Solving a personal issue can be a stepping stone to starting a successful business. In some cases, people have been able to create million-dollar businesses by addressing a problem they had in their own life.

We previously covered a story about how a 45-year-old dad and his business partner landed a million-dollar business deal with Coles and Woolworths for their 'allergy-free' brand of spreads.

Now, we would like to share with you the story of how one Melbourne man created his business out of his 'addiction'.

Hmmm sounds interesting, right? Well, we recommend reading further to learn more about his story!

Admitting that he had his hand firmly planted in the lolly jar, Daniel Kitay said that he had an obsession with sweets throughout his childhood and teenage years.

'Growing up, I was fairly overweight and pretty obsessed with confectionery, lollies and chocolate as a child and teenager,' he recalled.

'At home, I was always known for pinching lollies from the lolly jar in the cupboard.'

'Every couple of weeks, Mum and Dad would come and realise that there were a lot less and would check my bedroom and behind my bed.'

'They would always find wrappers and they realised from an early age I was very much addicted to sweets.'

Daniel admitted that he was ‘addicted’ to sweets since he was young and he found it hard to socialise given his weight. Credit: news.com.au via Funday Natural Sweets.​

When Daniel entered university to study law and commerce, he realised he had some rather unhealthy habits.

Daniel used the opportunity to cut out the sugar because he wanted to have fun and meet new people, and within a year, he lost 25 kg.

However, Daniel found that without sweets, something in his life felt lacking. He initially tried sugar-free lollies, but quickly discovered that they made him feel ill, bloated, and gassy.

He shared: 'I was torn as I didn’t want to eat sugary lollies but couldn’t eat sugar-free as I felt sick.'

'I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.'

Daniel has also looked into possible alternatives and began to consider adding dietary fibre and lowering the sugar content, as well as tapioca starch and chicory root fibre.

With numerous trials and errors, he has come up with a brand that eventually became a hit among customers across the country.

Just as the pandemic was beginning in 2020, Daniel created his Funday Natural Sweets business, which is now a million-dollar brand sold in one of the largest supermarket chains in the nation.

The range of sweets gluten-free lollies features up to 91% less sugar, no sugar alcohols, and 7g of plant-based fibre.

He remarked: 'That’s part of why the brand name is Funday – it’s about bringing that sense of fun and enjoyment back to people’s lives.'

'We all remember being kids and going to parties and having fun.'

'But as you get older, the sense of guilt and all of those issues arise and you think twice about eating things. But I wanted to bring back that sense of fun again.'

Daniel’s health concern inspired him to pursue his passion for creating healthy sweets. Credit: news.com.au via Funday Natural Sweets.​

The line also includes red frogs, gummy bears, sour bears, sour peach hearts, and gummy snakes.

The lollies are available at Chemist Warehouse, Ampol, and other independent retailers.

However, Daniel said that the biggest achievement of his business was bagging a million-dollar contract with the supermarket giant Woolworths.

'I knew we were doing something special in terms of the products. I knew it was first to market. I knew it was really innovative. I knew, you know, it was going to be something special once it launched,' he said, pointing out that he never thought that his business would be a hit.

'The challenge for me is to always play devil’s advocate.'

Daniel said that more sweets are in store for the company, noting that the business has always sought to grow but has been waiting for consumer feedback.

We all have dreams and goals that we want to achieve in life. But sometimes, the path to success can be a long and winding one. There are always going to be bumps in the road and setbacks along the way.

That's why it's so inspiring to see other people achieve their goals and pursue their passions. It's a reminder that anything is possible if you're willing to put in the hard work and dedication.

We hope this story inspired you to pursue that project you've always wanted to start making!

If you could start a business to combat one issue in your life, what would it be?

 

[Suzanne rose]

Home cooking delivered to your door. But I would need a bigger kitchen

 

[Ricci]

With no discernable marketable skills I'm not sure what I could offer, I don't even have any passions that any one else would be interested in.

 

[favouranduwish]

It's amazing to see how one man's personal struggle with a health concern led him to develop a successful business that not only helped him but also generated a $1 million deal. This just goes to show that great things can come out of adversity. I can relate to the importance of addressing health concerns, especially as a young adult. It's easy to neglect our health when we're busy with work or school, but taking care of ourselves should always be a priority. This man's success story serves as a reminder of that. In fact, Jeremy Houghton, the CEO of a big company, would probably agree with this sentiment. As a leader in the business world, he likely understands the importance of not only taking care of oneself but also using personal struggles as motivation to create positive change.