were all-natural before Big Food took over, and we were just bringing them back. But generally speaking, we wanted to honor Latin flavors and culture with a commitment to only real ingredients and cultural integrity while always doing right by our customers. With this foundation, we set out to build a community-based, purpose-driven brand.
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
We built the brand in the margins — early mornings, late nights and weekends. We started small. We developed initial blends in our kitchens based on what we were already cooking with before sourcing a manufacturing partner open to working with emerging brands. Early funding came from our own pockets. We probably spent under $20,000 to get the first run of products live. Our focus was on proving demand and building a brand people could feel proud to support.
Initially, we were shipping around five orders a day, but to us, that wasn’t nothing. We were proud and received great feedback from our customer base. Then, in 2020, everything changed. A large food brand took a public position that many folks in the Latin community didn’t agree with, which, in turn, put Loisa on the map as an alternative. We tripled our sales for the entirety of the prior year in just three days. This was the push I needed to leave consulting and go full-time on Loisa.
Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business?
Talking to other founders has been the most valuable “resource” by far. The CPG community, especially founders of other Latin brands, has been generous and open. We’ve also leaned on Slack groups like Startup CPG to find resources across business needs. Podcasts like How I Built This helped with the inspiration side of things.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you’d done it differently?
I would’ve invested in stronger operational infrastructure sooner — even just part-time support. As a founder, you tend to wear every hat for too long. Looking back, trying to manage inventory, orders, customer service and lead marketing on my own slowed down growth. Delegating earlier would’ve freed up bandwidth to think more strategically.
When it comes to this specific business, what is something you’ve found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren’t?
Managing inventory and forecasting demand as we scale rapidly in retail has been challenging, especially with long lead times and shifting retailer timelines. We’re constantly seeking to strike a balance between projections and reality, without leaning too far in either direction.
Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it?
We launched in retail with a case pack size that was too large, meaning the number of units in each case we were selling to each store. Especially in categories like seasonings and sauces (versus beverages or chips that move a lot faster off the shelf), a larger pack size puts us in a less-than-ideal position in terms of winning new independent retailers, since bringing us in was a higher expense on their part. It also meant we had to pay more in product cost for a “free fill,” which often equates to one full case of each product variant, regardless of the number of units it includes. Needless to say, our pack size is now fewer units per case.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
The first few years were modest. Sales reached a new baseline once we began dedicating full-time effort to the business. Revenue has grown consistently since then, especially with our expansion into retail.
What does growth and revenue look like now?
We’re a multi-seven-figure business today, with national retail distribution and a strong Amazon and DTC business. Our focus for growth is distribution, meaning expanding strategically into more major retailers across the country. Loisa has doubled its growth on Amazon over the past six months, and we’re selling approximately 75,000 units per month across channels.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
How much time do you spend working on your business on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? How do you structure that time? What does a typical day or week of work look like for you?
It’s a full-time commitment and then some. I usually split my time between strategic planning, team management, partner meetings, sales meetings and putting out fires. Each day is different, but our team works to bookend the week by connecting on Mondays and reflecting together on Fridays.
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
The people. Whether it’s our team, customers or partners, what’s most rewarding is getting to connect with people who share the same love for culture and food and are excited to build something better. Seeing our products in people’s kitchens (or their kids’ play kitchens) and hearing that our flavors remind folks of home or family…that’s what it is all about and makes the hard work feel worth it.
Big or very small, what is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?
Don’t try to do it alone, and find people who’ve done it before. Get them on a call and ask for 30 minutes of their time. Whether they can help you now or in the future, the value will 100% come back around.