This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Ryan Schneider of Costa Mesa, California. Schneider and Jeremy Moss are co-founders of drinkware brand Created Co and syrup brand Proper Syrup. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Proper Syrup. Co-founders Ryan Schneider, left, and Jeremy Moss, right.
What was your day job or primary occupation before you started your first business, Created Co?
Before starting my own business, I primarily worked in hospitality.
Working in restaurants teaches fundamental lessons about performance under pressure, teamwork and collaboration, and it requires you to pivot quickly when things don’t quite go as planned. Cutting my teeth in the hospitality industry was essentially a master class in business operations for me.
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for this background — it provided the perfect training ground for understanding how quality products and service excellence combine to create something special.
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When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Created Co launched about 10 years ago, and Proper Syrup launched in April 2022. The inspiration for both came from my long-standing friendship with my co-founder, Jeremy Moss. As coffee enthusiasts with hospitality backgrounds, we initially recognized a gap in the market for elevated ceramics that could enhance the café experience and better represent a brand’s identity.
Our vision for Created Co went beyond just producing beautiful ceramic and stainless goods — we wanted to build a platform that celebrated artists and creators. Los Angeles, with its vibrant creative community, provided the perfect backdrop for our mission of bridging coffee culture, art, hospitality and community engagement.
The inception of Proper Syrup came from a realization that far too often, baristas reach for a mass-produced, artificial syrup to complete an otherwise meticulously crafted coffee drink — it highlighted a glaring disconnect in the industry. The specialty coffee world had evolved dramatically: Beans were being sourced with increasing care, extraction methods were being perfected and even alternative milks had been revolutionized. Yet the syrups being used hadn’t kept pace with this evolution.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Proper Syrup
This realization sparked our mission to create something better. We developed Proper Syrup as a natural alternative that would complement, rather than compromise, the complex flavor profiles of specialty coffee. Our focus was clear: craft syrups that match the quality and integrity of today’s coffee culture, using real ingredients and thoughtful recipes that enhance rather than mask the coffee experience.
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With Proper Syrup, we’re addressing a crucial gap in the specialty beverage industry. It’s about respect for the product, the process and, ultimately, the people enjoying these beverages.
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
For Proper, our initial focus was on product development, specifically creating a syrup that would stand apart as quality in a noisy market filled with average products. We spent a lot of time testing recipes, exploring small-batch production methods and experimenting with premium ingredients like real vanilla beans, agave and artisanal salts like Jacobsen Salt. This process led us to our own formula and recipes that were really able to bring something new to the specialty syrup industry.
Once we had our base recipe, we expanded our flavor collection and offered pistachio, salted caramel and strawberry — profiles that weren’t commonly found in traditional syrup lineups. We also provided elevated versions of all of the classics, like vanilla, hazelnut, pumpkin spice and caramel. Vanilla is our best-selling product.
Proper has evolved beyond our initial vision for coffee shops. The brand has taken on a life of its own, especially in digital spaces, where our online social community has discovered creative new applications, like non-alcoholic spritzers, cocktail mixers and more.
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The organic growth of the Proper community has been incredibly inspiring. We’re constantly amazed by the innovative recipes and challenges shared across social platforms. This consumer-driven evolution has become an integral part of our brand identity, and we love to see how our audience continues to shape the brand’s journey. Tag us in your next drink recipe, and we’ll probably repost you!
Image Credit: Courtesy of Proper Syrup
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?
The greatest challenge has been managing the complexity of growing multiple ventures.
As an entrepreneur with a family, I have learned the importance of prioritization and giving myself permission to step back when needed. Sometimes, that means putting certain tasks off while focusing on mission-critical decisions or my family.
Our success wouldn’t be possible without the teams we’ve built for both Created Co and Proper Syrup. We’ve been fortunate to have members with strong entrepreneurial mindsets and diverse skill sets that are perfect for small startup companies.
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How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? What does growth and revenue look like now?
Created Co was essentially bootstrapped from the beginning, which meant starting lean and scaling strategically. We were fully committed to making it work, and fortunately, we gained enough momentum in our first year to create a foundation for growth. We began with a very modest operation and have since expanded to include dedicated sales, marketing, operations and design teams.
Proper Syrup had a different trajectory. While we can’t share exact numbers, I can say this: We were able to accelerate its launch thanks to our established network of distribution partners, understanding of trade shows and industry spaces and comprehensive market knowledge from our experience with Created Co. This allowed us to hit the ground running and achieve market share more quickly.
Proper Syrup is doing six figures, and its growth continues through wholesale distribution serving coffee shops across the country. We’re also expanding into boutique spaces.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Proper Syrup
While we’ve seen strong demand in direct-to-consumer sales, with products selling out completely, we’re trying to strategically manage growth to ensure consistent supply for our wholesale partners. As we scale production capacity, we’re simultaneously investing in our online community to prepare for a stronger ecommerce presence.
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What do you enjoy most about running these businesses?
We’ve built businesses around things that naturally bring people together: coffee, specialty food and beverage experiences, thoughtful design and the excitement of discovering something new. What’s most rewarding is seeing it all come together to be a part of people’s daily rituals and special moments while fostering creativity and connection within communities.
What’s your advice for others hoping to start successful side companies or full-time businesses of their own?
Go for it. Get the work done. Build meaningful relationships. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
