Key Takeaways

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Jessica Davidoff, 43, of Sag Harbor, New York. Davidoff is the founder of the corn-free, sorghum-based snack brand Cob. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was a turnaround CEO for consumer and celebrity-led brands.

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started tinkering with the idea for Cob in 2021. My older son had several severe medical issues at the time: all of his hair fell out, his nails peeled completely off, he was covered in eczema and psoriasis, and he was vomiting most days and had excruciating gastro pain.

I had always hypothesized that his issues were food related because they started when I stopped breastfeeding, but 32 doctors dismissed me. I ended up taking matters into my own hands and discovered he was allergic to corn — and all 1,800-plus corn derivatives. Once we went completely corn-free, all of his medical problems vanished. The only problem was that I was a popcorn addict and used to eat it every day.

I was determined to find a corn-free popcorn alternative and bought tons of ancient grains that I had never heard of. Most grains tasted more like a bad rice cake, and then I discovered sorghum, which pops just like corn and is a true nutritional powerhouse. I started making popped sorghum every day, and friends fell in love with it. That’s when I got the initial inkling that this could become “a........

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