Key Takeaways
- The Lertlumprasert sisters were inspired to start their brand after bringing back snacks from Thailand.
- They invested $28,000 to work with a branding agency and have grown the side hustle successfully since.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features the Washington, D.C.-based Lertlumprasert sisters Lisa, 36; Lita, 34; Charlene, 31; and Charlie, 27. They started and run their Thai-inspired popcorn brand Party Of as a side hustle. Lisa owns and operates Thai restaurants; Lita is a data scientist; Charlene is a UX designer; and Charlie is a product manager. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Lita: The idea of Party Of started back in February of 2023 — but the idea of starting a business together is something we have always talked about since we were kids.
We had just come back from a trip to Thailand to visit family. We brought back tons of Thai snacks for our friends to try. They all loved everything we brought back, and it was such a fun way for us to share our culture with our American friends. This, combined with us being totally uninspired by the better-for-you snack options in the U.S., gave us the idea of taking classic, easily accessible and nutritious snack foods and giving them our own signature spin.
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What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
Lita: We started by defining the six dimensions of product-market fit (Charlie is a product manager, after all): target customer, problem, value proposition, competitive advantage, growth strategy and business model. Through this exercise, we knew that one of our competitive advantages was going to be branding, so we invested $28,000 to work with an amazing branding agency, Outline.
Since Lisa owns Thai restaurants, recipe development and inventory were fairly inexpensive. She used ingredients they had at the restaurant, bought some corn, some brown bags, slapped on a “ZingPop” sticker Charlene made on Canva, and we called it a day. TK should we add a note here that they later changed the name since they don’t address it in any of their future responses?
Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business?
Charlie: The StartupCPG Slack group has been an invaluable free resource. There are so many events, learning opportunities and other CPG entrepreneurs who are willing to share their experience and give advice.
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If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you’d done it differently?
Charlene: Tracking finances. None of us has experience in accounting, and we put off learning how to use QuickBooks for a little bit too long. Being diligent about this from the beginning, when finances looked simpler, would have saved us a lot of headaches later.
When it comes to this specific business, what is something you’ve found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren’t?
Charlie: Starting a CPG business is very capital-intensive, and the road to profitability is longer than we expected. We’ve learned to be more patient and persistent along the way.
Related: I Interviewed 5 Entrepreneurs Generating Up to $20 Million in Revenue a Year — And They All Have the Same Regret About Starting Their Business
Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it?
Charlie: During our participation in Compass Group’s Retail Incubator Program, we ran into many unexpected roadblocks. They needed us to produce over 30,000 units in less than four months — more than we had sold total since launching seven months prior.
This required a new bag form factor (pillow pouches) to meet cost and production requirements, which meant redesigning the bags, learning about ideal material compositions and adjusting for the way the film rolls are cut. We also had to work with a new co-packer due to equipment and scale limitations.
On top of a very tight turnaround, the unexpected roadblocks came: blades didn’t cut bags cleanly, our ingredients got held at customs, and we were hit with tariffs. Despite not having experience with production at this scale, we powered through by rolling with the punches, leveraging our network for solutions and being willing to make the best educated guesses with the knowledge and data we had at the time.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue?
Lisa: A few months. When we launched, we really prioritized demos — getting as much face time as possible with potential customers, and more importantly, retailers, who will be your biggest advocates when you’re not in the room. Investing in those relationships early on made a big difference.
What does growth and revenue look like now?
Lisa: In 2025 so far, we’ve quadrupled revenue from 2024 and reduced our cost of goods sold (COGS) by about 25%. We doubled down on reach this past year to validate our hypotheses about our target customers and value proposition. One opportunity leads to others, and we’re proud of the growth we’ve had so far and grateful for the lessons (and growing pains) that came with it. Right now, we’re generating about $7,000 in consistent monthly revenue. Occasionally, we receive large orders ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, but those are irregular and not part of our steady revenue stream.
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What do you enjoy most about running this business?
Charlene: It is ours. We have full agency and control over every decision and detail. It’s a kind of reward we didn’t feel in a corporate job.
What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?
Lisa: One of the most valuable things we did early on was a product–market fit exercise. It forced us to get really clear about who our customer was, what problem we were solving for them, how our product uniquely fit that need and what our competitive advantage was. That clarity shaped our product strategy from day one and has guided our decisions ever since. For new entrepreneurs, taking the time to do this upfront can save you from a lot of wasted time and resources down the road.
Key Takeaways
- The Lertlumprasert sisters were inspired to start their brand after bringing back snacks from Thailand.
- They invested $28,000 to work with a branding agency and have grown the side hustle successfully since.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features the Washington, D.C.-based Lertlumprasert sisters Lisa, 36; Lita, 34; Charlene, 31; and Charlie, 27. They started and run their Thai-inspired popcorn brand Party Of as a side hustle. Lisa owns and operates Thai restaurants; Lita is a data scientist; Charlene is a UX designer; and Charlie is a product manager. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here.
When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Lita: The idea of Party Of started back in February of 2023 — but the idea of starting a business together is something we have always talked about since we were kids.
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