Real chocolate and real family with Jake Karls
Jake Karls, BA’16, exudes the enthusiasm that one would expect of an entrepreneur. But the co-founder of Mid-Day Squares is not playing a part. He is a true believer that their chocolate bar will become the modern-day Hershey’s bar. After the failure of his clothing brand, Karls was invited to join Mid-Day Squares by his sister and brother-in-law, Lezlie Karls and Nick Saltarelli; to bring his enthusiasm to the fore of a brand with a big vision. From instituting weekly therapy sessions to showcasing their entire journey (the good, the bad and the ugly) on social media, Karls and his co-founders took a unique approach to build a brand that has sold $8 million in chocolate bars.In this episode, Jake Karls joins Ivey Faculty Larry Plummer to discuss the rise of Mid-Day Squares, covering a range of topics including the importance of authenticity, various funding sources, the complicated world of retail and how he balances family and business while forging a chocolate empire.