Today, we’d like to introduce you to Evelyn Murphy.
Hi Evelyn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I accredit where I am today to three experiences within my 18 years of life. Firstly, when I was three years old, my parents started their business: the Smith Island Baking Company. I watched them dedicate their time, passion, and talents to creating a company that unites people all across the country with a truly excellent product. Their zeal was contagious, and starting a business of my own became an ambition.
Secondly, when I was twelve, I made my first club lacrosse team. That was the first time I climbed a mountain: I set a goal, worked hard to achieve it (even if the odds started against me), and reaped the rewards. I had never felt more honored and proud. My passion for athletics and the character it builds was ignited.
Finally, when I was fifteen, I began recovering from an eating disorder. Years of this underlying disorder culminated in a precipitous decline in my health that needed immediate action. With the help of loved ones, I was nursed back to health. As I grew stronger, healthier, and happier, I discovered a deep appreciation for nutrition and felt a mission to spread that knowledge of and appreciation for proper nutrition and positive body image.
These three passions intersected with Energy by Evelyn: the business I’ve always dreamed of. My vision is to provide others with the wholesome, delicious, trustworthy fuel that they need to climb their mountains. I hope my products can serve as a source of physical nourishment while my brand can serve as a source of positivity, together helping everyone become the best versions of themselves.
After graduating from high school in 2023, I decided to take a gap year to launch Energy by Evelyn and its specialty product, My Energy Bites. My soft launch was in July 2023, and since then, I shared thousands of Energy Bites, shipping all across the country and getting into a few retail locations. Starting and growing this business has been an experience I’ve truly cherished.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been working on my business for just over a year, and entrepreneurship certainly comes with a share of obstacles, especially when you’re the Chief Energy Officer and wearing many hats! From the onset, research and development introduced many difficulties. Patience and creativity are tried when creating a tasty, healthy, shelf-stable product using solely natural ingredients.
On the backend, I navigated coding my website from scratch and have since been learning how to build a social media platform and design the final packaging for the hard launch of my energy bites. Launching and growing my business has tested my patience, perseverance, problem-solving, and passion, but each obstacle offers invaluable lessons. Pressure truly is a privilege, and I’m so grateful for my business and the opportunity to grow throughout this journey.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I launched my health food company, Energy by Evelyn, in July of 2023. My company’s specialty product is energy bites: 1-ounce, ball-shaped snacks with a delicious filling designed to give you a simple, natural source of energy.
As a seventeen-year-old athlete, I had long since discovered my passion for athletics and the role that wholesome, good-for-you foods play in helping me achieve my goals and “climb my mountains.” I started making my energy bites when I was a freshman in high school (2019) to serve as snacks that can provide a delicious and natural source of energy. I loved sharing them with my teammates and decided to start selling them nationwide with the launch of Energy by Evelyn.
It’s a product founded on simplicity and trust, made with only a few wholesome ingredients. As a singular energy bite is approximately 100 calories, they are easy to scale based on your energy expenditure and caloric needs with a serving size that aims to minimize food waste while keeping you satiated. Plus, the bites’ ball shape and peanut-butter-based filling create an indulgent food experience because “healthy” and “tasty” don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Ultimately, I know people have big mountains to climb, and I believe they can do it. My mission is to support them with the fuel that they need – fuel that is trusted, enjoyable, and energizing – so they can climb their mountains.
What’s next?
Throughout the past year, I have finalized my energy bites and received wonderful feedback. Now, I am preparing to launch a new line of packaging that will allow me to introduce my energy bites to retail shops across the country. This project has been in the works for a while now and will be available soon. I am looking forward to this new development!
Additionally, after taking my entrepreneurial gap year, I am looking forward to beginning at the University of Maryland, College Park, this fall as a Banneker/Key Scholar and member of their Interdisciplinary Business Honors program. I will be continuing to work on Energy by Evelyn and am excited for this opportunity to help me and my business grow and improve.
Pricing:
- Current packaging – $8.00/6-pack in retail
- Current packaging – $30.00/3 6-packs via e-commerce
- Current packaging – $50.00/6 6-packs via e-commerce
- New 3-pack packaging – coming soon!
Contact Info:
- Website: EnergyByEvelyn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/energybyevelyn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/energybyevelyn
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@energybyevelyn
