Howdy Reader!

You know what's better than a superhero origin story? A spicy condiment origin story. (Though I'll never turn down a good Marvel movie... they just keep coming. But that's a spicy take for another day.)

Anyway, today’s email brings you one of my favorites, AND it’s one of my favorite condiments EVER!

While it seemed that Siracha was going to be the next new condiment right beside ketchup and mustard, MY go-to is one that is slightly sweeter. You guessed it, Mike’s Hot Honey (just so I don’t get in a “sticky” situation with the FTC, that was an affiliate link. 😂)

I can't remember which blessed relative introduced me to this nectar of the gods, or if I discovered it at a local pizza joint, but if you've not slathered your spicy pepperoni pizza with Mike's Hot Honey, you are missing one of the simple pleasures of life.

I’ve always loved honey, I loved it so much, I actually had four beehives for many years. So I know my way around a honeycomb. But this spicy concoction Mike came up with is truly divinely inspired.

If you don’t know the full story, Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, came up with the idea while he was in college, completing a semester in Salvador. He ran into a strange condiment while on a trip to a national park at a local pizzeria: honey infused with whole chili peppers. He came back home and started testing his own version.

He tested it out on friends and family as a hobby on his homemade pizza creations. After six years of treating it as a hobby, Mike started selling jars of it at a popular Brooklyn pizzeria in 2010

It has been almost twenty years since Mike encountered that sweet, sticky, and fiery creation in Brazil. Mike’s Hot Honey is projected to make 60 million and has partnerships with KFC, Dunkin', and other famous pizzerias.

I know we all love origin stories, but here are some takeaways I think we, as creators, can use from this story.
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1. Follow the itch, not the niche.​
   Mike Kurtz didn’t start out to dominate grocery shelves; he just had to know if he could bottle the chili-honey he tasted in Brazil. That curiosity led him to midnight pepper runs at Hunts Point Market and two decades of tinkering. Treat that odd video idea or side-project blog like an irresistible science experiment—your audience can smell genuine fascination.
2. Ship scrappy, learn loudly.​
   Kurtz gave early jars away as holiday gifts and watched diners bite into Paulie Gee’s “Hellboy” slice from an open kitchen. The instant reactions told him what to tweak long before barcodes and brand guides entered the chat. Publish the rough-cut reel, host the live Q&A, push the beta newsletter—then iterate in public. Early applause (or polite silence) is free R&D.
3. Surround yourself with brave weirdos.​
   ​Seeing 56-year-old Paulie Gee ditch a three-decade IT career to open a pizza joint gave Kurtz permission to go all-in on honey. Hang out (online or off) with makers who launch big, fail fast, and still laugh—courage is contagious and keeps impostor syndrome at bay. P.S. This is why I continue to advocate for joining a mastermind group!

Bonus Tip!

• Let time be your unfair advantage.​
  Twenty-one years would be an eternity on TikTok, yet that slow simmer turned Mike’s Hot Honey into the poster child of the “swicy” trend and a partner to KFC and Dunkin’. Consistent output—one newsletter, podcast, or carousel at a time—beats the search for a single viral lightning bolt. This is super encouraging for those of us who have “been in the trenches” for a long time.

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I hope Mike's story fires you up as much as his honey does for me. Hit reply and tell me about YOUR favorite creator origin story - I'd love to feature it in a future newsletter (with full credit to you, of course!).

See ya around the interwebs,

-Jeff
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P.S. Know someone who'd love this spicy tale? Could you forward this email their way? They can subscribe here for more creator insights.

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