This side Hustle Spotlight Q&A has a 41 -year -old Scott Hatis of Brooklyn, New York. Hatis is CEO and entrepreneur LoisaThe Latin Food and Kitchen brand co-established in 2018 with his friend Kenneth Luna.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Losa. Scott hatis, left, and keneth luna, right.
Hatis and Luna made Loisa as a side hustle before and after work during the early days of the brand. The brand moved from a two-product line, which sent about five orders per day with $ 70,000 in annual sales-more than three days sales were sold in 2020 when a large Hispanic food company’s CEO took a political stand that many consumers did not agree. Now, Side Hustle has seen a full -time business $ 15 million in a lifetime sales and selling around 75,000 units a month. It has also doubled its growth on Amazon in the last six months.
Related: At the age of 24, she came to America and worked in Walmart. Then he surpassed a ‘Magic’ side hustle this year to ahead of $ 1 million.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
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What was your day work or primary business when you started your side hustle?
When we started Losa, I was working in brand and product marketing from the agency. I spent more than a decade in space, helping to create brands in CPG, technology, costumes and more, and I knew that I wanted to use that experience to make something of my own – something that felt personal and purposeful.
When did you start your side, and where did you get inspiration for it?
I started Losa in 2018 with my co-founder, Kenneth Luna. Inspiration came from an inspiration that we had felt in our homes and believed that millions of others shared-that Latin foods, especially seasoning, were being sold with artificial colors and ingredients, and more natural options were available for home cooks. This idea was not already about creating a better version on the shelves. These iconic mixtures were all natural before taking over the charge of large food, and we were bringing them back. But generally, we wanted to honor Latin flavor and culture with commitment only to real materials and cultural integrity, while always correct by our customers. With this foundation, we are ready to build a community-based, purpose-powered brand.
What were some of the first steps you take to remove your side from the ground? How much money/investment was made in launching?
We made the brand in margin – early morning, late night and weekend. We made a small start. We developed the initial mixtures in our kitchen, which we were cooking a manufacturing partner before sorcing a manufacturing partner to work with already emerging brands. Initial funding came from our own pocket. We probably spent under $ 20,000 to achieve the first run of the products. Our focus was on proving demand and building a brand that people could feel proud of support.
Initially, we were shipping around five orders a day, but for us, it was nothing. We were proud and received a very good response from our customer base. Then, in 2020, everything changed. A large food brand took a public place that many people in the Latin community did not agree, in turn, put Loisa on the map as an alternative. We have tripled our sales for the pre -year’s entirety in just three days. It was the push that I needed to leave consultation and go full -time on Loisa.
Related: The people of this 29 -year -old took people ‘dark green’. It earned $ 10,000 within 2 days and see 6 figures a month.
Are there any free or paid resources that have been particularly helpful for you in starting and running this business?
Talking to other founders has been the most valuable “resource” ever. The CPG community, especially the founder of other Latin brands, are generous and open. We have also bent on dull groups such as startup CPG to find resources during business needs. Podcast How did i make it Helped with the inspiration side of things.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
If you can go back to your professional journey and change a process or approach, what would it be, and how do you want you to do it in a different way?
I must have invested in strong operations infrastructure soon-even only part-time support. As a founder, you wear every hat for a very long time. Try back, try to manage inventory, order, customer service and lead marketing, which has increased at my own slow pace. The first representative would have freed the bandwidth to think strategically.
When it comes to this specific business, you should be particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who come in this type of work should be prepared, but not the possibility?
Managing the demand for inventory and forecasting because we are rapidly challenging in retail, especially with long -term lead time and retailer timeline. We are constantly trying to balance between estimates and reality, without bending far away in any direction.
Can you miss a specific example when something went very wrong? How did you fix it?
We launched in retail with a case pack size, which was very large, which means the number of units in each case in each store. Especially in categories such as seasoning and sauce (vs. beverages or chips that move very rapidly from the shelf), a large pack size keeps us in a minimum position in terms of winning new independent retailers, as we had a high expenditure in their share. This also meant that we would have to pay more in the product cost for “free filings”, which is often equal to a full case of each product version, regardless of the number of units involved. Needless to say, our pack size is now less units per case.
How long did you take to see continuous monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
The first few years were minor. Once we started dedicating full -time efforts to business, the sales reached a new base line. Revenue has increased since then, especially with our expansion in retail.
Related: He started a side hustle producing a ‘clear’ food items. This rapidly hit $ 300,000 monthly revenue for more than $ 20 million in 2025.
What does development and revenue now look like?
We are today a multiple-seven-seven-day business with national retail distribution and a strong Amazon and DTC business. Our focus for development is distribution, which means to expand strategically among more prominent retailers across the country. Loisa has doubled its growth on Amazon in the last six months, and we are selling around 75,000 units per month in channels.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loisa
How long do you spend on your business daily, weekly or monthly basis? How do you structure at that time? What does a specific day or week work look for you?
This is a full -time commitment and then something. I usually divide my time between strategic plan, team management, partner meetings, sales meetings and fire. Every day is different, but our team works to book the week by connecting on Monday and reflecting together on Friday.
Related: ‘Culturally obeis’ got tired of products, this 27-year-old presented his side in 7-Figure Revenue from $ 1,000 per month: ‘Choose the opportunity to choose the right opportunity’
What do you enjoy the most in running this business?
People. Whether it is our team, customer or partner, who is most beneficial, to join with those who share the same love for culture and food and are excited to make something better. Seeing our products in people’s kitchens (or play their children’s kitchen) and hearing that our taste reminds people of the house or family … that’s everything and hard work seems worth it.
What is your best piece of large or very small, specific, actionable business advice?
Do not try to do it alone, and find people who have done it before. Get them on a call and ask for 30 minutes of your time. Whether they can help you now or in the future, the price will return 100%.
