Tag Archives: start-up

Asulia’s Anniversary: A Year in a Food Start-up

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a year!  I’ve been working on Asulia full time since September 2012. Looking back at the past 12 months, I see that I’ve made a lot of progress as a food start-up, all while being self-funded. No matter what happens, I can be proud of that.

While there’s still more to do, when I write it down, I can see that I’ve gotten a lot done. The life of an entrepreneur is never dull. No wonder I’m tired some times! Some key things I’ve done since September 2012:

  1. Tested, tasted, and developed 3 vegan dumpling recipes: taro root, chickpea and kale.
  2. Changed the hand cut dumpling wrapper from white to wheat.
  3. Became ServSafe certified.
  4. Sourced dumpling ingredients, as locally as possible.
  5. Made nutrition labels.
  6. Purchased bar codes.
  7. Found a food photographer.
  8. Reshot food photography multiple times.
  9. Looked through hundreds of logos.
  10. Reworked various logos multiple times.
  11. Branded and then rebranded – I actually started with a different name.
  12. Went through 3 graphic designers until I found the right fit.
  13. Completed packaging development and design.
  14. Ran a trademark search.
  15. Legally formed the company.
  16. Found a kitchen to make the dumplings. This took months to do!
  17. Found an environmentally-friendly printer to work with, after calling dozens of places and researching for hours on end.
  18. Became a certified YouthTrade company.
  19. Obtained vegan certification for all three fusion dumpling flavors.
  20. Blogged, emailed, tweeted and posted updates on FB.
  21. Launched a website.
  22. Figured out Asulia’s personality. What does she like? What matters to Asulia? What matters to me? This is a key part of our brand.
  23. Started blogging for Huff Post.
  24. Walked through what felt like football fields of food at two Fancy Food Shows in San Francisco (thanks to air miles) and in NYC.
  25. Attended (and will continue to attend) numerous food networking events.
  26. Attended the Stonyfield’s annual entrepreneurship institute and was selected as a case study.
  27. Launched a crowd-funding campaign.

Along the way, I’ve laughed, cried, and met some truly great people. I’ve lost sleep and skipped meals, but I’ve also eaten some great food in the name of research! I’ve made mistakes. I’ve gotten lucky. I’ve learned so much about business and myself.

But most importantly, I never gave up.

dumpling debut

Wednesday, 9/18 was the first official public Asulia dumpling tasting held at MIT’s Innovation Series “From Farm to Tablet”.  That morning, I dropped my mom off at the airport at 5am. I’ve done this many times before, but that day felt different. I was extra concerned about her safety as she leaves for a month overseas. I got choked up because, not only does she mean the world to me, but also because I want her to be able to continue to see that her decision to become my mom was not for nothing.

Then, I was nonstop all day. Kinda of surprising huh? A dumpling tasting that lasted an hour and a half took a full day of prep! I had to pick up fresh veggies, coordinate with my graphic designer, pick up the Indiegogo info cards from the printer, buy napkins and a table cloth, pack, eat something, and, oh, shower! There wasn’t an oven on site, so I found a friend that lived close by and borrowed hers. I couldn’t have pulled it off without my crew of 3 amazing ladies.

It was awesome to sample to the Boston and MIT community. Over 100 people stopped by Asulia’s table to try our our chickpea dumplings, kale dumplings, and taro root dumplings. People loved the taste of the fusion dumplings and wanted to hear more about Asulia and my story. They couldn’t believe the average calorie count is only 44 per dumpling. Many can back a 2nd and 3rd time for more dumplings! I loved seeing people’s faces as they bit into the dumplings and hearing their comments. Instant feedback! I can’t wait to do more demos and share my dumplings with more people.
Special thanks to Suzanne Brendle, Sarah Howes, and Taylor Rose for assisting!
Sue Liang, Asulia Foods

Sue Liang of Asulia Foods setting up for the MIT Dumpling Tasting

T-minus 2 days until Asulia’s first crowdsource funding campaign

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Asulia Dumpling Packaging

T-minus 2 days until I hit the green button on Asulia’s first crowdsource funding campaign! I’m feeling nervous and excited at the same time.

It’s been non-stop getting everything lined up to go live on Indiegogo as well as responding to amazing opportunities that have come up. After two attempts at filming, I feel a lot better about the video that will be used. Sourcing rewards was challenging, but I’m happy with where we landed. I can’t wait to share more very soon!

A successful funding campaign will allow Asulia to take some important steps, including making dumplings and giving back right away.

Keep an eye out for more info regarding Asulia’s Indiegogo campaign next week on 9/17! We have some awesome rewards lined up for supporters.

2 Recent Projects Completed at Asulia

asuliablog-2 recent projects completed at asulia

Asulia Dumpling Packaging

We launched Asulia’s new website! The design process, including packaging design, has been months in the making, and I’m so excited that the design portion is all set now. Two major projects have been completed. Only a million more to go.

This journey so far has been more rewarding than I ever thought it would be, and I know it’s only just the beginning. As an entrepreneur, you really hit the highest of the highs and lows I’m thankful to be able to come through. My days are often challenging on all fronts, from bootstrapping everything to learning new things quickly. Time seems to fly by because of all the work that I need to do. I can’t tell you how often I find it’s suddenly the afternoon and I’m still in my pajamas and haven’t eaten anything. My new goal is to create a standing desk so I can get a work out in no matter what. As I write this post, I’m at a makeshift standing ‘desk’, a stack of storage boxes! On the plus side, I did manage to eat brunch today :)

asuliablog-2 recent projects completed at asulia

Next on the list is getting things lined up for Asulia’s Kickstarter fundraising campaign to go live. Dumpling packaging is finalized, Asulia’s video is back in the editing room, and I’m working on rewards. Sourcing custom-made things for rewards without knowing exact quantities has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. I feel fortunate to have the help and support of my advisors and friends as issues like this come up.

