A Little Entrepreneurial Wisdom

Posted on April 20, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Yesterday was a very interesting day for Custom Choice Cereal. I had the great opportunity to return to UNC – always a pleasure but especially after Harrison Barnes announced his return to the Tar Heels for another year – to listen to and learn from two student teams who analyzed Custom Choice Cereal over the past months.

The previous sentence already included an important piece of valuable information – listen & learn. Quite honestly, there is rarely a day that passes without finding out something that I didn’t know before. I truly believe that this is one of the great benefits of being an entrepreneur. However, it also requires you to be open-minded and receptive to what others have to say – and yes, that isn’t always easy and can even be uncomfortable if they are not saying what you want to hear but what you need to hear.

What really prompted me to share a few of my entrepreneurial “lessons learned” are two things though. First, I am quite honestly a little fed up with people who over-promise and under-deliver. It should be the other way around, folks! At the very least in the long term it will definitely come around and bite you in the rear end because you will develop a reputation for this kind of behavior. It is perfectly acceptable to say “No” before you bite off more than you can chew!

Borrowing from American History X, I’d like to end this blog entry like every good paper with a quote because “someone else has already said it best. So if you can’t top it, steal from them and go out strong.” I picked a quote from John Ruskin that a very successful local entrepreneur keeps in his email footer and that has impressed me quite a bit. I believe is key for any entrepreneurial activity because it puts the correlation between risk and return in a startup context:

“It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money … that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that … you will have enough to pay for something better.”
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Celiac Sharing Her Story Of Going Gluten-Free

Posted on March 30, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Happy Monday! I am still suffering a little bit from UNC’s loss against Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. However, I must admit that I am very pleased with their overall performance. Who would have thought in December that the Tar Heels will make it to the Elite Eight this year?? In addition, this picture of a very special gluten-free cake that my good friend Jules created lifted my mood significantly (even though it didn’t help UNC to a victory).

Back to business… I came across this video from THV in Arkansas. As you know, it’s our mission at Custom Choice Cereal to share information and educate about celiac disease and gluten intolerance, and I thought this video fit our mission. WIth a little caveat: while the commentator says that “gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some oats” the truth is that most oats are cross-contaminated during harvesting and processing.

After a brief introduction that more and more people realize that they have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, a celiac who works at Whole Foods talks about how going helped her gradually transition to “less bloating and less tiredness and less achy joints and less headaches”. Does that sound familiar?? They also point out that “eliminating gluten is the only cure” – though I would have preferred the word “treatment”… It is indeed true that those of us on a gluten-free diet are much more aware of the food we put into our bodies – and the long-term consequences this has for our health and well-being!

Anne Luther, branch manager of the GIG of Central Arkansas, gives a vivid account on how far we’ve come since 2003 when she walked out of the grocery in tears and stresses the importance of avoiding cross-contamination. She also stresses that “Going partially gluten-free isn’t going to help you! You have to get it totally out.”

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

World’s Largest Gluten-Free Cake For “1 in 133″

Posted on March 30, 2011 by customchoicecereal

On January 23, 2007, the FDA proposed the rule 72 FR 2795 for the Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods. Unfortunately, it is still exactly that – a proposed rule, and no action has been taken in the four years. In order to change this and draw attention to the FDA’s inaction, 1in133.org – named in reference to the prevalence of celiac disease in the United States – launched last Friday.

Custom Choice Cereal’s good gluten-free friends Jules Shepard and John Forberger initiated this event which “will host Capitol Hill legislators, noted celiac disease researchers, gluten-free community leaders and food corporations to the first Gluten Free Food Labeling Summit, in Washington, D.C. on May 4th, 2011. Coinciding with the newly recognized National Celiac Awareness Month, the event will also feature the world’s largest gluten-free cake – symbolizing the big deal that clear, accurate, reliable labeling plays in the lives of people dependent on labeling for their health.”

It’s A Big Deal, and the world’d tallest gluten-free cake symbolizes that strict, accurate and reliable labeling plays an important role in the lives of people dependent on correct labeling for their health. In order to make it happen, the gluten-free community needs YOUR support! Your participation helps increase food safety through improved gluten-free labeling rules. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can contribute to this important cause:

Sign the petition – and encourage others to do the same
Spread the word via twitter and join the cause on facebook
Send a letter to the FDA. It’s already written, all you have to do is sign and submit
Donate – you guessed it – in increments of $11.33. It’s tax-deductible!

Don’t forget that sharing is sexy, especially for this great cause. In a few years you will hopefully be able to look back and say “I was part of the group who helped the gluten-free labeling rules that so many people benefit from become reality!”

The Gluten Myth On The Dr. Oz Show

Posted on March 23, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Just a quick heads-up: tonight’s Dr. Oz Show will focus on talk about “The Gluten Myth – Is It Really Making Us Fat?”

