Squish Marshmallows, Episode #61

Every new business has a story behind it, sometimes it’s painful and other times full of drama and excitement. Katherine Sprung’s story began in the simplest way. She tried a marshmallow recipe and loved it… from there she began experimenting with recipes, trying them out with her family and friends, and within a very short time was eager to start her own business. As a former DJ, tech startup-er, and voice-over artist she says she never saw “marshmallow maker” in her future, but it’s been a great and exciting road to success.

The goal of Squish Marshmallows is to make quality, delicious marshmallow products that make people happy and change the way they view the “humble marshmallow.” Katherine was the Chopped Sweets champion in the year 2020 and has enjoyed making connections with customers the world over. Join us for this fun conversation!

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • The amazing history and path Katherine Sprung has taken to the present [1:09]
  • Crazy ideas and concepts that have come from Squish Marshmallows [12:26]
  • Katherine’s experience on “Chopped” [18:65]
  • Why Katherine is part of “Dreamers and Doers” [23:34]
  • How a helping, generous mindset fuels mental health and well-being [27:20]
  • Why Katherine is eager to support female entrepreneurs [29:30]
  • What Katherine did today to put her in the mindset for success [35:40]

How one marshmallow recipe turned into an NYC business

If you ask Katherine how her journey to being a business owner began, she’ll tell you it all happened by accident. Though she’s always enjoyed cooking and baking and has a very big sweet tooth, she never thought she’d run her own business. But when she found her first marshmallow recipe and actually made it, she was hooked. She thought the process was a lot of fun and for her, it was exciting to come up with new and unique flavors and textures that aren’t usually connected with marshmallows (listen to hear about her yam & turkey marshmallow). Now that she has the business going, she says the most important thing to her is to make quality products that people enjoy. To pull that off, she depends on the creativity and collaborative efforts of her team as well.

The experience as the 2020 “Chopped Sweets” champion

Katherine was not only able to compete in the Food Network show “Chopped” but she actually won the championship in the “Chopped Sweets” competition back in 2020. We all see the drama and tension on Reality TV shows like Chopped, but is it real? I asked Katherine about that and she said the clock is real, the stress is real, and the pressure to perform at your highest level is also real. In her case, she did not have the education and experience of a professional pastry chef to fall back on, so she had to rely on her creativity and ability to think on her feet. To prepare for the show, she did personal practice runs in her own kitchen, but still, she felt ill-prepared. It was then that she decided to pursue two goals: (1) have fun (2) do her best. She did so, and the rest is history.

Katherine’s role as a co-founder of “Dreamers and Doers”

Dreamers and Doers is a collective of entrepreneurial women who come together to support and help each other on the path to success. The diverse group of amazing women who make up the collective are what make the organization successful. Describing the community, Katherine says that the typical member is unique, impressive, and values-driven. They are venture-backed founders, entrepreneurs, investors, journalists, operators, innovation experts, and more. Their shared desire to be of service to each other and watch their ventures excel is a goal shared by all. The organization provides mentorship, PR resources, members-only events, funding opportunities, curated resources, and more. Katherine says she wouldn’t be where she is without the support, encouragement, and help provided through Dreamers and Doers.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Katherine Sprung

BIO:

Katherine Sprung is the founder and owner of Squish Marshmallows, hosts a podcast, IRATE with Katherine Sprung, commercial voice-over artist, and former nightlife DJ. Katherine is also a content creator, hosting and producing recipe and cooking videos.

Born in Massachusetts and raised in Central Florida, Katherine graduated from the University of Central Florida with a major in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Health Sciences. After graduating, Katherine moved to NYC for an internship with ABC News, and has been living in the city ever since. Katherine is a serial self-taught entrepreneur, learning how to DJ, create and produce her podcast, become a pastry chef, and produce video content.

Throughout the years, Katherine and Squish Marshmallows have been featured on Hallmark Channel, Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, The Chew, Eater, Insider, Money, Thrillist, Forbes, Food Network, Seventeen, among others, and named as a finalist for “Best Dessert” at the 2015 Vendy Awards, and winner of Food Network’s Chopped Sweets 2020.

Katherine currently lives in New York City, soaking in all the city has to offer. With a passion for food, you can find her exploring all of the amazing food and beverages around town, and often documenting all the adventures through social media. In addition, she has a love for animals, fitness, and irreverent comedy. 

Guests on the Mitlin Money Mindset Show are not affiliated with CWM, LLC, and opinions expressed herein may not be representative of CWM, LLC. CWM, LLC is not responsible for the guest’s content linked on this site.

Connect With Mitlin Financial

Subscribe to Mitlin Money Mindset™ on
Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts

Get in Touch

In just minutes we can get to know your situation, then connect you with an advisor committed to helping you pursue true wealth.

Contact Us

Stay Connected

Business professional using his tablet to check his financial numbers

401(k) Calculator

Determine how your retirement account compares to what you may need in retirement.

Get Started