“I’ve always loved food, eating, drinks, everything that it entails. There’s no area that I’m not a fan of,” says entrepreneur Savannah Campbell. Food and drink is her soulmate. She has a bachelor’s in food and beverage entrepreneurship. She also spent time working as a savory chef, crafting mouthwatering fare in establishments, including steakhouses, before deciding to pivot into the wonderful world of simple syrups.
“When I was a savory chef and I was working in different outlets, I would always try to incorporate flavors from my background. So like a little pimento, a little scotched bonnet. So it was natural that even when I’m drinking coffee, I’m like, ‘Okay, this coffee is fine, but I wish it had flavors that are nostalgic and that I am craving,'” she says. “So it was also natural for me to just start messing around with flavors at home. Where I was in my career, I needed something to bring back the passion for food and drink, so I just started experimenting at home.”
What started off as a side hustle became a full-time commitment: Caribe & Co., a line of premium simple syrups inspired by her Jamaican roots. It’s been an unexpected pivot that’s brought a lot of joy to Campbell. But it’s also been a major undertaking that requires a lot of her time, creativity and energy.
So how does she find balance with business and taking care of herself? That’s something entrepreneurs notoriously struggle with (don’t we all?). In support of our new Founder to Founder video series, which features enthralling and real conversations between some of the Black vendors found on WeLoveUs.Shop, a marketplace powered by ESSENCE, we spoke with Campbell. She dished about her favorite routines, foods, and practices that help her stay grounded and able to create a sweet product literally and figuratively. Hear her journey, view Founder to Founder, and check out her collection to shop below.
Your favorite routine:
I’d definitely say having my morning coffee. It’s probably everyone’s answer, but I need to take that time when I wake up to get some caffeine in me and also think about what I have to do for the day. I’m mapping out how I want my day to go and getting in the right head space. That’s one thing that I really need to do in the morning.
Your favorite way to rest:
I’m still working on that. I got to be honest. Everyone in my life is like, “You need to rest!” The holidays are my busiest time of year. I’m moving inventory from my facility to my warehouse. I’m very much hands-on with everything still. Then we’re packaging orders. I’m taking meetings, emails, working on future projects, of course. I also just released a recipe book, which I’d been working on for nine months, Coffee and Cocktail Recipes Inspired by the Islands. So it’s always something.
But the best way I’m trying to get my rest is upholding that the weekends are not for work. I don’t check emails. I do go on social media, which is very closely intertwined with work, but I do I try not to do too much on social media on the weekends and just go be in the world. It doesn’t have to always be just sitting at home on the couch. I love to go out and do things, just something to take my mind off of work because I think mental rest for me is very important. I sleep. I know some people have issues with sleep. I sleep very well. And then on the weekends, I like to go do something that just takes my mind off of work. I love to go out to eat so that’s my thing. So I go out to eat and just do anything non-business related. And I feel like that’s how I get my energy back and I’m ready for a new week.
Your favorite self-care practice:
It can look a little bit different. I might make myself a little cocktail, pour a little bit of wine. I’m a wine person. I took a wine class in college, so I don’t want to sound like a snob. I like New World Wines. So wines outside of Europe are what I usually lean towards. I love lighter bodied reds: Malbec, pinot noir from South America, Argentina or the Pacific Northwest of the US, even from Australia or New Zealand. So that’s my go-to right now. We’re having a cocktail, too. I usually do something rum-based or like a spicy margarita situation.
That’s what I like to do. Maybe make a nice meal or go out to dinner. I love sushi. A salmon avocado roll with ginger. Socapenos, some eel sauce. I could eat that every day. Curry chicken. I’m Jamaican! So curry chicken, fried plantain, white rice, cabbage. Those are my two favorite meals. And then I like to do an activity. Rhode Island has a lot of activities, whether it’s markets or whatever the case. It’s nice to be on the other side of that as well and just go shop and socialize and just unplug.
Your favorite way to treat yourself after reaching a business milestone:
Everything revolves around food. So usually I want to have a nice meal. I went out recently to celebrate the release of my recipe book in Boston. So I just had a nice dinner and a nice blueberry uzu cocktail. But I’m trying to celebrate every win and really kind of revel in that moment.
Your favorite song to work to:
“Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross. It makes me happy. It’s a great song and it puts me in a good mood. And then I’m going to say “Fabulous” by Jaheim. It’s nostalgic for me. I love that song. We always used to play that in the car, I’m really big on nostalgia. That’s one thing that also inspired my brand–nostalgic flavors. So any song that conjures up that nostalgia, I’ll never stop playing it.