We at Custom Choice Cereal are really curious to watch and hear what Dr. Oz and his experts will have to say and to what extend they will talk about gluten, gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. Medical researchers now differentiate between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, and we are especially curious if Dr. Oz will make the same distinction.

Most of all, it sounds as if Dr. Oz actually will bust the “fad” that a gluten-free diet is a weight-loss diet. We hope however that over all this myth-busting he and his experts won’t forget to stress that there are a lot of people who absolutely need to follow a gluten-free diet! And by far not all gluten-free products available are junk food! Besides, there are plenty of other things that are “making us fat” – we quite honestly think it’s pretty ridiculous to blame the gluten-free diet….

We at Custom Choice Cereal will definitely tune into the Dr. Oz Show tonight, especially after this quick preview on what to expect:

UPDATE/RECAP
After initial skepticism we thought that yesterday’s Dr. Oz Show on “The Gluten Myth” was actually pretty good. While the title wasn’t very well-chosen, the show stressed that a gluten-free diet is not – we repeat: NOT – a weight-loss or low-carb diet! Dr. Oz stressed that many gluten-free substitute goods are high in fat and sugar. He also said that avoiding gluten may not help you lose weight UNLESS you are actually sensitive or intolerant to gluten.

That’s a statement that we at Custom Choice Cereal do not agree with! Dr. Oz unfortunately uses the term “gluten-free food” synonymously with gluten-free substitute foods. That is an important distinction that we sincerely wish he had made because it is more accurate! You can absolutely be healthy on a naturally gluten-free diet (and by the way also lose weight on it though that’s more of a placebo effect).

The main point Dr. Oz wanted to make is that there is NO reason to follow a gluten-free diet (again, we disagree and would have preferred the term “gluten-free substitute goods”) unless you have celiac disease or are intolerant to gluten. Well, at least he got that part right though it seems that many more people than initially thought have some form of gluten sensitivity – and thus benefit from going gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Bakery Product News

Posted on March 22, 2011 by customchoicecereal

We at Custom Choice Cereal are always happy to see other gluten-free companies thrive and expand their offering. As a result, we had to share this video with Josh Skow, co-founder of Canyon Bakehouse, a gluten-free bakery that currently offers 6 products in over 44 States and is working on introducing 4-5 new goodies in 2011. Congratulations from one gluten-free entrepreneur to another!

A little warning before the video (because we know our own reaction and the sensitivity about this topic) – Josh describes celiac disease as a “disease but it’s like an allergy” and continues to say that “people who are allergic to gluten, which is mainly in wheat”, need to follow a gluten-free diet. Don’t forget that the protein gluten is also in rye and barley! In addition, most oats a cross-contaminated during harvesting and processing so you have to avoid them as well.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

We are sure that Canyon Bakehouse’s products will also be carried in the new gluten-free heaven – with 6,000 square feet of floor space, the nation’s largest entirely gluten-free store is set to open in Burbank, CA. As Debora Ceizler, marketing director for the Celiac Disease Foundation, rightly points out and we at Custom Choice Cereal have tackled (2.5 billion combinations of gluten-free cereal, anyone?): “Variety is difficult to find and variety is key”.

Have you tried the Canyon Bakehouse products? Which one is your favorite?

YOU Make Our Gluten-Free Day!!

Posted on March 17, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Sit back in your chairs, relax and enjoy the show! Here comes a blog post that you will hopefully enjoy as much as we at Custom Choice Cereal did.

“Okay, first I was impressed that there was a site specifically for Gluten Free cereal. Then I was impressed because you could mix your own AND name them! THEN I was impressed by the ease of ordering, and the personal customer service as evidenced by the nice email I got after placing my order.

Well, now I’m a devoted and extremely satisfied customer and here’s why: I received my cereal today (two days after ordering – FAST!), and was so excited that I decided to make myself a bowl of one of my custom mixes as soon as I got home tonight. When I opened the box there were my two special mixes, cool labels included, neatly packed (and without a lot of unnecessary extras, I might add). Then I noticed in the box was a pamphlet about the business, and a business card – yours – with a PERSONAL NOTE!

Who does this anymore in this day of automation and “press one for English”?! I was beyond thrilled with that little piece of kindness.

Then I ate some cereal, my “Banaconut” (mix ID 22f1ca), a multi-grain flake with coconut and banana chips. OH MY GOODNESS! It was fantastic!! Having sampled some really tasteless or downright icky GF cereals since beginning this GF journey, I admit some concern about how my new cereals would taste. I am so HAPPY!! Actually, I did a little happy dance after my first bite!

I am absolutely thrilled that I found your company and that I placed my order. You WILL be hearing back from me in the future!

Thanks SO SO SO much!”

We have to thank YOU! You might not believe it, but when we received your email, we did a little happy dance, too

Gluten Sensitivity Covered In The Wall Street Journal

Posted on March 16, 2011 by customchoicecereal

The Wall Street Journal once again published an outstanding article including a video on a topic that concerns us all, this time focusing on non-celiac gluten sensitivity. And guess what? It was the most emailed article on the WSJ’s website yesterday! I think that’s pretty awesome and a great indicator how dear this topic is to many people.

