Jeff Tezak, Tiiga
Jeff Tezak from Tiiga is 2x NMotion alumni having completed the pre-accelerator gBETA Lincoln with co-founder Harrounda Malgoubri and the NMotion Accelerator 2022 program with co-founder Katy Tezak.
Katy Tezak, Harrounda Malgoubri, and Jeff Tezak
After Tiiga completed the NMotion Accelerator, the team graduated from a food tech accelerator in Tasmania, Australia. That’s when they began to experiment with go-to-market strategies and product framing.
This past fall, Tiiga unveiled a refreshed collection of products to help supercharge your gut health using the baobab superfruit.
Originally, Tiiga was all about hydration, but they listened to consumer feedback and data to realize they were more than that. Tiiga is really a gut health powerhouse.
With the new focus, they created a new formula that increases the fiber from the baobab fruit, took out the sugar, lowered the sodium, and added coconut water powder. It’s quite tasty and refreshing.
Knowing how much the team has kept driving forward despite setbacks especially in the challenging consumer product good sector, we caught up with Jeff to ask him to share his perspective and learnings. If you know Jeff, you know he has takes.
If you could teleport back to when you started Tiiga, what advice would you give yourself?
Find revenue first, then make a product. Or figure out a solution to a problem that can give you the revenue to break even quickly. Have the confidence to do things on your own for as long as possible. I don't think I'd take my advice on these things as I think a lot of the time it's just time and effort that eventually gives you perspectives on things that happen in your life. No advice will work.
What has been the toughest decision you have had to make?
Letting people go when times were tougher.
Who do you lean on to help refuel and recharge your mind/body/spirit?
Family, Religion and Sports. Having kids while building a business has been pretty incredible. I find myself excited about each part of my day, spending time with my family and getting to build a business. Religion, understanding that we're always taken care of and that it's as much as we want something it's out of our hands which is reassuring. Both watching and playing sports allows me to think strategically and feel pressure along with the physicality of the experience helps me to feel more alert and ready to work.
What hacks and tricks have you developed to connect with customers?
I like people and am interested in what they do, how they live and what they go through daily and in life. Basically, I find something that connects us on an interest level or between them and me. Could be people, places, things. This is easier for me as I'm interested in just about everything.
Learn more and stock up on Tiiga here.
