Mixing It Up: Turning a Smoothie Mishap into the Whiskee Straw

This Is Small Business: Behind the Buy

Meet Anissa Pfeifer, the CEO and inventor of the Whiskee Straw, a unique straw with a whisk at the bottom designed to mix drinks like smoothies and coffee. Anissa shares the emotional journey behind creating her product, from the early struggles of running a small boutique to the breakthrough moment when she invented the Whiskee Straw. With her business on the brink of failure, Anissa finds new hope after being invited to pitch her product on the Buy It Now show. After overcoming nerves and delivering an outstanding pitch, Anissa took home a $20,000 prize, which she plans to use to grow her business. Listen to the highlights and challenges of entrepreneurship, the power of perseverance, and the importance of believing in your product and story! You can watch Whiskee Straw's episode on the Buy it Now show titled: A Shocking Game of Golf.

Tune in and get inspired by the real stories behind the entrepreneurs and products featured on Buy It Now. You can find winning products on the Buy It Now Store. Follow TISB: Behind the Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and make sure to watch Buy It Now on Prime Video.

In this episode you’ll discover:

(00:00) Anissa shares the overwhelming feeling of pride and accomplishment when she uses a product she created, even on the hardest days. This insight emphasizes the emotional toll and reward that comes with building a business from scratch.

(04:19) Anissa almost gave up on her entrepreneurial dream after her boutique failed, but she found renewed hope when a new idea emerged. This highlights the need for perseverance, especially when faced with setbacks.

(04:33) The idea for the Whiskee Straw came from Anissa’s frustration with her smoothie separating while driving to a store. Recognizing real-life problems is often the catalyst for innovation.

(05:55) After her husband helped create the first prototype, Anissa realized that having a prototype was just the first step. Convincing customers to buy it was the real challenge, reflecting how launching a product involves more than just creation—it requires customer buy-in.

(06:44) Anissa's business gained traction after a few viral reels. This underscores the importance of social media in expanding reach, especially for small businesses with limited marketing budgets.

(08:04) After seeing initial success, Anissa faced a slowdown in sales, which led her to question her business’s viability. This demonstrates how entrepreneurial journeys often involve peaks and valleys, and how critical it is to stay focused during tough times.

(08:46) Anissa received an unexpected email about the Buy It Now show, which she initially thought was spam. This highlights how unforeseen opportunities can sometimes lead to breakthrough moments for small businesses.

(09:28) Anissa’s emotional breakdown before the show demonstrates how vulnerability can sometimes serve as a motivator. She found strength in her vulnerability and used it as a catalyst to keep going, showing how authenticity can inspire resilience.

(12:53) Anissa overcame her nervousness and delivered an engaging pitch, earning 46 green lights from the audience. This proves the importance of being prepared and confident in your pitch—especially when the stakes are high.