A new study in the journal BMC Medicine shows that gluten can set off a distinct reaction in the intestines and the immune system, even in people who test negative for celiac disease. It concludes that the two gluten-associated disorders, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, are different clinical entities. As lead author Alessio Fasano from the University of Maryland’s Center for Celiac Research says: “For the first time, we have scientific evidence that indeed, gluten sensitivity not only exists, but is very different from celiac disease“. Though the details remain unknown, it is now clear that gluten triggers a quite extreme immune response in some modern humans.

Since gluten-containing grains such as wheat, rye and barley have been a staple of our diet for 10,000 years, it is not clear why both gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are on such a sharp rise. I have shared Joseph A. Murray’s research before, and he says about celiac disease that “people aren’t born with this. Something triggers it and with this dramatic rise in all ages, it must be something pervasive in the environment”. One of the possible answers: agricultural changes to wheat and other gluten containing grains that have boosted their protein content.

Gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, however is much less researched and thus much more vague. As our friend Cynthia Kupper, Executive Director at Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, rightly points out: “There’s a lot more that needs to be done for people with gluten sensitivity. But at least we now recognize that it’s real and that these people aren’t crazy.” As of now, a gluten-free diet is the only treatment recommended for both gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.

Have you or your child tested negative for celiac disease but seen significant improvements on a gluten-free diet? What tests did your doctor run on you to determine a gluten sensitivity?

College Athlete With Celiac Disease

Posted on March 9, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Living with celiac disease is quite a challenge for anyone but it’s especially tough for athletes who need to maintain their weight – through grueling workouts and a high metabolism. Examples such as Cincinnati Bengals’ Running Back Cedric Benson, UFC’s Dennis Hallmann, LPG star Sarah Jane Smith and quite a few others show us every day that it is absolutely possible to be a top performer with celiac disease in various sports.

All these guys are full-time professional athletes though. I was therefore very impressed when I read how Utah’s women’s basketball player Diana Rolniak learned to cope with celiac disease as a college athlete. Diagnosed just before her senior year in high school in July 2008, Diana was trying to play basketball while dropping below 100 pounds – which is clearly not a healthy weight for the 6-foot-4 forward!

What I find most encouraging is the support she gets from the team. Interim head coach Anthony Levrets said that “On the road, we’ve figured out the restaurants that cater to gluten-free … that she’s comfortable with. And all of the hotels we stay in, we make sure they’re able to prepare gluten-free meals to go along with our pregame meals.” That’s pretty awesome! But Diana has also developed a few tricks that I think are worth sharing:

set up specific living arrangements in order to prevent cross-contamination and living by herself
preparing all of her meals and learning to cook
having two bowls of cereal, two yogurts, eggs and a homemade sandwich for breakfast

I have a great suggestion how Diana can add unrivaled variety to her daily gluten-free cereal bowl But besides this, I was wondering if you know someone in college who has celiac disease or lives gluten-free? How do they manage? And do you have any advice to share from their experience?

Celebrate National Cereal Day 2011 Gluten-Free

Posted on March 7, 2011 by customchoicecereal

We’re still celebrating UNC winning the ACC season title in a great 81-67 victory over archrival Duke this weekend. And yet the next reason for celebration has already arrived: TODAY IS NATIONAL CEREAL DAY!

Celebrate with us at Custom Choice Cereal gluten-free style by creating your perfect breakfast mix: We give you 10% off all orders placed today with code “NatCereal”!

What ingredients do you love to have in your cereal? Let us know, and in case we don’t have them yet we’ll find them for you!

Gluten-free Creativity At Its Best

Posted on March 4, 2011 by customchoicecereal

Happy Friday, everyone! I am getting pretty exciting (and nervous) because my beloved Tar Heels will face archrival Duke in the Dean Dome tomorrow. I can only hope that UNC will play both halves as well as it played the first half before falling apart in the second half of the last game on February 9th…

But now to our good tradition of recognizing your creativity in naming your gluten-free cereals this week. It’s been a close race!

5. Hawaiian Dream (mix ID 9d88f4 ). Someone is in Spring mood already.
4. Ellen’s Belly Better Mix (mix ID 51e0f5). Better belly AND great taste
3. Good Morning Happy Stomach Granola (mix ID e7c950). Recognize the pattern…?
2. Breakfast of Champions (mix ID 5dcf80). You ARE the champions!
1. I know it’s very biased but in the spirit of tomorrow I had to choose Carolina Crunch (mix ID 049cf9) as this week’s winner!

Have a great weekend and please consider connecting with Custom Choice Cereal on facebook! You’ll spend some time there this weekend anyway so why not swing by?

Custom Choice Cereal

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