She may be a young entrepreneur but Brother Sprout Founder Li-An Delos Reyes is no stranger to startups and entrepreneurship.
Since 2020, Li-An started not one but two companies, and her entrepreneurial journey thus far has been one of resilience, creativity and a keen eye for market opportunities.
Li-An arrived in Canada in 2018 with a background in retail sales and marketing and found herself drawn to the world of entrepreneurship, driven by her desire to carve her path in the business world. “When we first moved to Newfoundland, we quickly discovered that, unlike other places we’d lived, not only could we afford to start a family, we were also in a great position to be able to start a business.”
She launched her first company, Milksta, in 2020—a lactation product inspired by her experiences as a new mother struggling to produce enough breast milk. “My first company was born out of necessity. And somehow, I got lucky and discovered that I’d truly narrowed in on an underserved, very niche market,” she explained. “People understand breastfeeding. They don’t understand the market for breastfeeding.”
Despite lacking a traditional business background, Li-An took on the role of ‘Chief Everything Officer’, navigating the complexities of running a business through trial and error. Her brand’s success, including securing investors and landing a spot on Dragon’s Den, showcased her ability to identify untapped markets and meet consumer needs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Li-An discovered Futurpreneur. A non-profit organization that helps diverse young entrepreneurs, ages 18-39, start, buy or grow small businesses across Canada. Futurpreneur’s Rock My Business Workshop Series, marked a turning point in Li-An’s entrepreneurial journey. Through the series, she gained invaluable insights into business planning and cash flow management, which she used in her existing and subsequent ventures.
“I loved the collaborative nature of Futurpreneur’s Rock My Business workshops because I love learning from other entrepreneurs,” shared Li-An. “Learning not only the importance of a business plan but how to build one, as well as, everything about cash flow – these are things that I didn’t have or know about when I started Milksta. Having a one-on-one session with someone specializing in business finance was huge for me.”
Her next business venture came in 2022 when Li-An and her family officially became a plant-based household. Li-An shared that in Newfoundland, vegan products tend to be on the expensive side and are anything but accessible to families with smaller budgets who aspire to be plant-based.
Soon, Brother Sprout was born. This plant-based food brand aims to make veganism accessible and inclusive. Drawing from her experience with her previous venture and leveraging Futurpreneur’s resources, Li-An identified a gap in the market for affordable and shelf-stable plant-based products, particularly in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“With Brother Sprout, I started with a business plan, and understood cash flow. Everything came along easier, way easier,” Li-An shared. “I didn’t understand how important these things were until I went through the experience of starting my first company without a business plan or knowledge about cash flow.”
She added that securing partnerships with suppliers and manufacturers was far more seamless than in her previous venture. “Through Milksta, I built many relationships with suppliers and manufacturers from scratch. With Brother Sprout, that part came easy. I used my original business email to reach out, and they all responded. Unlike when I first reached out as a new entrepreneur in 2020, they now realize I’m no joke – I’m the real deal.”
She also shared that Futurpreneur’s loan with mentorship offering put her in a great position to succeed. Accessing a mentor, in particular, helped her to refine her business vision further. “Through my Futurpreneur mentor, I had someone who helped me with the initial company messaging. By chance, she was also vegan and had been plant-based her whole life. Because of her guidance and knowledge, the vision of Brother Sprout and our messaging is now very clear and I’m confident that we are speaking to our true audience.”
As Brother Sprout gained traction, Li-An’s dedication to maintaining it as a family business remained unwavering. The loan that Futurpreneur was able to provide was essential, as her intention for Brother Sprout was always to remain a family-owned and operated business, with no plans to raise capital this time around. With her husband as her partner, and her children playing roles in the business, Brother Sprout embodies the essence of family entrepreneurship.
Are you a diverse young entrepreneur between the ages of 18-39? Learn more about how Futurpreneur’s loan with mentorship and resources can help you start, buy or grow your small business in Atlantic Canada. Visit www.futurpreneur.ca for more information.
