Lauri Lee & Bob Stafford with Lauri Lee’s

Update: 2025-08-26

Description

Lauri Lee & Bob Stafford live in Surprise, AZ and sell low-sodium spices and seasonings with their food business, Lauri Lee’s.

Back when Lauri Lee invented her low-sodium seasonings, she had no intentions of selling them, but soon many friends and family were asking for them as well.

So in 2023, Lauri Lee and Bob took a big leap of faith and pursued this business as their only source of income, and in just the past two and a half years, they’ve already sold over 20,000 containers of their seasonings!

In this episode, Lauri Lee & Bob share the strategies they’ve used to continue scaling their business by becoming a major presence at markets, adding wholesale accounts, switching to a co-packer, and more.

3 Key Takeaways

Start with a Need, Grow with Passion: Lauri Lee’s low-sodium seasonings were born out of a real health challenge, Bob’s need to cut back on salt. What started as a way to bring flavor back to their own table quickly became a business when friends and family kept asking for more. Their story is a reminder that the best products often come from solving your own problems. If you’re passionate about your creation, others will be too!
Stand Out at Markets with Branding & Community: From day one, Bob’s creative background helped them design eye-catching banners and a cohesive booth that made Lauri Lee’s stand out at every market. But it didn’t stop there. Lauri Lee’s live streams and genuine support for other vendors turned their booth into a community hub. Their tip? Don’t just sell, connect! Your brand is more than your product; it’s the experience you create.
Embrace Growth & Don’t Fear the Next Step: After a year as a cottage food business, they took the leap to work with a co-packer, allowing them to expand beyond local markets and ship nationwide. It wasn’t always easy. Finding the right partners and letting go of some control was scary. But their willingness to learn, adapt, and trust the process helped them scale. If you’re feeling stuck, remember: growth means stepping out of your comfort zone!