When her six-year-old son couldn’t shake chronic infections, Sharon Brown took matters into her own hands. Once she took out processed food and incorporated bone broth into his diet, his condition improved drastically. Sharon knew she discovered something special and had to share it with the world.
The mother-of-three began by opening her own nutritional practice in Del Mar. She’d often recommend traditional bone broth, but her patients couldn’t find it in stores at that time. Naturally, Sharon took charge once again by creating her own organic, gluten-free, and soul-soothing line. Always made from grass-fed, pasture-raised bones, Bonafide Provisions became the easiest — and tastiest — way to enjoy all the benefits of bone broth.
Recently, we caught up with Sharon to learn more about her journey and hear her advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
01 Why did you start Bonafide Provisions?
Once I healed my son with food, I was inspired to become a certified clinical nutritionist. At that point, I needed products that I could recommend to my patients, but I couldn’t find any that met my standards. So, I launched Bonafide Provisions.
We create food just like you do at home — in the kitchen, using 100% certified organic ingredients. That means no chemicals, preservatives, or ingredients that you can’t pronounce. The end result is amazing for your taste buds and your body as a whole.
02 What obstacles did you face along the way?
As a female founder, it was a challenge to find funding for my company early on. However, over time, we found investors that believed in our products. They also believed in me. Today, our products are some of the category’s top sellers. It’s all thanks to having a dedicated team that believes in the power of food and the remarkable impact it can have on a person’s health.
03 What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
Don’t try to find a balance between your work life and home life. When you are an entrepreneur in the early stages, your work is your life. I struggled with trying to find balance until I finally realized that balance isn’t really an option. So, instead, I gave my best to my family when we spent time together and while also giving my best at work.
Also, surround yourself with a team that is passionate about your brand. They’ll become your family too, which makes work rewarding and fun.
04 What’s on the horizon for Bonafide Provisions?
As a nutritionist, I feel like I could improve on the ingredients and flavor of most products in the grocery store. With that in mind, I’d love for Bonafide Provisions to have products merchandised everywhere. That way, when a shopper sees our logo, they know they’re getting the best possible version of what they’re looking for. They won’t even have to read the label — when they see Bonafide Provisions, they know it’ll be good!
05 How do you keep work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
As I touched on earlier, I don’t think there is such a thing as work/life balance. When you own a company, it is your life. But, outside of work, I love the people around me deeply and I love having fun with them. My family and close friends (who I also consider family) are my world. Work never stops, but since I’m passionate about what we do, it doesn’t feel like work!
I pray and meditate often because everything we do at Bonafide Provisions has a higher purpose. I’m reminded of that every time we hear from people who have used our products to overcome health challenges. That makes everything so worthwhile.
Our team inspires me on a daily basis too. Their dedication to our small business makes a big difference in the world.