Entrepreneurial Speaker Series featuring Tara Bosch

 

On January 22, Enterpreneurship 11/12 was delighted to welcome Tara Bosch, founder of SmartSweets, as part of WPGA's Entrepreneurial Speaker Series. 

What stood out to me most about the event was how Ms. Bosch founded and runs a multimillion dollar company, and yet, her story somehow feels . . . completely “normal.” Ms. Bosch created a low-sugar candy company, with products in major retailers across North America. She sold a majority stake in SmartSweets for $360 million USD in 2020, just four years after launching the brand in 2016. 

 

Before hearing her actual story, I imagined someone with a high level business degree, years of experience, and all the tools to launch a company. Ms. Bosch’s path, however, was very different. She grew up in Vancouver and worked at Domino’s and McDonald’s as a teen. She attended UBC, just like many of us plan to. But, none of this was a great enough barrier to stop her determination to start a low-sugar candy business, an idea inspired by the anxiety she sometimes felt when enjoying sweets. She worked step-by-step, starting with making candies at home in her kitchen that culminated in the empire she's built today.

 

There’s so much to learn from her experience. Ms. Bosch's belief in herself and her ability to succeed is something I realize I lack when an idea strikes. Yet my biggest take away is success isn’t about feeling ready. It’s about taking action, trusting yourself, and pursuing your initial vision without getting distracted along the way.