Client Name: Suzanna Kamphuis
Business Name: TotumVos Collagen Chews
Business Website: https://getchews.com/
Industry: Wellness
Location: Keene, NH
SBDC Advisor's Name: Hollis McGuire & Taryn Fisher
For the self-described “mid-western mom of four and research nerd,” Suzanna Kamphuis, Owner of TotumVos Collagen Chews, a visit from her mother would change everything. Suzanna was a reading specialist at the time, but after witnessing some big changes in her mother, her career would take a different turn.
Suzanna’s Mom showed up for a visit with her grandkids and Suzanna noticed she wasn’t herself. She could tell just by the way her mother walked that her energy was low. “She tried to be upbeat, especially around her grandkids, but she was obviously suffering,” says Suzanna.
Turns out her mother had some bulging discs in her back and her spine had some micro-fractures, along with pain in her knees and hips. She was even losing teeth. Suzanna says, “it was hard to see her like this. I had to find a way to help her.” So, Suzanna did some research and discovered many compelling studies around collagen supplementation and bone loss. She knew she needed some for her mom. The trouble was, she couldn’t find a product that would meet her mom’s particular needs, so Suzanna decided to create one herself. Suzanna shares, “I got out my blender and started to create! It took me 6 months, but I came up with a product that could meet all her needs in one single chew!” Just like that, TotumVos, based in Keene, launched in November 2018.
TotumVos offers collagen chews that can meet one’s daily collagen needs to strengthen bones, improve gut health, support heart health, increase joint mobility and decrease inflammation, boost muscle mass, and more. TotumVos chews include the highest quality organic raised chicken, grass fed beef, and wild caught fish as well as 60% of your daily value of vitamin C. Unlike taking in collagen in powder form dissolved in liquid, these chews are collagen dissolved in a gelatin base. Gelatine is harder for the body to digest, which in this case is a benefit because it allows the collagen to get further along the digestive track. Suzanna explains, “so the whole idea is that your digestive tract has a longer contact with the collagen to get more benefit from it.”
Before moving to New Hampshire ten years ago, Suzanna lived in the Chicagoland area where she had a tutoring business. Knowing TotumVos would be a significantly different animal, Suzanna sought support at the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship in Keene where they quickly connected her with SBDC.
“There was so much I didn't know,” says Suzanna. “The SBDC offered encouragement and great feedback. Often in a new venture outside voices tend to say no; the SBDC tended to say yes.”
Suzanna found her SBDC business advisors were great for getting feedback on ideas, noting they were her target audience, which was especially helpful. She worked with SBDC Business Advisors Hollis McGuire and Taryn Fisher, who provided Suzanna with valuable connections. Suzanna shares that Hollis invited her to do a pitch in front of several NH SBDC team members ahead of the pitch she would soon do for a startup contest she had entered. The SBDC members provided her helpful feedback in improving upon her pitch.
Hollis was also helpful in guiding Suzanna through the financial side of things. Hollis pointed her in the right direction and once again provided valuable feedback. “Everything takes so much longer than you think it's going to take,” says Suzanna. “Having those regular meetings, it's a way to keep your goals moving forward.”
Suzanna also credits SBDC with providing her with the connection she needed to get a patent on her product. Hollis connected her with an attorney, who then pointed her in the direction of a patent attorney group. It took five years, but Suzanna is happy to report she recently got her patent. Suzanna reflects,
“I really needed these resources. I wouldn’t be where I am without SBDC. A lot of people will tell you what you can't do when you're starting a small business. It's helpful to have knowledgeable and supportive advisors in your corner who are rooting for you to win and actively supporting you in your efforts.”
As for Suzanna’s Mom, she is doing much better today. She had two hip replacements about five years ago, and today she is no longer osteoporotic and walks without a cane. “She's always done hard things for her health, and I wanted her to have something that she actually enjoyed; a daily product that was a pleasure and didn't have any negative effects. Coming from the perspective of what would you want someone you love to be taking is just a great way to help other people.”