How Brightland Became The Olive Oil Brand Beloved by Press and Retailers
Executive Summary
A Shopify Masters conversation with Ash, founder of Brightland, an olive oil and pantry brand she says reached eight figures, earned press in outlets like Bon Appetit and Food and Wine and landed in Whole Foods. She covers how a personal cooking journey and a Google search became a company, overcoming the idea that she was not an entrepreneur, using food PR and storytelling, and how she thinks about decisions such as an acquisition. Sponsor: Shopify, which presents the show. PARTIAL COVERAGE: this note covers the intro, the origin story, her immigrant-family background and mindset, the press and storytelling advice, and the closing, and does not cover every part of the roughly 44 minute conversation. Revenue and retail claims are the guest's or the show's own and not independently checked.
Key Takeaways
A cooking journey, not a business plan
Ash says she ran from her family of passionate home cooks, then began cooking more with her partner and became curious about core ingredients like cooking oil.
A broken category
She says her search for the best olive oil brand got odd responses like 'an ugly bottle', which made her curious.
California olive oil opened her eyes
She says tasting high quality California olive oil from visited farmers made her want more people to experience it.
An immigrant-family mindset
She says stability and safety are paramount in her family, but she always felt she would do something different, helped by an individualised course of study.
Why not me
She says watching the audacity of well-known founders who said they had no idea but went in anyway made her think, why not me.
Press needs a human story
She says to tell your story authentically and succinctly with two or three reasons why, because everybody wants a story, and a business school gap analysis is not enough.
Decisions as life experiences
In closing she says choices such as grinding on or an acquisition are just a collection of life experiences, and the question is which one you want.
The Conversation Breakdown
A cooking journey, not a business plan
⏱ Untimed topicAsh says she ran from her family of passionate home cooks, then began cooking more with her partner and became curious about core ingredients like cooking oil.
A broken category
⏱ Untimed topicShe says her search for the best olive oil brand got odd responses like 'an ugly bottle', which made her curious.
California olive oil opened her eyes
⏱ Untimed topicShe says tasting high quality California olive oil from visited farmers made her want more people to experience it.
An immigrant-family mindset
⏱ Untimed topicShe says stability and safety are paramount in her family, but she always felt she would do something different, helped by an individualised course of study.
Why not me
⏱ Untimed topicShe says watching the audacity of well-known founders who said they had no idea but went in anyway made her think, why not me.
Press needs a human story
⏱ Untimed topicShe says to tell your story authentically and succinctly with two or three reasons why, because everybody wants a story, and a business school gap analysis is not enough.
Decisions as life experiences
⏱ Untimed topicIn closing she says choices such as grinding on or an acquisition are just a collection of life experiences, and the question is which one you want.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Authentic, succinct story - her pitch advice
Tell why you started, in two or three reasons, instead of a market-gap line.
Early food PR - Brightland's approach
Invest early in outside voices who can vouch for the brand.
Which life experience do you want - her decision lens
Frame big decisions as choosing among experiences, not right and wrong.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Write your founding story in two or three reasons.
- ✓Replace any market-gap pitch line with the personal reason you started.
- ✓List three outside voices who could vouch for your product.
- ✓For a pending decision, write which experience each option gives you.
Notable Quotes
“I want more people to experience what I experienced.”
“everybody wants a story.”
“It's just a collection of life experiences.”
The One Thing to Remember
Ash says Brightland began as a personal cooking quest, grew through authentic storytelling and press, and that big decisions are really choices about which experiences you want.