"Creatives with Aloha" featuring Jill Van Gyn of Fatso Peanut Butter
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”
Next up in this month’s “Creatives with Aloha” project…
Meet Jill Van Gyn. New Mother. Crossfitter. Foodie extraordinaire. Peanut connoisseur. Writer. Runner. Dog Mom. Boss Babe. And founder of @eatfatso #thewaybetterpeanutbutter
For those of you unfamiliar with FATSO, you must change that ASAP!
From starting in the back kitchen of a local restaurant in Victoria, BC Canada, Jill took Fatso from a side hustle to her full-time gig, with an strong Fatso team, hundreds of retailers across Canada and rapidly expanding into the US and beyond. Lucky for you, it is also available on AMAZON in three amazing flavors.
I met Jill at Crossfit Taranis when I first moved to Victoria and as a huge peanut butter fan, I was immediately intrigued when I heard about her Fatso recipe, made with athletes in mind, no sugars or palm oils, and instead loaded with all the best healthy fats, fiber, chia seeds, peanuts and a hint of coconut.
Jill’s favorite food to eat Fatso with?
“A fresh loaf of home baked sourdough slathered with butter, Fatso, and a sprinkling of Maldon salts.”
Jill is an inspiring business owner and promotes awareness to community current events and causes she feels passionate about. A great role model for business women everywhere to stand their ground and chase their dreams!
What inspired Jill to start the FATSO Brand?
“Fatso was born out of a need to accomplish something. To fill a void in my productivity and creativity. I never thought it would become a full-time job, let alone grow to the size it is today but sometimes its the most unintentional of projects that turn out to be the most productive and fruitful.”
She is a perfect example of putting in the hard work from the beginning, building a strong brand and social media presence, hiring experts to help advise her where needed, and has been successful as an entrepreneur as a result!
What's Jill’s favorite part about being an entrepreneur?
“The creativity and flexibility of lifestyle. I get to run my own show and its as joyful and fulfilling as I want or need it to be!”
What's the key to happy customers?
“Be able to take feedback and criticism with grace and turn it into a path to solving problems you might not be able to see. KNow your blindspots and stay responsive!”
Best restaurant in Victoria?
“I can give you my top 3: Hanks, Part and Parcel, Brasserie L'Ecole.”
Cats or Dogs?
“DOGS EVERYDAY ALL DAY”
(I can definitely agree with this one!)
Thank you Jill for taking part in my “Creatives with Aloha” October project! I can not wait to see where FATSO goes next!