Business Origin and Inspiration - The founder's entrepreneurial spark ignited at age 15 while working at the family's gas station, observing her father's business acumen [1][3][4] - The idea for the salt business originated from observing her father experimenting with salt crystallization on their terrace, sparking the founder's interest in the potential of a neglected salt flat [8][9][10] Product Development and Analysis - The company conducted analyses of its salt, revealing it surpassed the quality of a popular Pakistani salt in terms of mineral content and purity [18] - The salt was tested for heavy metals and microplastics, with results showing no detectable heavy metals and being microplastic-free, a significant advantage in the market [22][35][36] Marketing and Sales Strategy - Initial marketing efforts involved approaching doctors and health influencers, facing skepticism about the viability of a salt brand [24][25] - A turning point was a health conference where the salt's qualities were praised, leading to the first direct message orders via Instagram [26][27][29][30] - Despite initial rejections from chain markets, persistence and a news story about exporting the salt to the US led to securing shelf space in major retailers [31][32][36][37] Business Growth and Expansion - The company started by employing women in a village in Kırıkkale for packaging, gradually scaling up production [23] - The company currently exports its products to 13 countries, expanding its market reach beyond Turkey [37] Overcoming Obstacles - The company faced initial skepticism and rejection from chain markets, highlighting the challenges of introducing a new brand in a competitive market [31][32] - Securing microplastic testing and achieving a "not detected" result was crucial for gaining credibility and market access, especially in the US [34][35]