For Subscribers

Mineral Miracle The salt of the earth was a natural niche for one curious couple.

By Kim Orr

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What: Gourmet sea and bath salt supplier
Who: Naomi Novotny and Mark Zoske of SaltWorks
Where: Woodinville, Washington
When: 2002
Startup costs: $1,500

It's a good thing Naomi Novotny took up an interest in salts, if not for her own sanity, then for the $8 million to $10 million in sales she and fiancé and business partner Mark Zoske expect to earn by year-end.

In 2002, when the pair started SaltWorks, a gourmet sea and bath salt company specializing in all types of natural salts, they quickly proved themselves to be a rarity in the salt supplier industry. Not only did they absorb every detail about the salts they were selling, but they also cared enough to hunt for unique finds.

"We took one product and became the experts in it," says Novotny. "When we bought from a supplier, we worked to know everything from where the water came from to how the salt ended up in a bag and [was] sent to us."

But the real curiosity was how Novotny, 37, and Zoske, 42, managed to take $1,500 in credit cards and cash and turn it into a million-dollar business. Selling salts started as a hobby, says Novotny, but it didn't take long for the business to explode. "When we jumped into this, it was perfect timing," she says. And since the two had spent most of their lives in corporate sales and marketing, they knew how to manage costs.

Today, SaltWorks has 12 employees and 24 countries on its list of foreign suppliers. But even with sales doubling each year and continual expansion of its unique line, SaltWorks is still very much about the salt for Novotny and Zoske. "It's funny," says Novotny. "We actually bring our own salt to restaurants."

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

How to Know If Your Business Is Actually Ready for a Full-Time, In-House Hire

Here's what founders need to ask themselves before making an in-house hire.

Side Hustle

They Started a Side Hustle Producing an 'Obvious' Food Item. It Hit $300,000 Monthly Revenue Fast — On Track for Over $20 Million in 2025.

When Jason Rosenbaum and Hailey Swartz couldn't find the product they wanted to see on grocery store shelves, they took matters into their own hands.

Business News

Olive Garden's Sold Out Pasta-Shaped Pool Noodles Are Selling for Double on Resale Sites

The pool floats shaped like pasta launched earlier this summer and quickly sold out.

Business News

2 Major Career Companies Are Laying Off 1,300 Employees: 'AI Is Changing the World'

The job cuts at Indeed and Glassdoor mainly impact U.S. roles on teams such as research and development.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

How The NBPA and a Top African University Are Investing in Africa's Future — One Startup at a Time

One Court Africa hosted NBA players at UM6P in Marrakech for a four-day program focused on social entrepreneurship and sustainable business, which included mentoring six African startups and awarding $160K in grants through its Innovation Challenge.