Stay tuned for more on our Kickstarter campaign!

Summer Fancy Food Show


Above, pics I snapped along The High Line in Manhattan en route to Wong, the big apple’s first Asian restaurant to emphasize local and seasonal fare. The food was amazing! I highly recommend going if you love delis Asian food and supporting our local farmers.


Clockwise from left to right, whole raw lobster hand shelled using high pressure, whole grain vermicelli, black alkaline water, my new must have hot sauce! Just a small sample of products from the food show.
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Last week, I went to the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC. Although I’ve been before, the sheer enormity of it is overwhelming each time. Food companies near and far from around the world were in attendance. I felt like a food nerd, in awe of all the brands I love, talking with the founders, and discovering new products that are coming to the market. I loved every minute of it, even if it gave me heart burn at times. One of our staffers came along with me to the show. One thing that has stuck in my mind is her comment about how she’s been paying attention to the people in the industry and noticing how nice they are. I can tell you from first hand experience that people in food are really great! I think creating food is a universal, fulfilling and relatable expression of creativity that also has the ability to evoke emotion, and it brings out the best in its creators.

Asulia is not ready to exhibit, but we hope to be soon! While I was looking, chatting, and, of course, eating at the show, I discovered a company with packaging all too similar to what we’ve been working on. This means we’re back to the drawing board. When I got back home, I immediately went to work and sketched out a bunch of new design layouts and sent them to our packaging designer. My obsession with aesthetics probably doesn’t help the cause, but I’m determined to make it beautiful and unique.

This means delays in other areas. Our crowdsource funding video can’t be finalized until the packaging design is complete. Launching a crowdsource funding campaign without finalized packaging is possible, but it’s far from ideal, so we’re going to wait until we get it right. When you launch, you need to be able to show supporters that your project is not just a figment of your imagination, but that it’s real. I also want to be able to deliver the dumplings to supporters right away, since the whole point is to get the project sent out.

Our permanent website has been coded, but the new revised packaging will also have an impact on the final site. As a result, we will not hit the launch button for our permanent home until the packaging is finalized, so we can tie it together with the website design and create a cohesive look and feel.

I recently came across Inc magazine’s videos you should watch before you start a business. I loved Simon Sinek’s comment about motivation that people “don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” I can’t wait to share my story when our permanent website launches! It’s the reason I get up every morning and push forward when people think I’m crazy for not switching to a shelf-stable product. I have no doubt that I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing, right here, right now.

Lights, camera, crowdsource funding

Crowdsource funding has helped launch a lot of cool projects. With so many options, where and how do you decide which platform to use? A breakdown of the top sites as well as helpful tips will help you determine the best fit for your project.  I was at an event recently about this topic. Some  things I didn’t consider was accounting for taxes as well as the level of support I’m seeking for my upcoming campaign. It was nice to not only learn more about Indiegogo, but I was also able to directly talk with one of their leads. Unlike other platforms, they will give you feedback and offer guidance to help you make your campaign successful. Others are more hands off. It really depends on what type of project you have since it’s best to go where your audience is most likely to be.

From Kickstarter’s stats, those with a video have higher rate of success than those without 50% vs. 30%. Make a video! It doesn’t have to be fancy.  People need to be able to hear what you’re saying. This is why home video cameras are not that great. If you already have some type of gear to film with, figure out if you can attach a mic to it.  Music is nice, but not necessary. It was fun to pick out some jams for Asulia on Soundcloud that we might use in the video though!

Besides being obsessed with getting people to eat their veggies, I’m also obsessed with how things look. Luckily Morning Fog Film set me up with a lighting plan.  I rented all my equipment from Rule Boston Camera and had friends help me shoot the footage.  Andrew at Rule was awesome!  He was extremely patient as I asked tons of questions. We spent hours preparing for the shoot. I never thought a short video would entail so much time or that I would be learning about film!  Scouting veggies once again, renting equipment, picking up an emergency hot roller kit, and more. On the day of, I was frantically spraying hairspray but it wasn’t working. I kept spraying anyway. When I unpacked the next day, I found out it was dry shampoo! No wonder it wasn’t holding. Hopefully, my hair doesn’t look white in the footage.

In the evening, I made a gluten free kimchi quesadilla.
two brown rice tortillas
1 cup charred romaine lettuce
1 cup kimchi
1/3 cup of aged white cheddar
2 tbs sriracha

On high heat, charr romaine lettuce on a grill or skillet.  Adjust to low heat, place 1 tortilla in a pan with half the cheese. Layer romaine, kimchi, sriracha, and remaining cheese. Flip the tortilla over until the cheese has melted and both sides have browned.

if the box fits

Shopping for the right food packaging is like shopping for new jeans. There are so many options to choose from. What these dumplings need is to find the right fit, comfort and look. CCKB or KB, CMYK or PMS? Printed or stickers? Window or no window? Reverse tuck, straight tuck, standard folding, clam shell, and more… Then there’s pricing. Unlike buying the perfect pair of jeans, which is a one-time cost, the right packaging is not. It’s a per box expense. Yes, economies of scale will bring down the cost, but when you’re starting out you don’t need gazillions of boxes. Most printers out there will print small quantities, but it’s super pricey so the alternative is to sticker in the beginning or you can decide not to print photography. I love looking at the Dieline for inspiration.