Meet Sarah Wilburn of Lost Buddy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Wilburn.

Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I got the idea to start Lost Buddy when my firstborn was six months old. I had been reading “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero (if you haven’t already, I highly recommend you grab a copy and start reading!), and I was feeling inspired to step out of my comfort zone and develop a plan to start a new company. One afternoon, I was on a run and it dawned on me- this spice rub that my family has been using forever would be the perfect thing to try to market and sell!

I remember calling my dad and asking him why we weren’t selling, hoping there wasn’t a reason I hadn’t considered that would stop my plans before I had a chance to even make them. After talking for a bit and learning there was no real reason I shouldn’t or couldn’t move forward, I pitched my idea to sell Lost Buddy. It wasn’t too hard to convince my husband that this was something I wanted to move forward with. He has always supported my crazy dreams, and this time was no different. The thought of raising a baby, running my other company, keeping the house in working order (including taking care of three dogs and one cat because, evidently, we thrive on chaos), and starting this brand-new business somehow didn’t seem like a completely insane and overwhelming undertaking.

With my husband by my side, I moved forward in solidifying who I wanted on the Lost Buddy team and we got the business rolling! The recipe for Lost Buddy Original Dry Rub was developed and perfected over four generations, and I was on my way to sharing it with the world. It’s amazing, once we launched, we had an immediate and incredible support system. Heck, even before we launched, we had family and friends cheering us on! The love for our family, and for this recipe, is outstanding and unmatched. This rub is something that has defined our family meals for my entire life. Family and friends ask for it all the time, we even gave it out as our wedding favor when we got married 11 years ago…

And now, we are able to share it with not only our original supporters, but with anyone who wants to experience it. The feedback that we get is positive, and the people that we get to meet in the process are amazing. Looking back, I can’t imagine what life would be like without Lost Buddy, and I am so fortunate to have a team of people who said YES to stepping out of our comfort zones and making this happen!

Now we have two little boys who get to watch their mama learn, grow, and work in a mostly male-dominated industry. It is an absolute dream to set an example for them and to share a product that I truly believe in.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most of the challenges that I have faced in getting Lost Buddy Spices up and running revolve around balance- balancing my full-time job, my growing family, and eventually a pandemic. I would get stuck, not sure how to move forward. The food industry was new to me, and finding the time to do the research and to keep learning was certainly a challenge. Marketing.

See all of the nuances of staying on the up-and-up for food manufacturing- all new concepts to me that took time to learn about. Having my team behind me to support and guide me was exactly what I needed to keep going. I, also eventually, signed up for coaching through BSB (Babes Support Babes, LLC in San Antonio) and was not only met with an immense amount of knowledge but also greeted with open arms by women entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking the same support that I needed.

Without their support overcoming obstacles would have proved even more challenging and frankly, would have been much lonelier. I am thankful for all of the support I have received in making Lost Buddy a success!

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lost Buddy Original Dry Rub is a recipe that has been handed down and perfected over four generations, and sharing it is an absolute dream come true. The art of cooking, whether over an open fire or in a cozy kitchen and sharing delicious food with family and friends is what drives our desire to share the rub.

Using our Original Dry Rub enhances the flavor of the food that you are already cooking, making the experience even more enjoyable. And when we say it’s the only rub, you’ll ever need, we mean it. There is no limit to what you can use the dry rub on- from veggies to meat to seafood to popcorn (yes, popcorn!). Lost Buddy can complement almost any food you wish to try it on. We are thrilled to announce the launch of a second Lost Buddy product, Garden Salt, which was developed by a family friend who is a chef.

In our testing, we have received positive feedback for the salt and we cannot wait to get it out for everyone to try! It is truly the best compliment to the Original Dry Rub. We won’t stop with just the salt- we have a few more ideas up our sleeves for future product development so be sure to keep up with us on social media and join our mailing list for all the details!

How do you define success?
Success for Lost Buddy is bringing family and friends together over delicious food. If we are able to facilitate conversation, friendship, and camaraderie while sharing food then ultimately we have achieved more than we ever could have dreamed when we first thought about sharing the rub.

Gathering, eating, sharing cheers and good wishes, growing in connections… this is what makes Lost Buddy successful.

Contact Info:

• Email: lostbuddyrub@gmail.com
• Website: www.lostbuddyspices.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostbuddyspices/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostbuddyspices

Image Credits
Brittany Paul Photography and Mindy Findlay