Turning passion into purpose: Three entrepreneurship lessons from Richa Gupta and Kailey Gilchrist

Richa Gupta, founder of Good Food for Good, and Kailey Gilchrist, founder of NONA Vegan, are on a mission: transforming their passion for food into purpose-driven, successful businesses.

Richa Gupta is the founder of Good Food for Good, a B Corp-certified company offering organic condiments and sauces with no added sugar, dairy, wheat or preservatives.

Kailey Gilchrist turned her love for plant-based food into NONA Vegan, a thriving business producing a variety of lactose-free, gluten-free vegan sauces.

Two entrepreneurial stories that began 10 years ago. Two inspiring women entrepreneurs with practical advice for aspiring business owners.

Richa and Kailey were panelists in a virtual session co-hosted by Futurpreneur and Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) during StrikeUP 2025, Canada’s leading digital conference for women entrepreneurs.

Here are three essential lessons from their entrepreneurial journeys:

1. Know your industry inside and out

Both Good Food for Good and NONA Vegan were born with the same purpose: making good food and using it to create a positive impact. They also aimed to fill a market gap.

Richa was looking for healthy, no-sugar, no-preservative sauces to feed her four-year-old daughter. “I was working in the food industry, and the more I learned, the more I questioned what I was feeding my child. I was putting ketchup on her potatoes while taking away her cookie, without realizing that a teaspoon of ketchup contains the same amount of sugar as one cookie.”

Around the same time, Kailey was working in a health food store and searching for tasty, healthy vegan sauces. “Nobody was making a bottled vegan Alfredo sauce or a cashew cheese sauce back then. I had the knowledge and the passion, and after my mom passed away, I needed something to channel my grief. Cooking was my way of staying connected to her.”

While industry experience isn’t a requirement for starting a business, both entrepreneurs emphasize the importance of understanding the market before launching.

“Know everything possible about your industry: the data, the numbers, the product categories. No matter what industry you enter, deep dive into it—understand how it works, the supply chains, the key players. This is all crucial,” explains Richa.

This knowledge will be invaluable when sourcing ingredients or building reliable supply chains. “I’ve worked with seven different co-packers in the past 10 years,” says Kailey. “Mastering your industry helps you pivot quickly when needed.”

2. Let your purpose and values guide your business decisions

Both Kailey and Richa built purpose-driven businesses. Through conscious sourcing, responsible production and a commitment to quality, their companies prove that success isn’t just about profit—it’s also about making a positive impact.

“I’ve always been passionate about inclusivity. At NONA Vegan, we say, ‘Tutti a tavola,’ which means ‘Everyone to the table.’ This applies across all aspects of life—who you are, who you love and what you eat. Everyone should feel included,” says Kailey.

The way a business communicates shapes how customers perceive the brand and builds trust. “I always ask my team to pay attention to the words we use. Instead of saying, ‘This is crazy,’ or ‘I felt paralyzed,’ we say, ‘This is wild,’ or ‘I felt frozen.’ Ultimately, it’s about living your brand values,” Kailey explains.

At Good Food for Good, every purchase helps someone in need. “We’ve donated over two million meals through partnerships with food banks and nonprofit organizations,” says Richa. “Our values drive our decisions. It’s about good food—and food for good. The food I create for others is the food I’d serve my family.”

3. Reach out for help—you don’t have to do it alone

Both entrepreneurs credit the support they received early on from Futurpreneur and BDC, along with other entrepreneurship-focused organizations, as key to their success. From Futurpreneur’s business plan writer and BDC’s cash flow forecast to loan financing, networking and mentorship, ecosystem support is essential.

“Put aside that first-time founder ego. Ask for help,” says Kailey, encouraging entrepreneurs to lean into their communities. “Go to events—you never know who you’ll meet. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, but knowing others are going through the same challenges is reassuring. There’s so much to learn from each other’s successes and struggles.”

For young, first-time entrepreneurs, it’s crucial to seek advisors with proven track records, adds Richa. “There’s a great network of support out there. The financing, planning, connections and visibility are invaluable. I have a business degree, but I had never run a business before. The advice and support I received over the years were priceless.”

Learn more about Futurpreneur’s loan financing with mentorship and resources for young entrepreneurs, here.

You can learn more about how BDC supports women entrepreneurs, here.

StrikeUP 2025 registrants can re-watch content from the conference, here.

This article is presented in partnership with:

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)